RISE, Florida – Nikita Kucherov scored two goals and three assists when Tampa Bay Lightning ended the Florida Panthers’ record 13-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory at the FLA Live Arena on Sunday.
The Panthers, who set their record with a 3-2 victory over Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, lost for the first time since March 27.
“We pressed again tonight and you can only go to the well so many times and tonight it’s over,” said Panthers coach Andrew Brunet. “There are some things we need to fully support, but I like the way our band even competes [on] a night where you can download it. We didn’t take our night off. “
Nicholas Paul scored two goals in the second period, Stephen Stamkos scored two goals and two assists, and Victor Hedman made four assists for Lightning (49-22-8), who won three in a row. Andrey Vassilevski made 37 saves.
Reinhart himself scored two goals for the Panthers (57-16-6). Spencer Knight made 12 saves, but was drawn in the second period after Paul’s second goal made it 5-3. Sergei Bobrovsky replaced Knight and made 12 saves.
Video: TBL @ FLA: Paul goes upstairs, puts food through skates
Florida, which won first in the Eastern Conference, was four points ahead of Colorado Avelanche in the race for the presidential trophy and ranked No. 1 in the NHL. Tampa Bay is third in the Atlantic Division, five points behind second-placed Toronto Maple Leafs and three points ahead of the Boston Bruins.
Paul gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead with a short-range goal when he put the puck between his legs before throwing it past Knight.
He made it 5-3 at 12:59 when his centering pass bounced off Knight’s wand.
“We knew the series they were in,” Paul said. “And we wanted to come here and be the ones to end it.”
Braden Point made the score 6-3 with a goal in effect at 3:34 from the third period.
Reinhart led Florida to 6-4 at 7:04 with a goal with a powerful game.
Kucherov made 7-4 at 11:36, when he once centered Stamkos to the right circle, before Stamkos made 8-4 with a goal with a powerful game at 16:34.
“The playoffs are like steroids compared to what we saw tonight,” said Lightning coach John Cooper. “You have to be ready and games like this will help you.”
Kucherov gave Tampa Bay 1-0 with a high wrist blow from the bottom of the right circle.
Video: TBL @ FLA: Kucherov extends goal series to 6 per round
After Claude Giroud received a goal canceled at 4:06 when Tampa Bay successfully challenged the goalkeeper, Reinhart made it 1-1 at 4:31 with a quick shot from high for his 30th goal of the season.
“It’s huge,” Reinhart said. “I don’t think anyone wants to finish at 19, 29, 39, 49, whatever. I don’t think anyone wants to finish at that. So every time you can reach that even number, it’s good statistics. “
Stamkos gave Lightning 2-1 at 6:44 with a powerful one-timer goal from the left circle before Cal Foot made it 3-1 at 14:58 when he redirected Brandon Hagel’s pass to 3-on -1.
Video: TBL @ FLA: Stamkos one-time top feed for lead
Brandon Montour, who scored in overtime in the Panthers’ 3-2 victory over Maple Leafs on Saturday, narrowed the gap to 3-2 at 17:28 when he made a one-time attempt to clear the board.
Mason March equalized 3-3 in 59 seconds of the second period with a one-handed backhand turn on a bouncing puck after Giroud put the puck in the offensive zone.
“We have a lot of competitors here,” Marchment said. “I don’t think we ever want to lose. I don’t think anyone is ever happy with the loss, especially in this locker room. I think for us, we just leave this one behind and move on to the next one.”
NOTES: Lightning, two-time Stanley Cup defenders, flew from South Florida to Washington to visit the White House on Monday. … Stamkos became the first Tampa Bay player in four consecutive games with at least three points. … Kucherov extended his streak of goals to six games, two less than the Lightning record set by Brian Bradley in 1992-93. … Reinhart became the fourth Panther player to score 30 goals this season, joining Alexander Barkov, Anthony Duckler and Jonathan Huberdo. … Huberdo had one assist to reach 114 points this season, four behind Connor McDavid for NHL leadership.
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