Kucherov Passes Stamkos as Lightning Scoring Leader, but Mammoth Win in Overtime
By Ernie Norquist | Thunderstruck Sports
Nikita Kucherov etched his name atop the Tampa Bay Lightning scoring list, but took a back seat to another Russian player on this night, as Dmitri Simashev scored the first two goals of his NHL career, including the winner 1:44 into overtime, to lift the Utah Mammoth over the Lightning, 5-4, on Saturday at Delta Center.
Kucherov passed Stamkos with an assist on Brayden Point's first-period power-play goal, giving him 1,138 career points with Tampa Bay to Stamkos' 1,137.
“We have been together since 2013-2014 ... I have had the pleasure of watching every one of those points,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of Kucherov's accomplishment.
“You always have to be ready when Kuch (Kucherov) has it ... he lays it there for me, and I whack it in,” Point said.
The Lightning led 4-2 in the second period before Anders Lee and Simashev scored 2:23 apart to tie the game and set up the overtime finish.
Lightning Jump Ahead Early
The Lightning made their annual trip to Utah and the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, facing their first back-to-back of the season after a disappointing loss to the Colorado Avalanche. That set up Dennis Hildeby's third start of the season in goal.
Jake Guentzel received a fortunate break that gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 5:10 of the first period. His shot into traffic was inadvertently redirected past goaltender Karel Vejmelka by Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, and the goal was credited to Guentzel, his seventh of the season.
Utah answered at 7:02 when Kailer Yamamoto beat Hildeby from 13 feet. Pontus Holmberg put the Lightning back in front at 10:06 with a snap shot from 34 feet, set up by Erik Cernak and Ryan McDonagh.
The Bolts converted on the power play after Clayton Keller went off for interference. Point scored from five feet at 12:42, with assists from Kucherov, his 10th of the season, and Charle-Edouard D'Astous, to make it 3-1.
Utah cut it to 3-2 at 17:39 on its own power play. Dylan Guenther scored from 33 feet, 20 seconds after Emil Lilleberg was called for interference, with assists from Sergachev and Keller. Tampa Bay held a 12-9 edge in shots after one period.
Mammoth Erase the Lightning Lead
Conor Geekie stretched Tampa Bay's lead to 4-2 at 5:32 of the second period, scoring from six feet with an assist from Scott Sabourin.
Utah answered at 14:39 when Lee tipped in a shot from six feet, six seconds after a Kucherov hooking minor expired. Vincent Trocheck and MacKenzie Weegar assisted.
Simashev tied the game at 17:02 with a 37-foot snap shot, assisted by Andrew Peeke and Trocheck. The goal came with a delayed tripping call on McDonagh pending. The Lightning outshot the Mammoth 11-8 in the period, but Utah scored the final two goals to make it 4-4.
Simashev Ends It in Overtime
The third period was scoreless, with each team recording nine shots. Offsetting roughing minors to D'Astous and Utah's Kevin Stenlund at 15:27 led to two minutes of four-on-four play, but Hildeby and Vejmelka each stopped nine shots in the period to send the game to overtime.
Utah won the opening faceoff of overtime. Vejmelka stopped J.J. Moser at 0:45, and Hildeby turned aside Nate Schmidt at 1:08. Thirty-six seconds later, Simashev finished from three feet to win it, with assists from Barrett Hayton and Vejmelka.
The Lightning took three of a possible six points on a three-game road trip that began with a 6-2 win at Vegas on Tuesday.
“These are three playoff teams and a lot of them are Stanley Cup contenders ... getting three, we will take it!” Cooper said.
Postgame Notes
• Tampa Bay outshot Utah 33-28, but the Mammoth won 45 of 74 faceoffs, including 17 of 23 for Trocheck.
• Each team converted one of three power plays.
• Hildeby made 23 saves on 28 shots, and Vejmelka stopped 29 of 33.
• Vejmelka's assist on the winner was his first of the season, and Simashev scored the first two goals of his NHL career.
Three Players of the Game
1. Dmitri Simashev, Utah. He scored the first two goals of his NHL career, including the tying goal late in the second period and the overtime winner.
2. Karel Vejmelka, Utah. Stopped 29 of 33 shots and assisted on the overtime winner.
3. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa. Becomes the Tampa Bay Lightning's all-time scoring leader.
Up Next
The Lightning return home Thursday, October 29, to host the Winnipeg Jets at Benchmark International Arena. Puck drop is at 7 pm.
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