Nikita Kucherov's four assists power Lightning over slumping Maple Leafs 5-2

Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz reacts after a first-period goal by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Toronto on Saturday, March 7, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

TORONTO — Nikita Kucherov had three assists in a four-goal first period and added another in the third to give him 100 points on the season as the Tampa Bay Lightning cruised past the listless Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday.

Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel, with a goal and an assist each, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ryan McDonagh and the newly reacquired Corey Perry scored for Tampa (39-18-4), which snapped a four-game slide that came on the heels of a 20-1-1 streak.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli added two assists.

Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson replied for Toronto (27-26-11). Anthony Stolarz stopped 28 shots.

The Maple Leafs, who are now 10 points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and were booed off the ice, have dropped seven straight (0-5-2) since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break.

Tampa tops the East and the Atlantic Division with 82 points, which put them 17 clear of Saturday’s opponent.

Toronto captain Auston Matthews, who hit the post in the third period on a shot that glanced off Vasilevskiy, has now gone 11 games without scoring, and has just one goal in his last 15 contests.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: The club said goodbye to three forwards ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline. Toronto shipped Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche, Bobby McMann to the Seattle Kraken, and Scott Laughton to the Los Angeles Kings for draft picks.

Lightning: Perry was reacquired from L.A. and arrived in Toronto at 4 a.m. Saturday. The 40-year-old played two seasons with the Lightning from 2021 through 2023, including a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2022.

KEY MOMENT

With the scored tied 1-1 in the first period, Tampa buried three goals in a 2:36 span to pull away, with two coming on Kucherov setups.

KEY STAT

Toronto hasn’t won at home since a 5-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 10.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press