ST. PAUL, Minn. — Nikita Kucherov scored a power-play goal 3:23 into overtime, and the Tampa Bay Lightning completed a stunning late rally to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Saturday night at Grand Casino Arena. The Kucherov OT winner capped a comeback from a two-goal deficit in the final seven minutes, giving Tampa Bay its third straight victory.

Kucherov took a pass from Jake Guentzel in the slot and ripped a wrist shot past Wild goaltender Calvin Pickard. It was his first goal in seven games and his 10th career overtime goal. The win lifted Tampa Bay to 11-3-2, while Minnesota fell to 12-3-4 but earned a point for the eighth consecutive game.

Key Points

• Nikita Kucherov scored the Kucherov OT winner on a power play at 3:23 of overtime, assisted by Guentzel and Carlson, after Matt Boldy tripped Kucherov at 2:30.
• Jake Guentzel scored twice and added an assist, while Charle-Edouard D'Astous had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points.
• Tampa Bay trailed 3-1 late in the third before Guentzel scored at 13:44 and D'Astous tied it 3-3 on a 6-on-4 power play at 16:29 with goalie Hildeby pulled.
• Maxim Shabanov scored twice for Minnesota and Blake Coleman opened the scoring 55 seconds in; Pickard made 30 saves, Hildeby 19.
• The Lightning have won three in a row; the Wild's three-game winning streak ended but they remain second in the NHL.

What Happened

Minnesota struck almost immediately. Coleman scored 55 seconds after the opening faceoff, and Shabanov made it 2-0 with a power-play goal about two minutes later. Tampa Bay spent much of the night chasing the game against the NHL's best defensive team — the Wild entered allowing just 2.17 goals per game.

The Lightning trimmed the deficit late in the second when Guentzel scored on a one-timer from the right circle at 16:34, assisted by D'Astous and Kucherov, to make it 2-1. But Shabanov struck again at 6:49 of the third, restoring Minnesota's two-goal lead and giving him eight goals on the season.

Tampa Bay answered. Guentzel scored his second goal at 13:44 of the third, tipping in a feed from Point and D'Astous to make it 3-2. Then, with Hildeby pulled and the Lightning on a power play, D'Astous' slap shot found its way through traffic to tie it 3-3 with 3:31 left. Tampa Bay outshot Minnesota 34-22 and held an 83-42 edge in shot attempts.

Kucherov OT Winner Seals the Comeback

Overtime belonged to Minnesota at first: the Wild won the first two faceoffs and owned the puck, with Hildeby making two saves, including a key stop on Kirill Kaprizov. Then the momentum turned: Guentzel jumped on a loose puck in front of the Lightning net, and as the play moved up ice, Boldy tripped Kucherov at 2:30, sending Tampa Bay to a four-on-three power play.

Kucherov made Minnesota pay. On his ninth shot of the game — and his 20th shot attempt — he took the puck between the circles and wired a wrist shot from the high slot off the post and in for his fifth goal of the season. It was the Lightning's third power-play goal of the game, the first time this season they have scored three times with the man advantage.

Background and Context

The goal came one week after Kucherov's trade request became public: in four games since the news broke, he has a goal and five assists. Speaking to reporters after practice on Monday, November 2, Kucherov said: "It was never about the money for me. It was more about poor communication and respect. Over the last four months, we only have had two conversations and (general manager Julien BriseBois) in the end made it clear that I'm free to walk on July 1."

BriseBois said in a statement on Friday, October 30, that the Lightning "unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita," the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Kucherov is in the final season of an eight-year, $76 million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Wild were playing the second half of a back-to-back, but they had been the NHL's hottest team at home, entering 5-0-2 at Grand Casino Arena.

Reactions

The Lightning's radio broadcast named D'Astous its first star for his career-high three points, with Guentzel second and Kucherov third. D'Astous factored into three of Tampa Bay's four goals. For Minnesota, the frustration was clear: the Wild never trailed until the very end, leading from the opening minute, only to see Tampa Bay score twice in the final 6:16 of regulation and win it on the power play.

Why It Matters

The result matters for both clubs. Tampa Bay's third straight win keeps the Lightning in the thick of the Eastern Conference race and extends a run of points in six consecutive games, while the comeback showed real resilience. The power play was the difference: three goals with the man advantage, including the tying goal with the goaltender pulled and the winner in overtime.

For Minnesota, the single point keeps the Wild's eight-game point streak alive, but the blown two-goal lead at home will sting. Yet they allowed four goals to a Tampa Bay side that generated 83 shot attempts. For Kucherov, the winner was a statement: his first goal in seven games arrived at the biggest moment.

What Happens Next

The Lightning continue their four-game trip on Sunday in Winnipeg, where they will be the team playing the second half of a back-to-back against a rested opponent. Tampa Bay will look to extend its winning streak to four games. Minnesota will regroup after seeing a two-goal third-period lead disappear, aiming to protect its eight-game point streak and strong home record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who scored the winning goal for the Lightning against the Wild?
Nikita Kucherov scored on a power play 3:23 into overtime, a wrist shot from the slot assisted by Guentzel and Carlson, after Boldy was penalised for tripping Kucherov.

What was the final score of Lightning vs Wild on November 7, 2026?
Tampa Bay beat Minnesota 4-3 in overtime at Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, rallying from 3-1 down in the third with goals from Guentzel (twice), D'Astous and Kucherov.

How many points did Guentzel and D'Astous have?
Guentzel had two goals and an assist for three points, and D'Astous had a goal and two assists — a career-high three points — including the tying goal with 3:31 left.

What are the Lightning and Wild records after the game?
Tampa Bay improved to 11-3-2 with its third straight win, while Minnesota fell to 12-3-4 but earned a point for the eighth consecutive game (6-0-2) and remains second in the NHL.

What did Kucherov say about his trade request?
Speaking on November 2, Kucherov said it "was never about the money" and was "more about poor communication and respect." BriseBois has said the Lightning have "unequivocally" no intention of trading him.

Read more on the Lightning: Nikita Kucherov says Lightning trade request is about respect, not money and Lightning set franchise record with 7-0-0 home start as Point scores twice in 4-2 win over Red Wings.