“Tampa” – “Toronto” – 7:3
In the latest clash between Tampa Bay and Toronto, the scoring pace has been relentless. Not a single game in the series has gone with fewer than five goals, and the fourth meeting stood out with a ten-goal burst that electrified the crowd. At the center of the action was the Russian playmaker Nikita Kucherov, the Lightning captain who, despite not finding the net this time, set the tone with his impactful playmaking and strategic moves.
Right after the puck dropped, Stephen Stamkos slid a pass past the Toronto defender and struck from long range, opening the scoring. Six minutes later, Pat Maroon, aided by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Mikhail Sergachev, extended the lead with a sharp finish. In the ensuing sequence, Kucherov assisted on the fifth goal, slicing through the Maple Leafs’ defense with precision and vision that underscored his role as the catalyst for Tampa Bay’s offensive onslaught.
Before he touched the puck, Kucherov had already indicated his intent to draw defenders and create space, and his timing allowed Corey Perry to finish cleanly, producing a devastating scoreline. It was notable that Tampa Bay continued to press even while skating short-handed, underscoring their depth and relentless pressure.
Toronto responded by swapping goaltenders after the fifth goal, inserting Eric Chellgren in place of Jack Campbell. Chellgren did not allow a goal in his shift, yet the Lightning added two more, albeit into an empty net as Toronto pressed for a power-play opportunity. Ondřej Palat completed the scoring surge with a sixth goal, followed by Jake Muzzin’s attempt to resurrect Toronto’s hopes. Chellgren was pulled again, and Ross Colton’s shot into the empty frame sealed the result for the visitors.
With that win, the series tally stood at 2-2. Kucherov reached a notable milestone in assists, matching a playoff mark set by the legends of the game and moving into the conversation for one of the top assist totals in NHL postseason history. The Russian playmaker now holds 87 assists and sits among the franchise’s most prolific playmakers in playoff lore, illustrating the breadth of his impact beyond mere goal-scoring. The path to further single-season and franchise records remained clearly within reach as the series progressed, with Kucherov chasing historic benchmarks that have defined generations of great players.
As the series shifted, conversations turned to the broader trajectory of Kucherov’s career in this moment of intense playoff pursuit. He stood on the precipice of moving up the all-time list, a testament to his consistent playmaking and the Lightning’s sustained offensive philosophy that leverages speed, timing, and zone entries that force opponents to adapt in real time.
“St. Louis” – “Minnesota” – 5:2
In the meeting between the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild, the teams found themselves locked at 2-2 as the visitors carried momentum into the fourth game of the series. The Blues leaned on a group of four Russians who brought energy to each shift, though none found the back of the net with the same impact as the forwards who created scoring chances early. Notably, Pavel Buchnevich picked up an assist on Jordan Kyrou’s goal, a moment that opened the scoring in the fifth minute and set the tone for a tight, strategic contest.
As the game wore on, Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov contributed to the drama by turning a heavy turnover into a goal that sparked a comeback preview, but the Wild could not sustain the momentum. The Blues, buoyed by precise passing and disciplined defense, reclaimed the pace and carved out advantages on the scoreboard as the period wore on.
Midway through the third, St. Louis moved ahead with another tally, signaling a shift in control. Minnesota answered with a goal from Matt Boldy, briefly narrowing the gap, but the Blues shifted back into a tighter, higher-press mode that paid dividends in the closing minutes. The late surge proved decisive, as St. Louis extended the lead and restored order in the game’s latter stages.
Kirill Kaprizov added a late flourish by matching a club record for his team in a playoff series, a five-goal haul that connected him with franchise legends who had achieved similar feats on bigger stages. That performance placed him in exclusive company and hinted at the remarkable depth of talent across both teams. As the series progressed, Kaprizov’s continued production became a focal point of expectations for Minnesota, while St. Louis looked to sustain a broader, team-first approach in pursuit of victory.