Lightning head coach Jon Cooper apologizes for comments about goalies in 'skirts'

 

Head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning Jon Cooper apologized at the beginning of his season-ending press conference on Wednesday for drawing what he considered an improper comparison between wearing skirts and goalies.

Cooper blasted two dubious goaltender interference calls that helped Florida win 6-1 during Monday night's Game 5 loss that eliminated his team from the playoffs.


The NHL situation room determined that a player had interfered with Sergei Bobrovsky on each of the Lightning's two goals that were disallowed.

The coach with the longest career in the league expressed his heartfelt apologies, particularly because he is a fan of women's hockey and the father of two athletic daughters.

 

"It's one of those minutes if you could just reach back and grab the words back, I would've," Cooper said. "Quite frankly, it was wrong and I've got to go and explain myself to my girls. ... I sincerely apologize to all I offended. It's pained me more than the actual series loss itself."

 

Tampa Bay has made the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons on the job and won the Stanley Cup back to back in 2020 and '21.