The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without stars Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos and second-line center Anthony Cirelli for Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Kucherov, the NHL’s seventh-leading scorer with 70 points, has a lower-body injury. Stamkos will miss his third straight game with a lower-body injury.
Kucherov suffered his injury in the second period of Tuesday’s 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins when he got tangled with teammate Tyler Johnson.
Cirelli also is dealing with a lower-body injury. Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters Thursday morning that Kucherov and Cirelli are considered day-to-day and likely will avoid injured reserve.
The Lightning enter Thursday’s game as the hottest team in the NHL, winning eight straight games. Kucherov, last season’s Hart Trophy winner as the league’s regular-season MVP, has been outstanding of late, scoring 10 goals with 21 points over his last 12 games.