Jon Cooper thinks the Detroit Red Wings are excellent cheaters.
Seriously, he means it as a compliment.
“There are 30 teams in the league and nobody does (interference) more than the Detroit Red Wings, hands down,” Cooper said, per the Tampa Tribune. “The old saying, ‘If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying,’ and they do it to a tee. And my message to our guys is, you have to suck it up, you have to fight through it. You have to bring a gun to a knife fight and that’s how it has to go. Good on them. We have to be better.”
Wings coach Mike Babcock would seem to agree with that last sentiment, about having to “suck it up” and “fight through” any obstruction:
Mike Babcock re: Cooper's interference comments: "The most determined team fights through. If you're not determined you can't fight through"
— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) April 27, 2015
The Wings, up 3-2 in the series, can eliminate the Lightning tonight in Detroit.
P.S. -- Tampa Bay is 2-for-24 on the power play. So even if the Wings are getting away with some interference, they’re still spending a good deal of time shorthanded. The Lightning just haven’t been able to capitalize.