TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning are headed for the playoffs, but they took Monday off to support the "Coop's Catch for Kids" fundraiser.
It's the eighth annual event funded by Bolts head coach Jon Cooper and his wife Jessie back in 2016. The event helps support the Lightning Foundation and raise money for the fight against pediatric cancer.
Each year, anglers are treated to an exciting day of fishing and fundraising alongside Lightning players and coaches.
"For me to be able to do the small part I can, it's just uplifting to see these kids," Cooper said. "Whatever is going on in our lives, we lose a hockey game here and we're all down, [but when] you look what all these kids are going through...it kinda puts everything in perspective."
And the Tampa Bay team invited 6-year-old Trip Nugent, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in late September, out to the event.
The 6-year-old and all other anglers got to spend the day with some familiar faces, including Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Mikhail Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli and Pat Maroon to name a few.