Tampa newborn named 'Nikita' after Kucherov goal

After being surprised by news from his wife that she was pregnant while attending a Tampa Bay Lightning game last year, Eric Franklin joked they should name the baby after the first Lightning player to score that night.

On Tuesday, Laine Franklin gave birth to a baby girl and took her husband's advice, naming the infant "Nikita" - after star forward Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring at that game eight months prior.

#FL Parents name newborn baby girl after Bolts' Nikita Kucherov https://t.co/LpMU8os1Cr via @reporterchris pic.twitter.com/N3byRLxUs7

- Tampa Live (@Tampa_Live) May 25, 2016

"Hopefully my daughter turns into a Lightning fan like us," Laine told Chelsea Tatham from the Tampa Bay Times.

They'll be hoping the newborn can bring their favorite team good luck as they prepare for Game 7 on Thursday in an attempt to reach their second straight Stanley Cup Final.

- With h/t to Puck Daddy

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