Kucherov gave Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead at 19:00 on a 5-on-3 power play.
"In the end, we had a one-goal lead with under 10 [minutes] to go and gave up a shortie," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. "You can't do that, and now it has happened two games in a row."
The Lightning played their second straight game without defenseman Victor Hedman, who is out with an upper-body injury.
"We just gave up 50-some shots, so obviously we can do a lot better," defenseman Ian Cole said. "He's an All-Star defenseman, elite defenseman, one of the best in the League. That being said, we can step up as a group and play better. Not just defensemen, forwards as well. Our goalie is certainly doing his job, I think we can do a better job in front of him."
NOTES: Paul left the game early in the third period and did not return. Cooper did not have an update. ... Necas' five-game point streak (three goals, four assists) is an NHL career high. … Kucherov has five goals and 10 assists in the nine-game point streak. It is his sixth goal streak of five or more games, fourth among active players behind Alex Ovechkin (12), Stamkos (11), Sidney Crosby (nine) and Auston Matthews (eight). … Tampa Bay defenseman Cal Foote played his 100th NHL game. … Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns had an assist to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, three assists). At 37 years, 239 days, he is the first defenseman in Hartford Whalers/Hurricanes history with a five-game point streak at age 37 or older. … Jaccob Slavin played his 518th game to pass Niclas Wallin for fifth by a defenseman in Whalers/Hurricanes history. … Jarvis is the sixth player in Hurricanes history to score 20 goals age 20 or younger behind Jeff Skinner (64), Andrei Svechnikov (53), Aho (53), Elias Lindholm (29) and Eric Staal (20).