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Kucherov takes NHL lead in points with a goal, 2 assists in Tampa Bay Lightning’s 6-3 win over Coyotes

By Eric Erlendsson
Published  January 26, 2024 7:07am EST
Tampa Bay Lightning
Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. - Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists to retake the NHL lead in points and Steven Stamkos recorded his 1,100th career point with a power-play goal as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Arizona Coyotes 6-3 on Thursday night.

Brayden Point had a goal and an assist, Mitchell Chaffee scored his first career NHL goal and Darren Raddysh and Luke Glendening added scores for Tampa Bay, which won its fifth straight home game. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 17 shots.

Clayton Keller had a goal and an assist and defenseman Sean Durzi scored his eight goal of the season for Arizona. Connor Ingram, who had allowed one goal in his previous two career games against Tampa Bay, allowed six goals on 37 shots.

Tampa Bay has won seven of its last eight games, while Arizona has four wins in its last 12 games.

Kucherov, coming off a four-point game in a victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday, increased his season point total to 83 and moved ahead of Colorado’s Nate MacKinnon (82). Kucherov also reached 50 assists in fewer than 50 games for the third time in his career, one of only nine players to accomplish the feat.

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 25: Conor Sheary #73 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Arizona Coyotes during the first period at Amalie Arena on January 25, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 25: Conor Sheary #73 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Arizona Coyotes during the first period at Amalie Arena on January 25, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

Stamkos recorded his milestone point with a man-advantage goal at 12:02 of the second period. The goal was also the 206th career power-play score for Stamkos, who ranks fifth with the most power-play goals with one franchise.

Raddysh scored 24 seconds into the game, the second-fastest goal by a defenseman to start a game in franchise history. Defenseman have scored 12 goals in the last 12 games for the Lightning.

Keller tied the game at 8:40 of the first before Point put the Lightning in front for good with 33.6 seconds left in the period.

Kucherov scored his 32nd of the season at 7:36. Chaffee, in his fifth career NHL game, made it 5-1 at 15:18 of the second.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: At Carolina on Saturday.

Lightning: Host New Jersey on Saturday.