Nikita Kucherov scores 3 times as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3
PHILADELPHIA - Nikita Kucherov had three goals and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Kucherov scored on a one-timer from the right circle late in the first period. He added a nearly identical goal on a power play 2:24 into the second. He also had an empty-netter in the final minute of the game.
Kucherov moved into the NHL lead with 80 points, continuing his battle with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the top spot.
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel each had a goal and an assist as Tampa Bay won for the sixth time in seven games. Michael Eyssimont also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 stops.
Jaime Drysdale and Cam York scored for Philadelphia, which has dropped three in a row. Cam Atkinson had a goal and an assist.
It was Drysdale's first goal since he was acquired in a Jan. 8 trade with Anaheim for one of the Flyers' top prospects, Cutter Gauthier.
Samuel Ersson made 15 saves in his second consecutive start for Philadelphia. He likely will serve as the Flyers' No. 1 goaltender for the foreseeable future after Carter Hart took an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
Flyers goaltender Carter Hart is taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart is taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons. General manager Daniel Briere announced Hart had requested and been granted time away from the team.
Drysdale's power-play goal trimmed Tampa Bay's lead to 3-2 with 5:56 left in the second. But Kucherov fed Eyssimont in the slot with a slick pass for a power-play goal with 2:18 remaining in the period.
UP NEXT
Lightning: Hosts Arizona on Thursday.
Flyers: Travel to Detroit on Thursday.