FIRST STAR – NIKITA KUCHEROV, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Kucherov, despite missing two games, led the NHL with 9-17—26 in 14 contests to power the Lightning (46-22-6, 98 points) to an 8-6-2 month as they neared their second straight 100-point season and third in the past five years (also 2021-22). He found the scoresheet in 11 of his 14 appearances to additionally rank among the top March performers in assists (1st; 17), even-strength points (t-2nd; 18), even-strength assists (t-3rd; 11), goals (t-8th; 9), even-strength goals (t-8th; 7) and plus/minus (t-8th; +10). The two-time defending Art Ross Trophy winner registered four assists on March 7 at TOR to hit the 100-point milestone for the fourth straight season and sixth time overall – tied for the seventh-most in League history. He finished the month with six total multi-point performances, including a trio of games with at least four points (also March 17 at SEA: 3-2—5 and March 21 at EDM: 2-2—4), while ultimately reaching the 120-point mark for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall – a total achieved by just eight other players in NHL history: Wayne Gretzky (14), Mario Lemieux (8), Marcel Dionne (6), Phil Esposito (6), Guy Lafleur (5), Jaromir Jagr (4), Connor McDavid (4) and Bobby Orr (4). The 32-year-old Kucherov sits second in the League with 40-81—121 through 68 overall games this season, also placing among the leaders in points per game (1st; 1.78), assists (2nd; 81), power-play assists (t-3rd; 29), plus/minus (4th; +42), goals (t-5th; 40), game-winning goals (t-5th; 7) and power-play points (6th; 36).
