Lightning's Kucherov, Paul expected to play Game 4

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov is expected to play in Game 4. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Lightning's Nikita Kucherov, Nick Paul expected to play Game 4 vs. Avalanche

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 6/22/22

The Tampa Bay Lightning are expected to have two of their most important forwards on the ice for Wednesday night's Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, while another one's status for the rest of the series is very much up in the air.

So good news for #tblightning with Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul expected in lineup. Brayden Point not ruled out for rest of series, Cooper said, but won't be in tonight
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) June 22, 2022

The Lightning currently trail the Colorado Avalanche in the best-of-seven set 2-1 after dropping the first two games of the series before fighting back with a 6-2 home rout on Monday. Both Kucherov and Paul suffered injuries in Game 3.

"I anticipate our lineup to be the same as it was (in Game 3)," Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said, per ESPN's Kristen Shilton. "I'm not saying they're all fine. They're going to play. Everybody's banged up this time of year."

Point has been attempting to return to action after suffering a lower-body injury during Game 7 the Lightning's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tampa Bay's center missed over one month before playing in Game 1 and Game 2 against Colorado. He then sat out Game 3.

Point and Kucherov finished second and third on the team in goals during the regular season, with the former lighting the lamp 28 times and Kucherov finding the back of the net on 25 occasions.

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