Nikita Kucherov, our sleeping "dragon" in the NHL, is awakening as the leader of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Last night, the standout Russian player in the National Hockey League was Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov, who has somewhat faded from the memory of domestic hockey fans. This season, our Lightning winger hasn't shone as brightly as he did last year, but in the game against Vancouver, he once again showcased his exceptional skills by scoring 3 points (1 goal and 2 assists) and was named the second star of the night. Matvei Michkov wanted to celebrate his 20th birthday with a "Gordie Howe hat trick," but fell short of scoring a goal in the match against Utah. "MK-Sport" provides the details.

https://www.sportmk.ru/sports/2024/12/09/nikita-kucherov-nash-spyashhiy-drakon-v-nkhl-lider-tampy-prosypaetsya.html2024-12-09 09:11:55

The 31-year-old Russian forward of the NHL club Tampa Bay Lightning, Nikita Kucherov, who won the league's top scorer award last season and set a personal record for points (144 (44+100). — Ed. note.) — is not having as bright and convincing a regular season this time around. There are several reasons for this, one being a minor injury that has been bothering him since the start of the season, causing him to miss the last two games of his team.

The coaching staff gave Nikita a short break. Upon returning to action, Kucherov immediately shone with a productive performance in the away match against Vancouver. However, in the opening period, our forward indirectly participated in a goal against his compatriot Andrei Vasilevskiy, as he failed to contain Quinn Hughes, allowing him to take a concealed shot and blocking visibility for his goalie. Nonetheless, after the break, the Russian made up for this mistake in style.

First, Kucherov equalized the score in the match with a powerful shot that found the back of the net for the Canadian club. It’s worth noting that his teammate from Tampa, defenseman Ryan McDonough, drew Finnish goalie of the Canucks, Lankinen, out of position and passed to his leader, who only had to aim for the open corner. Two minutes later, Nikita returned the favor to another teammate, Brayden Point, setting him up for a prime scoring opportunity.

The Russian also participated in the Lightning's winning goal. He assisted on the third goal by Jake Guentzel in the final twenty minutes. The match was capped off with an empty-net goal by Point. The final score was 4:2 - Tampa claimed victory, with Nikita Kucherov earning 3 points (1+2) in this game and being named the third star of the match and the second star of the entire NHL day. Our forward has accumulated 37 points (13+24) in 23 games and shares 7th place in the scoring leaderboard with a group of players.

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With youthful exuberance, joy, and ease, our rookie from Philadelphia, Matvei Michkov, celebrated his 20th birthday in the game against Utah. In the second period, the native of Perm contributed to the Flyers' scoring attack, and in the final minute, he got into a scuffle with opposing defenseman Barrett Hayton, delivering a gloved punch to his face, resulting in a penalty for the rest of the match. The Russian proudly left the ice to applause, managing to sign a bottle for one of his young fans.

If Matvei had managed to score in this match, he would have recorded what is known as the "Gordie Howe hat trick" - a goal, an assist, and a fight. Perhaps it was exactly the lack of scoring achievements from the young forward that cost the Flyers a victory over Utah - 2:4. Matvei Michkov has now tallied his 25th point (11+14) in 26 games played and continues to lead confidently in the list of the league's most productive rookies.

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