The battle of Florida is well underway as the Panthers take on the Lightning in game 1, and it started with a bang as Tarasenko nailed Kucherov with a massive hit that he was not happy with.
Nikita Kucherov has made his case for MVP this year with an incredible performance, reaching 100 assists and 144 points on the season. However, now that the playoffs have started, there is just one goal for him and the Lightninig, and that is to win a cup.
To do that, they will have to get through the physical Florida Panthers, and Kucherov is feeling that physicality already. He was smoked by Vladimir Tarasenko, sending him flailing to the ice. After the hit, you could see that Kucherov was not happy with what happened.
Tarasenko nails Kucherov and Kuch doesn't like it 🫣
The hit was not dirty, but might have been a penalty in regular-season hockey. However, in the playoffs, hits like these generally go uncalled. Kucherov and the Lightning will have to fight through the physicality in order to get through the Panthers.