Kucherov, Stamkos help Lightning score 9 goals in rout of Rangers
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists, Steven Stamkos scored his 399th career goal and added two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning routed the New York Rangers 9-3 on Thursday night.
Tampa Bay's nine goals tied a team record. Five scores came on the power play, which also matched the franchise mark.
Kucherov had a goal and a pair of assists as Tampa Bay scored four times in the opening seven minutes. Stamkos got his second goal in 10 games on the power play during a four-goal second that made it 8-1.
Alex Killorn scored two power-play goals and picked up an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 20 shots to tie Ben Bishop for the most wins by a Tampa Bay goalie with 131.
The Lightning, who hadn't played since Saturday when they completed back-to back wins over Buffalo in Stockholm, Sweden, also got goals from Luke Schenn, Ondrej Palat, Pat Maroon, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Yanni Gourde. Victor Hedman had three assists and Gourde recorded two assists.
Filip Chytil scored two goals and Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev was pulled early on after allowing four goals on nine shots, before returning to start the third period. Henrik Lundqvist replaced Georgiev and gave up four goals on 19 shots.
After Schenn opened the scoring 2:39 into the game, three minutes later Tampa Bay scored three goals in 61 seconds to go up 4-0.
With New York's Brendan Lemieux (cross-checking) and Tony DeAngelo (slashing) sent off at 5:36, Killorn had a waist-line deflection five seconds later.
Kucherov added another man-advantage goal at 6:20 before Palat made it 4-0 just 22 seconds later.
Maroon, Shattenkirk and Killorn had second-period goals, while Gourde picked up a power-play goal in third.
Kreider scored at 14:33 of the first. Artemi Panarin extended his point streak to a career-high 10 games with two assists.
Chytil scored twice in the third and has six goals in eight games this season.
NOTES: New York rookie RW Kaapo Kakko (flu) was scratched and D Jacob Trouba left during the second with an upper-body injury. ... Schenn stopped a 32-game goal drought, dating to March. 31, 2018.
UP NEXT:
Rangers: Play Saturday night at Florida Panthers.
Lightning: Host Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
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