Jon Cooper didn’t sugarcoat anything after the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 5-1 season-opening loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
The Lightning coach sounded plainly frustrated when he addressed the media, and he zeroed in on the way his team approached the game.
“It was almost like the game was an inconvenience to play and that it got in the way of summer and that’s what was disappointing,” Cooper said.
The final score made the night look even worse, though the underlying numbers were not nearly as lopsided as the result. Tampa Bay finished with a 47.94% 5v5 score-adjusted shot attempt share and a 55.82% 5v5 score-adjusted expected goal share, according to Natural Stat Trick. Still, the 5-1 line was ugly, especially with Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin scoring the empty-netter.
Cooper’s irritation wasn’t just about one rough opener. The Lightning have now been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in four straight seasons, a run that has clearly stuck with him. That comes after Tampa Bay won two Stanley Cups and reached the Conference Finals in six of eight seasons before this stretch of early exits.
There were also stretches in the game that Cooper likely didn’t like at all, including lazy moments that contributed to some of the goals against, such as John Carlson on the second goal and several against Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Tampa Bay is now 0-1-0 and sits last in the Atlantic Division in the early going. The Lightning will try to respond when they host the Washington Capitals on Saturday at 7 p.m. EST.
In Other News...
Rangers Got A Feel-Good Night But One Goalie Concern Just Grew
Igor Shesterkin turned a routine win into a memorable one Tuesday night, becoming the first Rangers goalie to score a goal by sending the puck into an empty net in a 5-1 victory over Tampa Bay. New York also got an early lift from Mika Zibanejad and saw first goals with the club from Pavel Dorofeyev and Eeli Tolvanen, a collection of contributions that made it one of those nights when the goals kept coming from everywhere.
Shesterkin was sharp in his own end too, stopping 24 of 25 shots, but the bigger-picture note for the Rangers came on the backup side of the ledger. With Joonas Korpisalo injured, the teams goalie depth is being tested at a time when the schedule keeps moving, and Dylan Garand is now positioned to take the next start Friday night in Detroit. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Home Opener Delivered The Reset Fans Needed
The home opener gave the Rangers a needed jolt after the frustration of their previous game, and the return to Madison Square Garden brought a more settled look right away. New York handled Tampa Bay with early offense and a cleaner overall start, getting goals from Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Dorofeyev before Eeli Tolvanen added another in the second period to help set the tone.
There was also movement in the roster before puck drop, with Dylan Garand rejoining the team as Joonas Korpisalo went on injured reserve. Jaroslav Chmelar made his season debut as part of the lineup shuffle, a reminder that the opening weeks can still be about sorting out roles as much as banking points. For a Rangers group looking to steady itself, the night offered a more encouraging reset, even if the deeper question is how long this version can hold. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face An Early Road Test With More Pressure Than Expected
The Rangers head into Detroit with a little more momentum than they may have expected after opening the season with a strong 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. Even so, this becomes an early road test with a different feel, because New York will turn to Dylan Garand in goal while Joonas Korpisalo deals with a lower-body injury.
Detroit has yet to play this season, so the matchup comes with plenty of unfamiliarity attached to it. The Red Wings are also working through their own issues, including Dylan Larkin being out with an upper-body injury, which leaves the Rangers facing a team still trying to sort itself out before the season even gets fully rolling. [Read more 🡒]