Kucherov, Nikita

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 1 @ Gatineau Olympiques 2

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: Did not play.
Season totals: 13 GP, 9-13-22, +5, 2 PIM
With R-N: 7 GP, 6-6-12, +6, 0 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Lightning prospect Nikita Kucherov remains out of the Huskies lineup following the World Junior Championships. He is battling a minor injury sustained when he fell during the WJCs.

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5 @ Victoriaville Tigres 1

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 0-2-2, E, 0 PIM, 6 SOG, 1 Hit, *First Star*
Season totals: 42 GP, 17-38-55, +21, 77 PIM

Cedric Paquette had two assists and was named the game’s first star after the Armada beat the Tigres in Victoriaville on Friday night. Paquette has points in four straight games – the third time this season he’s had a point streak of at least four games.

Val-d’Or Foreurs 4 @ Sherbrooke Phoenix 1

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-1-1, +3, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 2 Hits
Season totals: 33 GP, 5-22-27, +14, 24 PIM

Artem Sergeev assisted on former Lightning prospect camper Brandon Hynes’ first period goal to give Sergeev points in 11 of his last 12 games. Sergeev tied his career high for points in a season at 27, set two years ago in 64 games.

Ontario Hockey League

Brampton Battalion 3 @ Kitchener Rangers 4 (SO)

D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 0-1-1, E, 2 PIM
Season totals: 46 GP, 2-19-21, -6, 34 PIM

Dylan Blujus had a power play assist on Brampton’s third goal, which enabled the visiting Battalion to force overtime. The Rangers prevailed in a six-round shootout, 1-0. Blujus did not participate in the shootout.

Barrie Colts 2 @ Sudbury Wolves 3 (SO)

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 1-0-1, -1, 2 PIM
Season totals: 43 GP, 4-12-16, -1, 47 PIM
With Barrie: 5 GP, 2-0-2, -2, 8 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Jake Dotchin scored for the second straight game, but Barrie fell in a shootout in Sudbury. Like last game, Dotchin’s goal came on the power play, an encouraging sign for prospect followers who wanted to see him in more offense-friendly situations.

Guelph Storm 6 @ Ottawa 67’s 0

C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: 1-2-3, +3, 0 PIM, *First Star*
Season totals: 33 GP, 4-41-45, +15, 72 PIM

Tanner Richard (pictured) scored shorthanded – his fourth goal of the year – to start the game, then added two assists later and earned first star as Guelph crushed Ottawa, 6-0. Richard is within three points of his career high for points in a season (48), set last year in 43 games. His career high for goals in a year is 13. Richard has 10 points in his last six games, including five in his last three.

Windsor Spitfires 5 @ London Knights 2

D Slater Koekkoek, WIN: Did not play
Season totals: 40 GP, 6-23-29, -24, 28 PIM
With Windsor: 2 GP, 0-1-1, +2, 0 PIM
With Peterborough: 38 GP, 6-22-28, -26, 28 PIM

Slater Koekkoek skated this week despite an injured shoulder, but The Windsor Star reported the Lightning flew him to Florida for the weekend to have the shoulder examined. The Lightning want to clear him to play before he returns to the ice. The Spits are 4-0-0-1 in their last five games and are four points from escaping the West Division cellar.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 0 @ Baie-Comeau Drakkar 7

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: Did not play.
Season totals: 13 GP, 9-13-22, +5, 2 PIM
With R-N: 7 GP, 6-6-12, +6, 0 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Lightning prospect Nikita Kucherov remains out of the Huskies lineup.

Val-d’Or Foreurs 6 @ Quebec Remparts 2

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-2-2, +3, 0 PIM, 1 SOG, 3 Hits
Season totals: 31 GP, 5-21-26, +13, 24 PIM

Artem Sergeev (pictured) extended his point streak to 10 games with two assists in a win over Patrick Roy’s Remparts. Quebec had three import players early in the year and ended up trading Nikita Kucherov. Tonight they had zero as Mikhail Grigorenko is preparing for Buffalo’s camp and Nick Sorensen was out of the lineup. Former Lightning camper Brandon Hynes had two goals and an assist for the Foreurs.

Ontario Hockey League

Niagara IceDogs 1 @ Barrie Colts 5

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-0-0, +1, 2 PIM
Season totals: 41 GP, 2-12-14, E, 45 PIM
With Barrie: 3 GP, 0-0-0, -1, 6 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Jake Dotchin is looking for his first point after three games with the Colts, but he did help Barrie defeat the IceDogs, 5-1, on Saturday night. Barrie is playing without their star forward, Mark Scheifele, who is readying for Winnipeg Jets camp. It’s very possible he doesn’t return to the OHL. Undrafted overager Steven Beyers had two goals and four points in his absence for Barrie.

