Kucherov scores late; Lightning take 2-0 lead over Isles

EDMONTON, ALBERTA » Nikita Kucherov scored with 8.8 seconds left to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night and a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference final.

Kucherov beat Russian countryman Semyon Varlamov after a perfect pass from Ryan McDonagh, preventing the Lightning from going into another overtime game with a depleted forward group.

Leading scorer Brayden Point was injured late in the first period, and Tampa Bay also was without Alex Killorn much of the game after he was ejected for a hit from behind.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced in Game 2. Varlamov made 19 saves. Tampa Bay is two wins from the Stanley Cup final, but Point’s injury after he fell awkwardly on his last shift of the first period is a major concern for a group already without captain Steven Stamkos.

Two nights after Point scored 1:14 in, Matt Martin did the honors 1:24 in to give the Islanders the lead. A broken play helped defenseman Nick Leddy get behind the net, and he fed Martin for his fifth goal of the playoffs on a rare play in which Andrei Vasilevskiy lost sight of the puck.

Bruins’ Cassidy wins coach of the year honors

Bruce Cassidy’s wife and kids enjoyed his NHL coach of the year honors more than he did.

Cassidy went back to coaching. More than a week since his Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs, Cassidy spent time after learning he won the Jack Adams Award watching Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final.

“Just want to watch the game and A) be entertained and B) steal some ideas from either side and then watch the coaches a little bit,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy’s Bruins lost to the Lightning in five games last round.

The Flyers’ Alain Vigneault was a close second and Columbus’ John Tortorella a more distant third in the voting, which is done by broadcasters.