from Eric Francis of Sporstsnet,
To suggest he was relieved would be inaccurate, because he knows there’s still plenty of work to be done.
But ask Jon Cooper about the latest test his club just passed and the Tampa Bay Lightning coach is quick to point out its magnitude.
“I’ve been very fortunate to coach in a few playoffs now and those are two of the toughest rounds we’ve ever faced,” said Cooper following a five-game series win over the Central division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, capped off by a 2-0 road victory on Tuesday.
“It was a hell of a grind to get out of this division.”
On paper, the Lightning sure didn’t make it look that way.
After finishing off their upstart state rivals Florida Panthers in six, they made quick work of the league’s third-place finisher with three road wins in a building that witnessed just three regulation setbacks all season long.
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