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"Lost your minds on it": Paul Maurice speaks out on Sam Bennett's media coverage post controversial Brad Marchand hit
Florida Panthers coach͏ Paul Maurice has addressed the media fr͏enzy surrounding forwar͏d Sam Be͏nn͏ett. That follows his co͏llision with Bos͏t͏on Bruins captain Brad Marchand during Game͏ 3 of the Stanley Cup Play͏offs.
With the Panthers on the brink of eliminating the Bruins after Game 4, the spotlight has intensified on Bennett, especially in the absence of Marchand. However, Paul Maurice believes that the coverage has spiraled beyond reason:
"There’s been lots of energy with this, lots of coverage, and I think you’ve lost your minds on it, which is fine, you have that right. We’ve been a very disciplined, very composed team. … In a good way, it’s gone unnoticed. We’re alright with that."
The veteran coach's comments come amid scrutiny over Bennett's role in Marchand's injury. When questioned about the collision earlier after Game 3, Paul Maurice dismissed notions of foul play:
"No, and I don’t think most of you would either. It was just a collision. In a perfect world, every team has everybody healthy. Nobody likes to see anybody hurt."
Despite the controversy, Maurice insists that his team remains composed, a sentiment challenged by the Panthers' recent skirmishes with the Bruins.
In Game 2, tensions between the two teams boiled over, resulting in a chaotic third period marred by 17 combined penalties. Notably, star players Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak engaged in fisticuffs mid-play.
However, Paul Maurice maintains that his team is in control, holding a 3-1 series lead over Boston as they head into Game 5 with home-ice advantage on Tuesday night. The Panthers stand on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Sam Bennett's clarification on Brad Marchand collision amid Paul Maurice say
After Game 4, Sam Bennett addressed the controversy surrounding his collision with Brad Marchand.
Bennett clarified that he didn't intend to punch Marchand in the head, as he was bracing for impact:
“Obviously I'm not trying to punch him in the head like everyone's saying.
"Other people can have different opinions.I braced myself for him coming to hit me. There's no way I would have time to think about punching him in the head,” via B/R Open Ice
Acknowledging the nature of playoff hockey, he added:
“People can see it however they want. It's playoff hockey, there's going to be hard plays.”
Responding to former NHL forward Paul Bissonnette's inquiry about a potential reverse hit, he explained:
“He's coming at me. Normally, I'm going to go with two hands to protect myself. Coming back from an injury, I'm going to protect myself however I can.”
Bennett affirmed his intent to protect himself, especially given his recent injury.
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