Welcome to this edition of Lightning Strikes, a series featuring quotes and comments from players, coaches, management, journalists, and fans alike concerning the Tampa Bay Lightning. This ongoing column aims to capture a slice of the existing outlook, attitudes, and culture surrounding the team.
After falling to the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 last Thursday (Nov. 7), the Lightning are in the middle of a one-week break in games. This edition will feature news and quotes from not only the action before the break but also what the Lightning were doing during their week off, including an annual event run by head coach Jon Cooper.
Coop’s Catch for Kids
Cooper hosted the seventh annual “Coop’s Catch for Kids” on Monday (Nov. 11). It’s his annual charity fishing tournament that he and the Lightning have helped raise money in the fight against pediatric cancer. With his entire roster participating on their off day, Cooper and the Bolts hit the water for a day of fishing with the very families and kids they’re trying to help most.
“It’s a special day for me, personally. This was a vision eight years ago, and now it has turned into something bigger and better than I ever thought it could possibly be. The smiles we put on kids’ faces, their families, it makes everything worth it.”
All proceeds go to the J5 Foundation, the Cooper family’s charitable organization, founded in 2022. Cooper and his wife, Jessie, first launched the event in 2016. By raising more than a quarter of a million dollars this year alone, Cooper is helping cast a beacon of hope for pediatric cancer patients on land, sea, and ice.
Through the foundation, Cooper has plans to sponsor a room at the Children’s Hospital at Tampa General Hospital. He hopes it can serve as a lounge for families while their kids are receiving treatment.
Cooper Reels in a Big One
The longest-tenured head coach in the NHL did not catch the biggest fish in the tournament. However, for the second straight year, Cooper has reeled in the big one, ‘The Great One,’ the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, Wayne Gretzky.
“I’m not a great fisherman, let me make that perfectly clear. But I’m better than he (Cooper) is. It’s not so much about the fishing. It’s about getting together and the camaraderie and seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces.”
Cooper’s first tournament, held in 2016, raised $60,000. With the help of Gretzky, the Lightning, and the Tampa community, this year’s event has brought the grand total to more than $1 million.
Heading Into the Break After a Tough Loss
It’s tough to go into a break with a loss and let that hang over your head for a period of time, especially considering how the Bolts let the game slip away against the Flyers. Alternate captain Ryan McDonagh had some strong comments about this after the game.
“You’ve got to be a pro about it. Take care of yourself, rest, recover and show up ready to win and play winning hockey, and we haven’t done that. We’ve found ways to lose games. Up 1-0 going into the third, that’s got to be a dial-it-in time. And we’ve let some slip away, let some points slip away here. We’ve got to get back to closing games out and finding a way to get two points.”
The Lightning continued to struggle in the offensive zone, with just 13 shot attempts and three shots on goal in the period. They rank 26th in the league in shots on goal per game, and Thursday marked the third game in their last seven, in which they only had 21 shots on goal in regulation. This was especially concerning as the Lightning were facing Flyers goaltender Ivan Fedotov, who was making his fifth NHL start and entered the night with a 5.35 goals-against average in three starts and was a last-minute replacement when Samuel Ersson was hurt during the morning skate.
Cooper also had some strong thoughts on why the Lightning are struggling.
“I think the big issue with us, especially of late, is we’re overcomplicating an uncomplicated game. I think we’re a bottom five team in the league for shots on goal. It’s been the extra pass, the extra play, there’s something better out there, and it’s kind of sucked the life out of us. And what it does, it fuels the other team.”
The Lightning’s struggles have become more apparent, especially offensively, without Brayden Point (lower-body injury). Having the next six days off should help them, especially after losing defenseman Erik Cernak after he took a blocked shot on his right arm. Cooper said other players are playing through physical issues.
Hagel on Getting a Break
The Lightning are coming off a stretch of 13 games in 24 days, which likely hit them even harder given the number of postponements and cancellations the team had to overcome early in the season due to back-to-back hurricanes. They haven’t had much chance to practice over that stretch, so having this week off and having quality practices will be critical if the team wants to get back on the winning track.
“I think it’ll be good,” forward Brandon Hagel said. “I think just kind of let the bodies heal, let the mind kind of relax a little bit, and come back and get right back to the grind. I think it’s been a little bit of a weird year with everything going on. This kind of little break here is (good to) get together as a group, but also come in when we practice and dial it in and come out to practice with a purpose.”
Related: Lightning More Conservative on Zone Entries to Start Season
When the Lightning return from their break, they have a challenging schedule. After hosting the Jets on Thursday (Nov. 14), they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (Nov. 16) before going on the road to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 19. Check back next week to see all the quotes and comments from the Lightning as they attempt to rebound from their four-game losing streak.
