Lightning score three goals in the third-period to beat Hurricanes 4-1
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored a third-period hat trick to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in Friday night’s season opener for both teams.
Kucherov beat Hurricane goaltender Frederick Andersen for the go-ahead power-play goal 11:06 into the third with a low slapshot on the glove side. The Lightning winger then iced the game empty-net goals at 17:52 and 19:44. Brayden Point also scored a power-play goal for the Lightning to open the scoring.
Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 20 saves.
Captain Jordan Staal scored a first-period goal for Carolina by tapping in an around-the-net feed from William Carrier, but the Hurricanes were unable to beat Vasilevskiy again.