Cooper: Penalty 'Stupidity' Cost Lightning in Game 1 Loss The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a 4-3 overtime defeat to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round NHL playoff series on Sunday, with coach Jon Cooper criticizing his team’s costly penalties as the primary factor in the loss. The Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky scored a hat trick, including all three goals on the power play, to secure the victory. Slafkovsky’s game-winning goal came just 1:22 into overtime, capping a dominant performance for Montreal. The Lightning’s struggles were compounded by four offensive-zone penalties, which Cooper called “stupidity” rather than overaggression. Cooper’s frustration was evident as he addressed the team’s conduct during a post-game press conference. “We took four offensive-zone penalties. Just look at them. That’s not overaggression; that was stupidity on a lot of them,” he said. The penalties included a high-sticking call on Jake Guentzel with 21 seconds remaining in regulation, which extended the Canadiens’ power play into overtime. Slafkovsky capitalized on that opportunity, ending the game with his third goal of the contest. Cooper emphasized that the penalties were a critical turning point. “That was a game we just gave them an opportunity to win. This is the Stanley Cup playoffs. This is not Game No. 62. So, that was extremely disappointing in the way we conducted ourselves and the amount of penalties we took,” he added. The Lightning’s power-play struggles were evident, as they managed just two goals out of five opportunities. While Tampa Bay ranked third in the regular season for penalty killing (82.6%), their performance dipped to 79.8% since February’s Olympic break.#tampa_bay_lightning #montreal_canadiens #victor_hedman #jon_cooper #juraj_slafkovsky
Victor Hedman Takes Temporary Leave from Lightning for Personal Reasons Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman has taken a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, according to an announcement made by the organization on Wednesday. The 35-year-old defenseman, who has been a key figure for the Lightning, has missed the past three games after leaving the team during the first period of a 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on March 19 due to an illness. This marks another setback in a season already impacted by recurring injuries. Hedman has managed to contribute 17 points (one goal, 16 assists) in 33 games this season, but his availability has been limited by a combination of health issues. Earlier in the year, he missed a total of 34 games across two separate stints due to an elbow injury that required surgery on December 15. After a lengthy recovery, he returned for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series against the Boston Bruins on February 1, playing 10 minutes and 18 seconds in a 6-5 shootout win. The Lightning, currently sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 44-21-5, are two points behind the Buffalo Sabres and have one game in hand. Their next matchup is against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Hedman’s absence adds to the challenges the team faces as they aim to maintain their position in the division. Hedman’s season has also been affected by international commitments. He joined Team Sweden for the 2026 Winter Olympics but missed their 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA in the quarterfinals due to a lower-body injury sustained during warmups. Despite this, he recovered in time to return to the Lightning’s lineup on February 25, skating in their first 12 games after the break before his latest absence.#tampa_bay_lightning #boston_bruins #nhl #buffalo_sabres #victor_hedman
Tampa Bay Lightning Captain Victor Hedman Takes Temporary Leave for Personal Reasons Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman has taken a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, according to an announcement made by the organization on Wednesday. The team provided no additional details about the nature of his absence and emphasized the importance of respecting Hedman’s privacy during this time. Hedman, a 35-year-old Swedish defenseman, has spent his entire 17-year NHL career with the Lightning. His tenure with the team has been marked by significant achievements, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. He also reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2018 and 2022, adding to his legacy as one of the franchise’s most decorated players. In the 2020 playoffs, Hedman was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player after leading the Lightning to victory in the bubble format of the NHL playoffs. The leave of absence comes after Hedman missed several weeks of action earlier in the season due to injury. He sustained an elbow injury in November, which required surgical repair in December and January. Following his recovery, Hedman returned to the ice in early February and promptly represented Sweden at the Milan Cortina Olympics. During the tournament, he contributed a goal and 16 assists, showcasing his continued impact on the international stage. As of the latest update, Hedman is averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time per game over 33 contests this season. His performance has been instrumental in the Lightning’s pursuit of a playoff berth, with the team positioned as a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.#tampa_bay_lightning #stanley_cup #victor_hedman #milan_cortina_olympics #conn_smythe_trophy
