TAMPA, Fla. – Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history to pile up 100 assists in a season Wednesday night at Amalie Arena. He joins Wayne Gretzky (11 times!), Mario Lemieux (once), Bobby Orr (once) and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who picked his 100th assist Monday night, in achieving the plateau.
Kucherov got the primary assist on Brayden Point’s powerplay goal at 17:05 of the second period to give the Lightning a 4-1 lead over the Maple Leafs.
The 30-year-old Russian headed into Wednesday’s regular-season finale having produced 11 games of at least three assists this season, including four games with four assists.
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The milestone assist gave Kucherov 144 points and a six-point lead over Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the Art Ross Trophy awarded to the league’s leading scorer. The Avalanche play their final game Thursday against visiting Edmonton.
Heading into Wednesday evening, Kucherov had 40 multi-point games in the 80 he had played. His season high is six points, which was November 24 at Carolina. He has a pair of five-point games and five with four points. He also entered the game, having figured in 49.8 percent of the Lightning’s 285 goals.
“He is and I did not think that was possible,” coach Jon Cooper said recently when asked if Kucherov has taken his game up yet another notch. “I think every year his vision, thought process and compete level, everything has gone up. It has gone up every single year and this year has been special.”
Kucherov may very well win his second Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP to go with his likely second Art Ross. He won both awards in 2018-19, when he totaled 128 points.
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