Well, if you’re reading this headline between 7 a.m. toasts, rest assured: Jon Cooper doesn’t really think this match should be on yet.
Updated at 6:57 am
But the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning threw a stone’s throw after the Colorado Avalanche’s 3-2 overtime victory over his team on Wednesday in Game 4 of the Finals. The win puts the Avalanche up 3-1 and just one win away from the Stanley Cup.
Cooper, still composed, did a John Tortorella of himself – in a softer version – answering a single question before ending the press briefing. The Lightning head coach basically implied that Nazem Kadri’s game-winning goal shouldn’t have been allowed.
“You will understand when you see the winning goal. But we should probably still be playing, ”said an emotional Cooper, after a long plea to defend the courage of his players.
So, did Cooper have any arguments to raise such a doubt? It’s up to everyone to judge, because penalties for having too many players on the ice are not always black and white cases. The regulation itself provides for a gray area where a player can jump onto the ice when the one he is replacing is five feet from the bench. The decision is left to the good judgment of the referees, and the Lightning could not have requested a challenge since penalties for having too many players on the ice are not part of the games eligible for a challenge.
On the sequence, there are actually six skaters from the Avalanche. The sixth is Nathan MacKinnon, who can be seen returning to the bench at the Lightning blue line. This means that the player replacing him would be on the ice too quickly for Cooper’s taste.
To add to the controversy, on the initial version of the game summary, which was printed and distributed to reporters, six skaters are listed for the Avalanche, in addition to goaltender Darcy Kuemper. On a subsequent version of this summary, online, the situation has been rectified. However, the extra player on the printed version is number 6, Erik Johnson, who has nothing to do with the game. According to our information, this error comes from the electronic player tracking system.
PHOTO GUILLAUME LEFRANÇOIS, THE PRESS
The initial summary, with seven players listed for the Avalanche on the winning goal
It will be interesting to see how the National League reacts to the situation, as what Cooper implied may be damaging to the integrity of the circuit. Early in the night, however, the NHL sent out a statement saying that after consultation, the four officials ruled there was no penalty.
Too bad for Kadri
That said, it makes you wonder if a canceled goal would have only postponed the inevitable, because the Lightning seemed at the end of their resources. The Florida team lost the services of Eric Cernak early in the second period and finished the game with five defenders. Mikhail Sergachev, who was overtaken by Kadri on the winning goal, was approaching 33 minutes of play and had been on the ice for 1:38 when Kadri lodged the puck in the top of the net.
Victor Hedman also recalled that the “long change” (the teams defend the area furthest from their bench in the first overtime) bothered the Lightning. “If you don’t clear the puck, you’re in trouble. They managed to do it to us a few times and they made us pay for it,” said the Tampa defense ace.
Photo Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports
Victor Hedman (77) was one of two players to hit the target for the Lightning.
All this story is obviously a shame for Nazem Kadri, the great hero of this evening, finally relegated to the second order. Injured with a hand in the Western Conference final against the Edmonton Oilers, he returned to action Wednesday, but his ability to shoot pucks was questionable. To his goal!
“I was in good enough condition to play,” Kadri said simply. As for Jon Cooper’s comments, I honestly have no idea what he’s talking about. »
For Kadri, it’s one more chapter to a season where he changed his identity in the NHL. Author of 87 points in 71 games during the season, he continues his success in the playoffs. He’s showing that there’s a lot more attacking talent in him than his reputation as an agitator suggests.
The impact he had on his return to play shows his importance to the Avalanche.
He will now have the chance to add more on Friday, if his team is done with the Lightning. In fact, he and his teammates now have three chances to make it happen, including two at home.