On Tuesday, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall was suspended for tonight’s Game 7 at Amalie Arena following a hearing for his hit late in the second period on Nikita Kucherov in Monday’s Game 6.
A day later, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said the league’s decision “changes nothing” as the Bolts prepare for the do-or-die elimination game.
“Detroit’s going to dress 20 players,” Cooper said. “Our job is to beat the Detroit Red Wings. We have a game plan in place. Albeit he’s an important player for them, I can’t change the way now how we think and how we play.