Latest news with #Bobrovsky
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
As stage gets bigger, Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky stays grounded eyeing Stanley Cup repeat
Sergei Bobrovsky knows what's ahead of him and the Florida Panthers. They're about to play in their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with a chance to repeat as champions after winning it all for the first time last year. It's the biggest stage of the NHL season. Bobrovsky also knows that, at its core, what's ahead is just another game. That's how Bobrovsky operates. After 15 NHL seasons, including a lot of good but also its share of rough times, the goaltender has become a creature of living in the moment. He can't let what happened in the past affect him. He can't let what might happen creep into his mind. That mentality, he and the Panthers hope, will work to their advantage when Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers begins at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Rogers Place as a rematch of last season's Cup Final gets underway. 'You enjoy the moment and savor the moment,' Bobrovsky said. 'You're not trying to cut yourself off thinking about what's ahead or what's happened in the past. You're just trying to take advantage of the opportunity. It's a great opportunity. There's only two teams left, and we're one of them and we have opportunity to win it all. It's an exciting time, and I want to enjoy every bit of it.' Bobrovsky has had an exciting postseason — and his teammates certainly have enjoyed it. Through the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Bobrovsky has a 2.11 goals against average and .912 save percentage. He has three shutouts in 17 games — one in each round — and has held opponents to two goals or fewer in 11 of those 17 games. His 6.04 goals save above average according to Natural Stat Trick are the most among all goals this postseason. 'There's not much that can get him off his game,' defenseman Dmitry Kulikov said. 'He can have an off day for him, which is a pretty good day for a good goalie in the NHL, but he always bounces back because he has this foundation — he has his routine every day that he does. And when he's [in] net, we feel very, very confident.' Especially since they know the work he puts in to get ready for each game. Bobrovsky has a regimented plan of attack for every day. After being in the league as long as he has and having the success he has — two Vezina Trophies, finalist for a third, top-10 in the NHL in goaltender wins and finally a Stanley Cup champion — Bobrovsky and only Bobrovsky truly understands what he needs to be ready. And his teammates marvel at it. 'He knows exactly what his body needs,' forward Carter Verhaeghe said. 'He's so dialed in. If there's a pro that you want to emulate, it's him. But his routines aren't like any other. I've seen Bobby do it ever since I've been here. It's special. He's special.' It has the Panthers on the cusp of doing something special by repeating as Stanley Cup champions if they can knock of the Oilers in the Cup Finals again. That's the moment the Panthers are in — and the moment Brobrovsky is prioritizing. 'I guess it's experience,' Bobrovsky said. 'I've been around for a little bit, and I know how tough it is to get into that stage. It has to be lots of things coming together. I just want to be thankful and appreciate and be humble about the opportunity.'
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Postgame scenes
Florida advances to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year Getty Images The Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year, beating the Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 to win the Eastern Conference final. Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winning goal with less than eight minutes left in the third period off a brilliant assist from Aleksander Barkov. Carolina had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on a pair of goals by Sebastian Aho, but Florida roared back in the second with three goals in 4:36 to take a 3-2 lead into the third. Seth Jarvis tied the game midway through the period, but Verhaeghe answered with the clincher less than four minutes later to send the Panthers through to the Final. GO FURTHER Panthers advance to Stanley Cup Final for third straight year, eliminate Hurricanes: Takeaways Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Getty Images The opposing coaches, Rod Brind'Amour and Paul Maurice, come together for a conversation between the benches. It doesn't look super friendly but it's not exactly heated either. Meanwhile, the Carolina fans are