Paul Maurice said something. Jon Cooper said it back. The Panthers-Lightning matchup is a chirp-fest

Tensions continue to flare in Panthers-Lightning series as hits keep coming

Tensions continued to escalate in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series between the Lightning and Panthers.

Paul Maurice said something. Jon Cooper said it back. The Panthers-Lightning matchup is a chirp-fest

For Florida and Tampa Bay players, the hitting is happening on the ice.

Panthers-Lightning rivalry spreads to coaches: ‘He chirped me . . . Well done’

FORT LAUDERDALE — Paul Maurice was not pleased with the hit on captain Aleksander Barkov that knocked him out of Game 2 and put his status for Game 3 in question. When asked about containing Tampa Bay’s star player Nikita Kucherov, he said, “The only players we hit are the ones with pucks.” After Florida star Matthew Tkachuk received a five-minute major penalty for an off-puck hit on Lightning standout Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper u…

Jon Cooper Trolls Paul Maurice After Game 3. He Responds

FORT LAUDERDALE — Paul Maurice was not aware Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper had sent a shot his way Saturday afternoon until he and his wife Michelle were back home watching hockey later that night. Cooper, speaking in the postgame presser after the Lightning beat the Panthers 5-1 in Game 3, was asked about a hit from Matthew Tkachuk on Jake Guentzel during the third period. Tkachuk was given a 5-minute major for interference, and with 5 m…

After a tense end of the match between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, the head coach of Lightning Jon Cooper did not fail to throw a small arrow at his Panthers' counterpart Paul Maurice at the press point.In the third game, Matthew Tkachuk received a major penalty of five minutes for a late defeat on Jake Guentzel, just before Anthony Cirelli sealed the game with a goal in a desert net, bringing the score to 5-1. Fortunately,…