Lightning on verge of Cup behind Kucherov

It’s impossible for Nikita Kucherov to fly under the radar while leading the Lightning to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.

Just how much he’s producing can still come as a surprise.

“I didn’t even realize he had 32 points,” coach Jon Cooper said Saturday.

Despite not playing all regular season while rehabbing from hip surgery, Kucherov leads all scorers in the playoffs with those 32 points on eight goals and 24 assists and has five points through three games of the Cup final against the Canadiens. It’s no coincidence given Kucherov’s impact that the Lightning won all three. With a victory in Monday’s Game 4, they would sweep the series and hoist the Cup for a second time in 10 months.

“Obviously it helps us win games, most import a n t l y,” d e f e n s e ma n Ryan McDonagh said of Kucherov’s play. “He can score in different fashions, power play and 5-on-5, and I think when he’s on his game he just lets the game come to him and take what’s given and is just in the right spots.”

The Lightning could not be in a better spot right now, having never trailed in the final and having seemingly wrestled the will to win away from Montreal. The Canadiens look like a defeated team, and much of that is thanks to Kucherov.

After spinning off course twice, Kyle Busch rallied in the final stage to win Saturday at Road America. That gives him four victories in four NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season. This marked his 101st career Xfinity Series victory and 200th overall win with Toyota.

Patrick Beverley was suspended one game without pay by the NBA on Saturday after shoving Chris Paul in the back in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday night. The Clippers guard will miss the first game of the 202122 regular season that he is eligible to play.