chanting "Let's go Canes" inside Lenovo Center. You have to hand it to them, they always create a great atmosphere despite their team seemingly always coming up just a bit short. It's all over! The Panthers have won 5-3, eliminating the Hurricanes and advancing to their third straight Stanley Cup Final! That should do it. What an incredible kill from the Panthers and Bobrovsky. The Hurricanes were absolutely buzzing. Take back anything you've said about them playing boring hockey. That was an incredible two minutes of hockey. No idea how Bobrovsky made a couple of those saves. That's why he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday. Getty Images P3 0:53 - Panthers 5, Hurricanes 3 Several huge chances on the power play but Carolina can't convert! Bennett's penalty ends. He emerges from the box, collects the puck right as it's cleared and scores into the empty net! The Hurricanes call their timeout. Fifty-three seconds to score twice, otherwise their season is over. It should be mentioned that the Panthers are currently playing with only 10 forwards. Eetu Luostarinen left in the first period with an injury and A.J. Greer is on the bench but hasn't played since early in the second. P3 2:05 - Panthers 4, Hurricanes 3 A brilliant play sets Svechnikov up with a free shot from the slot but he misses the net! Moments later, the Canes pull Andersen. The Panthers shoot on the empty net but just miss! P3 3:00 - Panthers 4, Hurricanes 3 Here we go! Here's a massive opportunity for the Hurricanes to rescue their season, as Bennett goes to the box for slashing Staal. Carolina is 0-for-4 on the power play so far tonight ... P3 3:42 - Panthers 4, Hurricanes 3 The Hurricanes are running out of time to rescue their season. Brind'Amour has to be considering when he'll pull Andersen. Barkov with perhaps the play of the playoffs to set up Verhaeghe. I have no words for that pass. Brilliance. Let's see if the Panthers can hang on. What a hockey game! Getty Images P3 7:39 - Panthers 4, Hurricanes 3 Verhaeghe gives Florida the lead again! A fantastic play by Barkov as he holds off Orlov for several seconds before sliding the puck across the ice to Verhaeghe, who has a wide-open angle to shoot into for the goal. P3 8:57 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 3 The puck takes a surprising bounce off the wall and gives Bennett a free chance right in the crease, but Andersen stands tall to keep the score level. Getty Images Bobrovsky got caught in no-man's land for just a moment and Jarvis took advantage with a smooth, patient finish. The Hurricanes felt dead in the water after the second period. Quite a moment there. What a finish we have on the horizon! Getty Images Great celebration by Seth Jarvis, too. He wanted that one. Needed it, too — he's had a few chances throughout the night and come close. For Carolina, the story of this one so far is two of their best players, Sebastian Aho and Jarvis, coming up big. We'll see if they have one more in them. Getty Images P3 11:30 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 3 In the arena, they're pushing whatever buttons they've got. We've heard Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and seen a Ted Lasso "Believe" sign on the video board. Fans are cheering loudly. And hey, Carolina scores! Seth Jarvis. We're tied! Svechnikov poked a loose puck towards the slot and Jarvis was there to chip it past Bobrovsky. P3 14:45 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2 Orlov attempts a stretch pass from behind the Hurricanes net but sends the puck directly to Marchand in the Carolina zone. Orlov is fortunate that Marchand is unable to prevent the puck from bouncing, as otherwise he would have been walking in free on goal. Getty Images P3 16:13 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2 Andersen comes up with a couple of big saves on the penalty kill to keep Carolina's deficit to one goal. P3 17:14 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2 Aho does really well to steal the puck in the neutral zone and set Jarvis up for a shorthanded scoring opportunity, but Bobrovsky makes a relatively routine save. We're halfway through the Panthers power play. P3 18:14 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2 Staal makes a great play to prevent a two-on-one from getting to the front of the net. Moments later, though, William Carrier commits his second penalty of the night, holding Lundell as the two skated towards the corner wall. P3 20:00 - Panthers 3, Hurricanes 2 Twenty minutes stand between the Panthers and their third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. Let's see if the Hurricanes can extend their season!
