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Paul Maurice opens up about what he sees in the Canadiens after wild comeback in Florida
Paul Maurice did not mince words when he spoke about the Canadiens.
At 58, the Florida Panthers' head coach still has a knack for finding words that hit home.
In an interview, he flat-out suggested that the Montreal Canadiens are becoming a team that will soon be very difficult to play against. And when a club like Florida looks at you that way, it means something, period.
Paul Maurice noticed something about the Canadiens
On Tuesday, the Canadiens delivered yet another game that backed up that message. Montreal defeated the Panthers 3-2 in overtime after trailing 2-0 late in the third period.
Cole Caufield sparked the comeback, then Nick Suzuki tied the game with 1:22 remaining. In overtime, Suzuki sealed it with the game-winning goal.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice on the Habs:
"They're a very fast, dynamic team, especially off that backend. They control the puck really well in the O-zone. You have to look at them as one of the more skilled teams...That D is getting up the ice whether you want them to or not."
- Via HabsOnReddit
"They're a very fast, dynamic team, especially off that backend. They control the puck really well in the O-zone. You have to look at them as one of the more skilled teams...That D is getting up the ice whether you want them to or not."
- Via HabsOnReddit
This result fits into a picture that is starting to take shape in the standings. The Canadiens hold a record of 21-12-6 for 48 points after 39 games. They have scored 130 goals and allowed 131, with an 11-3-5 record on the road. The Panthers follow with a 21-15-3 record for 45 points, 126 goals for and 124 goals against.
Individually, Suzuki has 44 points in 39 games and earns a salary of $7,875,000. He is 26 years old and wears the C as if it were second nature.
Caufield, 24, already has 19 goals in 39 games and a salary of $7,850,000. In goal Tuesday, Samuel Montembeault stopped 28 shots, a return that came at the perfect time.
What's interesting in all of this is that the respect is coming from the opposing bench. When Paul Maurice points it out, you know Montreal is no longer just a rebuilding story.
And the message carried beyond the bench. After the overtime winner, Canadiens fans stayed put and took over Amerant Bank Arena, echoing "Go Habs Go" and capping a night where Montreal controlled more than just the scoreboard.