Why the Panthers have confidence Sergei Bobrovsky can turn things around against Toronto
The Florida Panthers know what they have in goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky when he is at his best. “Playoff Bob” has shown up time and again for the Panthers during the past two Stanley Cup playoffs, and he was integral to Florida winning its first Stanley Cup last season.
Florida will need to see Bobrovsky hit that form sooner than later if it wants to pull itself out of the hole it is in against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bobrovsky has allowed nine goals on 50 shots against through two series-opening losses to Toronto. According to the advanced hockey statistics website Natural Stat Trick, only four of those nine goals allowed were on what the site considers high-danger shots. His overall expected goals against during those two games was just 4.83 — a little more than half of what he actually allowed.
That said, the Panthers aren’t concerned about Bobrovsky’s performance just yet.
“Our confidence in him is never wavering,” Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said. “We feel we’ve got the best goalie in the world back there. Our job is to make it as easy as possible on him, and I think we can do a better job of that.”
Florida gave up too many rushes and breakaways in the first two games, and Toronto capitalized on those high-end opportunities against Bobrovsky.
“We’re getting to the net,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “I think we’re doing a good job of being at the net. I liked the way we attacked the net tonight, and got to the net to the blue paint, and that’s what you got to do. We’ve got to get there. We’ve got to keep getting there, keep getting traffic, and keep chucking pucks in there from everywhere.”
Panthers coach Paul Maurice’s perspective of Bobrovsky’s first two outings?
“We didn’t give up a tremendous lot, but the danger on the rush is significant,” Maurice said. “Goalie’s going to be fine.’’
He’s speaking from experience. Bobrovsky posted a .911 save percentage during Florida’s past two playoff runs, both of which ended in the Stanley Cup Final. He held opponents to two goals or fewer in 25 of 42 starts, including recording a pair of shutouts. He did the same in three of five games in Florida’s first-round series victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning to start this playoff run.
Defenseman Aaron Ekblad, when asked the team’s confidence in Bobrovsky after he has been able to go “essentially legend the last couple of years in the playoffs,” didn’t hesitate to make his thoughts known about where the team stands on its goaltender.
“What was the word you just used?” Ekblad asked the reporter to repeat. “Legend. Yes. God-mode. That’s what we have come to love about Bobby, not to mention he’s the greatest person on Earth as well.”
Teams have excelled on home ice
The Panthers dropping their first two games on the road continues a trend that has been seen league-wide so far in the postseason.
Entering play Thursday, the home team has won 34 of 52 games — a 65.4% win rate. The Panthers, however, were on the rare side of winning on the road in the first round, going a perfect 3 for 3 at the Lightning and splitting their two home games.
“We’ve been a good home team this year, for sure,” Maurice said. “You get the positive feedback [from the crowd] of good things that you do.”
Stolarz unlikely to join Maple Leafs in Florida
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube told reporters Thursday that he doesn’t think goaltender Anthony Stolarz will travel with the team to Florida. Stolarz left Game 1 with injury. Joseph Woll replaced Stolarz midway through the second period Monday and started in his place in Game 2 on Wednesday, stopping 42 of 48 shots he has faced so far this series.
This and that
▪ The Panthers have had 49 of their 151 shot attempts through the first two games blocked by Maple Leafs skaters. Maurice said the team needs to have “a little bit of composure and patience with the puck” moving forward.
“I think we forced some pucks to the net that we didn’t necessarily need to when we had full possession, so a little bit of that,” Maurice said. “And then it’s foot speed coming out of the holes. We were much better at that in Game 2 than Game 1.”
▪ Ekblad had an assist and was a plus-2 in just under 20 minutes of ice time in his return from a two-game suspension. He also had three shots on goal, two hits and one takeaway.
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