‘We would not be in this position without him’: Panthers rely on Bobrovsky in playoff run
There’s a reason the Florida Panthers always seem so tranquil, even in the throes of another elongated Stanley Cup playoffs run. There’s a reason why they can breathe a sigh of relief if there is a defensive lapse or missed assignment.
“We have a Bobby,” defenseman Niko Mikkola said.
There’s a sense of serenity surrounding the Panthers as they get ready for their first chance to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, with Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers set for 8 p.m. Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena and Florida leading 3-2 in the best-of-7 series.
Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers’ veteran goaltender of 15 NHL seasons, is a big part of that. The Panthers always know what they are going to get out of him. His composure never wavers. His demeanor remains stoic.
And especially at this time of year, that radiates throughout the dressing room.
“There’s a calmness that comes with Sergei that spreads throughout the team,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.
It’s one area where Florida has a clear-cut advantage over an Oilers team that is dealing with a goaltender crisis at the worst possible time. Edmonton started Stuart Skinner the first four games, but pulled him in the third period of Game 3 and after the first period of Game 4. Calvin Pickard, who was integral in Edmonton being in a position to rally back in Game 4, started Game 5 but gave up four goals on 18 shots to put Florida on the precipice of a repeat. The Oilers have not formally decided on a starter for Game 6.
The Panthers, meanwhile, have no such issue. Bobrovsky is their guy. He has been ever since regaining the starting job midway through the first round of the 2023 playoffs, their first of three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final. He is as steady as they come, and his performance has shown for it.
And it has Florida right where it wants to be — in a position to win another title.
But Bobrovsky, naturally, isn’t looking at the end goal. Not yet. His priority is on what it will take to win the game. That has been the mentality all season — and, really, his entire Panthers tenure — and it’s worked. Why change it now?
“We don’t need to think about the Cup or anything like that,” Bobrovsky said. “We just have to regroup, reset and focus on the first period, first shift, and don’t think much about the ahead or behind. So, it’s going to be a good, tough hockey game.”
It’s in these moments where Bobrovsky shines — and perhaps simultaneously flies under the radar.
“He’s an incredible, elite player who gets totally underappreciated, taken for granted by us I guess because he’s so consistent with his game,” Maurice said. “If one gets by him that he doesn’t like, it has nothing to do with what’s going to happen next. His ability to focus is trained. Maybe it’s a talent, I don’t know. I just know he puts so much time into his focus and his ability and then the experience he has.”
Maurice points to the first 10 minutes of Game 5 on Saturday as the inflection point for Florida. Bobrovsky had to come up with several big saves in that stretch before the Panthers opened scoring on a Brad Marchand snap shot off a center-ice faceoff.
“He got tested hard,” Maurice said. “They came out right and fast, got through the neutral zone a couple times, and he had to make a couple of big saves. When you’re on the road, if you can keep the building from lighting up in the first 10 minutes, that’s just a big part of the emotions of what goes on. So I thought that his performance, especially during that part of the game, is key.”
Bobrovsky has come up key all series and all postseason.
Entering Tuesday, Bobrovsky has a .912 save percentage in the Cup Final, stopping 165 of 181 shots he has faced. He has 3.99 goals saved above average, according to the advanced hockey statistics website Natural Stat Trick.
At five-on-five, his save percentage jumps to .931 (121 saves on 130 shots against).
In the playoffs overall, Bobrovsky has a .912 save percentage and a 2.26 goals against average in 22 games. He has three shutouts and has held opponents to two goals or fewer 13 times.
“We would not be in this position without him,” Panthers star winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “You just look at the body of work he’s done since I’ve been here, in the regular season and postseason. He’s been our backbone, the most important piece for us. He’s just been incredible each and every night, gives us a chance every single night. ... We’re so lucky to have him. He is such a very important piece to what we have, and then his calmness and how he works and how he prepares, and even the stuff he’s doing there today, like he’s just such a professional and somebody that I lean on a lot, and I’ve learned so much from him — even though he’s a goalie.”
So as the Panthers get ready for their first chance to wrap up the Stanley Cup Final, they will find themselves in a state of zen on Tuesday.
It’s easy to do, even in this stressful time with so much at stake.
After all, they have a Bobby.
“He’s the best,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “We love him.”
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