Brandon Hagel’s confident Nikita Kucherov claim after Game 4 win

The Tampa Bay Lightning needed a win in Game 4 after falling behind 2-1 against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal defeated Tampa in overtime in Game 3, the third straight overtime game in this matchup. Game 4 did not need overtime, and Nikita Kucherov helped the Lightning even the series.

Kucherov recorded two assists in the 3-2 win over the Habs on Sunday. Brandon Hagel scored twice to further aid the effort. The series is now tied 2-2. More importantly, the Lightning own home ice advantage heading into Game 5.

Kucherov making an impact in big games is certainly nothing new. The Lightning star is a top-20 playoff scorer in NHL history. He has two Stanley Cups, and remains one of the best in the league. In Hagel’s mind, no one else compares.

“He’s the best player in the world,” the Tampa star said, via NHL.com. “He’s been doing it continuously every single year. Yeah, I got the opportunity to play with him for many years, so maybe you can say I gained a little bit of chemistry with him. But at the same time, you put that guy out with any five guys, he’s going to make five guys around him better.”

It’s certainly no surprise that Kucherov is a candidate to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL MVP. He finished second behind Nate MacKinnon with 130 points this season. He is currently second on the Lightning — behind Hagel and Jake Guentzel — with six points in four playoff games.

This is a huge victory for Tampa, but the work is only truly beginning. Kucherov, Hagel, and their teammates will look to take a 3-2 series lead over the Canadiens on Wednesday night when they take the ice for Game 5.

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