LEAFS NOTES: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper working overtime on Toronto trip
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Jon Cooper came to town with plenty on his plate.
There’s the task of keeping his Tampa Bay Lightning upwardly mobile, impeded by Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Maple Leafs, after they were hovering just above .500 to begin January. Tuesday, they’re in Montreal with another back-to-back against Chicago and Detroit to end the road trip on Friday and Saturday.
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LEAFS NOTES: Lightning head coach Jon Cooper working overtime on Toronto trip Back to video
It’s also less than three weeks until the 4 Nations Face-Off and the pressure of being the first Canadian coach in a best-on-best tournament since the 2016 World Cup. Cooper has to keep an eye on opposing players such as Toronto’s Mitch Marner, whom he will coach next month, and opponents such as Auston Matthews (Team USA) and William Nylander (Sweden).
That Matthews and Nylander had breakaway goals wasn’t helping as far as the game was concerned, though he wouldn’t mind if Marner can hit Connor McDavid with a couple of the passes he delivered Monday.
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Meanwhile, he’s nervously watching the Atlantic Division playoff picture change daily with the Leafs and Panthers ahead and a push from four teams within six points behind the Bolts.
As it’s his full-time gig Cooper dealt first with the most immediate issue after the morning skate, trying to beat the Leafs for the first time in three tries, turning to backup Jonas Johansson in goal. The Leafs had to be relieved not to see Andrei Vasilievskiy’s name on the board.
“It’s the time,” Cooper said of his crease choice. “Everyone reads a ton into this, but it’s all about managing the goaltenders. And we manage for 82 games, not one or two. It’s just the way the rotation goes.”
As for the Atlantic, it’s finally shaping up as the wider horse race everyone envisioned before Tampa Bay won two Cups, Florida one and the Leafs and Boston rang up 100-point seasons.
“There was a top four and then another four for a long time … when the haves could take off and the have-nots go away. That’s clearly not the case anymore. Whether Toronto and Florida are the class of the division right now (leading by a few points), they’re not a class above the rest of the division now.”
Spicing up the playoff picture, too, are five teams in the Metropolitan Division within eight points of the second wild card spot as of Monday afternoon.
“As agonizing as it is to coach, it’s going to make one hell of an Eastern Conference race,” Cooper added.
After his first shot at coaching Canada’s top guns was shelved by the NHL’s refusal to participate in the 2022 Olympics, Cooper is getting hyped for the 4 Nations, the curtain raiser for him working the ‘26 Games in Italy. He coached Canada to silver at the 2017 world championship.
“One of the most enjoyable parts is being able to call the players or when they come to Tampa. It’s unusual for the coach to meet a player on the other team, on a game day, but props to all the other coaches who’ve been super-accommodating. When it comes to putting on your flag, everyone takes a step aside.
“When the team was ultimately announced, then it kind of felt real (for himself). We have a couple of gap days this week to focus (on Canadian lines and defence pairings). There’s a coaching staff and support staff working with me who’ve been phenomenal. That’s why Hockey Canada rocks, the extra five per cent, they just know how to do it.”
Cooper does carry some apprehension about not having any exhibition games to test his lineup.
LET’S GO MICHIGAN
Matthews titillated Scotiabank Arena in the third period attempting ‘The Michigan’, a wraparound upper shelf from behind the net with the puck flat on his blade.
“You know what, I didn’t see any other option,” Matthews said. “The puck was rolling, it was the beginning of the period and my tape was fresh. I almost quit attempting those a couple of years ago, but I thought I had it.”
Johansson, to his credit, slid across and sealed the top of the net which Joseph Woll could appreciate at the other end.
“Ideally, if you have a good eye on the puck and you see a guy scoop it, that’s how you do it, get big.”
Matthews now has five goals his past four games and eight in his last nine since return from injury.
“I think playing every (other) night, getting back in a rhythm, that kind of helps settle back into the season. And the way our line has playing (with Marner and Matthew Knies), hounding pucks, trying to attack and being good in our own zone.”
HISTORY LESSONS
Marner broke a notable franchise record on Monday two helpers on Knies goals, giving him 123 games with multiple assists. Borje Salming’s mark of 122 had stood since 1989. Only McDavid (183), Nathan MacKinnon (133) and Nikita Kucherov (130) have had more since Marner came in the NHL.
Matthews had another multi-point effort that passed Dave Keon for third in franchise history (202 games), behind Mats Sundin (274) and Darryl Sittler (244). The game also matched Woll’s career single-season high in appearances and was win No. 38, tying Grant Fuhr and Wayne Thomas for 26th among franchise netminders.
BENNY IS BACK
Leafs defenceman Simon Benoit is past the point of feeling wronged because he was benched for a game in his home town.
The Laval-born Benoit watched from the stands on Saturday at the Bell Centre, more concerned he’d got the hook in consecutive starts than whether his family and friends were put out.
“(Craig Berube) had a meeting with me, he expects something out of me that I haven’t been giving lately,” said Benoit on Monday morning as he replaced Philippe Myers in the Leafs lineup. “It was nothing personal that it was Montreal and I’m French. It’s part of the game and I understand.
“Not being in the lineup obviously pisses me off, but I have to be better. It’s on me.”
Benoit played 13:59 with two hits.
BYE, BYE LADY BYNG?
Steven Lorentz had almost forgotten where the penalty box was,
During an amazing 46-game run as an energy line checker, sometimes elevated to a night on the third unit, he had not taken a minor. With less than three minutes to play Saturday in Montreal, he crossed paths with Canadiens defender Mike Matheson and was called for tripping.
“I thought I got him with my hip, but it happens,” said Lorentz, who headed to the box and tried to strike up a conversation with one of the timekeepers.
“He wasn’t happy with me being a Leaf and him a Montreal guy,” laughed Lorentz. “I just said: ‘You know, I’m not in here too often’ and he replied: ‘Oh, okay’. I don’t think he understood it’s been a while for me.”
Lorentz said his family razzed him about the end of his gold star conduct, but he was fine with it.
“It was a matter of time. I’ve got to get some PIMs up there for the tough-guy look.”
NO-GO FOR JOE
Joe Bowen has missed a game or two for health or family emergencies, but in 43 years at the microphone for the Leafs on radio and TV, he never specifically ask for a night off until Monday.
A life-long Notre Dame football fan who has made many pilgrimages to South Bend with his family, he wanted to stay home with his sons to watch the Fighting Irish play Ohio State in the CFB national championship. Marlies play-by-play man Todd Crocker came back from the farm team’s road trip in Winnipeg on the weekend to fill in on TSN 1050.
Bowen worked Leafs game No. 3,700 on Saturday, noting the Canadiens scored the first three, and Toronto the next seven. He lamented not buying a lottery ticket with those numbers.
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