The favorite to win the Stanley Cup is fumbling. Write what you want, Maurice thundered

At the end of March, they were still the biggest favorites to win the silver cup in many betting markets. Now, however, the Florida Panthers are slowly giving up their position to others, the Colorado Avalanches and the Carolina Hurricanes are pushing in front of them. Why? Last year’s finalists lost eight of the last ten duels.

Just before Easter, Paul Maurice couldn’t take it anymore.

There were simply too many losses and poor performances. And so, after the game with the New York Islanders, he relieved himself in front of the journalists: “Write what you want. Think what I could say, I won’t complain.”

After the recent defeat by the Montreal Canadiens, he was already more conciliatory.
“There is no need to panic. We know what situation we’re in, I’m not worried about us,” Maurice alluded to two facts. First, the Cats have been in the playoffs for a long time. And secondly, they are dealing with injuries to key players.

Including Matt Tkachuk, who regularly ranks among the most difficult players to replace. And those who can steal the most wins for their teams by themselves.

Maurice is now focusing on the elimination fights. Not that he wants his boys to outright miss games, but his priority is to make sure no one else joins the fray.

Especially when elite quarterback Aaron Ekblad left the game early.

They understood it even overseas. When asked by reporters why Maurice didn’t pull the goaltender against the Habs, he blurted out, “I didn’t want to risk someone getting hit in the leg with the puck in front of the goal and causing a fracture.”

He did not care about turning the score at any cost, about shelling that could have undesirable consequences.

Of course, a respected coach is not happy to lose. But he knows now is not the time to push the saw headlong. He is aware of the demands of the schedule, which he finds almost too busy.
He believes in the strength and quality of the squad and there are still a few games left to tune up the form for the key part of the season.

From April 10, Saša Barkov et al. four times at home, the general meeting against the Toronto Maple Leafs then offers an ideal opportunity to test the style. There he begins to go into a stiff, simultaneous groping only, now lightly, now more forcefully, moving the courses.

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