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.

All these years later, the descriptions practically write themselves. Brayden Point? He glides. Nikita Kucherov? He creates. Anthony Cirelli? He bleeds. Those are all compliments, by the way. Shorthand for a signature style of play.

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.

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov tallied three points during their victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday evening. Kucherov would score his first goal of the game late in the second period on a slap shot.

Nikita Kucherov had two goals and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Sunday. Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, and Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul had empty-net goals.

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.

There’s no goalie controversy: Of the Lightning’s 35 shots, 24 came over the final two periods. In the third alone Montembeault robbed Glendening, Kucherov, Michael Eyssimont and, in the final minute, Anthony Cirelli’s rebound.

The Canadiens’ Lane Hutson extended his assist and point streaks (13 points; one goal, 12 assists) to nine games, tying the NHL record for an assist streak by a rookie defenseman, set by Shayne Gostisbehere of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16.

Third period MTL 3, TBL 2 17:44 Jake Evans (11) - Joel Armia, Alexandre Carrier Jake Evans secured Montreal’s first lead in the game’s closing minutes, sending his one-timer from the left circle into the top half of the Lightning net with just over two minutes remaining.

The loss to Toronto gives the Lightning a 3-7-0 record in the Atlantic Division, one they’d like to improve on. The good news? They have a chance to do it quickly in a Tuesday night matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal (23-19-4) has found their stride as of late, winning five of their last seven games.

THROUGH GAMES OF TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2025

My Canadiens vs Lightning predictions expect a competitive matchup between the teams, with Patrik Laine continuing to play his best hockey on home ice. Let’s take a closer look with my NHL picks for Tuesday, January 21 ahead of this 7 p.m. ET puck drop.