Bobrovsky continues to stay in the moment. That has the Panthers one win from the Stanley Cup
Regardless of his performance, regardless of the result, Sergei Bobrovsky’s focus is singular. His eye is on the present. He echoes a recurring theme of one moment at a time, one game at a time.
Well, thanks to Bobrovsky’s efforts on Thursday — and, really, all throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs — the Panthers are potentially one game away from winning the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Bobrovsky on Thursday stopped 32 of 35 shots he faced as the Panthers held off an Edmonton Oilers rally attempt for a 4-3 win in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Edmonton’s Rogers Place. Florida now has a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series and can wrap things up as early as Saturday.
“Bob was unbelievable,” Panthesr forward Vladimir Tarasenko said.
Through three games in the Stanley Cup Final, Bobrovsky has allowed just four goals on 86 shots on goal for a .953 save percentage. He pitched a 32-save shutout in Game 1 and stopped the final 18 shots he saw in Game 2 after letting a dribbler get past him in the first period of that game for the first shot on goal he faced.
In Game 3 on Thursday, Bobrovsky carried Florida early before the Panthers offense put together a lead Edmonton couldn’t overcome.
In the first period alone, Bobrovsky was a perfect 13 for 13. Among the key plays: A shorthanded save on Connor Brown during the Panthers’ first power play, robbing McDavid on a snap shot from up close shortly after an Oilers power play ended and stopping a wrist shot from Cody Ceci from up close, after which a scrum behind the net that resulted a pair of penalties and the rest of the period being played at four-on-four. Florida opened scoring about 30 seconds later on a Sam Reinhart tip-in.
“Bobby made the saves when he needed to,” Panthers star winger Matthew Tkachuk said.
Edmonton tied the game 1:49 into the second period when Warren Foegele scored on a breakaway, getting open after a mental lapse from Panthers center Sam Bennett. Bobrovsky settled in after that, stopping the final 14 shots he saw in the frame — including stopping Zach Hyman on a breakaway and McDavid’s effort on the rebound midway through the period — while Florida scored three goals from Tarasenko, Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov to go into the second intermission up 4-1.
The Oilers rallied in the third with a pair of fluky goals. The first by Philip Broberg bounced off defenseman Niko Mikkola, who was at the side of the net, and past Bobrovsky above his shoulder pads 6:02 into the frame. The second came when a Brett Kulak shot from the point deflected off Ryan McLeod and into the net with 5:17 left in regulation to get Edmonton within a goal.
Florida’s defense clamped down after that, allowing just one shot on goal the rest of the way.
In 20 games this playoffs, Bobrovsky is 15-5 with a 2.07 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. He has allowed three goals or fewer in 17 of 20 games — and two goals or fewer in 15 of 20.
Thursday was just the latest display of what he can do.
But don’t expect him to get too excited about it just yet.
“We keep staying with the moment,” Bobrovsky said. “Obviously it’s a great win for us, and we enjoy it tonight and get ready for the next one.”
If Bobrovsky keeps playing the way he has all postseason, the next one very well could be the one that has the Panthers celebrating with the Stanley Cup.
