Oilers confident they can solve Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky

Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 9, 2024, 02:52 PM ET

CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

FT. LAUDERDALE — Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was impenetrable in their 3-0 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 victory over Edmonton. But the Oilers are confident that they can find ways to beat him.

“He’s a good goalie. He’s going to make some big time saves. Knowing that is important,” said Edmonton star Leon Draisaitl on Sunday. “With our group we’re always going to get our looks. We’re always going to get chances. Continue to play loose and just play our game.”

Bobrovsky stopped all 32 shots he faced in Game 1. He held the line in the first period, when the Panthers were outshot 12-4. He made six saves on the penalty kill, where Florida went 3-for-3 against a unit that was converting at over 37% after three rounds. He turned aside three Edmonton breakaways, including a pad stop on Ryan-Nugent Hopkins to preserve the Florida lead.

Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch wouldn’t go as far as to say that Bobrovsky stole Game 1.

“I think it’s fair to say that he played really well, but I think there’s just things that we can do that are in our control that we could have made more on our chances,” he said. “He definitely made some big saves, but I think there were some missed opportunities where we just missed the net or didn’t get the shot that we wanted.”

He also doesn’t believe the Game 1 shutout is something that will get in his players’ heads.

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“We have to just put ourselves in a position to get good quality scoring chances and bear down on those opportunities. And if we’re playing well, they’ll go our way,” said Knoblauch. “As good as any goaltender can play against us, we’ll get some production.”

One place where the Oilers could be better is in their placement of shots. Bobrovsky has given up 38 goals this postseason. Of those, 31 one of them have been high glove side or high blocker side. He’s tremendous down low, and hasn’t given up a single five-hole…


Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40313878/oilers-confident-solve-panthers-sergei-bobrovsky

Author : Greg Wyshynski

Publish date : 2024-06-09 19:53:44

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