Well, the score just flipped and this time it’s the Florida Panthers marking their dominance on the ice in Game 3. Yes, a 5-4 win yet again in the NHL playoff series but the Toronto Maple Leafs fell short of stopping Brad Marchand in the overtime that paved the way for the Panthers. “And in overtime, there’s not a bad shot you put at the net. So, obviously, a fortuitous bounce,” he reflected on the shot. And hey, it was indeed a strong comeback, to say that the Panthers really needed this after back-to-back losses against the Maple Leafs, right? And, just like that, while it has been a collective effort by the team to make this moment special, there is one among the many who deserves the spotlight.
And Carter Verhaeghe made sure he threw it on the right one—“We trust Bob. I mean, he’s been unbelievable.” Verhaeghe appreciated the efforts of none other than the goalie— Sergei Bobrovsky—while stating in a post-game interview with the media. But what did Bobrovsky do to deserve such accolades? Talk about turning away shots and he did for all eight Toronto Maple Leafs shots in the extra period Friday. Indeed, a vintage performance between the pipes that flipped the entire tone of Game 3.
After all, the saves weren’t just defensive but very defiant. And anyone who was watching could see the greatness of not panicking even under pressure. Verhaeghe saw it rising too and hence later quoted, “We’ve been giving up a lot of stuff, and he’s been back there shutting the door.” Well, that’s the kind of trust the team has in the young goalie. Besides Marchand’s first overtime goal in the Florida Panthers’ jersey, it has been Bobrovsky’s showstopping overtime that added the spark. “I mean, we trust him, and he’s our goalie. He’s brick wall back there, and we love him,” Verhaeghe further said.
While stopping 17 of the final 19 shots alongside the ones that got past him, let’s admit that he did a great job. Because, hey, the Panthers had a rough start, and it was Bobrovsky’s effort this time that turned the tables. Because what could have been otherwise would have made the head coach, Paul Maurice, express his concern for him yet again!
But what did the Florida Panthers’ coach worry about?
When the Panthers lost their Game 2 against the Leafs, Maurice wasn’t hiding his concern for the goalie’s current form, which, for him, needed some modifications, perhaps. After yet another loss, the head coach put it straight forwardly and mentioned, “Didn’t love his first game.” While he didn’t pin the Game 2 loss entirely on his veteran goalie, he did point out that the goals Bobrovsky faced came off with some dangerously clean rushes. “We didn’t give up a tremendous lot, but the danger (chances) on the rush is significant,” he further said.
Despite the goalie’s remarkable .800 save percentage in recent games, Maurice had his own way of dealing with Bobrovsky’s efforts and fast forward to game 3, let’s say that Bobrovsky was more than just fine Coming up with massive saves that changed the game’s direction and showing elite poise under pressure isn’t easy but indeed a heroic way that helped the Florida Panthers claw their way back into the series with a 5-4 victory. More of a statement the goalie made to be the reason they survived the night and revived their playoff momentum, in fact.
Perhaps it was Maurice’s words too that lifted the spirits high for the young star. And now, with the series moving ahead with 2-1, it isn’t Bobrovsky’s Game 3 performance that could mark the turning point, but the confidence that he carried for the team’s playoff run. And all this ends with one point that states—while the pressure peaks, the Panthers’ know whom they have to rely on because—“We trust Bob.” Right?
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