Jon Cooper continues to play mind games with the Toronto Maple Leafs

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S. Harper
May 12, 2022 (3:59 PM)

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The Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves in a very vulnerable place after losing 4-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5. When the series started despite the Toronto Maple Leafs having home ice advantage many believed this would be a cake walk for the two time defending Stanley Cup champions. Especially with the Maple Leafs not having won a playoff series since 2004.

The Maple Leafs have proved to be more of a challenge then the Lightning were likely expecting. The Tampa Bay Lightning's head coach, Jon Cooper is trying to keep his team focused for game 6 but he also appears to be trying to create doubt among the Maple Leafs:

We are well aware of there inability to close out a series as are the Leafs who failed 3 times just last season in the opening series versus the Montreal Canadiens.

Is there pressure on them? There's no doubt. They're humans. They're going to be feeling it. No question. We've been in some situations. We have won these type of games before. But that that doesn't mean we're going to. We just can't go out there and throw our sticks on the ice and say, 'Well, these guys haven't won in the past, so it's ours. But they're humans, too. It's not like they haven't thought about this. But on the other side, who knows? Maybe they're using it as motivation. But until you start winning these games, there's always going to be doubt in your mind.

Game 6 goes tonight in Tampa Bay.