New York Times
4 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Olympic weightlifting and ‘absurd' focus: Inside Sergei Bobrovsky's unique routine on Panthers game days
RALEIGH, N.C. — It was the morning of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. Most starting goaltenders would remove their gear after the team's skate, maybe do some light stretching or go for a bike ride, then throw on their clothes, catch the bus back to the hotel and get in an afternoon nap to prepare for the upcoming huge game. Advertisement Not Sergei Bobrovsky. 'Bob,' at the tender age of 36, hit the gym. Not for a bike ride. Not for a few lunges or squats. For some Olympic weightlifting. Bobrovsky, in a tight shirt that made him look like he maybe had 1 or 2 percent body fat, put large weights on a barbell and began lifting it from the floor to his chest, then high above his head over and over and over again. As one shocked observer cracked, 'The Panthers are an oblique injury away from Vitek Vanecek starting this series.' Bobrovsky is well known for his regimented routines. He arrives at the rink early and often leaves long after his teammates. He'll seemingly work out for hours and stretch for hours, taking advantage of the Panthers' world-class training facility. He loves his saunas and hot tubs. Spends tons of time in the wave pool. Former Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said he almost has a 'gymnast's routine.' 'He's got all this crazy routine stuff,' Panthers forward A.J. Greer said. 'It's just amazing to watch him do it day in and day out. The regular person would get tired and some days wouldn't want to do it. And this guy's just on it.' Added Carter Verhaeghe, 'He knows exactly what his body needs. He's so dialed in. If there's a pro that you want to emulate, it's him. But his routines aren't like any other. I've seen Bobby do it ever since I've been here. It's special. He's special.' The first time Paul Maurice saw Bobrovsky doing the Olympic lifting, the Panthers coach just froze. It was after a morning skate early in the 2022-23 season, and Maurice panicked, thinking that he hadn't told Bobrovsky he was starting that night. He figured at a minimum, goalie coach Robb Tallas would have told him. Maurice went to find Tallas and was told, 'No, that's his routine.' 'So, I stay as far away from that, clearly, as I can,' Maurice said. 'Bob's routine is built over his entire career. Modifies it, changes it as he goes, but there's not a big shift in what he does.' Advertisement Brian Boucher played with Bobrovsky on the Philadelphia Flyers during his rookie year. The August before the 2010-11 season, Boucher got on the ice for the first time with Bobrovsky and goaltending coach Jeff Reese. Boucher looked at Bobrovsky for five minutes, went up to Reese and said, 'I'm in trouble.' 'And he was pretty much like, 'Yeah, you are,'' Boucher, a TNT analyst, recalled, laughing. 'I'd not seen a guy move that powerfully, side to side, with that flexibility in my life.' Boucher doesn't remember Bobrovsky doing any Olympic weightlifting back then, though. 'But I do remember him always being the first one there and the last one to leave,' Boucher said. 'I couldn't believe his work ethic. Nobody was doing that back then, especially goalies. I mean, I've seen hard workers, but he was there all day. Stretching forever. And my God, jump roping. You should see this guy jump rope. It feels like he can jump rope for hours at a time. 'This is why he's still here. This is why he's still at a top level. His work ethic has always been supreme. I don't know about the lifting. That might be something new.' For the record, Bobrovsky said he throws only about 50 kilos onto the barbell, which equates to roughly 110 pounds. 'I don't remember when it started,' Bobrovsky said in his normal, understated tone. 'I just try to do my best to prepare myself for the game and give the team chance to win. That's pretty much it. It's not about me. It's just to give the guys best chance.' Devan Dubnyk, who played 542 games in the NHL and was a first-round pick, was asked if he's ever seen a starting goaltender do Olympic lifting on a game day. 'No, and I can't say I deadlifted before games,' Dubnyk said with a hearty laugh. 'But it doesn't shock me he does. He's always been an insane athlete and insanely committed to that part of it, to the off-ice strength. And you can see it in his play. He's so strong, so powerful, so athletic, he's just kind of a freak of nature. But it's not just given to him.' Advertisement Dubnyk recalled when he was playing for the Arizona Coyotes and the team arrived at Nationwide Arena in Columbus 90 minutes before practice to skate on the attached practice rink. The Blue Jackets were practicing after the Coyotes, but Bobrovsky, their No. 1 goalie at the time, was already on the bike warming up. When the Coyotes were done practicing, Dubnyk walked by Bobrovsky, and he was still working out. 'I'm like, 'Holy smokes, dude,'' Dubnyk said. 