3 years agoTampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov was held scoreless on Wednesday during the team's Stanley Cup-clinching victory but his impact was felt throughout the playoffs. The 28-year-old forward scored eight goals and recorded 32 points in 23 games. It was the second straight season that the Russian had broken the 30-point mark in the playoffs. Kucherov was no doubt feeling fresh when the playoffs began as he missed the entire regular season while recovering from hip surgery. However, news surfaced after the Stanley Cup win that he had been playing the final series with a fractured rib, which came from a cross-check by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield in the semi-final. --Marc Hulet - RotoBaller
Source: Sportsnet.ca