Andrei Vasilevskiy hasn't been his typical, lights-out self during the Tampa Bay Lightning's first-round clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but head coach Jon Cooper defended his No. 1 goaltender.

"If I looked through this series, the (Mitch) Marner goal in Game 2 for sure (he) wants to have back," Cooper told reporters Tuesday. "But then after that, realistically, what are we saying he's done wrong other than make all the saves he's supposed to?"

Vasilevskiy owns an .856 save percentage and 4.33 goals against average through the first four games of the series.

He allowed five tallies on 37 shots during Monday's Game 4 collapse that put the Bolts on the doorstep of elimination, but Cooper argued that Vasilevskiy didn't have a chance.

"Who's stopping the (Noel) Acciari tip? Nobody's stopping that. And who's stopping the (Auston) Matthews tip? Nobody's stopping that," Cooper said. "The (Morgan) Rielly goal ... we come off our check and completely screen our goalie. And the winning goal ... who's stopping that?"

He added, "No goalie in the league - take any goalie, take the best goalies in the history of the game - they're not stopping any of those. ... Those are unbelievable, 100%-chance-of-going-in goals.

"It's just tough that they're all happening in one game. ... I think the onus is on the guys in front of (Vasilevskiy) to try and be a little bit better."

The 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner ranks dead last among all netminders in these playoffs at minus-6.19 goals saved above average and minus-5.51 goals saved above expected at all strengths, per Evolving Hockey.

The Lightning have allowed the third-most high-danger chances against in all situations during the postseason so far, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Vasilevskiy solidified his status as a clutch playoff performer after starting every single game for the Bolts during their three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. He posted a combined 48-23 record during those runs to go along with a .928 save percentage and 2.09 goals against average.

Puck drops on Thursday's do-or-die Game 5 in Toronto at 7 p.m. ET.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.