1 AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT Nikita Kucherov battled for position in front of the net A defender tried to keep him away so Kucherov skated back a few paces He was ready for a pass from his teammate Kucherov was playing in his first National Hockey League NHL game He and the Tampa Bay Lightning were squaring off against the New York Rangers in November 2013 Two minutes into the first period Kucherov had not yet taken a shot But that was about to change Nikita Kucherov competes in his first game as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning
Kucherov's teammate passed the puck from the corner As the puck approached Kucherov wound up and blasted a powerful one timer The puck screamed through the air and bounced off the goalie's MORE HISTORY shoulder Then it fell behind MADE Nikita Kucherov's first the goalie and trickled into NHL game was special the net Kucherov pumped for another reason It was the 1000th career game his fist as he skated toward for Lightning teammate his teammates to celebrate Martin St Louis The right winger was honored with Kucherov's first career gifts and a tribute video goal had come on his first After Kucherov's early goal St Louis scored the next shot as an NHL player It two and added an assist in was a sign of great things a winning effort to come Kucherov celebrates the first goal of his NHL career
