Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper expects forward Nikita Kucherov to be available for the fourth game of the Stanley Cup final.
“Yeah, I think so. I hope so,” Cooper said Tuesday, according to Lightning Beat writer Chris Krenn.
#Bolts Jon Cooper if Nikita Kucherov will be available for Game 4: “Yes, I think so. I hope so.” #COLvsTBL
– Chris Krenn (@Chris_Krenn) June 21, 2022
However, Cooper said the Brayden Point striker is the day to day, but hesitated to play when the series resumes Wednesday in Tampa.
#Bolts Cooper says Brayden Point is day-to-day, but dubious for Game 4. As for Kucherov: “Kuch, while I’m sitting right now, I think he can play tomorrow, but I’m not Kuch. But if he knows Kuch, he’s sitting here saying the same thing. But we’ll see what the doctors say. ” #COLvsTBL
– Chris Krenn (@Chris_Krenn) June 21, 2022
Kucherov, 29, missed Monday’s 6-2 win over Colorado’s Avalanche in the third period with an apparent injury and did not return.
He seemed uncomfortable with the soggy pitch as he couldn’t move the ball around with his usual grace.
Kucherov has scored seven goals and 19 assists in 20 games this postseason, including three assists against Colorado.
Point, who missed the third game, has two assists so far in the Cup final.
The 26-year-old missed the entire second-round Tampa series against the Florida Panthers, as well as the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers with a lower body injury suffered in the win. of the 7th game over the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 14th. in the first round of the playoffs. He has two goals and three assists in nine playoff games this spring.
Colorado leads the Stanley Cup final 2-1.