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Panthers' Maurice fined $25K for criticizing refs after loss to Leafs

Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / Getty

Paul Maurice is a little lighter in the wallet Thursday.

The Florida Panthers head coach was fined $25,000 for his comments about the officiating after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

"I don't know what the hell those guys were doing tonight, but it wasn't Florida Panther-friendly," Maurice said postgame regarding the officiating.

Maurice was particularly upset with one call against defenseman Radko Gudas, who was assessed four of Florida's 18 penalty minutes in the game.

"Gudas hits as clean a hit as you can level," Maurice explained. "Stick on stick, body on body. Not a charge; they're both going in the same direction."

Here's a look at the play Maurice is referring to.

Maurice thinks his history with one of the officials was the reason he believes the calls didn't go his team's way.

"I just explained to them it had nothing to do with my players, it had to do with me and a relationship that I have with one of the referees," he said. "That's what that was all about."

Maurice was fined $5,000 while coaching the Winnipeg Jets in 2016 for blasting referee Francois St-Laurent after he didn't call a penalty for a hit to the head on Bryan Little. St-Laurent and Pierre Lambert were the refs Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs converted on two of their seven power-play opportunities in the contest, while the Panthers scored on one of their three chances with the man advantage.

Maurice's first campaign in Florida hasn't gone as hoped. The 21-20-5 Panthers find themselves outside the playoff picture a year after winning the Presidents' Trophy with a franchise-record 122 points under Joel Quenneville and Andrew Brunette.

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