Windsor Spitfires 3 @ Belleville Bulls 4 (SO)

D Slater Koekkoek, WIN: 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM
Season totals: 40 GP, 6-23-29, -24, 28 PIM
With Windsor: 2 GP, 0-1-1, +2, 0 PIM
With Peterborough: 38 GP, 6-22-28, -26, 28 PIM

Kokkoek had his first point in a Spitfire uniform – a third period power play assist on the game-tying goal. Andrei Khokhlachev had two goals for Winsor. Koekkoek’s teammate last week with Peterborough, Alan Quine, had a goal for Belleville and was first star.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 @ Acadie-Bathurst Titan 3 (OT)

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: Did not play.
Season totals: 13 GP, 9-13-22, +5, 2 PIM
With R-N: 7 GP, 6-6-12, +6, 0 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Lightning prospect Nikita Kucherov was not in the lineup as the Huskies won in overtime despite being outshot, 48-19, in the game. Swiss forward Sven Andrighetto had four assists for the Huskies. Like Kucherov, Andrighetto participated in the World Junior Championships in Russia earlier this month.

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 2 @ Halifax Mooseheads 4

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 0-1-1, -1, 2 PIM, 8 SOG, 2 Hits
Season totals: 40 GP, 16-35-51, +19, 77 PIM

Halifax had a 3-0 lead before the second period even began, and only a goal with five seconds remaining in the game by the Armada made the score look close. Halifax teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Druin, who will fight to be the No. 1 selection in this summer’s draft, combined for just one point – an assist by Druin.

Val-d’Or Foreurs 1 @ Victoriaville Tigres 7

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM, 3 SOG, 1 Hit
Season totals: 30 GP, 5-19-24, +10, 24 PIM

Artem Sergeev (pictured) played his first game since returning from representing the home country at the World Junior Championships in Russia and notched an assist on the Foreurs’ only goal. The point extended Sergeev's point streak to nine games. Val-d’Or registered 39 shots (21 in the third period) to Victoriaville’s 25, yet were blown out where it counted, 7-1.

Ontario Hockey League

Brampton Battalion 2 @ Plymouth Whalers 4

D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM
Season totals: 44 GP, 2-16-18, -7, 32 PIM

Plymouth outscored Brampton 4-1 in the second period and hung on for a 4-2 win on Friday night. Blujus has one assist and an even rating in his last five games. Brampton’s winless streak rose to five games.

Barrie Colts 2 @ Guelph Storm 3

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-0-0, -2, 4 PIM
Season totals: 40 GP, 2-12-14, -1, 43 PIM
With Barrie: 2 GP, 0-0-0, -2, 4 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: Suspended
Season totals: 30 GP, 3-36-39, +13, 72 PIM

Jake Dotchin played his second game for Barrie and was minus-2 in a road loss to Guelph. He received some power play time tonight, but was on the ice when Guelph scored shorthanded. Storm forward Tanner Richard was serving a one-game suspension for slew-footing.

The Lightning had five prospects at the 2013 Under-20 World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia, and four came away with medals.

Here’s a look how each prospect fared, and what their future might look like.

Nikita Kucherov, RW, Russia
7 Games Played, 5-3-8, +4, 4 PIM, 21 SOG

While Kucherov may only remember his missed shootout attempt against Sweden in the semifinals right now, years from now will look at his Bronze medal and be satisfied with his play throughout the competition. Kucherov was arguably Russia’s best forward in the tournament, though Mikhail Grigorenko (Sabres) was the only forward named among the team’s three best by the coaches at tournament’s end. In the opinion of TSN commentator Ray Ferraro, Kucherov was the team’s best forward. He and Grigorenko were by far the most consistent and dangerous forwards for the Russians at the event, and the two were responsible for 14 points together.

Sweden 3 vs. Russia 2 (SO)
Nikita Kucherov, Russia, 0-1-1, +1, 2 PIM, 1 SOG
Tournament totals: 6 GP, 5-3-8, +5, 4 PIM

Nikita Nesterov, Russia, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Tournament totals: 6 GP, 0-3-3, +2, 2 PIM

Artem Sergeev, Russia, 0-0-0, E, 0 PIM, 1 SOG
Tournament totals: 6 GP, 0-1-1, +1, 0 PIM

Andrey Vasilevskiy, Russia, Shootout Loss, 38/41, 2.77 GAA, .927 sv%
Tournament totals: 4 GP, 3-0-1, 1 SO, 1.81 GAA, .950 sv%

Sweden's Sebastien Collberg scored the only goal of the penalty shot session to stamp his team's ticket to the Gold Medal Match in a 3-2 win over Russia. Russian goaltender Andrey Vasilevskiy stopped 2 of 3 in the shootout for the shootout loss. Forward Nikita Kucherov assisted on Mikhail Grigorenko's goal in the Third Period to help force Overtime, but was stopped on Russia's last shootout attempt. Russia plays Canada on Saturday in the Bronze Medal Match after Team USA upended the Canadians 5-1 in the day's other Semifinal.

Kucherov currently sits tied for 4th in the tournament in scoring.