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Prince George’s Jon Cooper advances to 2020 Stanley Cup Final with Tampa Bay

Lightning clinch third-straight playoff series in extra time
Kyle Balzer
Kyle Balzer

Twelve down, four to go!

Jon Cooper will compete for the Stanley Cup a second time in five years after his Tampa Bay Lightning prevailed in overtime, once again, to win the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2 over the New York Islanders.

The head coach from Prince George took the Bolts to the 2015 Cup Final, only to lose in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks and is well on his way to redeeming the franchise after a first-round four-game exit in last year’s playoffs to Columbus.

“I’m so damn excited,” said Cooper during a media conference Thursday night (Sept. 17), “and I’m so excited for our players because this journey, especially after what happened last year, we kind of took it on the chin and rightfully so, but to counter-punch like we have this year, you know, good on those guys.”

The 53-year-old says it’s been a grind to get back into the Stanley Cup Final having faced opponents like the Islanders with legendary, likely future hall-of-hame coaches in Barry Trotz.

Cooper believes it takes time to earn your shot and it all comes down to trust within the organization.

“We’ve lost in some game sevens and, you know, one of the things about Barry Trotz, who I can’t even express how much respect I have for him, it took a while as well to get his Cup. You have to cherish these moments and try your best to take advantage of them. We’ve been knocking at the door and it can get frustrating and it can make the summers, time-wise, they’re so short, but mentality-wise, they’re long. You just have to believe in your process, you have to believe in what you’re doing and you have to have players that jump on board. In the end. It's a players' game.”

Anthony Cirelli scored with 6:42 remaining in the extra frame to beat the Isles 2-1 in Game Six.

Cirelli appeared to injure his right knee on a collision with Islanders captain Anders Lee in the second period. He returned in the third, and coach Cooper said Cirelli was “doing it basically on one leg.”

“Trying not to disclose injuries but it was pretty clear on that,” the 53-year-old said. “For him to come back was pretty remarkable.”

It’ll be Florida against Texas in the finals after the Dallas Stars clinched the Western Conference Finals 4-1 over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Both the Stars and Lightning are vying for a second Stanley Cup in their franchises’ history after hoisting the trophy in 1999 and 2004 respectively.

Cooper is up against his former five-year assistant coach Rick Bowness, who was named Dallas’ interim head coach in December after firing Jim Montgomery.

This marks the first time in NHL history a coach and former assistant coach will square off for Lord Stanley’s mug.

The puck will drop tomorrow (Sept. 19), 4:30 p.m. Pacific time for Game One from the Edmonton bubble.

- with files from The Canadian Press