The Tampa Bay Lightning won a must-win Game 3 over the Colorado Avalanche in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. However, head coach Jon Cooper wasn't entirely happy following the game.
During the third period of Tampa's 6-2 victory, Kucherov took a nasty hit from Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews. The 29-year-old superstar made his way to the bench but needed a bit of assistance making his way back to the locker room.
Cooper didn't provide an update on Kucherov's condition following the game but did comment on the hit itself. “Guys know what they're doing,” he said. “We all saw it.”
It's easy to see why Cooper was frustrated. Kucherov's back was to Toews when the hit was delivered, and it can be argued that the 29-year-old wasn't able to properly defend himself from the collision.
Furthermore, Kucherov is one of the best players in the game. Potentially losing a player of his quality for any length of time is a blow that hurts any team. Even a team with as much depth as the Lightning.
“He's won a Hart Trophy, he's been an electrifying player. He's won two Stanley Cup rings,” Cooper said of his superstar. “I think when teams go that far, each team has that type of player. And that's what Kuch is.”
Kucherov recently joined elite NHL company. In Game 1, he became the third player in history to record 90 playoff points over a three-year postseason span. The other two are “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky and Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux.
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