RALEIGH, N.C. — The Lightning arrived here in North Carolina four nights before their season opener with their families and pets in tow to escape Hurricane Milton, which ripped through Florida’s Gulf Coast.

While the focus was entirely on the ice, coach Jon Cooper couldn’t help but wonder before Friday’s game whether his team would be distracted by the devastation wrought by the storm on Tampa Bay and what they would do afterward would do home from afar.

“As a coach you want to be optimistic, but sometimes you’re nervous inside and we weren’t quite sure how things were going to go. But I know the guys really wanted to play a hockey game,” Cooper said.

Their effort against the Hurricanes clinched a 4-1 win at the Lenovo Center as the Lightning opened a tied game early in the third period with three straight goals from star right winger Nikita Kucherov.

“I think right now everyone is so involved and we’re just thinking about the game,” Kucherov said. “We came here to play and execute the game plan, play for each other and play as a team, and I think we did that.”

Many fans in Tampa still couldn’t watch because of the massive power outages, but Lightning captain Victor Hedman said he hoped a season-opening win could provide some relief.

“You never know what a storm of this magnitude is going to bring,” Hedman said. “You look at yourself and think you’re lucky, but there are a lot of other people who weren’t as lucky as us. That goes for the entire state of Florida with all the tornadoes and everything that happened.

“Today is stressful and emotional and I told all the boys after the game that with the way we played today and given the adversity, we put a smile on the faces of the people at home who were having a hard time conjure.” ”

The Lightning dominated the game early, but after falling behind on Jordan Staal’s goal at 14:32, Carolina took control. Brayden Point scored on the power play after a push from Kucherov 2:33 into the second period, but the Hurricanes continued to rock the ice in the third period.

Kucherov, who led the league in scoring last season and recorded 100 assists, fired a one-timer from above the right circle on the power play past Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen with 9:56 left in regulation and scored then two empty-net goals in the final 2:07 to cement the victory.

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Kucherov’s four-point night passed Vinny Lecavalier for third place on the Lightning’s career points list with 877. His sixth career hat trick was the second in franchise history in a season opener; Chris Kontos scored four goals in the Lightning’s first game in team history on October 7, 1992.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy kept the Lightning in the game early, fending off pressure for a time after Staal’s goal, then in the second period when Tampa Bay fell behind 11-4. Vasilevskiy stopped the final 19 shots he faced in a 20-save night.

“I thought he was our best player the whole game,” Kucherov said. “When he shows his game, we all have confidence. He is the best goalkeeper in the league. No question.”

In the first game without long-time player Steven Stamkos, the Lightning’s power play struggled early, particularly in its outings against an aggressive Carolina penalty kill that put pressure on the blue line.

But both of the Lightning’s power play goals came on wins in the offensive zone by Nick Paul, who was substituted for Jake Guentzel on the first power play unit in those situations.

“That’s big because the one thing about Carolina is they’re hard to get in the zone, and that’s why the faceoff is crucial,” Cooper said. “And back there they have the big Staal, who is a monster to the point. So you have to find a way to hit it and hopefully win it. And Paulie is like a weapon for us.”

Most Lightning players received reports at their homes, and many assumed they would return to Tampa without power, so they stayed overnight in North Carolina to assess the damage during the day. The Lightning’s home opener was scheduled for Saturday but was postponed as the Milton area recovers. The Lightning won’t skate.

“Everyone will probably go back to Tampa and stay in a hotel,” Cooper said. “We won’t be skating (Saturday), but this will be the first time anyone can see with their own eyes the damage that was done. …So this is going to be tiring. So we’re not out of the woods yet and we haven’t overcome some of the adversity that we have to face yet.”

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