“My dad grew up as a Leafs fan,” Cooper said Sunday after training. “I had to ask him last night who he was cheering for in the series. Fortunately he had the right answer.” The Lightning face the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference at the Scotiabank Arena on Monday (7:30 pm ET; ESPN2, CBC, TVAS, SN, BSSUN). Cooper said he is looking forward to the opportunity to train against his dad’s favorite team. “It’s a little shocking that we haven’t met, not even in my tenure here,” Cooper said. “We have met many times with other teams in our category, and this is the first for us. There will probably be a long time, two similar teams that have been close to the top of the standings for many years. I think it is good for hockey, I think “These are two established franchises that have been at the top of their game for about a decade and it ‘s time to be in the playoffs.” [RELATED: Complete Maple Leafs vs. Lightning series coverage] While Lightning is embarking on an effort to become the first NHL franchise to win three consecutive Stanley Cups since the New York Islanders won four in a row since 1980-83, the Maple Leafs are not just looking for their first Stanley Cup in 55 years, but their first win in the playoffs since 2004. “There is no doubt that the kids know it,” said Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe. “We’ve been through a lot here, the kids have been through a lot even before my time. But the focus is just on this team and this opportunity we have here. We’ve been through a lot to go through 82 games, you experience a lot differently. Your team and individuals are tested a lot in 82 games, so when I focus only on this team, this team is excited about what lies ahead. “We know the challenge is great, but it makes the opportunity bigger.” The Maple Leafs set a new team record for wins (54) and points (115) during the 2021-22 season. Their reward is a fight with two-time defending champion Lightning, who has won eight of his last 11 regular-season games, including an 8-1 win over Toronto on April 21. Keefe said he would not want it otherwise. “If you are going to overcome the obstacle we have to cross here, you can also start with the best,” Keefe said. “These are the champions. Every time we have been challenged as a hockey team this season, we have responded very well. So I think we have a lot of respect for Tampa Bay, [and] There is no controversy, we are discussing it, it is the League’s point at this point. They have proved it, they have won it, but there is no doubt that our team will be ready for them “. Cooper was somewhat nostalgic after Lightning training at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. It’s the same track where, along with Lightning forwards Alex Killorn and Ondrej Palat, they won the 2012 Calder Cup with Norfolk, then part of the American Hockey League, against the Toronto Marlies. “I like being here,” Cooper said. On Monday, he said he would love to be behind the Lightning bench at the Scotiabank Arena, facing the Maple Leafs even more. “To play in teams like this, Original Six, there is something unique about it in such a special way,” Cooper said. “Growing up watching from Wendel Clark to Daryl Sittler to (now) Auston Matthews. “You train at the highest level. There is no better place to play where everyone cares the most and that’s why it’s great to play Toronto.”
