Sergei Bobrovsky Has Returned to Form for the Florida Panthers

Just two weeks ago, there were questions swirling around the play of Sergei Bobrovsky in these playoffs for the Florida Panthers.

Perhaps not by his teammates or coaches, but by those on the outside looking in.

“There’s not much that can get him off his game,’’ Dmitry Kulikov said. “He can have a off day for him, which is a pretty good day for a good goalie in the NHL, and he always bounces back because he has this foundation, this routine every day that he does. When he is in there, we are very confident.’’

The Panthers, at the time, had just lost the first two games of their second round series in Toronto.

Bobrovsky had allowed nine goals in the two losses, and his numbers in Florida’s first seven games of the playoffs — which included a 4-1 series win against the Lightning — did not look good.

Things have certainly changed.

Of the 18 goalies who had played at least three playoff games in the postseason, Bobrovsky’s .876 save percentage ranked 16th. His GAA of 2.90 was 13th.

Bobrovsky also had a goals-saved above average of minus-3.9 which was only better than Adin Hill, Stuart Skinner, and Connor Hellebuyck.

Today?

The stats certainly look a lot different.

The Panthers ended up winning four of the final five games in that series against the Maple Leafs — and Bobrovsky was critical in those victories.

He also made 31 saves on Tuesday night in Game 1 against the Hurricanes.

Bobrovsky’s updated numbers are much better than they were just a couple of weeks ago.

His save percentage is up to .905 and ranks eighth among playoff goalies. His GAA of 2.29 is all the way up to fourth in the NHL.

Bobrovsky has now saved 1.7 goals above average, which ranks sixth.

And Bobrovsky’s biggest stat — at least the most important one to him — is victories.

Only he and Dallas’ Jake Oettinger have won nine games.

Good old ‘Big Game Bob’ has been back.

“He is unbelievable,” AJ Greer said. “To be able to do what he is doing, with all of the pressure, he makes big saves when we’re necessarily having our best game on certain shifts. That’s a huge part of why we win games. I can’t talk enough about Bob. He’s just such a pro, such a great person, and just a competitor.”

Bobrovksy has never been one to concern himself with what the numbers look like.

Whether good or bad, all he cares about is celebrating wins with his teammates once the final horn sounds.

But since Game 2 against the Leafs, Bobrovsky’s numbers have been terrific.

He came within 66 seconds of pitching back-to-back shutouts against the Maple Leafs, and has allowed 2 goals or fewer in each of his past two games.

On Tuesday night, the only goals Carolina got against him came on a redirect off Sebastian Aho’s skate and a power-play goal in garbage time with the Panthers up 5-1.

“Sergei is not a kid, he has been through it,” Paul Maurice said. “He has bumped, he has been run over — by our own defense, at times. He has developed a skill set that it just doesn’t bother him.”

2025 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: GAME 2

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ CAROLINA HURRICANES

Panthers lead Best-of-7 Series 1-0

• When: Thursday, 8 p.m. 
• Where: Lenovo Center; Raleigh, N.C. 
• National TV: TNT/truTV
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games on TNT/tru, 8 p.m.) — Game 1: Florida 5, Carolina 2; Game 2: Thursday @Carolina; Game 3: Saturday @Florida; Game 4: Monday, May 26 @Florida; Game 5*: Wednesday, May 28 @Carolina; Game 6*: Friday, May 30 @Florida; Game 7*: Sunday, June 1 @Carolina
• This Regular Season (Panthers Won 2-1) — At Florida:Panthers 6, Hurricanes 0 (Nov.30); Hurricanes 3, Panthers 1 (Jan. 2). At Carolina:  Panthers 6, Hurricanes 3 (Nov. 29).
• How They Got Here: Carolina d. New Jersey (5), Washington (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7).
• All-Time Regular Season Series: Carolina/Hartford leads 74-49-10, 11 ties
• Postseason History: Florida 1-0 (2023 ECF in 4)