"Absolutely nothing has changed": Paul Maurice remains nonchalant despite Florida Panthers' second straight loss after 3-0 Stanley Cup Final lead

By ARJUN B

Modified Jun 19, 2024 05:55 GMT

Florida Panthers are in a precarious position after suffering a 5-3 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice maintained a positive outlook despite his team's disappointing loss. The Panthers face a crucial Game 6 after squandering a 3-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

Paul Maurice remains adamant about his team's mentality and feels nothing has changed his team's outlook and mindset despite back-to-back defeats.

"I'm not feeling deflated. Neither is the hockey team. They're not feeling deflated. A little grumpy." Maurice said after the 5-3 Game 5 loss.

"Absolutely nothing has changed for our situation in the last two games except we've learned some lessons. Some lessons we don't need to learn. We've learned them enough. We keep getting taught those lessons. But nothing's changed for us. Not one thing."

Star forward Matthew Tkachuk echoed his coach's sentiment, insisting the team was not feeling any additional pressure with the series going back to Edmonton and their series lead trimmed to 3-2.

"No, no, no," Tkachuk said when asked about pressure. "It's not an elimination game for us. We're going up there. We have a 3-2 series lead. We just have to take care of business like we did in Game 3."

Paul Maurice reflects on Panthers’ momentum

Paul Maurice addressed the team's momentum and the challenges they faced on the ice. He did not view momentum as the deciding factor in the outcome.

"Momentum is not an issue. We played a whole game.” Maurice said.

Maurice acknowledged a shorthanded goal conceded by the Panthers, emphasizing that such mistakes need to be rectified. "Well, that's got to stop," he added. Maurice also touched on a penalty incurred by the team.

"Got a stick on some hands there for the first time and ended up in the penalty box for it," Maurice added.

He stressed the importance of being mindful of such incidents, as they can lead to penalties and potentially impact the game's outcome.

However, Maurice was pleased with the Panthers' five-on-five play, noting they generated good scoring chances and saw the ice tilt in their favor during that part of the game. He emphasized that it's not just about generating chances but converting them into goals.

Paul Maurice believes the Panthers have the quality to play well consistently, they just need to eliminate critical mistakes like the shorthanded goal that swings momentum in favor of the other team.