Lightning thump Sabres behind Kucherov hat trick, Carlson's 5-point night

Eduardo A. Encina, Tampa Bay Times on Nov 11, 2026

Published in Hockey

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — No lead is safe when the Lightning and Sabres get together.

In Tampa Bay’s first trip to Buffalo this season, it took a four-goal lead into the middle of the second period Wednesday night.

The Lightning had everything going their way, and the boo birds were out at KeyBank Center.

But before you knew it, Tampa Bay was clinging to a one-goal lead one shift into the third.

Then, it became the Nikita Kucherov show.

Kucherov recorded a natural hat trick, scoring three straight goals for his eighth career hat trick — and third natural hat trick — to extend the Lightning lead, handing the Sabres an 8-3 thumping.

Not long ago, the teams played one of the wildest games in recent memory, a 15-goal, five-fight game in which the Lightning came back from two three-goal deficits before blowing a two-goal lead in the third period of an 8-7 loss.

Wednesday night wasn’t that crazy, but it was still a test of resilience.

The Lightning had the game well in hand until defenseman Erik Cernak was knocked out of the game with 5:54 left in the second period, his head hitting the corner glass at the end of the Tampa Bay bench as he was run into the boards by Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn.

Buffalo scored its first goal on the ensuing power play, the first of three straight Sabres goals over a four-minute, 39-second stretch to make it a 4-3 game.

Top prospect Sam O’Reilly, making his NHL debut, picked up his first point in the second period. His outlet pass to Jake Guentzel helped to set up Yanni Gourde’s first goal of the season, giving the Lightning a 4-0 lead with 6:58 left in the period.

Defenseman John Carlson recorded his first career five-point night with one goal and four assists. Guentzel added four assists for the Lightning (12-4-2).

After Tage Thompson scored 33 seconds into the third to make it 4-3, Kucherov scored his sixth goal of the season, taking an outlet pass from Brandon Hagel and spinning into the offensive zone. He then beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkoneen with a backhander while fighting off Olen Zellweger, who was hooking him from behind.

That was the end of the night for Luukkonen, who allowed five goals on 14 shots.