Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Suspended 1 Game for Dangerous Boarding Hit

Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov has been suspended for Sunday's Game 3 against the Columbus Blue Jackets following his boarding penalty Saturday.

With Tampa Bay trailing 5-1 with less than five minutes to play, the referees signaled for a delayed tripping penalty against Kucherov. However, he then received a five-minute boarding major and a 10-minute game misconduct for his hit on Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara, who was in the process of trying to return to his feet.

Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman and Columbus' Josh Anderson each also received game misconducts as a skirmish broke out following the dirty hit.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported Kucherov had a phone hearing Saturday morning.

While the league acknowledged the hit was "not excessively violent or forceful," there were a number of factors that led to a suspension:

• Kucherov was "in control of this play at all times"
• Nutivaara had not fallen to the ice unexpectedly, giving Kucherov time to react
• Kucherov took "advantage" of the situation and placed a "dangerous" hit on a "defenseless" player
• The league ruled the hit falls under the category of "message sending"

As a result, Tampa Bay will be without one of its best players while it attempts to climb out of a 2-0 hole as the series shifts to Columbus.

Kucherov led the NHL in scoring during the regular season with 128 points (41 goals and a league-leading 87 assists). The 2019 Art Ross Trophy winner was one of 11 players with 41-plus goals, and he had 12 more assists than anyone. His 87 assists gave him as many or more points than 15 other players.

His playmaking abilities helped the Lightning (128 points) run away with the Presidents' Trophy and tie the record for most wins (62) in a single season.

As prolific as he was during the regular season, though, the 25-year-old was held in check for the first two games of the series against the Blue Jackets, as he didn't register a point.

Knowing a suspension could be imminent, Tampa Bay practiced without Kucherov on Saturday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen:

Since they seized a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 1 on Wednesday, the Lightning have been outscored by the Blue Jackets 9-1 over the last five periods. And now, they will have to try to get their offense back on track without their star forward.