Paul Maurice Goes Off On The Florida Panthers. The Internet Loved It

If nothing else, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice became an internet sensation on Wednesday night.

It was not because his team rallied in the final minutes to tie up the Toronto Maple Leafs and then beat them 3-2 in overtime to snap a four-game losing streak.

That is all Maurice cares about, sure, but that certainly was not what set social media aflame on Wednesday.

No, it was Maurice’s expletive-filled rant on the bench which came in the second period.

What all was said?

”You don’t want to know,” captain Sasha Barkov said with a grin. “It definitely got us going, we started playing the right way. I guess against that team and in our situation, we cannot make any cute plays and play you are outdoors or something. … He has been in the league for a long time for a reason and knows how to get things going when needed.’’

Maurice was understandably upset with his Florida Panthers team — one that was called out by the father of his MVP this season — and the way they came out to play.

The Panthers should have been a desperate bunch fighting for the playoffs. They certainly did not look like it. Again.

And, apparently, Maurice was sick of it.

”It was not calculated,” said Maurice, who got hit with a $25,000 fine for ripping the officials last time he was in Toronto. “I was just honest. That’s where I was at.”

We all know what he said, even the worst lip readers among us.

And the message was, Maurice was simply a frustrated coach ripping into his team.

Deservedly so, we should add.

He also apparently was not finished with the F-bombs as he let one slip during his postgame scrum.

“If I could have yelled louder or … been a bit more profane than I was, I would have,” Maurice said postgame. “I am not gifted enough. I needed to channel my father who is a gifted curser. That was all I had. I was honest, that’s how I felt. There was nothing beyond the expletive.

”It was more of a cleanse for the coach. It was cathartic.”

PANTHERS ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT MONTREAL CANADIENS

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Bell Center, Montreal
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Sun and BSF (joining after Marlins Opening Day), ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• Last season: Florida won 3-1
• This season (Florida leads 3-0): Panthers 7, Canadiens 2 (Dec. 29); Panthers 6, Canadiens 2 (Jan. 19); Panthers 9, Canadiens 5 (March 16)
• All-time regular season series: Florida leads 54-38-11, 6 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Florida at Columbus Blue Jackets, Saturday, 7 p.m.