PITTSBURGH — In an exciting match on Sunday, the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 5-2.
Nikita Kucherov led the charge for the Lightning, contributing two goals and one assist to the victory. Brandon Hagel also added to the scoreline, while Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul sealed the game with empty-net goals.
This win marked a notable achievement for Tampa Bay as they managed to secure points in both halves of back-to-back games for the first time this season. The team faced a tough battle just a day prior, where they fell to New Jersey in overtime.
On the other hand, Jake Guentzel, who had been a part of the Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup win, registered two assists in the game. His performance earned him a commendable place in Lightning history, making him only the second player to record at least 20 goals and 40 points in the first 40 games with the franchise. Guentzel joined the Lightning after signing a seven-year contract during the offseason.
For the Penguins, Rickard Rakell netted his 22nd goal of the season, and Kevin Hayes scored his third in just five games. In a significant moment for Sidney Crosby, he recorded his 1,040th career assist, allowing him to tie with Marcel Dionne for 11th on the all-time NHL assist list. However, the Penguins were not at full strength, missing Evgeni Malkin, who is on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury.
In terms of game dynamics, the Lightning started slowly but regained their momentum, with Kucherov breaking a 2-2 tie with just 3:03 left in the game, scoring his 20th goal of the season. This victory brought the Lightning’s record to three wins in their last four matches after experiencing a four-game losing streak.
On the Penguins’ side, their recent performance put them at 3-5-3 over their last 11 games, raising concerns for the team going forward.
A pivotal moment occurred when Kucherov intercepted the puck at the Penguins’ blue line and executed a partial breakaway to score, demonstrating his skill and tenacity.
Statistically, the Lightning made history by becoming the first team this season to boast four players with 20 or more goals. This feat had not been accomplished since the 1995-96 Penguins had the same number of players reach that milestone within their first 41 games.
Looking ahead, the Penguins are set to conclude a five-game homestand on Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken, while the Lightning will wrap up their three-game road trip the same day in a matchup against the Boston Bruins.
