SUNRISE, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov had two needs and three assists when the Tampa Bay Lightning ended the Florida Panthers’ team-narrative 13-sport winning trudge with an 8-4 victory at FLA Are living Enviornment on Sunday.
The Panthers, who set their narrative with a 3-2 past traditional time victory in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, lost for the first time since March 27.
“Tonight we had been pushing again and you might perchance perchance easiest glide to the successfully so again and again and tonight it ran out,” Panthers coach Andrew Brunette mentioned. “There might be some issues that we be pleased bought to shore up absolutely, but I just like the model our team competes even [on] an evening where you might perchance perchance spend it off. We did no longer spend the evening off.”
Nicholas Paul scored two 2nd-length needs, Steven Stamkos had two needs and two assists, and Victor Hedman had four assists for the Lightning (49-22-8), who be pleased won three in a row. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 37 saves.
Sam Reinhart scored two needs for the Panthers (57-16-6). Spencer Knight made 12 saves but used to be pulled within the 2nd length after Paul’s 2nd purpose made it 5-3. Sergei Bobrovsky modified Knight and made 12 saves.
Video: [email protected]: Paul goes upstairs, locations feed by skates
Florida, which has clinched the head seed within the Jap Conference, stayed four elements ahead of the Colorado Avalanche within the bustle for the President’s Trophy and the No. 1 seed within the NHL. Tampa Bay is in third plot within the Atlantic Division, 5 elements within the serve of the 2nd-plot Toronto Maple Leafs and three elements ahead of the Boston Bruins.
Paul gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead with a shorthanded purpose when he build the puck between his legs sooner than flicking it past Knight.
He made it 5-3 at 12: 59 when his centering pass bounced in off Knight’s stick.
“We knew the trudge they had been on,” Paul mentioned. “And we wished to reach serve right here and be those that ended it.”
Brayden Point made it 6-3 with a energy-play purpose at 3: 34 of the third length.
Reinhart introduced Florida to internal 6-4 at 7: 04 with a energy-play purpose.
Kucherov made it 7-4 at 11: 36 when he one-timed Stamkos’ centering pass to the true circle sooner than Stamkos made it 8-4 with a energy-play purpose at 16: 34.
“The playoffs are like on steroids to what we seen tonight,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper mentioned. “You might be pleased bought to be ready and video games like this befriend you.”
Kucherov gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 with a high wrist shot from the underside of the true circle.
Video: [email protected]: Kucherov extends purpose trudge to 6 at circle
After Claude Giroux had a purpose disallowed at 4: 06 when Tampa Bay worthwhile challenged for goaltender interference, Reinhart made it 1-1 at 4: 31 with a quick shot from the high slot for his 30th purpose of the season.
“That is mountainous,” Reinhart mentioned. “I form no longer mediate anybody needs to enact at 19, 29, 39, 49, whatever it’s. I form no longer mediate anybody needs to enact at that. So anytime you might perchance perchance reach that even quantity is a pleasant stat.”
Stamkos gave the Lightning a 2-1 at 6: 44 with a energy-play purpose with a one-timer from the left circle sooner than Cal Foote made it 3-1 at 14: 58 when he redirected Brandon Hagel‘s pass on a 3-on-1.
Video: [email protected]: Stamkos one-times feed from up high for lead
Brandon Montour, who scored in past traditional time within the Panthers’ 3-2 victory in opposition to the Maple Leafs on Saturday, sever the margin to a couple-2 at 17: 28 when he one-timed a clearing attempt off the boards.
Mason Marchment tied the ranking 3-3 at 59 seconds of the 2nd length with a one-handed backhand flip of a bouncing puck after Giroux lobbed the puck into the offensive zone.
“We be pleased bought lots of opponents in right here,” Marchment mentioned. “I form no longer mediate we ever want to lose I form no longer mediate anybody’s ever glad with shedding, especially on this locker room. I mediate for us ultimate build this one within the serve of us and transfer on to the subsequent.”
NOTES: The Lightning, the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champions, had been flying from South Florida to Washington to envision with the White Home on Monday. … Stamkos grew to alter into the first Tampa Bay player with four consecutive video games with at least three elements. … Kucherov prolonged his purpose trudge to 6 video games, two vexed of the Lightning narrative set by Brian Bradley in 1992-93. … Reinhart grew to alter into the fourth Panthers avid gamers to reach 30 needs this season, joining Aleksander Barkov, Anthony Duclair and Jonathan Huberdeau. … Huberdeau had one befriend to transfer to 114 elements on the season, four within the serve of Connor McDavid for the NHL lead.
