Colorado Avalanche vs Tampa Bay Lightning Match Player Stats On Feb 15, 2024

NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov extended his point streak to 10 games with two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning topped the visiting Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Thursday night.

Kucherov gave his club its final lead when he finished a backhanded pass by Brayden Point for his 36th goal at 8:13 of the third period to break a 3-3 tie.

Point and Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist apiece, and Anthony Cirelli and Nick Perbix each posted empty-net goals as the Lightning won for the 11th time in 14 games (11-3-0).

Brandon Hagel had two assists, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves as Tampa Bay improved to 18-5-3 at home.

Colorado's Bowen Byram scored twice and Artturi Lehkonen added a goal and an assist. Nathan MacKinnon notched two assists to bring his point total to 89 -- four behind Kucherov. Colorado finished 1-4-1 on its six-game road trip.

In his second start this month and third this season, backstop Justus Annunen stopped 33 shots.

With the Lightning sporting their new third jerseys with a circular logo for the first time, Annunen put on a goaltending display early and denied eight shots, including two by the home side's top-ranked power play.

Colorado broke through against Vasilevskiy when Byram took a diagonal pass from Mikko Rantanen and chipped a goal in at 15:08 of the first period.

MacKinnon, who is second in the NHL in points, earned the secondary assist on the tally.

The Lightning tied the score on a loose puck that hit the stanchion and bounced into the slot. Point then narrowly beat two Colorado defenders and deposited his 26th goal of the season at 17:18.

Just 67 seconds later, Kucherov put the Lightning ahead for the first time, banging home a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle.

In the second period, Vasilevskiy appeared to make a stop on Ross Colton, but the puck settled behind his pads, dangerously close to the goal line.

During a scramble, Byram reached around and shoved in his eighth goal at 15:03 to tie the score at 2-all.

Lehkonen tallied his sixth goal and third in two games on the power play at 3:40, but Stamkos' 23rd marker on a breakaway 20 seconds later tied it again.

Cirelli (12th goal) and Perbix (second) rounded out the scoring in the final minute.

--Field Level Media