Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper reacts against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, rear, reacts during the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper reacts against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) 鈥 For Florida and Tampa Bay players, the hitting is happening on the ice.
For the coaches, it’s happening at the microphone.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice and Lightning coach Jon Cooper have much in common besides having their names etched onto the Stanley Cup and residing in Florida. They’re both savvy in how they deal with media. They’re both masters of dry humor. And they don’t mind being on the receiving end of a light-hearted jab.
Case in point: Cooper, after of the teams’ first-round series, cutting Florida’s lead to 2-1 going into Game 4 on Monday night.
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He remembered exactly what Maurice said when hit Florida’s Aleksander Barkov in and earned a 5-minute major for interference. So, when drew the same penalty for a hit on Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel in Game 3 on Saturday, Cooper seized the opportunity.
Maurice’s line going into Game 3: 鈥淭he only players we hit are the ones that have pucks.鈥
Cooper’s line after Game 3: 鈥淭he only players we hit are the ones with pucks.鈥
Not quite word-for-word, but close enough. following his hit. Tkachuk was not suspended for his.
And this much is clear: At least some members of the Panthers’ camp thought Cooper’s line was funny and well-delivered. Among them was Michelle Maurice, who told her husband that she liked Cooper’s response.
鈥淢y wife had a good chuckle,鈥 Maurice said. 鈥淚 think she thought it was pretty funny. I think the coaches probably will have to take over the chirping at some point. It’s kind of a lost art on the bench. So, it was all good.鈥
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Cooper is particularly skilled in the art of rebuttal: He was an attorney before becoming a two-time Cup-winning NHL coach. Maurice heard Cooper’s line later Saturday night when he was at home watching other playoff games.
鈥淗e chirped me. I saw it. I鈥檓 at home watching the Senators game and he chirped me,鈥 Maurice said. 鈥淲hich I appreciate. He used my own words on me, too. I mean, I鈥檓 not sure it was applicable to the events on the ice, but it was still good. Well done.鈥
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