Paul Maurice didn’t bother softening the blow after Florida’s latest dud.
After the Panthers were shut out 4-0 by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena, their coach unloaded in the aftermath of a second straight lopsided defeat. Florida had already been beaten 5-1 by the Ottawa Senators the night before, and Maurice made it clear he sees a bigger issue than just two bad results.
“I don’t know if it’s (that) we’re on the spectrum of arrogance and softness that I’ve allowed to creep into our game,” Maurice said after the game. “I’m going to find that out here in a couple days.”
The loss in Pittsburgh came after Florida had looked sharp on its previous run, winning three in a row by a combined 18-8. That stretch included an 8-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, a game in which Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each scored hat tricks. But whatever was working then has disappeared in a hurry.
Maurice pointed to the Panthers’ inability to give Cooper Black any support in his NHL debut, calling it a rough night for the young goalie.
“It’s very difficult to win in hockey games in this league when your team scores zero in front of you and gets what it deserves,” Maurice said after praising Black’s efforts in his first taste of national league action.
When asked what had gone wrong, Maurice put the responsibility on himself.
“I’ve got to sort that out,” Maurice said. “I’ve got to figure out where it’s coming from. I think it’s coming from me, so I’ve got a good 48 hours to grind on that and come up with an answer.”
Florida is already back on the move, heading from Pittsburgh to Chicago ahead of Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Blackhawks. The Panthers are also set for a practice Saturday at Chicago’s training facility, and Maurice made it sound like it will be a necessary session.
“I just need to get their attention,” Maurice said.
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Panthers Just Raised A Bigger Road Concern In Ottawa
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Tim Sttzle and Stephen Halliday each finished with a goal and an assist, while Jake Sanderson helped drive Ottawas attack with two assists in the win that snapped Floridas run. For a Panthers team that has been trying to find more consistency away from home, the concern is less about one bad night and more about how quickly the game slipped out of reach after that early lead. [Read more 🡒]