Kucherov scores twice, Lightning defeat Flames for third straight win

TAMPA -- Nikita Kucherov scored twice for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 39 saves for the Lightning (10-6-1), who have won three in a row.
"[The Flames] are a working team, so you just have to be on top of that and you have to match their work ethic," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. " … You just have to grind, and I thought our guys did tonight."

Nazem Kadri scored for the Flames (7-7-2), who opened a six-game road trip. Jacob Markstrom made 20 saves.
Calgary is 2-7-1 in its past 10 games.
"We were a little sluggish in the first period, 'Marky' made two or three really good saves," Flames coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think we probably had enough opportunities to at least tie going into the third."
After Flames forward Milan Lucic had a goal disallowed for offside at 7:28 of the first period, Stamkos gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 8:03 with a shot from the high slot.
Kucherov made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 18:16 of the second period when he one-timed a feed from Stamkos in the right face-off circle.
"The power play has been an area that we wanted to improve on, and I think we have," Stamkos said. "We're too skilled of a unit to not at least get chances. Obviously, 'Kuch' is a big part of that."

Kadri cut it to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 4:53 of the third period. The Calgary forward deflected a shot from the point by Elias Lindholm.
"It's tough, especially when we score the first goal and it gets taken back, and next shift they get a goal and then they're up 1-0," Lucic said. "We had 40 shots, and we were on it. Just got to get some finish like we did in the two wins before this trip."
Philippe Myers gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead at 5:03 with a shot from the point that beat Markstrom to the short side.
"We get it back to a one-goal lead, and then they score right after that," Markstrom said. "That can't happen. If you look at the numbers, I've got to be better. I've got to step up there."

Kucherov scored an empty net goal with 14 seconds left for the 4-1 final.
"I think we needed to step up a little bit, everyone needed to do a little more," Myers said. "We did a good job. It was just nice to get the two points and get the win."
NOTES:Lindholm has six points (two goals, four assists) in the past three games. ... Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had two assists. He has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a three-game point streak. … Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix left the game midway through the second with an undisclosed injury. … Stamkos scored the first goal of game for the 79th time, one shy of the Lightning record held by Vincent Lecavalier. He has scored in back-to-back games after going 10 with one.