TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov netted his fourth goal of the season as the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the Vancouver Canucks in their home opener, which was postponed due to Hurricane Milton. The match took place on Tuesday night following the unexpected delay.

Kucherov, who recorded a hat trick in the Lightning’s last match, was instrumental in setting the tone early on, scoring off a pass from Darren Raddysh just 3:55 into the first period. Initially, the home season was meant to commence on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes but was rescheduled due to the impacts of Hurricane Milton.

In addition to Kucherov’s contribution, Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, and Brandon Hagel each added a goal and an assist in the victory. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was solid between the pipes, recording 26 saves to help secure the win for Tampa Bay. Conor Garland managed to score Vancouver’s only goal, which came via a power play in the third period, while his teammate Arturs Silovs stopped 24 shots during the game.

The performance of the Canucks has raised some concerns; they now hold an 0-1-2 record after achieving 50 victories last season. Their offense has struggled in the early games, with just eight goals over the first three matchups, including five scored in the opening period.

For the Lightning, the team spent the majority of the previous week in Raleigh, North Carolina, addressing the circumstances surrounding Hurricane Milton. Some members of the coaching staff and players, including head coach Jon Cooper, are currently residing in hotels due to ongoing power issues. However, it appears that the off-ice challenges have not hindered the team’s performance on the ice.

A significant moment in the game transpired when Tampa Bay failed to extend their lead to 3-0 during a late second-period power play. Vasilevskiy made key saves against Tyler Myers and Brock Boeser, while Garland also came close with a shot that hit the post.

Statistically, Kucherov has made an impressive start this season, contributing to all five of the Lightning’s initial goals. He is only trailing behind a select few players in terms of longest points streaks to start a season, including Connor McDavid and Adam Oates.

Looking ahead, the Tampa Bay Lightning will remain at home to take on the Golden Knights on Thursday night, while the Vancouver Canucks are set to face the Florida Panthers on the road the same evening.