In Thursday night’s game between Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets, Nikita Kucherov gave Lightning fans moments of joy and fear just minutes apart.
Kucherov, 31, scored his 900th career point in the first period. He is the 23rd fastest player and the fourth fastest born outside North America to get to 900 points.
900 career points for Nikita 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hx8geWzlsk
— Lightning on FanDuel Sports Network (@FDSN_Lightning) November 22, 2024
Kucherov, the 58th pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, has spent his entire NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Near the end of the first period, Kucherov appeared to take a slash on the hand. He dropped his stick visibly pained. Kucherov skated to the bench.
The NHL has cracked down on these slash-hand hits, but this one did not draw a penalty much to the ire of fans on social media.
Nikita Kucherov looks hurt
The Lightning Superstar and Hart Trophy finalist is heading to the lockeroom. The injury comes after reaching his 900th point
pic.twitter.com/YwMb6Ogq3C pic.twitter.com/1v4nfB14pS
— Official Bookmaker (@bookmaker_eu) November 22, 2024
The good news is that he came out for the second period. At the end of the second period, the Lightning and Blue Jackets are locked at 5-5 in a crazy offensive game.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets might put up more scoring than Thursday Night Football lol what a heaping pile of trash both of these teams are defensively. pic.twitter.com/4eAsFeO5zA
— Thechek182 (@thechek182) November 22, 2024
NHL Network’s analysts pointed out that some players favor a slimmer fit and smaller lacrosse-type glove that leaves exposed skin and affords less protection. They speculated that Kucherov was using that type of glove, but it is unclear if that was true.
Kucherov is not the only member of the Tampa Bay Lightning rewriting the NHL history books. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy‘s 300th career win was achieved last week against the Winnipeg Jets.
