Fansided

Lightning will have to do without Nikita Kucherov facing 0-3 deficit

By Brad Berreman

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 12: The Tampa Bay Lightning against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at at Amalie Arena on April 12, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette /NHLI via Getty Images)"n"n
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 12: The Tampa Bay Lightning against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at at Amalie Arena on April 12, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette /NHLI via Getty Images)"n"n /
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The Tampa Bay Lighting are reeling, down 0-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nikita Kucherov will be suspended for Sunday’s Game 3.

Since leading Game 1 3-0 at the end of the first period, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been outscored 9-1 by the Columbus Blue Jackets and are down 0-2 in the series. A 5-1 loss in Game 2 got uglier when Nikita Kucherov lost his composure late in the game, and got a game misconduct after being called for boarding against Markus Nutivaara.

As expected, Kucherov has been suspended for Sunday night’s Game 3 in Columbus.

Kucherov led the league in points during the regular season with 128 (41 goals, 87 assists). He has zero points through two games against Columbus though, with Steven Stamkos (98 points during the regular season-45 goals, 53 assists) and Brayden Point (92 points during the regular season-41 goals, 51 assists) each also putting up doughnuts in the scoring column for Tampa Bay thus far in the series. All three guys finished in the top-12 of the league in points during the regular season.

With Kucherov unavailable, here’s what Tampa Bay’s lines looked like during practice on Saturday.

It looks like Yanni Gourde will move up and to be one of Stamkos’ flanks on the Lightning’s top line Sunday night. A 48-point scorer during the regular season, with five power play goals, Gourde scored a goal in Game 1 last Wednesday night. With the lineup reshuffling, Game 1 and 2 healthy scratch Ryan Callahan (17 points during the regular season) looks sure to play in Game 3.

Defenseman Victor Hedman missed the last few regular season games for Tampa Bay due to an upper-body injury. He hasn’t looked particularly good through two games against Columbus, with a -2 rating, six shots on goal and 10 penalty minutes (all in Game 2), and he did not skate during Saturday’s practice. His absence would be another notable one, but there’s some optimism he’ll play Game 3.

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After leading the league in points during the regular season, the Lightning are on the verge of a historically insurmountable first-round series deficit. Kucherov may have sealed that disappointing early exit from the playoffs, with a lapse in judgment and a resulting dirty play taking him off the ice for a must-win game.

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