Last night, referee Michael Markovic made a mistake on a goal call during the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers — and fans can’t stop laughing at Paul Maurice’s reaction.
Hockey is a difficult sport — not only for the players but also for the officials. As a referee, you have to make split-second decisions, and sometimes you make mistakes, just like everyone else.
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Changed his goal call
But unlike most people, your mistakes are judged by thousands of fans in the arena — something Michael Markovic experienced firsthand last night.
Markovic, a seasoned NHL referee with eight seasons and 318 games under his belt, initially called a goal after a coach’s challenge by the Panthers. Moments later, however, he realized he had misspoken — the goal was actually disallowed — and he quickly corrected himself.
Paul Maurice’s reaction
The camera then panned over to the Panthers’ bench and Paul Maurice, who gave a hilarious reaction to the mistake. Fans couldn’t get enough of Paul Maurice’s priceless reaction to the confusion.
“I love Maurice. He gives nothing away,” one fan wrote on X.
“I can’t stop watching this,” another added.
“One of the greatest all-time live mic moments in sports history,” a third commented.
The Devils went on to win the game 3–1.
You can watch the clip below.
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