Paul Maurice's comments says a lot after the Florida Panthers tough loss to Carolina
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Jonathan Ouimet
Jan 16, 2026 (11:00 PM)
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Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Florida Panthers hit a wall against the Carolina Hurricanes as Sergei Bobrovsky and a tired lineup watched a season series turn sharply in Raleigh.
Florida entered the night having won the first two meetings against Carolina this season, and the opening minutes hinted at another controlled performance.
The Panthers skated with purpose early and grabbed momentum before the game tilted hard.
Young forward Sandis Vilmanis provided the bright spot, earning his first NHL point with a smart assist on Belinskis' goal.
Belinskis, freshly signed to a two year contract extension, finished calmly and gave Florida an early lift.
After that, the energy drained fast.
The Panthers looked like a team shaking off vacation legs after a long break, while the Hurricanes were already in midseason rhythm.
Carolina pushed the pace and Florida started chasing.
Penalties quickly piled up and the Hurricanes power play went to work.
The moment that fully swung the night came on a controversial goaltender interference call involving Luostarinen and Carolina goalie Bussi, wiping away a Panthers goal.
Paul Maurice challenged the call, hoping for a lifeline.
The review went against him, sending Florida back to the penalty kill and pouring gasoline on the fire. From there, the night unraveled.
The Hurricanes scored six unanswered goals, slicing through Florida's defensive structure with fast puck movement and clean zone entries.
Missing bodies on both the blue line and up front finally showed in a brutal way.
Florida Panthers Overwhelmed by Carolina Hurricanes Pressure
This felt like one of those games fans dread, the kind where every mistake ends up behind your goalie and the bench knows it before the horn sounds.
Sergei Bobrovsky might want a few saves back, but context matters.
Too often, Hurricanes forwards walked in untouched after turnovers or failed exits, leaving Bobrovsky alone against speed and skill.
Carolina's execution was ruthless.
Their short passes through the slot exposed coverage breakdowns and forced Florida defenders into late reactions. When legs are heavy, structure disappears fast.
Now there is no time to dwell. Florida is back on the ice Saturday against the Washington Capitals, and sometimes the quickest turnaround is the best medicine.
Burn the tape, reset the mindset, and move forward.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 16 | 14 ANSWERS Paul Maurice's comments says a lot after the Florida Panthers tough loss to Carolina Can the Florida Panthers rebound quickly after the Carolina Hurricanes loss? | ||
| Yes bounce back | 12 | 85.7 % |
| No concern | 2 | 14.3 % |
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