Kucherov scores 2 goals to lead Lightning to 3-0 win over Panthers

Tampa Bay Lightning Cedric Paquette (54) and Florida Panthers' Colby Robak (47) battle for the puck during the first period of a NHL hockey game in Sunrise, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter) (The Associated Press)

Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov (86) and Florida Panthers' Jonathan Huberdeau (11) battle for the puck during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game in Sunrise, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014. The Lightning won 3-0. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter) (The Associated Press)

SUNRISE, Fla. – Nikita Kucherov scored twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 in a preseason game Thursday night.

Ondrej Palat also scored for Tampa Bay (4-1-0) and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 21 shots.

Roberto Luongo made 30 saves for the Panthers (0-3-2).

The Lightning went ahead 2-0 in the third period when Vladislav Namestnikov passed across to Kucherov in the right circle. His wrist shot got past Luongo on the stick side with 12:07 left. Kucherov added an empty-net goal with 1:10 left, also with an assist by Namestnikov.

Kucherov leads the Lightning with five preseason goals and Namestnikov now has a team-leading seven assists.

The Lightning went ahead 1-0 just 2:43 into the game when Palat backhanded the puck got past Luongo's glove from the right side.