Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper isn't ready to panic.
The Bolts bench boss threw cold water on the notion that his team had cause for concern after the Lightning dropped three consecutive games in the midst of a six-game road trip.
"This is a test. Let's pump the brakes for a second here, it's Game 9. You know, Game 79, there might be a little alarm," Cooper told reporters following Sunday's 6-1 blowout loss to the New York Rangers. "This is a test, so we'll see how these guys pull themselves out of this."
Tampa Bay kicked off the road trip with victories over the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. Since then, the Lightning dropped a pair of contests to the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils, losing both affairs by a 3-1 score. Then came Sunday's loss to the Rangers.
The Lightning have been limited to just three goals - one in each loss - over the skid. Notably, greater offensive support is needed from key contributors like Jonathan Drouin and Ondrej Palat, who have been held scoreless over the stretch. Captain Steven Stamkos has just one point in the last three games.
Tampa Bay now sits fourth in the Atlantic, with a 5-4-0 record, and will look to end the road trip on a high note Tuesday versus the New York Islanders.
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