Lightning Roll Past Golden Knights 6-2 as Kucherov Ties Tampa Bay’s Career Scoring Record

Tampa Bay Lightning Continue Hot Start to Season

The Tampa Bay Lightning continued their impressive start to the season Tuesday night, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 6-2 behind Anthony Cirelli’s two goals and Nikita Kucherov’s three-point performance, which tied the star forward for the franchise’s all-time scoring record.

The Lightning improved to 7-2, marking their best start since opening the 2020-21 season with a 7-1-1 record. Tampa Bay went on to repeat as Stanley Cup champions that season, providing an encouraging early comparison for a team looking to make another deep postseason run.

Kucherov finished with a goal and two assists to increase his career total to 1,137 points, pulling even with former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos for the most points in franchise history. Brandon Hagel, John Carlson and Victor Hedman also scored for Tampa Bay, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots. The loss snapped some of the momentum for Vegas, which had won seven of its previous eight games entering Tuesday’s matchup.

Kucherov Makes More History Against Vegas

Kucherov continued his remarkable success against the Golden Knights, recording at least one point in all 15 games he has played against the franchise. According to the supplied statistics, that streak ranks behind only Mario Lemieux’s 26-game point streak against Calgary and Tomas Sandstrom’s 17-game streak against Tampa Bay among players who recorded a point in every game against a particular opponent. Connor McDavid previously recorded a 17-game streak against New Jersey before it ended in January.

Kucherov’s latest milestone added another chapter to his legacy in Tampa Bay. By reaching 1,137 career points, he matched Stamkos, who spent the first 16 seasons of his NHL career with the Lightning before leaving the organization. With Tampa Bay producing offense from multiple lines and its top players continuing to deliver, Kucherov’s historic performance helped the Lightning maintain their early-season momentum.

Cirelli Leads Tampa Bay’s Second Period Surge

Tuesday’s matchup featured an open, attack-minded style from both teams, with each side scoring twice in the first period. Tampa Bay then took control in the second, scoring three goals on just 14 shots to turn a competitive game into a comfortable lead. Cirelli put the Lightning ahead 3-2 at 6:44 of the second period, finishing a pass from Kucherov. He struck again at 10:09, scoring unassisted to extend the advantage to 4-2.

Hedman added another goal late in the period, sending a shot from the left point past Vegas goaltender Carter Hart to give Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead. The goal capped a productive second period in which the Lightning repeatedly capitalized on their opportunities.

Kucherov completed the scoring early in the third period, converting on a breakaway to make it 6-2 and put the result beyond doubt. Vasilevskiy provided stability at the other end, stopping 32 shots as Tampa Bay limited Vegas to two goals despite the Golden Knights’ offensive pressure.

Golden Knights Get Goals From Barbashev and Stone

Vegas found the net twice in the opening period, with Ivan Barbashev scoring his first goal of the season and Mark Stone adding his fifth goal in three games. However, the Golden Knights were unable to keep pace after Tampa Bay took over in the second period.

Hart finished with 15 saves on 21 shots before the Lightning’s six-goal performance sealed the result. The game also marked a career milestone for Vegas forward Brett Howden, who appeared in his 500th NHL game. Howden was selected 27th overall by Tampa Bay in the 2016 NHL Draft and has played 322 games with the Golden Knights.

Next Hockey Games for Both Teams

The Lightning will look to build on their strong start when they visit the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Vegas will attempt to bounce back Thursday when the Golden Knights travel to face the St. Louis Blues.