“They needed some profanity”: Panthers’ Maurice says Game 5 tirade was necessary

Of the many things coming out of the Boston Bruins’ Game 5 win over the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, people are still talking about some of the coaches’ antics.

One moment in particular stands out. During the first media timeout in the second period, Panthers’ head coach Paul Maurice was seen laying it into his players. At that point, Florida was trailing 1-0 in the game and was being heavily outshot by Boston.

It ended up playing off, as Sam Reinhart scored his fifth of the playoffs on the ensuing shift. Unfortunately for the Cats, it did not pan out for the long run, as the Bruins pulled out a 2-1 win, sending the series back to Boston with Florida leading 3-2.

Maurice was asked about the tirade during his post-game media availability, and the veteran bench boss defended his actions in spades.

“I don’t know the exact words of the message,” Maurice explained. “I wasn’t mad at them, I understand what they’re going through. I just thought they needed some profanity in their life — and I brought some. I don’t excel at a lot of things in my life, but f— me, am I good at that.”

This is not the first time Maurice has lost his temper during a game. On March 29, 2023, during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Panthers coach gave it to his players after falling behind in the midst of a four-game losing streak. That “speech” is looked at as the turning point that helped the Panthers rally late to clinch a berth in the playoffs, and the eventual run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game 6 between the Panthers and Bruins is set for Friday night at TD Garden.