Cooper calls Game 2 brawl 'mild': 'Imagine if it was the '70s'

If you didn't peg the Detroit Red Wings or Tampa Bay Lighting as bitter rivals before the playoffs, the first two games of their first-round series have proved you wrong.

In the closing seconds of Game 2 on Friday night - a 5-2 Lightning victory - the teams engaged in a melee that would make the Hanson brothers proud, ultimately producing six 10-minute misconducts and a game misconduct.

Related: Watch: Abdelkader busts open Blunden with brutal ground-and-pound

The brawl was instigated by Red Wings forward Brad Richards, who slashed Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr.

Detroit rookie Dylan Larkin had an understated assessment of the situation after the game.

"Both teams don't like each other very much," he told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "Maybe we sent a message we're here to battle."

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn't concerned by the ending.

"Just imagine if it was the '70s," Cooper said. "It's 2016. To me, I thought that was pretty mild. It's two teams that want to win a hockey game and guys are going at it. If there was anything wrong about it, I'm sure the league will look into it. It was a hard-fought hockey game and emotions got the best of both teams in the end."

Veteran Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall shared the same view as the opposing coach.

"There's a lot of emotions in the playoffs," Kronwall said. "Stuff like that happens."

Tampa Bay forward Mike Blunden, who said he required nine stitches after a vicious attack from Justin Abdelkader, shrugged it off.

"It's hockey," Blunden said. "We're in a battle. We're battling out there. Just part of the game."

After a chippy Game 1, Cooper said he'd expected both teams to cool off in Game 2.

"Clearly wrong," Cooper admitted, according to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times.

Game 3 goes Sunday in Detroit. Buckle up.