The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three goals in the opening seven minutes of hockey, received five points from Nikita Kucherov and also got a hat-trick from defenseman Darren Raddysh in a dominating 7-3 win over San Jose on Saturday.
Tampa Bay’s win streak is now at seven games, improving the team's record to 25-13-3.
Brayden Point, Raddysh and Brandon Hagel scored in the opening 6:46 of game time to claim a 3-0 lead for the visiting Lightning, who went on to score seven goals across the first two periods.
Kucherov scored a goal and four assists, and Raddysh became the third Lightning defenseman in franchise history to record a hat-trick. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves in the win.
Tampa Bay continues play at home on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche (30-2-7).
Scoring summary
First period
TBL 1, SJS 0
2:37 Brayden Point (10) - Max Crozier, Nikita Kucherov
Brayden Point’s third goal in as many games came on a rush play, scoring with a shot from the left circle less than three minutes into the game.
TBL 2, SJS 0
4:08 Darren Raddysh (10) - Kucherov, Gage Goncalves
A one-timer by Darren Raddysh from the right faceoff circle beat San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov to put the Sharks down by a pair of goals early.
TBL 3, SJS 0
6:46 Brandon Hagel (19) - Jake Guentzel, Charle-Edouard D’Astous
Forward Brandon Hagel tripled the Lightning advantage on a one-timer from the inside hashmarks, burying a feed from Jake Guentzel.
TBL 3, SJS 1
10:48 Pavol Regenda (3) - Timothy Liljegren, Macklin Celebrini - PP
The Sharks broke into the scoring scene with a rebound goal on a power-play opportunity midway through the first period.
Shots on goal: TBL 14, SJS 9
Second period
TBL 4, SJS 1
2:49 Raddysh (11) - Kucherov, Oliver Bjorkstrand - PP
Raddysh’s second goal of the game came on a power-play blast from the top of the offensive zone.
TBL 5, SJS 1
3:55 Dominic James (3) - Bjorkstrand
Rookie forward Dominic James added to the Lightning lead by burying a backhand chance in tight after a Sharks turnover.
TBL 5, SJS 2
9:50 Regenda (4) - Liljegren, Jeff Skinner
San Jose’s second goal of the game came on a rush chance that ended with Regenda’s second goal of the game.
TBL 6, SJS 2
14:08 Kucherov (20) - Bjorkstrand, Point - PP
Nikita Kucherov’s 20th goal of the season was a shot off the far post from the right faceoff circle.
TBL 7, SJS 2
16:53 Raddysh (12) - Kucherov, Nick Paul - PP
Raddysh scored his hat-trick goal on another shot from the point on a Lightning power play.
Shots on goal: TBL 6, SJS 5
Third period
16:10 Regenda (5) - Skinner
Regenda finished his hat-trick late in the game for the Sharks.
Total shots: TBL 26, SJS 22
