Panthers’ Cinderella run cementing Sergei Bobrovsky as Conn Smythe favorite
While Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk got most of the spotlight following his winning goal in a quadruple overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, his heroics would not have been possible without an all-time performance from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is having one of the best postseason runs of any goaltender in recent memory, with performances that head coach Paul Maurice credits for keeping the Panthers' Cinderella run going all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
“There is clearly an enjoyment there for him,” Maurice said, via Florida Hockey Now. “Part of it is that there is a tremendous amount of pressure on your ‘A-Player.’ In some ways, the pressure is off because of how (well) he has performed. He has delivered and now he can go out and play.”
Bobrovsky’s 63-save performance on Thursday was one for the record books. He became just the third goalie in NHL history with to record 50 or more saves in back-to-back playoff games while also tying Patrick Roy, Jean-Sebastian Giguere and Bernie Parent for the 10th-most saves in a game in league history.
During this strong playoff run, Bobrovsky has been instrumental to the team's success, helping Florida advance to the second round of the playoffs during the team's comeback from down 3-1 in the opening round against the Bruins, who had set an NHL record for most single-season wins and points in NHL history.
The Panthers then took their second-round series, winning four-of-five games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had posted the fourth-most points during the regular season. And of course, to open the Eastern Conference Final, Florida outlasted the Hurricanes in Thursday's Game 1 epic, further legitimizing Bobrovsky’s case for the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is given to the NHL’s most valuable player in the postseason.
“He is unreal,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said. “Every interview I give, I talk about (Bobrovsky). He is still unreal and we still love him.”
Bobrovsky has an 8-1 record with a .935 save percentage and 2.12 goals-against average since taking over as the starter. He has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last six playoff starts.
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