SAN JOSE, Calif.—Brayden Point scored two goals, Nikita Kucherov had four assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the San Jose Sharks 4–1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight win.
The Lightning, in the midst of a five-game road trip, extended their lead for the top wild-card playoff position in the NHL’s Eastern Conference to four points over the Detroit Red Wings.
Point broke a 1–1 tie with a power-play goal 34 seconds into the third period, scoring on the point-blank rebound of a Kucherov shot. It was Point’s 14th goal in his past 15 games. Kucherov, who leads the NHL with 122 points, extended his assist streak to 12 games, the longest in franchise history.
Anthony Duclair, who was dealt by the Sharks to the Lightning prior to the NHL trade deadline earlier this month, extended the Tampa Bay lead to 3–1 at 6:50 of the third period. Point then added his 40th goal of the season on a spectacular pass from Kucherov, who delivered a no-look feed from behind the goal line while on his knees battling for a loose puck.
Nick Paul also scored for Tampa Bay, and William Eklund had San Jose’s goal.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy registered 20 saves for the Lightning. Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, returning from a three-week absence due to a groin injury, made 17 saves.
The Sharks, who returned home after a winless five-game road trip, lost their sixth straight game, and have just one win in their past 16 games. Tampa Bay improved to 9–1–1 in the past 11 meetings with San Jose.
The Lightning scored five minutes into the game, taking advantage of an odd bounce when a pass by defenseman Victor Hedman off the back boards caromed straight to Paul in front.
Eklund tied the game minutes later, finishing a two-on-one break after a Tampa Bay turnover at center ice.
Up Next
Lightning: Visit Los Angeles on Saturday night.Sharks: Host Chicago on Saturday night.
