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“One assist away from 100” - Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy has special praise for Hart trophy contender Nikita Kucherov
To say that Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov has had a great season is an understatement. He currently leads the league with 142 points. But among those points, he sits with 99 assists. Reaching that 100-assist plateau would make a special season even more remarkable.
His teammates, especially former Vezina winner Andrei Vasilevsky, are rooting for him. As Florida sports journalist Gabby Shirley reported, Vasilevsky expressed his support for his fellow countryman:
"He is one assist away from 100, and again, we have one more game left. I won’t say anything. Just hoping he’ll get there. Again, he's been our best player by far this season so thank God he's playing on our team," Vasilevsky said.
Vasilevsky’s not the only one cheering for Kucherov. The entire Lightning fan base will be cheering Kucherov on.
Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid registered his 100th assist a few nights ago. But just how special is reaching 100 assists?
Four names in history have achieved that unique milestone: Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, and McDavid. Kucherov would be the fifth. In fact, Gretzky was the last player to tally 100 assists, registering 122 in the 1990-1991 season.
Tampa’s final game of the year will be tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Amalie Arena. Who knows, tomorrow night’s tilt could be historic on both sides. Leafs’ star Auston Matthews could notch this 70th goal, while Nikita Kucherov his 100th assist.
Regardless of the game’s outcome, those two milestones would make the game a memorable one.
Nikita Kucherov is the reason we are in the playoffs
As reported by Gabby Shirley, when asked about what Nikita Kucherov has meant to the Lightning this season, Vasilevsky said:
"He’s the reason why we are in the playoffs."
Vasilevsky also added on the playoffs:
"It’s right around the corner, and it’s the best part of the season for sure. We all have to bring our A game, and we will see what is going to happen."
There’s no doubt the Lightning will bring their A game. The Bolts are a battle-tested team. They won back-to-back cups during the COVID era. They reached the finals for a third straight year, losing to the Colorado Avalanche in a thrilling series.
This time around, Nikita Kucherov and the Bolts are on a collision course with the Boston Bruins. The two teams are bitter Atlantic Division rivals.
While there’s a chance the Florida Panthers could overtake Boston for the top spot in the division, it seems all but certain that Tampa and Boston will meet in the first round. That series will feature two of the league’s recent Hart Trophy favorites, David Pastrnak and Kucherov.
The Bolts will need to be at their best if they plan to make a deep playoff run. We will see what is going to happen come playoff time.
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