'I don't know if my brain could handle that, never mind my body. Bob is obviously in great shape, and knowing him, I'm guessing the Olympic lifts are like muscle activation. It's almost just like it's a light switch. You have to turn them on and there's lots of different ways to do that through trigger point or lifting, and every guy's different. So that must just make him feel good and get the blood flowing in his muscles and turn them on and get them ready to go. This doesn't shock me because just by watching him, you know his abdominals and glutes are rock solid. 'When you watch him play, the reason he could float around out there is because he's so strong through his core and his midsection.' Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito has known Bobrovsky since he was an assistant GM in Columbus. In fact, after Zito was hired in Florida, his first call was to Bobrovsky because he was so excited they'd be reunited with the Panthers. Zito said this is the Bobrovsky he knew then. 'It's the focus, the attention to detail and the consistency in both execution of what he does and then the discipline,' Zito said. 'I'm trying to think what normal people do when they have that consistency and disciplined work in their life. You have the friend who eats real clean or their workouts are always the same — but not like this. The intensity of his focus, everything, sometimes you worry, 'Is it too much?' 'But then, in the midst of all that worry, you're like, 'No, maybe that's his key.' It could very well be that which we think it requires this Draconian level of focus and energy, maybe for him it's just like, 'No, no, that's fine for me.' Maybe it's even cathartic or soothing, I don't know. But it's not normal. Advertisement 'NHLers work hard, but not like this, and certainly not goalies. That's just his thing. He has a plan, he has focus on what he needs to do and he does it.' In fact, ask any of Bobrovsky's teammates, and when they watch him work or sit quietly in the locker room or talk so calmly, it has almost a soothing effect. It's why the Panthers, who are one win from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, play so well in front of him. They're confident in what's behind them. 'He always gives you energy when you see him,' said defenseman Gustav Forsling, a gym rat in his own right. 'He's in there working, and it gives you inspiration and it spreads to the rest of the team.' Added defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, 'There's not much that can get him off his game. He can have an off day for him, which is a pretty good day for a good goalie in the NHL, but he always bounces back because he has this foundation — he has his routine every day that he does. And when he's (in) net, we feel very, very confident.' Dubnyk, 39, has watched Bobrovsky a lot the past few years in his post-career role as an analyst for NHL Network and OilersNation, who also does a weekly 'Ask Dubey' show on YouTube. He marvels that a player three years younger than him is able to do this. In fact, he's starting a goalie consulting program called 'Dubnyk Development' and basically studies Bobrovsky on the ice. 'He's always been one of my favorite guys to watch,' Dubnyk said. 'Just the power that he has on his blades and the way he moves around and the way he's able to move, cover distance as fast as he does while in full structure. He can be super flexible and come up with insane saves, but he's very structured. You see him make these saves and he's not doing the splits, he's not falling on his back or his stomach. He's really in control, and I think that strength allows him to do that.' Advertisement Everything about Bobrovsky's day is routine. Things are done the same way at the same time. At both the Game 1 and 2 morning skates in Raleigh, he was standing at the corner glass ready for the security guard to open the door the second the Zamboni left the ice. He then skated around almost in slow motion, stretching out his groin and legs. When he first saw it, Boucher said out loud, 'What's he doing? I've never seen this before.' 'He has an absurd ability to focus,' Dubnyk said. 'I watched him in warmup last year when I working the Final, and I mean every little detail that he goes through in warmup — from his edges to his stretches to the time he does anything — is dead-on. It's all just little things. 'But what's impressive to me is he gets the big (seven-year, $70 million) contract. A lot of pressure. Team wasn't as good when he got there, quite obviously, as they are now. Everybody's saying he's overpaid — what a bad signing. All this stuff. But he stuck with it because of his focus and work ethic, and now he's got them in position to maybe win a second Stanley Cup. 'He's always been a guy that when he's on his game, you just don't score on him. I've never watched a guy where you're like, 'I don't think you can score on him unless it's like in off a shin pad or something crazy happens.' This is why they signed him. He's just so mentally strong. 'Look at Game 1 in this series, when Carolina's game plan was to crash into him and bump him. He's not flying around. He's not yelling. He's not slashing guys. He's just calm and staying composed. It's like he knows how to get to the finish line now. 