Like Hedman, Kopitar was sick. Unlike Hedman, Kopitar never made it out on the ice for warmups.
Kings coach Darryl Sutter said Kopitar had fallen ill on Sunday. Cooper, meanwhile, wasn't sure if Hedman would be able to play on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks.
"He wasn't doing too well today," Cooper said. "I wish we had a day in between. He was feeling fine [Sunday] night.
"What did Kopitar have? Maybe they went to the same restaurant."
Things went from bad to worse for the Lightning in the opening minutes. Goaltender Ben Bishop played the puck behind the net and lost it to one of the Kings' bottom-six forwards, grinder Kyle Clifford, who capitalized and jammed it inside the left post, at 8:33 of the first period.
But that was the only goal Bishop, who faced 32 shots, allowed against the Kings. And the Lightning managed to stymie the Kings with their speed, taking away time and space.
"He was huge," Lightning forward Brian Boyle said of Bishop. "He's so good at playing the puck and he's so good making outlet passes, stopping forechecks. I'm sure he didn't see it going that way when they got their first goal, but there's no panic.
"We know he's going to continue to leave the net and make plays, and he was big with some big, big saves, point-blank. Two or three in the slot in the first."