OTTAWA, ON – Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning are back atop the NHL.
Kucherov had two assists to reach 80 points this season and Tampa Bay defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on Thursday night.
Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman, Vladislav Namestnikov and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning (41-17-3), who leapfrogged expansion Vegas to regain the top spot in the overall standings with 85 points. Louis Domingue earned his third win by stopping 33 shots.
Kucherov, the NHL’s leading scorer, has 32 goals and 48 assists in 61 games.
Ryan Dzingel, Mark Borowiecki and Derick Brassard scored for the Senators (21-29-10), who are 0-2-1 in their last three games. Craig Anderson made 20 saves.
The loss snapped the Senators’ five-game winning streak on home ice. And with Monday afternoon’s trade deadline quickly approaching, Ottawa players are finding it difficult to stay focused.
Brassard made it a one-goal game by scoring on the power play with just more than two minutes remaining, but the Senators were unable to complete the comeback.
Brassard is one of a handful of Ottawa players who has been mentioned in trade speculation and he said it’s hard to ignore the talk.
Ottawa made it 4-2 midway through the third as Borowiecki, with his third of the season, had a wide-open net after catching Domingue out of position. The goal was initially waved off due to goaltender interference, but the Senators challenged and upon review it was ruled a good goal. You might generic tadalafil tablets be wondering what it is? If you currently don’t understand the meaning of this medical terminology viz. ‘erectile dysfunction’ then let me take a moment to explain this to them. Overdose of Suhagra can have harmful effects in your life and thus, it is amerikabulteni.com order generic levitra suggested to talk openly to general practitioner about the best treatment for the erection troubles. Now, his illness is basically cured cheapest online viagra only recurrent sometimes. For people suffering from erectile dysfunction (better known as ED), Visit This Link buying tadalafil privacy and comfort is major concern.
The Lightning took a 3-1 lead three minutes into the second as Kucherov fed Namestnikov, who was able to break in alone and beat Anderson.
Ottawa had a number of chances to try and close the gap, but couldn’t beat Domingue.
Tampa Bay made it 4-1 with less than a second left in the second period when Point was left all alone in front and scored his 24th of the season.
The aLightning opened the scoring midway through the period as Johnson beat Anderson high from long range. Chris Kunitz got his 600th career point with an assist.
Ottawa tied the game at the 14-minute mark as Dzingel showed off some sweet stick work and tucked a puck in behind Domingue for his 16th of the season.
Less than two minutes later, the Lightning regained the lead as they hemmed the Senators in their own end and Hedman beat Anderson through the legs from in close.
Bobby Ryan returned to the Senators’ lineup after missing 10 games with a hand injury.
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Tampa Bay Lightning Right Wing Nikita Kucherov (86) takes a shot as Ottawa Senators Left Wing Mike Hoffman (68) looks on during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Ottawa Senators Center Nick Shore (23) gives a shove to Tampa Bay Lightning Center Cedric Paquette (13) during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Tampa Bay Lightning Defenceman Victor Hedman (77) battles to control the puck during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Ottawa Senators Center Matt Duchene (95) carries the puck into the offensive zone during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mark Stone (61) follows through on a pass during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Ryan Dzingel (18) battles a Tampa Bay defender in front of the net during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Tampa Bay Lightning Goalie Louis Domingue (70) takes a drink during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Tampa Bay Lightning Right Wing Ryan Callahan (24) gets passed Ottawa Senators Defenceman Thomas Chabot (72) to claim the puck during third period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Tampa Bay Lightning Left Wing Alex Killorn (17) skates the puck into the offensive zone during third period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Mark Borowiecki (74) chases the puck carrier down during third period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on February 22, 2018, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/richardawhittaker.ca)
