Prior to last week, Nikita Kucherov had been in, by his standards, a little bit of a slump. In the previous four games to last week he had recorded just two assists and his frustration was evident. Never one to hide his displeasure, Kucherov wasn’t frustrated at his teammates or opponents (well not much), but at his own performance. No one is harder on himself than Nikita Kucherov and when he doesn’t play to his own standards, pretty much everyone can tell.
However, he is Nikita Kucherov and is really, really good at hockey so it’s only a matter of time until he snaps out of his slump. He did so with a vengeance last week as he racked up 9 points (1 goal, 8 assists) in the four games from Sunday to Saturday. In three of those games he had multiple points, including a three-assist game in the 4-3 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. That performance earned him Lightning player of the week accolades.
Often, as goes Kucherov so goes the Lightning offense. So it’s no coincidence that as he’s found his game, the rest of the team has found their offense as well.
Lightning / NHL News
Auston Matthews hat trick leads leafs over Lightning [Raw Charge]
The Lightning did not pay heed to the warning that poor play against the Leafs would lead to an ugly loss. Sometimes, getting your butt handed to you is exactly what you need as a team. Hopefully, they learned the lesson and will take it out on Boston later this week.
Matthews ties franchise record in win [Pension Plan Puppets]
The view from the other side of the ice.
Lightning forward Nick Paul’s path of perseverance to his first playoff run [Tampa Bay Times]
One of the more underrated aspects of moving at the trade deadline is that a lot of players go from a team that is losing more than it is winning to a playoff team where every game, every shift has some stakes to it. That can take a bit of a mental adjustment For Nick Paul, it’s the next step on his mental evolution.
Sonya Bryson-Kirksey’s Q105 playlist [Q105]
Everyone’s favorite anthem singer drops some of her favorite songs.
Humble, hardworking Hedman having career-year for Bolts [ABC Action News]
He’s not getting younger, but he is, in his own words, getting “wiser”. As good as he has been in the past, he has the chance to set some personal records on the ice this year.
Sending @keeperofthecup back to Toronto with a very special addition to the @HockeyHallFame. 💍 pic.twitter.com/U1KBim8Wrr
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 4, 2022
Voice of Lightning roams TGH with therapy dog [Fox13 Tampa Bay]
Prior to the game against the Maple Leafs, radio play-by-play man Dave Mishkin mentioned that he was at Tampa General Hospital several times a week with his dog, Stella. The three-year-old Bernese Mountain dog is a certified therapy dog. During their visits, the pair not only brings joy and comfort to the patients, but also the staff.
Wins are overrated, let’s try having fun instead [Broad Street Hockey]
Let’s see how Flyers fans are doing. Ah, I see, we’re at the “screw the record, let’s just find a moment of joy” portion of the season for them.
Women’s hockey is better than mainstream media treats it [Eyes on the Prize]
Our friends over at Habs EOTP delve into the issue of why, three years after the CWHL folded, things haven’t really changed in women’s hockey.
