Kucherov Shines with Two Goals as Lightning Defeat Penguins in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh: So, the Lightning took on the Penguins, and wow, what a game! Nikita Kucherov was on fire, scoring two goals and assisting another. The final score? 5-2 in favor of Tampa Bay.

Brandon Hagel also got in on the action, scoring a goal, while Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul sealed the deal with empty-netters. This was a big win for the Lightning, especially after they lost to New Jersey the day before.

Jake Guentzel, who’s a familiar face in Pittsburgh, had two assists. He’s now the second player in Lightning history to hit 20 goals and 40 points in his first 40 games. Not too shabby for a guy who just signed a seven-year deal!

On the Penguins’ side, Rickard Rakell scored his 22nd goal of the season, and Kevin Hayes added another. Sidney Crosby also made history with his 1,040th assist, tying him for 11th on the NHL’s all-time list.

Unfortunately, the Penguins were missing Evgeni Malkin due to an upper-body injury. The Lightning started slow but Kucherov broke the tie late in the game, helping them win three out of their last four games.

As for the Penguins, they’ve been struggling lately, dropping to 3-5-3 in their last 11. Next up, Pittsburgh will face Seattle, while Tampa Bay heads to Boston. What a matchup that’ll be!