Lightning stay hot, top Toronto for 6th straight win

TAMPA -- Brayden Point had two goals and an assist to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Benchmark International Arena on Wednesday.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists to extend his point streak to 11 games, while Gage Goncalves also had a goal and two assists for the Lightning (38-14-4), who have won six in a row and 10 straight at home. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves.

"He's kind of the straw that stirs the drink for us," Lightning assistant coach Rob Zettler said of Kucherov. "He's showing the world how good he is."

John Tavares scored, Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist, and Anthony Stolarz made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs (27-22-9), who had won their past three games before the Olympic break.

"I thought we played a good, solid first period," Toronto coach Craig Berube said. "We had three 2-on-1s in the first period and didn’t get a shot off. We have to execute those plays better."

The Lightning had two different opportunities to take the lead in the opening period -- first with a goal from Kucherov at 4:00 and then with a goal from Point at 15:20 -- although both were challenged by Toronto for offside and overturned, keeping Tampa Bay off the board.

"Both good plays, great play by [Charle-Edouard] D'Astous to [Brandon Hagel] and 'Kuch' scores one, but I saw them and they both looked like they were offside," Zettler said. "It is what it is. Their video guy did a good job tonight."

Point gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead that stuck at 7:07 of the second period when he received a pass from Charle-Edouard D'Astous at the hashmarks and held the puck through the slot, scoring on the forehand on Stolarz's short side.

"I thought there was some good and there was obviously some stuff we want to clean up," Point said. "I think both sides would say that. A few too many high-risk plays and turnovers, but a lot of the game I thought we played pretty good."

Goncalves extended the Tampa Bay lead to 2-0 just 51 seconds later with a breakaway goal at 7:58. He took a pass from Kucherov, who was behind the goal line, and beat Stolarz with a deke to the forehand. Kucherov recorded his 700th NHL assist on the goal. 

"In the second period, we were flat early, and they got a couple of goals," Berube said. "That is the difference in the game for me. In the end, you give them a couple of free ones, and they capitalize on them. We took four penalties tonight."

Kucherov made it 3-0 at 2:59 of the third period, scoring on a one-timer from the right circle off a pass from Goncalves.

"They were really good tonight," D'Astous said of Kucherov, Point and Goncalves. "They were awesome to watch."

Tavares scored a power-play goal for Toronto to make it 3-1 at 16:19 with a wrist shot from the left circle. The Maple Leafs pulled Stolarz, using an extra attacker for a 6-on-4 advantage on the goal.

Just 11 seconds later, Point scored his second of the night with a wrist shot from the hashmarks off a pass from Kucherov to make it 4-1 at 16:30. Point missed the past 11 games and the Olympics with Team Canada due to a lower-body injury.

"He was skating like that all week, it looked like he was chomping at the bit to get back in the game," Zettler said. "Obviously he was crushed he couldn't help Canada over the last couple of weeks, but it was great to have him back. He's a difference maker for us, for sure. He's great."

Knies' snap shot from above the left circle got through Vasilevskiy's pads at 17:13 for the 4-2 final.

"I think we know that, especially after a night like tonight, we have to be better," Tavares said. "There's obviously only so many games left. All we can control is one game at a time, but urgency is high."

NOTES: Kucherov reached 700 NHL assists in 855 games and became the second-fastest player born outside of North America to reach the milestone, behind only Peter Stastny (784 games)... He also reached 30 goals for the ninth time in his career, tying Steven Stamkos for the most in Lightning history. ... Maple Leafs forward William Nylander had two assists. ... Lightning coach Jon Cooper missed the game and will not coach in Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes after the death of his father. Zettler and assistant coach Jeff Halpern will continue to split the duties.