'That's not good for anybody else but the Florida Panthers. That's not good for Carolina. That's not good for Dallas. That's not good for Edmonton. You get a guy like Bob that knows how to get to the finish line, you're in trouble because he's that good.' Advertisement To Dubnyk's point, just look at Bobrovsky's career numbers in conference finals. He has the lowest goals-against average (1.46) and highest save percentage (.946) in NHL history. It's why some call him 'Big Game Bob.' 'We trust Bob so much in net,' defenseman Seth Jones said. 'He gives us so much confidence in front of him. You just want to play hard for a guy like that. You see his work ethic every day, and you see how he comes prepared to the rink — not only physically but mentally as well. We have no issues with the way he'll ever play for us.' The respect is mutual. After each of Bobrovsky's shutouts, to show appreciation to his teammates, the trainers will conduct a drawing where they'll pick names out of a hat (two during the regular season and three in the playoffs) so Bobrovsky can gift the winners a bottle of wine. Sam Bennett joked after Bobrovsky's Game 2 shutout that he hoped he'd be one of the lucky ones. 'There's a side of him that isn't just well-intended sound bites and cliches,' Zito said. 'There's a side that's creative and (has a) great sense of humor. He's a very caring and considerate teammate, just as a human. He has some treats of gratitude that are offered to the guys who support him. He does an awful lot that people don't know about. He does a lot for kids in the community. He does a lot just for his teammates. He's always gracious with anything you ever ask: 'No problem. Sure. Whatever you need.' 'It's interesting, because you would see the focus and then fool yourself into thinking that he's aloof. He isn't. He's just Bob. He's about as consistent a performer, a teammate, I guess I'll use the word 'preparer,' as I've ever seen.'
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Hurricanes avoid another sweep, stave off elimination by beating Panthers 3-0 in Game 4
SUNRISE, Fla. — With their season on the line, the Carolina Hurricanes found a way to play their best hockey. Frederik Andersen returned to the net and stopped 20 shots for his fifth career playoff shutout, Logan Stankoven got the only goal Carolina needed and the Hurricanes won their first Eastern Conference finals game in nearly 20 years by beating the Florida Panthers 3-0 on Monday night. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal got empty-netters to seal it for the Hurricanes, who staved off elimination and cut Florida's lead in the series to 3-1. They had dropped 15 consecutive East finals games, getting swept in 2009, 2019 and 2023, then dropping the first three games of this matchup. 'We made hard plays and kept them off the good scoring chances,' Aho said. And there was no sweep this time. The Hurricanes kept the Panthers' offense completely bottled up for much of the game, limiting the reigning Stanley Cup champions to 12 shots through two periods. 'We were good all night,' Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. 'It's how we need to play if we're going to have a chance, and we gave ourselves a chance. That's all you can ask.' Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for Florida, which played without the injured Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer. Game 5 is Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina. If Game 6 is needed, it'll be back in Sunrise on Friday. 'Obviously, we wanted to win tonight,' Bobrovsky said. 'But they played a good game, so it is what it is. We'll get ready for the next game.' Stankoven gave Carolina its first lead of the series midway through the second period when he took a cross-ice diagonal pass from Alexander Nikishin at the blue line and skated in alone on Bobrovsky. He beat the Florida goalie over the right shoulder for the 1-0 lead, ending a drought that - depending on perspective - had lasted for either six games or two years. 'It all starts with him,' Stankoven said of Nikishin's pass. 'Great play by him.' It was Carolina's first lead in an East finals game since the second period of Game 2 of the 2023 matchup against Florida. A total of 364 minutes, 53 seconds - the equivalent of more than six regulation games - had elapsed in East finals games for the Hurricanes since their last lead. 'Credit to them ... they were good,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. And the win was Carolina's first in an East finals game since beating Buffalo in Game 7 in 2006, which came on the Hurricanes' way to the Stanley Cup. The game-winning goal that night came from Brind'Amour. The Hurricanes switched starting goalies again for Game 4, going back to Andersen. He started Games 1 and 2, then watched Game 3 when Carolina went with Pyotr Kochetkov. But Andersen was brilliant Monday, as Brind'Amour expected. 'There were some real tough shots that looked easy tonight,' Brind'Amour said. 'That's when you know he's really on.'
