Nikita Kucherov posts three points in Lightning rout of Golden Knights

Fantasy hockey: Kucherov's one goal and two assists against Vegas amount to a normal night for a player already averaging 1.66 points per game in his recent averages.

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 21, 2026

Nikita Kucherov recorded one goal and two assists on two shots in 18:19 of ice time as the Lightning defeated the Golden Knights 6-2 on Tuesday, October 20. He finished plus-three in the win.

The three-point night reflects where Kucherov was valued before this game. He enters already averaging 1.66 points per game in his recent averages, with 0.56 goals and 1.10 assists per contest. His underlying play grades 94 out of 100 among forwards in shots, scoring chances and ice time, a measure of how sustainable his scoring is.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Nikita Kucherov

Kucherov's three-point night on Tuesday represents a typical performance for a player already producing at elite levels. He averages 3.2 shots per game and 0.53 power-play points per contest in his recent sample. He leads Tampa Bay with 4:08 of power-play time per game and ranks first among all Lightning skaters in that category, logging 20:31 a night overall.

The Lightning have two games remaining this week, on Friday and Saturday. Kucherov's process grade of 94 out of 100 among forwards signals that his production has been sustainable over his recent sample of 223 games. His 1.66 points per game and elite ice time keep him firmly in the top tier of fantasy forwards, and this three-point effort matches the value already baked into his profile.

What to do

• Start Kucherov in both of Tampa Bay's remaining games this week on Friday and Saturday.

• Deploy him as a top-tier fantasy forward given his 1.66 points per game and elite process grade.

• Expect his production to remain sustainable with a 94 out of 100 underlying play grade and 4:08 of power-play time per game.

Schedule this week