Kucherov nets OT winner to lift Lightning past Red Wings
DETROIT -- Nikita Kucherov scored at 3:28 of overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a come-from-behind 2-1 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
Kucherov tipped home a Brayden Point pass from the edge of the goal crease for the winner.
The Lightning moved to within one point of the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders for the final wild-card playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg opened the scoring at 8:03 of the second period. Zetterberg accepted a backhand pass from Gus Nyquist and his fluttering wrist shot sailed over the shoulder of Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who appeared to be screened by teammate Brayden Point on the play.
Zetterberg has six points in Detroit's last five games.
The Lightning tied it 5:53 into the third period. Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek blocked Kucherov's point shot but Ondrej Palat escaped his checker Riley Sheahan and slammed the rebound into the net.
With the assist, Kucherov extended his point streak to four games. He has nine points over that span.
Vasilevskiy, who made 29 saves in the win, ended a personal three-game losing streak. Mrazek, who stopped 31 shots, dropped to 0-4 this season against the Lightning and is 1-7 lifetime against Tampa Bay in regular-season play.
NOTES: Henrik Zetterberg is Detroit's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Zetterberg, who underwent back surgery in 2013, leads the Wings in scoring with 61 points. ... Detroit F Darren Helm missed his third straight game due to a lower body injury. D Ryan Sproul (knee) was also a Wings scratch. ... Ds Jason Garrison (lower body) and Slater Koekkoek and Fs Tyler Johnson (lower body) and Cedric Paquette (lower body) were scratched for the Lightning. ... Lightning D Victor Hedman leads all NHL rearguards in power-play points with 4-25-29 totals. ... Since Feb. 21, Lightning F Nikita Kucherov leads the NHL in scoring with 17-12-29 totals. ... Tampa Bay has won four straight on the road but has lost three in a row at home and will play its next four games on home ice.