After a masterful performance between the pipes by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers look to take a commanding lead over the series tonight in Game 2. Looking back at Game 1, the Oilers fell behind early in the first period, and that was all Bobrovsky needed to secure a 3-0 shutout. The Oilers, to their credit, looked as fresh and fast as the Panters. Some are saying they even looked like the better team. And their own goaltender, Stuart Skinner, played an impressive game in his own respect. But Bobrovsky was impenetrable and shined among the rest, stopping all 32 Oiler shots. He even did so with a little flash. Sergei made saves with his blocker, his pad & even his face as he seemed to be in the right position at all times. There was even a save or two made by Bobrovsky when he was without his stick. It was a clinic.
Sometimes a goalie stands on his head and there’s nothing you can do about it, as the Oilers found out in Game 1. No matter how well you play, sometimes a guy has a career night. The Oilers took 14 more shots than the Panthers, yet still found themselves on the losing end.
Can Bobrovsky recreate such a performance? Probably not. But what he accomplished on Saturday night shifted all the pressure onto Edmonton. The Oilers find themselves in a precarious position as we look ahead to Game 2, essentially a must-win. Only five teams in NHL history have come back from down 0-2 to win the series. If the Oilers want to even the series, they must continue their good play on the offensive end and trust that the pucks will find the net. You know the saying “do the right things and good things will happen”? If the Oilers continue to put pressure on Bobrovsky, sooner or later they will break through. Jeff Skinner will need to do his best Bobrovsky impression in front of a Panthers crowd hungry to head north up 2-0. If the Oilers want to be the first Canadian team since 1993 to hoist the cup, it feels like they must win tonight.
Puck drop is at 7 CT on ABC.
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