Stanley Cup Final: Nikita Kucherov earns Game 1 MVP with distinction

Nikita Kucherov was the clear MVP of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final and it wasn’t even close.

Elite players are just that because they boast the ability to be able to turn it up in the biggest moments on the biggest stage, and that is certainly the case for Nikita Kucherov who morphs into a Marvel superhero come Playoffs time.

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After recording 34 points (7 G, 27 A) inside The Bubble last year to help the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup, the right wing has already hit 30 points in this year’s Playoffs with seven goals and 23 assists in 19 games.

And Kucherov continued his postseason dominance in Game 1 on Monday, tallying three points as the Lightning absolutely dismantled the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 to move to within just three wins of repeating as cup champions.

It was a typical Playoff masterclass from Kucherov who is seeing his postseason legacy grow by the day, and he could well end up winning the Conn Smythe Trophy if he can maintain his current exploits and if the Bolts can get the job done.

Nikita Kucherov was the home run MVP in Game 1

He was quiet for the first two periods of the game in terms of his impact on the scoreboard but, with the game still close, he really took over in the third period and showed just why he is one of the most talented and most dangerous forwards in the NHL.

Granted, Kucherov’s first goal of the game early in the final period came with a slice of luck as it was deflected past Carey Price by Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot, but his next two big moments were anything but lucky.

After Brayden Point won a faceoff in the offensive zone, the puck went straight to Kucherov who wasted little time in ripping an absolute laser of a wrister past Price to make it a 4-1 game.

Then, at 18:50 in the third period and with the Bolts on the power play, Kucherov showed off his elite playmaking ability by dishing the puck to Steven Stamkos in the left circle, with the Lightning Captain blasting his trademark one-timer past Price to finish off the Canadiens in style.

Kucherov finished the game with three points (2 G, 1 A) with a plus / minus rating of +3 in 18:54 of total ice time, and he did what the true greats are able to do by really taking over a game at a critical point.

That’s what separates All-Stars and superstars, and you can firmly place Kucherov in the latter category, especially when it comes to the postseason considering how he always seems to be able to elevate his game to another level when it really counts.

He did just that in Game 1 as he spearheaded an explosive Tampa Bay Lightning offense to land the first big blow of the series against the Montreal Canadiens, and for that Kucherov was the clear and obvious MVP of this contest.

And it wasn’t even close.