After scoring four goals and totaling six points in his last three games, star Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov has been named the NHL's First Star of the Week.
Kucherov, the reigning Ted Lindsey Award winner, helped lead his team to victories in all three of their games this week, overcoming quite a bit of adversity in the process. After a physical, hard fought game against their arch-rival Florida Panthers, the Lightning nearly blew a 4-1 lead against the Montreal Canadiens but ended up winning in a shootout.
So far this season, Kucherov has scored 17 goals and tallied a total of 49 points in just 34 games. Currently, he's seventh in the entire NHL in points, behind names like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon Macklin Celebrini, and few others.
Kucherov's scoring pace is slightly lower than his production last season, but with more than half of the season remaining, he has plenty of time to get back on pace for 120+ points when all is said and done. If Kucherov is able to do so, he could end up with his third consecutive Art Ross trophy although it certainly won't be easy given the intense competition at the top of the scoring race.