Cooper: Ousted Lightning victims of own success

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Tampa Bay Lightning will be defined by their failure, swept out of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round by a Columbus Blue Jackets team few thought had a prayer of hanging with the Presidents' Trophy winners.

That's one way to look at them.

Here's the spin the Lightning had after Tuesday night's stunning 7-3 defeat in Game 4 of the first round: They were victims of their own success.

The Lightning had 128 points in the regular season, with a points percentage of .780, the second-highest rate for an 82-game season in NHL history, behind only the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (.799). They tied that Red Wings team with 62 wins, the most recorded in the 100-plus-year…