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Lightning journal: Jon Cooper thrilled with stellar start

 
DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD   |   Times NHL Hall of Fame hockey player Dave Andreychuk , center, visits with Phil Esposito, right, while joined by family and friends at center ice where Andreychuk was honored for his recent induction into the HL Hall of Fame before Saturdayâ\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0084¢s (11/18/17) game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Andreychuk, a 6-foot-4 power forward, scored more power-play goals â\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0080\u009D 274 â\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0080\u009D than anyone in NHL history.
DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times NHL Hall of Fame hockey player Dave Andreychuk , center, visits with Phil Esposito, right, while joined by family and friends at center ice where Andreychuk was honored for his recent induction into the HL Hall of Fame before Saturdayâ\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0084¢s (11/18/17) game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Andreychuk, a 6-foot-4 power forward, scored more power-play goals â\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0080\u009D 274 â\u0088\u009A¢â\u0080\u009A\u0082 \u0308â\u0080\u009A\u0080\u009D than anyone in NHL history.
Published Nov. 18, 2017

TAMPA — If you told coach Jon Cooper his team would open the season with wins in 15 of the first 19 games, well, "I'm not sure I can sit here and say I would have predicted that," he said Saturday morning.

But the Lightning did just that to lead the NHL in a slew of categories, including wins and points. Tampa Bay is off to the best start in team history and had a season-best five-game win streak before Saturday night's 5-3 home loss to the Islanders.

Cooper said his team was fortunate in some of the wins and deserved the majority of them. He also said if you divide the season in half, it would be a tale of two teams.

"The first eight or nine games, our goalie was the reason we were winning those games," he said. "Now we're winning the games as a team, and you got to like that."

G Andrei Vasilevskiy led the NHL in wins with 14 before Saturday's game with a 13-0-1 mark in his previous 14 games.

Look, Dad, a goal

D Jake Dotchin's second NHL goal was just as exciting as his first since his parents and one of his sisters were in the Amalie Arena crowd for Thursday's win over the Stars.

"For sure, it was special," Dotchin said Saturday morning. "Even in the American (Hockey) League, I think they only saw one of the goals I scored down there."

"They" are mother Michelle, father Mike, sister Olivia and her fiance, John. His older sister, Courtney, could not make the game since she began a job as a teacher last week and could not get the time off.

Cooper said Dotchin, who played in 35 games last season with the Lightning, has a better feel this year for the game, adding that he'd take two goals during every 15-game stretch from Dotchin.

"He's got a shot, the more he shoots, the better chances we have of scoring," Cooper said. "So, I'm really happy with what he's been doing."

Dotchin, who also has two assists, said he is content to be the defensive-minded defenseman while paired with Victor Hedman (13 assists, 15 points).

"If the opportunity is there I would love to take advantage of it," he said. "I like to focus on my defensive game. I find myself out there with Heddy quite a bit. I kind of let him take care of the offense. I take care of the defensive end, even though he takes good care of that, too. I want to support him so he has in the back of his mind I'll always be back there for him in case something were to happen in the offensive zone."

Quote of the day

"You just get out of the way."

Cooper, when asked how to keep the team motivated

Slap shots

Dave Andreychuk, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 13, was honored before Saturday's game. The captain of the 2004 Stanley Cup championship team scored 68 of his 640 career goals during his four years in Tampa Bay. … C Gabriel Dumont and D Andrej Sustr were healthy scratches.