Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (86) takes the puck off the stick of Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) in the third period of Saturday's game.Dan Hamilton/Reuters
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.