On a team that has multiple high-end players, Kucherov is leading the Bolts in scoring by a margin of 19, accounting for 47 helpers, 68 points and a plus-14 rating through 42 outings this season.

Jake Guentzel, who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017, had two assists to become the second player in Lightning history with at least 20 goals and 40 points in his first 40 games with the franchise. Guentzel signed a seven-year deal with the team in the offseason.

Jake Guentzel, who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017, had two assists to become the second player in Lightning history with at least 20 goals and 40 points in his first 40 games with the franchise. Guentzel signed a seven-year deal with the Lightning in the offseason.

Nikita Kucherov swiped the puck and converted on a breakaway with three minutes remaining as the Tampa Bay Lightning broke a tie and claimed the season series from the host Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, on Sunday.

Kucherov scored twice, added an assist and went plus-3 in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Penguins.

Here are three reasons to like the Lightning’s new-look power play. Thursday’s moves were transformative, because the personnel and positional changes made it difficult to tell which was the top unit and which was the second. Point men Victor Hedman and Darren Raddysh switched units, with Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel matched with Raddysh.

For going on a decade, Nikita Kucherov has been one of the top players in the NHL and a leader in the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup. With four 100-point seasons, and pacing for a fifth, Kucherov has helped lead the Lightning to a pair of Stanley Cup championships and seven straight playoff appearances.

We are firmly into the second half with a neck-and-neck-and-neck race for the top of the fantasy podium. Connor Hellebuyck will surely start getting some additional rest later in the season, so the race at the top right now is between Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon.

The Red Wings got on the scoreboard with a power-play one-timer from Lucas Raymond late in period two. Raddysh’s power-play goal from the top of the setup extended the Lightning lead on a play in which Kucherov earned his 600th NHL assist.

It was 4-0 before Lucas Raymond for the Red Wings on the scoreboard at 14:12 of the second by blasting in a one-timer on a pass from Patrick Kane on the power play. It was his 19th goal. The Red Wings are 18 for 40 on the power play in the past 11 games. But it was too much of an uphill climb at that point.

Some stat lines from this game spelled potential trouble for the Lightning. The Red Wings had gone 17-34 on the power play over their previous 10 games, and the Lightning put them on the power play six times. Also, Tampa Bay ceded most of the possession, allowing 40 shots on net and 77 shot attempts.