Playoff Bobrovsky steps up for Florida Panthers — again — in Game 3 win over Vegas
The Florida Panthers never had doubts in Sergei Bobrovsky. His track record all throughout the playoffs validated that, even after he had his lapses in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights and was pulled midway through their blowout loss in Game 2.
And when the Panthers needed Bobrovsky to step up on Thursday, with their life in the Stanley Cup Final looking like it was going to be hanging on by a thread, their veteran goaltender gave them life.
Bobrovsky stopped the final 11 shots he faced over the final 29:28, giving Matthew Tkachuk the chance to score the game-tying goal with 2:13 left in regulation and Carter Verhaeghe to score the game-winner 4:27 into overtime for a 3-2 Panthers win at FLA Live Arena to cut their deficit in the best-of-7 series to 2-1.
“It’s a big win for us,” Bobrovsky said. “A win at home and the way the series has gone. It’s a big win and we can build from it.”
Overall, Bobrovsky stopped 25 of 27 shots he faced, including all 19 he saw at even strength. The two goals he allowed were from Mark Stone during a 4-on-3 Vegas power play with 3:57 left in the first period and a Jonathan Marchessault power-play goal with 5:01 left in the second.
This included stopping 11 of 12 high-danger chances he faced. According to the advanced hockey statistics website Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights had 3.36 expected goals for based on their scoring changes. Bobrovsky held them to two.
“Every game, he’s giving us a chance to win the game,” Panthers center and captain Aleksander Barkov said. “Today was no different.”
And it’s no surprise to his teammates considering what he has done for them throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bobrovsky entered Thursday leading the postseason with 17.3 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.com.
“He’s been doing it all year, especially the last couple of weeks,” forward Sam Reinhart said. “When we’re in lanes and we’re back defensively and collapsing, it makes it a little easier on him. He’s been making spectacular saves at the right time. That’s what you need this time of year.”
The Panthers got it on Thursday, and it was a refreshing sight after the first two games of the series when a combination of a few bad breaks and some lack of defensive structure resulted in Bobrovsky giving up eight goals on 46 shot attempts.
The focus now is on tying up the series.
Game 4 is on Saturday.
“I only can control the things that I can control,” Bobrovsky said. “You’re trying to give your best. Sometimes it’s happening. You have stay mentally [strong] as the series goes on.”
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