RALEIGH, N.C. — Nikita Kucherov scored a natural hat trick in the third period and had an assist for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on Friday.

Kucherov gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead at 11:06 of the third, scoring a power-play goal on a low one-timer from above the right face-off circle.

He then scored back-to-back empty-net goals at 17:53 and 19:44 for the 4-1 final.

It was the season opener for each team.

Brayden Point scored, Victor Hedman had three assists and Andrei Vasilevskiiy made 20 saves for the Lightning.

Jake Guentzel had two assists in his debut for the Lightning. He signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with Tampa Bay when free agency opened on July 1, after being acquired in a trade with the Hurricanes on June 30.
Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen made 19 saves.

Staal gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 14:32 of the first period. After Jordan Martinook stripped the puck from Brandon Hagel, William Carrier circled the net and passed to Staal for a tap-in at the top of the crease.

Point’s power-play goal tied it 1-1 at 2:33 of the second period. He took a pass from Kucherov in the slot and scored top shelf.