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"Brutal and violent" - Panthers' Paul Maurice shares his opinion on Bruins series
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice had high praise for the Boston Bruins after his team eliminated them in six games to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
Maurice said that the hard-fought series showcased combination of skill, physicality and intensity:
"I said this on the ice, I would pay money to watch Boston and Florida play. We did 82 games; there'd be nothing left of these men. But it is hard and fast, highly skilled at times and brutal and violent at times. It's what all of the best parts in hockey is this Bruins series."
Maurice highlighted the physical and competitive nature of the games, emphasizing the unpredictable and fierce nature of the encounters:
"I mean, there are too many possible inflection points when you look at Florida-Boston games to say for me to be that arrogant to sit here and say, 'Well, this is how we did it.'
"You had no idea. Right? Like, you can take the last six wins that we have. We could lose every single one. It was that type. They are a hell of a team. It's great hockey."
For Maurice, this series stood out as some of the heaviest and most intense hockey he's witnessed in his long career:
"I don't know what it's like for you watching it, but when you are standing behind the bench, this is heavier hockey as I've ever seen, and it goes back 30 years when they actually were trying to kill each other. Like, legitimately trying to kill each other. Like it's an awesome thing to see."
The Panthers' victory over the Bruins earned them a spot in the Eastern Conference finals, where they will face off against the New York Rangers. The Rangers secured their place by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes.
Brad Marchand reflects on Bruins' playoff journey following Game 6 defeat to Panthers
Though the Boston Bruins' season ended, veteran leader Brad Marchand wanted to express how proud he was of his team's playoff run.
"I can't say how proud I am of this team enough," Marchand said postgame. "Everybody wrote us off, said we weren't a playoff team. From where we started to where we finished, I couldn't be more proud."
The Boston captain specifically highlighted young players like Mason Lohrei and Justin Brazeau who stepped up in the postseason.
Marchand himself returned to action in Game 6 after missing the previous two games, likely due to a concussion. Though the Bruins came up just short, Marchand emphasized how the group exceeded external expectations.
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