Facts and Figures: Kucherov powers Lightning to NHL-best 20th win

Nikita Kucherov's four-point night helped the Tampa Bay Lightning become the first team to win 20 games this season by defeating the New Jersey Devils 5-1 at Prudential Center on Monday.

Kucherov scored a goal and had three assists for the sixth four-point game of his NHL career. The 25-year-old forward has 24 points (five goals, 19 assists) during

. Kucherov is the 12th active player to have a point streak of

. He had two in 2017-18, including an 11-game streak to start the season.
Kucherov has at least three points in five of 10 games during his current streak. It was his 31st game with at least three points since 2014-15, his first NHL season. He is one of seven players with at least 30 such performances in that span.
There have been nine point streaks of at least 10 games this season (415 games played), with three players on active eight-game runs. Only one of the past 24 seasons had more double-digit point streaks within the first 500 games. There were 11 in 2005-06, which ended as the highest-scoring season in 21 years (6.2 goals per game).
Kucherov (at the Detroit Red Wings) and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson (vs. the Calgary Flames) each puts a 10-game point streak on the line Tuesday.

Point joins 20-goal club

Lightning forward Brayden Point scored his 20th goal of the season and fourth game-winner in the victory at New Jersey, joining forwards Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets (21) and Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres (20) in the 20-goal club.
Point needed 28 games to reach 20 goals. He is 12 shy of matching his NHL career best of 32 goals set last season, when he scored his 20th goal in his 49th game (at the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 25).
Five players enter Tuesday within three goals of 20 this season. The last time the NHL had more than three 20-goal scorers within the first 500 games of a season was 2009-10, when there were five.

Rinne, Khudobin excel in victories

Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Anton Khudobin of the Dallas Stars were the difference makers in victories by their teams:
Rinne, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, made 21 saves in a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Bridgestone Arena. He leads the NHL in goals-against average (1.81), is second in save percentage (.935) behind Jaroslav Halak of the Boston Bruins (.936) and has allowed two goals or fewer in 14 of 19 appearances. As a team, the Predators held an opponent to no more than one goal for the ninth time (including three shutouts). They lead the NHL with a 2.36 team GAA and are fourth with a .918 team save percentage, trailing the Toronto Maple Leafs (.923), Anaheim Ducks (.922) and Bruins (.922).
Khudobin made 28 saves in a 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers at American Airlines Center. It was the third straight victory for the Stars (15-10-3), who moved within one point of the Jets for third place in the Central Division. Nine points separate first (Nashville) from fifth (Minnesota Wild) in the Central.