Kucherov's Hat Trick Leads Lightning to 6-2 Win Over Kraken

Tampa Bay star scores three goals and adds two assists in victory.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 10:26am

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Nikita Kucherov recorded a hat trick and two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-2 on Tuesday night. Brandon Hagel added a goal and three assists for the Lightning, who remain four points behind the Buffalo Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division. Bobby McMann and Jared McCann scored for the Kraken, who are tied with the Los Angeles Kings for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Why it matters

Kucherov's dominant performance helps keep the Lightning in the hunt for the division title, while the Kraken's loss is a setback in their bid to secure a playoff spot in just their fourth NHL season.

The details

Kucherov opened the scoring with 1:11 left in the first period and added two more goals in the second and third periods to complete the hat trick. Hagel and Anthony Cirelli also found the back of the net for Tampa Bay. For Seattle, McMann and McCann scored to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the second period, but the Kraken were unable to complete the comeback.

  • Kucherov scored his first goal with 1:11 remaining in the first period.
  • Kucherov scored his second goal less than a minute into the second period.
  • Kucherov scored his third goal into an empty net with 2:44 left in the third period.

The players

Nikita Kucherov

A six-time NHL All-Star and one of the league's most prolific scorers, Kucherov led the Lightning to victory with a hat trick and two assists.

Brandon Hagel

The Lightning forward contributed a goal and three assists to the winning effort.

Bobby McMann

The Kraken forward, recently acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, scored his fourth goal in three games with Seattle.

Jared McCann

The Kraken forward scored to bring his team within one goal, but Seattle was unable to complete the comeback.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Lightning goaltender made 16 saves to earn the victory.

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What they’re saying

“Nikita Kucherov is one of the most talented players in the NHL, and he showed that tonight with his dominant performance.”

— Jon Cooper, Lightning Head Coach

What’s next

The Lightning will look to continue their push for the division title when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night, while the Kraken will try to bounce back in their road game against the Nashville Predators.

The takeaway

Kucherov's hat trick underscores his status as one of the league's elite players and keeps the Lightning in the hunt for the Atlantic Division crown. For the Kraken, the loss is a setback in their quest to secure a playoff spot in just their fourth NHL season.