Dmitri Simashev scored his second goal of the night in overtime to secure a 5-4 victory for the Utah Mammoth over the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Delta Center on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The victory, which moved the Mammoth to an 8-4-0 record on the season, was highlighted by Nikita Kucherov becoming the Tampa Bay Lightning's all-time points leader during the game.
Simashev Secures Overtime Win
Simashev, who recorded his first two NHL goals in the same game, secured the win for Utah at 1:44 of the overtime period. He tapped in a pass from Barrett Hayton at the left post on a rush to finalize the score. The Mammoth's victory comes as part of an 8-4-0 season record, while the Lightning move to 7-3-1.
Kucherov Sets Scoring Record
The contest featured a significant historical milestone for Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov. During a power-play assist at 12:42 of the first period, Kucherov reached 1,138 career points, breaking a tie with Steven Stamkos for the most points in Lightning franchise history. Stamkos, who now plays for the Nashville Predators, had accumulated 1,137 points in 1,082 games. Kucherov's record-breaking point came on an assist to Brayden Point, who tapped the puck into the open cage for a power-play goal.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper noted that he has had the pleasure of watching Kucherov's work since the 2013-14 season and stated that the forward will go down as one of the all-time greats. Despite the achievement, Kucherov remarked that while the record means a lot, the team was disappointed by the overtime loss.
High-Scoring First Two Periods
The game began with rapid scoring from both sides. Jake Guentzel opened the scoring for the Lightning at 5:10 of the first period with an unassisted goal. Kailer Yamamoto tied the game at 7:02 after a pass deflected off Emil Lilleberg. Pontus Holmberg gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead at 10:06, followed by Point's power-play goal to make it 3-1. Utah's Dylan Guenther answered with a power-play one-timer at 17:39 to cut the deficit to 3-2.
In the second period, Conor Geekie extended the Lightning's lead to 4-2 at 5:32 with a breakaway goal. However, the Mammoth mounted a comeback before the period ended. Anders Lee tied the game at 4-3 with a deflection off a MacKenzie Weegar shot, and Dmitri Simashev evened the score at 4-4 with his first NHL goal at 17:02 off a pass from Andrew Peeke and Vincent Trocheck.
Third Period Stalemate
The third period remained scoreless as both teams fought for momentum. Dennis Hildeby provided crucial defense for the Lightning, recording nine saves in the final frame. The Lightning also faced a roster challenge, playing the remainder of the game with 11 forwards after the loss of Zemgus Girgensons.
Utah's offensive pressure was driven by a strong forecheck in the latter half of the game. Simashev credited the team's success in the third period to their ability to put the puck behind the Lightning defense and utilize their forecheck. The Mammoth's victory marks their second win in three games, having lost two of their last three contests.
Road Trip Conclusion
The Lightning finished their Western Conference road trip with a 1-1-1 record. Their previous game was a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. The team now looks to regroup before hosting the Winnipeg Jets at Benchmark International Arena.
For the Mammoth, the win improves their standing in the Central Division to 8-4-0 with 16 points. The team's performance was bolstered by Vincent Trocheck, who recorded two assists and was one of the game's three stars.
Game Statistics and Stars
The game was played in front of 14,111 fans at the Delta Center. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves for the Mammoth, while Dennis Hildeby made 23 saves for the Lightning. The game's three stars were Dmitri Simashev, Kailer Yamamoto, and Vincent Trocheck for Utah, and Dennis Hildeby for Tampa Bay.
