For an MVP candidate, Nikita Kucherov’s off to a slow
DAYBREAK– Two games, 2 goals. That’s a problem, especially for a roster that put more pucks in the back of the net than any team in the NHL throughout the routine season.Now it holds true that scoring does not come as quickly in the postseason, but a dropoff from 3.6 goals per game to 1.0 appears a tad worrisome.Maybe you blame Florida’s defense, which has actually been
smothering at times. Possibly you blame Tampa Bay’s misfortune, considering a handful of wide-open opportunities have actually inexplicably gone awry. Or maybe you simply blame Nikita Kucherov.That’s what often happens this time of year, you know. Everybody whispers that a group’s stars require to play like stars in big games. And, for a long time now, Kucherov has not played like a star in the playoffs.Kucherov has failed to score a goal in his last 12 postseason games. If you return to the 2022 Stanley Cup final loss to Colorado, he has two goals in his last 19 playoff games.Maybe not so coincidentally, the Lightning have gone 5-14 in those 19 games. They’ve likewise lost 3 successive series and remain in risk of dropping a 4th if they do not dig themselves out of the 0-2 hole they are in against the Panthers.Is this Kucherov’s fault? Not entirely. However that business of stars-being-stars is not simply a cliché.< img alt= "In the nine playoff series Tampa Bay has lost with Nikita Kucherov in the lineup
, he has balanced just a goal every 6.2 games.”src=”// www.w3.org/2000/svg “viewBox=”0 0 620 419″/% 3E” width =”620″height=” vehicle”/ > In the nine playoff series Tampa Bay has actually lost with Nikita Kucherov in the lineup, he has balanced simply a goal every 6.2 games. [DIRK SHADD|Times] Even when Edmonton lost to Florida in the Cup final last season, Connor McDavid had 3 objectives in 7 games. When Colorado lost to Dallas in the 2nd round, Nathan MacKinnon had 2 goals in six games. Those are Kucherov
‘s peers. His comps. The guys who challenge for the scoring title and gather MVP votes most seasons.When asked if Florida is doing anything special to keep Kucherov off the scoresheet, Lightning coach Jon Cooper didn’t precisely catch the concern. “No, I do not believe so. I imply, let’s be truthful, no one’s on the scoresheet, “he stated.
“We’ve scored two goals in two games and that’s not a recipe for success. And, like I said, it was regrettable Game 1 was sort of just an odd game.
“However we defended well (in Game 2)and there weren’t a ton of chances in any case to score. Not even for their guys, however they simply occurred to slip one by us and we could not bury our opportunities. So if we keep playing those kind of games, they’ll eventually enter. Both groups are defending and there’s not a lot of time and space out there, which’s what you’re seeing.”Stay upgraded on Tampa Bay’s sports scene Subscribe to our complimentary Sports Today newsletter We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football groups every day.You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.Explore all your alternatives
This story has actually existed for a number of years, returning to the 2019 first-round sweep by Columbus when Kucherov and Steven Stamkos were virtually invisible. It’s not as if Kucherov has actually constantly struggled in
postseason situations.
He led the NHL in points in both the 2020 and 2021 playoffs, and had 21 goals in 43 games as far back as the 2015 and 2016 playoffs.The issue exists is a tremendous disparity in between when Kucherov is feeling it, and when he gets disappointed. In the 18 playoff series the Lightning have won during Kucherov’s time here, he has actually balanced a goal every 2.2 games. In the 9 series Tampa Bay has actually lost, he has balanced an objective every 6.2 games.In some ways, that makes sense. When the Lightning battle to produce
offense, they’re likely to lose. And the battles have not been Kucherov’s alone. However he is a three-time scoring champ and the most gifted player in a Lightning uniform, which implies he’s supposed to be efficient in carrying the group on his shoulders at times.Teams that go out of their way to put bodies on Kucherov appear to
have a much better opportunity of disrupting Tampa Bay’s offense, and the Panthers found out that lesson in 2015 when they held him without a goal.In the opening minutes of Video game 1 this season, they strengthened that concept when Matthew Tkachuk drilled Kucherov near the wall.”It’s certainly a team effort,”Panthers center Evan Rodrigues said.”In the playoffs you get additional stingy.
You complete more checks, you’re more active concentrated on the defensive side. Throughout the routine season things can get a little loose. It’s difficult to play 82 games at a 100 %elite rate.”When the playoffs struck, you focus on guys like that. He’s going to get his looks, he’s going to get his possibilities, you can’t always stop a guy like that
. However I believe we’ve done a really excellent job as a team of just including him and trying to keep him to the outdoors, not letting him feel comfy. He’s a guy you certainly pay extra attention to.”Kucherov is a future Hall of Famer. That seems quite evident.What happens in the next week against Florida will not significantly alter his reputation one way or another.But if the Lightning have any hope of advancing past the preliminary for the very first time since 2022, Kucherov is going to require to find the net.Panthers 2, Lightning 0 EASTERN CONFERENCE, PRELIMINARY Video game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2 Thursday: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 Saturday: at Dawn, 1, FanDuel Sports Sun, TBS, truTV Monday: at Dawn, 7, FanDuel Sports Sun, ESPN Wednesday
: at Amalie Arena, TBD * Might 2: at Daybreak, TBD * May 4: at Amalie Arena, TBD ** if essential – – – Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football throughout Florida.Never lose out on the most recent with your favorite Tampa Bay sports groups. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.