It was a memorable night for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a tightly contested 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, marked by a trio of career milestones and a return to form at home.
In the second period, right-winger Nikita Kucherov notched two assists and crossed the threshold of 1,000 career NHL points. He became just the second player in Lightning franchise history to achieve that mark, joining former star Steven Stamkos. Meanwhile veteran defenceman Victor Hedman picked up two assists of his own to reach 800 career points — all with the Lightning shirt. On top of those milestones, forward Brandon Hagel recorded two assists to move past the 300-point mark in his career.
Yet the statistical landmarks alone don’t tell the full story. The Ducks pushed hard throughout, with scores from Jacob Trouba, Ryan Poehling and Troy Terry (an assist) helping Anaheim mount a comeback effort.
Tampa Bay’s breakthrough came when Anthony Cirelli fired in a power-play goal with only 3:15 remaining, giving the Lightning a 4-3 lead. He then added an empty-net goal to complete a three-point night. Backup goalie Jonas Johansson made 37 saves and helped secure the team’s first home win of the season (previously 0-3-0).
What makes this evening significant beyond the personal milestones is the message it sends. The Lightning showcased a mix of star talent and opportunistic execution. The team celebration when Kucherov hit 1,000 points underscores the energy and shared sense of achievement in the locker room. Captain Hedman said afterwards, “We were super pumped. I’ve had a seat firsthand to see all of them. It’s not a fluke. He’s our hardest-working guy.”
Still, coach Jon Cooper was cautioning against over-celebration. “Just because you’ve done it before doesn’t mean you’ll do it again,” he said. “We have to understand what it took and takes to do it again.”
For the Ducks, this loss marks their first regulation defeat of the road swing (2-1-1), underscoring that while they battled strongly, small lapses proved costly.
In sum, the Lightning’s night was built on more than milestones. It combined veteran poise, opportunistic scoring, and timely special-teams execution. Whether this momentum carries forward remains to be seen, but for one evening at least the Lightning veteran core and rising contributors reminded the league they’re still a serious threat.
