12:10 PM: Kucherov has been suspended for one game, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link). He’ll be eligible to return for Game Four on Tuesday night.
8:02 AM: It hasn’t been a great start to Tampa Bay’s postseason as their 5-1 loss to Columbus on Friday night caused Lightning head coach Jon Cooper to call the situation a “five-alarm fire” as they now trail the best-of-seven series 2-0. Things could potentially get worse for the Presidents’ Trophy winners as winger Nikita Kucherov will have a disciplinary hearing today, the Department of Player Safety announced.
This comes from a boarding incident on Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nuutivaara late in Friday’s game. Nutivaara was on his knees but Kucherov still lined him up with a big hit, receiving a minor for tripping, a major for boarding, and a game misconduct in the process.
Losing Kucherov for any period of time would be a huge blow to the Lightning. He led the league in scoring with 128 points (41-87-128) during the regular season, setting a new record for the most points by a Russian-born player in the process. While he has been held off the scoresheet through the first two games, he’s certainly capable of putting up points in a hurry. The series resumes on Sunday so a decision from the league will likely come quickly one way or the other.
should get a game.
Or two
He should get two or three but I don’t think the league has the stones to do that. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they just fined him and didn’t give him a game.
Hopefully he gets 2-3 games since naz got 3 last year with similar circumstance. I get kuch is a way better player but don’t do the crime if u can’t do the time
The hit is similar to Kadri’s last year, not quite as bad, but he was mad and took 3-4 strides to hit the defenceless player – 2 games. But since it’s the “star” probably a fine.
Last year his hit on New Jersey’s Vatanain? Should have had suspension – and he got nothing. Let’s see how big league stones are this year!
Two games is deserved. He, along with the whole team, needs to regroup
Dirty hit. Must be punished. Players have been suspended for much less
It’s hard to play meaningless games for a month and then be ready to play do or die games.
Tampa is a victim of it’s own success.
Naz has a history of being dirty. First time offense, he will get 1 game.
Kucherov should get at minimum a 1 game suspension. Wasn’t smart for him to board the opposing player while he was on his knees after being tripped
Really surprised some people are trying to put the start of Tampa bay’s postseason on the fact they were playing meaningless games for a month. Anybody remember last year‘s conference finals against Washington? Games six and seven they combined for a grand total of zero goals. It is becoming plainly obvious when the pressure is on Tampa chokes. Now, odds are they will lose Nikki for at the least one game and that most likely will be the death knell of the 2018-19 Tampa bay lightning.
If this was any other player its a 3 game suspension