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2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: How Lightning star Nikita Kucherov's emotional journey powers his production

TAMPA BAY -- Nikita Kucherov doesn't exactly have a poker face.

"He's the type of guy where you can tell when things are going good or not going good, on and off the ice, based on his body language," said ESPN analyst Ryan Callahan, Kucherov's former linemate with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Things were going good for Kucherov in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. Captain Steven Stamkos saw it from the very first shift.

"You can hear the chatter on the bench when he's coming off [the ice].