Jon Cooper, asked about Jack Campbell - We've scored seven goals on him the last two games. So if he's going to sit here and have a 3.50 goals-against average in every two-game set we'll take that.
If I was Sheldon Keefe I'd show this to Campbell and the defense corps as a reason to close out the series.
Keefe successfully used the 1-3-1 trap against Cooper in game 1, as it was apparent Keefe might've watched how the Columbus Blue Jackets neutralized the former President's Trophy Winners.
Campbell has given up 5 total goals so far, in 3 games, compared to Andrei Vasilevskiy's 11 goals against.
And now, three games into Toronto's bid to take down the champs, Campbell (.924) holds the decided edge on reigning Conn Smythe winner Andrei Vasilevskiy (.890).
Auston Matthews weighed in on Campbell's stature on ice:
He gives us confidence when he's out there.
He's talkative. He chats out there. He has a lot of fun out there. And I think that's the most important part for him � when he's playing really well, he's having a lot of fun out there.
This doesn't seem like the same Leaf's squad who in the North Division lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
Jon Cooper should be humbled, in the spectrum of great sports coaches, Phil Jackson, Pep Guardiola, and Scotty Bowman he is not and in this writer's perspective, a three-peat may not be in the cards.
POLL |
Will the Lightning win the series? |
Yes, they're the better team | 105 | 24.4 % |
No, Cooper is giving the Leafs too much material | 326 | 75.6 % |
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