Stamkos, Kucherov help Lightning romp

Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov are making it look easy and the Tampa Bay Lightning are reaping the benefits.

The Tampa Bay stars both extended their season-opening points streaks to nine games and the host Lightning routed the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1 on Saturday night.

“Just proud of the way we played throughout the whole game,” Stamkos said. “Sometimes those are tough games to play but we played the right way.”

Stamkos had a goal and three assists, and Kucherov had two goals and an assist. They are the first teammates to start the season with ninegame point streaks since St. Louis’ Pavol Demitra and Doug Weight in 2001-02.

The duo have combined for 34 points.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, coming off a 43-save shutout of Columbus on Thursday, lost his bid for a second straight perfect game on Jake Guentzel’s goal with 1:42 to play. Vasilevskiy finished with 28 saves.

Yanni Gourde, Brayden Point, Anton Stralman and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help the Lightning improve to 7-1-1. Penguins star Sidney Crosby received both minor and misconduct penalties during the opening 1:36 of the game. Backup goalie Antti Niemi, 0-3 in three starts, stopped 25 shots.

“Obviously, I don’t want to take a penalty on the first shift out there,” Crosby said. “They score on the power play. It’s not the way you want to start. That’s on me.”

Pittsburgh is 5-2 over its past seven games, with both losses against Tampa Bay.