Maurice goes from grumpy to grinning after Panthers miracle comeback

Down 3-0 late against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers looked out of answers. The bench was quiet, the crowd anxious, and the game slipping away. Maurice felt it, and he owned it afterward. Then everything flipped.

Florida's rally was fast and relentless. Brad Marchand lit the fuse, Sam Bennett kept the pressure boiling, and the Panthers turned a dead night into a historic comeback that had never happened before in franchise history. By the time the shootout ended, the mood had completely changed.

Maurice's postgame demeanor told the story.This wasn't about one comeback, it was about a group learning how to stay connected when games turn ugly. The coach saw panic early. He saw belief late.

The players echoed it. Marchand talked about sticking with pressure. Bennett pointed to simplified hockey. Sergei Bobrovsky focused on staying calm while chaos exploded in front of him. Different voices, same theme.

Tactically, the shift was clear. Defensemen stopped retreating and held the blue line. Forwards collapsed harder to the net. Pucks went to bad areas instead of perfect ones. Florida turned structure into pressure, and pressure into mistakes.

For Maurice, that matters more than the final score. Coaches trust habits, not miracles. This comeback came from habits showing up late instead of disappearing. That's why his mood changed so quickly after the horn.

It also fits Florida's recent run. The Panthers have been winning tight games, grinding through injuries, and leaning into discomfort. Nights like this reinforce belief without needing speeches.

This win won't guarantee anything in April, but it will live in this room for a long time. Sometimes teams need proof that belief works. On this night, Florida got it.