Lightning finale not without meaning as Kucherov, Matthews eye history
TAMPA — The Lightning’s regular season finale against the Leafs doesn’t mean anything in terms of the standings or postseason placement, but the spotlight still will be on Amalie Arena tonight.
Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov is one assist shy of becoming the fifth player in NHL history to record 100 assists in a season. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid reached the mark earlier this week, but the feat otherwise hadn’t been accomplished since 1991.
Also, Leafs center Auston Matthews can become the first player in 21 years — and the first American-born player — to score 70 goals in a season if he fills the net tonight. The last players to reach 70 goals were Alexander Mogilny and Teemu Selanne in 1992-93.
“Clearly, I’m pulling for No. 86 (Kucherov) to get his 100th assist and I think what a remarkable accomplishment that would be,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
“And then you look on the other side and for No. 34 (Matthews) to be able to get 70 and to be able to say you were in the building as a fan would be super cool to see. The problem is, I’m the coach of the other team, so we have to find a way to prevent that. But he’s done it 69 times against a whole bunch of other teams that tried to prevent it so it’s hard to do.”
Kucherov, who enters the finale with an NHL-best 141 points, also ca solidify his quest for his second career scoring title over fellow Hart Trophy frontrunners Nathan MacKinnon (138) of Colorado and McDavid (132). McDavid has two games left entering the day, and MacKinnon one, with the Oilers and Avalanche meeting Thursday in the regular season finale for both teams.
Bolts playing shorthanded?
The Lightning have suddenly become hamstrung with a rash of injuries at the wrong time, and players who might need an extra couple of days to recover in order to be ready for the postseason certainly won’t play tonight.
Cooper indicated that depending on some pregame medical reports, the Lighting might actually have to play shorthanded against the Leafs.
Fourth-line center and faceoff specialist Luke Glendening was injured in Monday’s game against Buffalo, and didn’t return and didn’t practice Tuesday. Forward Tyler Motte hasn’t played or practiced since leaving Thursday’s game against Ottawa after taking a puck to the right leg. Both players would appear to be doubtful for tonight.
No Vasilevskiy in finale
It also appears that with nothing on the line, starting goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will sit out tonight’s game, giving Matt Tomkins his third start in the past two weeks since joining the Lightning from AHL Syracuse on an emergency recall.
Tomkins last played Thursday against Ottawa, holding the Senators to two goals in regulation before losing in a shootout. He earned his second NHL win on April 4 in Montreal, stopping 26 of 30 shots in a 7-4 win over the Canadiens.
Vasilevskiy has been one of the top playoff goaltenders in the game, but is going into the postseason having lost three of his last four starts (.883 save percentage, 3.75 goals-against average) while handling a heavy dose of chances and some poor puck play in front of him.
Before that stretch, Vasilevskiy played his best hockey of the season, going 8-1-1 with a ,930 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average.
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