How do you stop one of the greatest players of his generation? That’s what the Toronto Maple Leafs need to figure out against Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov on Monday night.

TAMPA — The Lightning ... with power-play catalyst Nikita Kucherov playing on both units but at different spots on the ice. The Lightning power play was the best in the NHL last season.

The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Montreal Canadiens after Nicholas Paul scored two goals in the Lightning's 5-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jake Guentzel, who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017, had two assists to become the second player in Lightning history with at least 20 goals and 40 points in his first 40 games with the franchise. Guentzel signed a seven-year deal with the Lightning in the offseason.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in this NHL matchup at Scotiabank Arena on Monday, January 20th. WATCH: Lightning vs Maple Leafs Live | Stream free on Fubo Tampa Bay is dealing with having to beat out Toronto,

The Bolts are playing the second of a back-to-back, while the Canadiens are playing their third game in four nights.

When Leon Draisaitl won his first Hart Trophy in 2019-20, he made his case during a stretch when teammate Connor McDavid was out with an injury. The Oilers had missed the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and found themselves back in the mix in 2019-20 after a hot start to the season.

TBL: Nikita Kucherov is tied for second in points and ranks third in assists in the League. He obtained his 600th career assist following a three-point outing on January 18 against Detroit and is on a nine-game point streak (4G, 12A) following Monday’s game. In 37 regular season games against the Canadiens, he has generated 43 points (16G, 27A).

Last night, in a game where elite and sudden goal-scoring carried home the win, Auston Matthews and William Nylander made the offensive plays the team needed.

The loss to Toronto gives the Lightning a 3-7-0 record in the Atlantic Division, one they’d like to improve on. The good news? They have a chance to do it quickly in a Tuesday night matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal (23-19-4) has found their stride as of late, winning five of their last seven games.

Quinn Hughes is the reigning Norris Trophy winner, and while he’s in the conversation again, the race for this year’s Norris Trophy looks highly competitive.