Three takeaways: Panthers seemed off from puck drop, Maurice fast to take blame

The Florida Panthers performed a forgettable sport on Tuesday evening in entrance of their house followers, getting dropped 5-1 by the Minnesota Wild.

Whereas the Wild have been no slouch this season – they’re 4-0-2 and have but to path in any sport they’ve performed – Florida is aware of they’ve extra to point out than what we noticed Tuesday.

Now the Panthers will hit the street the place they’ll play the following 5 video games, not skating on house ice once more till Nov. 7.

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The advantage of that, except for Florida typically being a wonderful street workforce that thrives when dealing with adversity, is that the Panthers are additionally anticipated to get again a few injured gamers in Sasha Barkov and Tomas Nosek whereas on the roadie.

However earlier than we are able to get to all that, listed below are just a few takeaways from the trouncing Florida took from Minnesota.

NEVER GOT TO THEIR GAME

The Panthers have earned themselves a strong popularity as a workforce that no person desires to face.

They’re quick, they’re bodily they usually’re relentless.

That…wasn’t the case towards the Wild on Tuesday.

Minnesota jumped everywhere in the Panthers early and infrequently, by no means permitting the Cats to get into their common grinding groove.

“There may be an emotional stage you need to get to to play the best way we play, or play effectively in an NHL sport. We weren’t there,” mentioned Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “We had a reasonably good concept what they had been going to do they usually seemed the best way they had been presupposed to, they performed very effectively, however we weren’t anyplace close to the place we have to get to play at a constant stage.”

MO TAKES ALL THE BLAME

Contemplating the Panthers welcomed Matthew Tkachuk again within the lineup on Tuesday, coming off a five-game absence that Florida ended with factors in 4 straight (3-0-1), it was greater than a bit stunning to see them lay an egg.

That’s no knock on Minnesota, who’re clearly enjoying some very strong hockey proper now, however the Panthers have confirmed over the previous a number of seasons that they’ll skate with any workforce on any evening in any constructing.

After a sport like that, there are some coaches who will poo-poo throughout their workforce’s effort. Different coaches, like Maurice, will usually go a unique route.

“It’s on me,” Maurice mentioned. “That’s my job. I solely actually have one: Get your workforce able to play. We weren’t able to play, so we’ll determine that out.”

SPEAKING OF MAURICE

Earlier than Tuesday’s sport, there was some good news that made its approach out of Dawn and throughout the NHL world.

Florida introduced that they had signed Maurice, who was enjoying within the remaining 12 months of his preliminary Panthers deal, to a brand new multi-year contract extension

Of their first two years below Maurice, the Panthers shifted from a high-scoring rush workforce to a gritty, in-your-face defensive unit stuffed with robust, elite gamers keen to do the soiled work.

The end result?

A workforce constructed for playoff success.

Now we’ll see how lengthy Maurice and the Cats can hold the nice instances rolling.

“Simply grateful, and hopeful that the ink dried on that factor,” Maurice mentioned. “It is an honor, and I am very grateful and appreciative to the Viola household, not only for their generosity, however actually the funding they’ve made right here through the years to have such an unbelievable program. I need to be certain…what’s that line (about being) born on third (base), I don’t brag in regards to the triple I simply hit. This can be a actually good program. After I confirmed up, actually good folks.”

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