Alright NHL junkies, this ain’t just another game day. We’re talking Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, and while every Caps game these days comes with a side of Alexander Ovechkin Record Watch, something spicier is brewing. Lightning coach Jon Cooper just sent a message ahead of the game—and let’s just say, fans are probably having a laugh.
Stephen Whyno the NHL writer for AP News, dropped this absolute banger courtesy of Cooper on X: “Alex Ovechkin is 12 goals from passing Wayne Gretzky. The Capitals play the Lightning this afternoon. Lightning coach Jon Cooper: ‘If he breaks the record tonight, then we did something wrong.’”
Alex Ovechkin is 12 goals from passing Wayne Gretzky. The Capitals play the Lightning this afternoon.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper: “If he breaks the record tonight, then we did something wrong.”
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) March 1, 2025
Let’s break that down. Alex Ovechkin is 12 goals away from doing the unthinkable—surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s 894-goal record. That’s NHL immortality territory. And of course Jon Cooper could only see the humor in the situation after the fact was pointed out to him.
The Caps are rolling into their game against Tampa fresh off a pretty painful 5-2 smackdown from the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, and a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames earlier in the week. Not exactly the vibes you want when facing a team like the Lightning, but Cooper is sure to be sensing the opportunity the Lightning have here, hence his mirthful response.
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