Kucherov, Nikita

SM-liiga Quarterfinals (Finland):
(4)JYP 4 @ (5)Assat 3
JYP Leads the Series 3-0
Riku Helenius, JYP, Win, 31/34, 3.00 GAA, .912 sv%
Playoff totals: 3 GP, 3-0-0, 0 SO, 1.67 GAA, .951 sv%
Regular season totals: 33 GP, 21-9-1, 7 SO, 1.64 GAA, .936 sv%

Ex-Lightning forward Eric Perrin scored the eventual game winning goal on the power play in JYP's 4-3 Game Three victory over Assat. JYP goes for the sweep Wednesday.

MHL Western Conference Semifinals (Russia Jr.):
Cherepovets Jr. 4 @ CSKA Jr. 3
Cherepovets Jr. Leads the Series 1-0
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., 0-0-0, -2, 0 PIM, 5 SOG
Playoff totals (MHL): 4 GP, 1-1-2, -3, 0 PIM
Regular Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 24-19-43, +16, 40 PIM
Regular Season totals (KHL): 18 GP, 1-3-4, -1, 4 PIM

Tough night for Nikita Kucherov, who was -2 in CSKA Jr.'s Game One loss to Cherepovets Jr. Game Two is Tuesday.

MHL Western Conference Quarterfinals (Russia Jr.):
CSKA Jr. 2 @ St. Petersburg Jr. 1 (OT)
CSKA Jr. Wins the Series 3-2
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., 1-0-1, +1, 0 PIM, 4 SOG
Playoff totals (MHL): 3 GP, 1-1-2, -1, 0 PIM
Regular Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 24-19-43, +16, 40 PIM
Regular Season totals (KHL): 18 GP, 1-3-4, -1, 4 PIM

Nikita Kucherov scored 7:42 into the third period to send CSKA Jr. and St. Petersburg Jr. to overtime, where the Baby Red Army triumphed 2-1. The Game Five victory means CSKA Jr. is moving on to the Semifinal round, where they will face Cherepovets Jr. Game One is set for Monday.

SM-liiga Playoffs (Finland):
The field of 8 is complete. Blues Espoo crushed Lukko 6-3 in Game Three of their mini play-in series, joining Karpat as the other recipient of a play-in spot. Riku Helenius and JYP will play Assat in the Quarterfinals beginning on Thursday.

KHL Eastern Conference Semifinals (Russia):
Former Blackhawks draft pick Petri Kontiola's goal late in the third period lifted Chelyabinsk to a 3-2 Game Four victory over Ak Bars Kazan. Nikita Nesterov did not play in the match. Chelyabinsk leads the series 3-1 and will go in for the kill on Thursday.

MHL Western Conference Quarterfinals (Russia Jr.):
CSKA Jr. rolled to a 7-2 Game Four victory to knot their series at 2-2. Nikita Kucherov did not play in the match. The decisive Game Five will be on Friday.

3-18-12
KHL Eastern Conference Semifinals
Ex-NHLer Niko Kapanen scored 1:55 into overtime to lift Kazan to a critical 2-1 Game Three win over top seed Chelyabinsk. Nikita Nesterov did not dress for the match. Chelyabinsk still holds a 2-1 series lead with Game Four set for Tuesday.

SM-slutspel (Sweden):
(7)AIK 3 @ (1)Lulea 0
AIK Wins the Series 4-1
Johan Harju, Lulea, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG
Playoff totals: 5 GP, 1-1-2, -2, 0 PIM
Regular eason totals: 53 GP, 15-10-25, +12, 16 PIM

Goaltender Viktor Fasth, who was rumored to be a Lightning free agent target, stopped all 31 shots he faced for AIK in their clinching 3-0 win over Lulea. The series loss is a crushing upset for the league's top seed.

3-19-12
MHL Western Conference Quarterfinals(Russia Jr.):
St. Petersburg Jr. 3 @ CSKA Jr. 2
St. Petersburg Jr. Leads the Series 2-1
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., DNP
Playoff totals (MHL): 2 GP, 0-1-1, -2, 0 PIM
Regular Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 24-19-43, +16, 40 PIM
Regular Season totals (KHL): 18 GP, 1-3-4, -1, 4 PIM

Nikita Kucherov did not dress for CSKA Jr.'s critical Game Three loss to St. Petersburg Jr. Ex-NHLer Nikita Filatov has also not appeared for CSKA Jr. in the last couple of matches. Game Four is Tuesday.

KHL Eastern Conference Seminfinals (Russia):
Evgeny Kuznetsov's third period goal lifted Chelyabinsk to a 2-1 Game Two win over Ak Bars Kazan. Traktor now holds a 2-0 series lead. Kuznetsov, a first round pick of the Capitals, starred on Russia's Silver Medal winning U20 World Junior Championship team earlier this season. Nikita Nesterov did not appear in the match. Game Three is Sunday.

MHL Western Conference Quarterfinals (Russia Jr.):
CSKA Jr. 3 @ St. Petersburg Jr. 2 (OT)
Series Tied at 1-1
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr., 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Playoff totals (MHL): 2 GP, 0-1-1, -2, 0 PIM
Regular Season totals (MHL): 23 GP, 24-19-43, +16, 40 PIM
Regular Season totals (KHL): 18 GP, 1-3-4, -1, 4 PIM

Sergey Barbashev scored 9:46 into overtime to lift CSKA Jr. to a critical 3-2 Game Two win over St. Petersburg Jr. The season is now knotted at 1-1. Game Three is Monday.

SM-slutspel (Sweden)
(1)Lulea 1 @ (7)AIK 4
AIK Leads the Series 3-1
Johan Harju, Lulea, 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM, 0 SOG
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 1-1-2, -2, 0 PIM
Regular eason totals: 53 GP, 15-10-25, +12, 16 PIM

The upset alert is now blaring. Ex-NHLer Dick Tarnstrom assisted on AIK's game opening goal and they did not look back, posting a 4-1 Game Four victory over top seed Lulea. Lulea now faces elimination in Game Five on Sunday.