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.

The Tampa Bay Lightning took down the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 on Saturday night. Even though the Red Wings outshot the Lightning a lopsided 40 to 22, a strong night by the Lightning’s top line and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes allowed them to flip the script.

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.

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.

Isn’t this it for Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins, champions of lost chases in the free-agent world of baseball? Isn’t this it, after last season’s disaster, after the previous season’s playoff blunder,

Saturday’s game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens provided hockey fans with one of the more exciting games of the season, while giving both fan bases a free ride on an emotional roller coaster.

Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves and three more in the shootout as the host New York Rangers earned a crucial 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Toronto Maple Leafs in a matchup within the Atlantic Division Monday. Toronto is 29-16-2 overall with a 10-4-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs have gone 12-5-1 in games they convert at least one power play.