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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: LIGHTNING v PENGUINS

May 20, 2016

Jon Cooper

Tampa, Florida: Game Four

Q. Jon, I'm sure you'll tell us your lineup at 8:00, but is everybody available to you other than Stamkos and Bishop?
COACH COOPER: Yes.

Q. Quick followup. With Kucherov, it's hard to keep that scoring pace up the first two rounds, nine goals in ten games, and I'm sure Pittsburgh's focused on him. What have you seen with his game?
COACH COOPER: I don't know. I think when a player scores at the rate he's been scoring, you get so used to it, but let's be honest, it's a little bit unrealistic to keep that pace up. But I don't think you can watch a game and sit here and say Kuch hasn't been dangerous. Every time he's on the ice, something may not happen every shift, but something may happen, and you can see the defensemen hop over the boards when he's on the ice.
It's pretty good defensemen that defend against him. Albeit, yes, would we like to see him score every game? Of course. But is that realistic? No. But he's a threat and he's in the back of their heads for sure.

Q. You've overcome so many challenges that this team has faced this year. What's the challenge in trying to turn around the way the last couple of games have transpired just in terms of the way they've been played?
COACH COOPER: You know what, we've just got to play better. There's not a -- what game are we in? 102 or something like that? We've got to play better. For the most part, the team that plays better wins the game. The odd time, what, does a goalie steal a game for you or however it goes, but the team that plays better wins.
I thought Game 1 was pretty much a wash. We capitalized on our opportunities and didn't think we gave them a whole lot.
Game 2 was a wash, I thought, for two periods. They were a better team in the third period, and they ended up winning the game.
Game 3, they were a better team than us. We've got to play better. That's it.

Q. Just curious, when you have all these all access cameras following you around, especially at this time of year, how does that affect what you want to do?
COACH COOPER: (Laughing) I think for -- that's a hard question to answer before a game. We've been through this before. We went through this last year, and when you advance another round past this one, this room is twice the size. So yeah, is it a little different having another network following you around all the time? Sure, it is. But the one thing with the all access that's going on with Showtime is they're unbelievably respectful to you, so they're not barging in the doors to film me or -- it's just a very respectful atmosphere. But it begs to think the guys that had to do the 24/7 and stuff like that, I'm sure it's a lot more intense.
But because there's so many cameras all the time, having one extra one is really not making a big difference, and for the most part, all the players are so used to it all the time anyway.
The one little difference is because, in today's day and age, so many people wear microphones now. It used to be refs never wore mics or coaches never wore mics, players wouldn't wear mics, now they're everywhere. They're on your bench, they're not crowd, they're everywhere. Does that affect maybe some of the things that may come out of your mouth? Probably. But it is -- sports is phenomenal to be a part of, but there's entertainment to sports, and the more you can get the fans involved, I think that's what sells the sport, and it's good for the sport.
But you've got to get used to this. If you're not used to this, it's hard to be around. But I think our experience last year helped, and as I said, the guys with Showtime have been unreal.

Q. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a guy that seems a bit mature beyond his years, but after a game where he's peppered with 48 shots, does anything need to be said to make sure he's in the right mind frame?
COACH COOPER: I think that's a great thing with -- Franz, our goalie coach, does a great job with that, with our goaltenders. Unfortunately, for Vasilevskiy, that's not the first time he's seen 48 when we've played against them. It's a little unfortunate for him that some of these games we haven't played so well in front of him, and he has to continue to bail us out.
But you've got to think, for how young he is, he's played in almost -- he's played in the KHL, he's played in men's leagues and major world championships, whether it's World Junior, and he's -- so at a young age, talk about he's had the camera in his face and had to be in these big games.
But because of his competitiveness and how he is, I think it's hard to play that position and not have an attitude of turn the page, like we're back to square one or I don't think he'd survive in the position. Just his makeup as a person, he's a gamer, that kid, and I think that's why he's had the success he's had.

Q. What is the challenge in games or in a series when an opponent is so similar to your team in terms of the way they're built and the way they play versus maybe one that is completely contrasting?
COACH COOPER: The one thing is you think about a team that plays similar to you, it should be something you're used to, especially because we practice against this every single day. Obviously it's different opponents or different players, but talking about the statement earlier, you've just got to play better. When you go for a puck and it's a 50/50, you've got to come out with it. And when you have an opportunity to shoot and the other team is shooting everything at the net and you're not -- well, you're not giving yourself a chance to win, and you can't change your style of play just because the other team is pretty darned good. You've got to believe in what you're doing and how you play, and let the best team win. And I think that's something we've got to grasp definitely here in Game 4.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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