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Cooper on Lightning's Game 4 loss: 'We did everything but put the puck in the net'

Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper has a different view of his team's 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers than most casual observers.

After his club dropped a 5-1 decision on home ice and allowed the Rangers to tie the Eastern Conference Final series at two wins apiece, Cooper argued the score wasn't necessarily indicative of how the game played out in reality.

"I thought for 45 minutes we did everything but put the puck in the net," Cooper said postgame. "People are going to wake up in the morning and look at the box score and say, 'Oh, wow, Tampa got waxed.' But if you were in the building, you probably didn't see it that way."

Tampa Bay did outshoot the Rangers by a margin of 39 to 24, and also held a healthy advantage in terms of shot attempts throughout the majority of the game.

The Lightning, however, failed to convert on their chances - save for a second period goal from Steven Stamkos that tied the game at one - while the Rangers were finally able to receive meaningful contributions from Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis.

With that, the series becomes a best-of-three affair, with Game 5 set for Sunday back in New York.

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