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Bobrovsky gave Panthers a chance ‘right to the very end' in Game 4. It wasn't enough
Sergei Bobrovsky was better than any of his Florida Panthers teammates Monday. But he wasn't better than the man standing between pipes on the opposite end. As a result, Frederik Andersen and the Carolina Hurricanes return to Raleigh with faint life in this Eastern Conference final. Andersen — back in the lineup after a one-game performance-based benching — stopped all 20 shots he faced Monday to lift Carolina past Florida 3-0 and extend the Hurricanes' season for at least two more days. Both teams needed perfection from their net-minders Monday. Both nearly got it. The game's only goal prior to empty-netters by Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal came on a broken play midway through the second period. A neutral-ice turnover by Panthers defenseman Seth Jones led to a breakout down the left side by Logan Stankoven, who had ample space to snipe a shot stickside past Bobrovsky with 9:15 left in the frame to give Carolina its first lead of the series. Beyond that, Bobrovsky was flawless. He stopped all 25 other shots he faced Monday to allow two or fewer goals for the eighth straight game. Bobrovsky's save percentage since Game 4 of the Toronto series: An astounding .953. He's playing some of the best hockey of his decorated career. 'It was huge,' said Panthers forward Sam Bennett. 'He gave us a chance to hold the whole way and that's all you can ask for, especially when you have a game like that. To still have a chance right to the very end is huge.' Most nights — particularly against this opponent — Bobrovsky's outing would have been more than good enough for a Panthers victory. But his teammates failed him Monday, well beyond Jones' giveaway. The Panthers lost 55.6% of the game's faceoffs, managed just five shots on goal in the second period, and had a number of ill-timed penalties. Perhaps the most costly? When Dmitry Kulikov pulled a streaking Stankoven down from behind in the first minute of the third. Instead staging a comeback early in the final period, the Panthers and Bobrovsky again were simply trying to hang on. The game would have been out of reach the final period if not for Bobrovsky's heroics. The Hurricanes had more than three times as many scoring chances (19-6) and more than four times as many high-danger scoring chances (9-2) through two periods. Bobrovsky's play was worth a full goal for Florida through two periods, based on advanced stats. Carolina's expected goals scored in the first 40 minutes was 2.13. The Hurricanes managed just one. 'The first [goal] was a hell of a shot,' said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. 'He made two or three other big-time saves. It was not a high-event game around the net. I didn't feel like there was a lot of action. ... But that's even tougher for both goaltenders when there's no action and then you've got so much on the line that it becomes really critical. Both goalies were good.' Bobrovsky kept the Panthers alive in the game's late stages, thanks in no small part to a smart coaches' challenge on a would-be goal by Mark Jankowski that was ultimately disallowed due to offsides. But even with an extra skater late, the Panthers simply couldn't solve Andersen and a Hurricanes defense that had allowed 16 goals in the series' first three games. 'They played a good game,' Bobrovsky said. 'They played a solid game. … They are a good team, and it's a series. We're just getting ready for the next game.'
