While the Detroit Red Wings are thankful for the effort put forth by goaltender Petr Mrazek in Game 3, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper feels his play wasn't even warranted.
Related: Mrazek perfect as Red Wings cut series deficit
The Lightning failed to take a 3-0 stranglehold on the series Sunday, instead getting shut out 2-0. The team's 16-shot effort left Cooper visibly bitter post game.
"I don't know if they needed a goaltender tonight to be honest," Cooper said, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "We just came in to play a hockey game.
"Will wasn't there."
With the team's lead in the series now cut to just one game, Cooper understands his team missed out on a large opportunity.
"It went from us pinning them up against the wall, to now it's a series," Cooper said. "I'm not so sure there myself, their coach or anybody in this room was thinking this would be a sweep.
"Now it's a series."
The Red Wings will have the chance to square the series up at 2-2 when the teams return to action on Tuesday.
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