from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

Paul Maurice is projecting calm.

He’s cracking jokes, breaking ice, and staying the course.

Just because his hockey team lost for just the second time in its past 13 games — all big ones, all against favoured opponents — doesn’t mean he’s about to lose his cool.

“It’s a tight game. Both teams make mistakes,” the Florida Panthers head coach reasons after his group blew an early lead to the Vegas Golden Knights and lost 5-2 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday.

“We lost the first game in the Boston series. Well, we got a little better. Then we lost two more, got a little better.”

Maurice pauses and addresses a room of quiet reporters.

“Everybody just (expletive) breathe.”

continued

Game highlights are below.