This Tampa Bay Lightning superstar had a dominant game in the club's season opener.
This Tampa Bay Lightning superstar had a dominant game in the club's season opener.
The Tampa Bay Lightning played their season-opener last night against the Carolina Hurricanes, and it undoubtedly went well for them. They defeated a tough Hurricanes team by a 4-1 final score and will now look to build off it when they play the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 15.
Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov was a massive reason for the Lightning's win, as the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner scored a hat trick – including the eventual game-winner – and added an assist.
Seeing Kucherov start his season with a hat trick and four points is not surprising in the slightest. The 31-year-old winger was the NHL's most dominant forward last season, recording 44 goals and a league-leading 144 points in 81 games. He also made history, becoming the first winger to record 100 assists in a single season.
Nevertheless, after a historic 2023-24 campaign, Kucherov is right back to being an offensive machine.