Panthers blank Carolina, take 3-0 lead
The Florida Panthers are one win away from a sweep to reach the Stanley Cup Final, but one of their play-off run’s biggest heroes wants to prevent his team from thinking too far ahead.
After his 32-save shutout performance in a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday in Sunrise, Florida, Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky warned of the dangers of believing too quickly the series is complete.
“We just have to take care of our mind right now. Don’t get ahead of ourselves,” Bobrovsky said after his first career play-off shutout.
“They’re an unbelievable hockey team. They’re a very structured and very strong team. It’s not going to be easy. It’s gonna be another fight.”
Thanks to Bobrovsky’s heroics — he has stopped 132 of 135 shots in the three games — the Panthers hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-ofseven series.
The Panthers, whose lone trip to the Stanley Cup Final was in 1996, will look for the sweep when they host the Hurricanes in Game Four tomorrow, Thai time.
Sam Reinhart’s power-play goal midway through the second period — his seventh of the play-offs came on a bang-bang play set up by Matthew Tkachuk — was the lone offence, but no more was needed because of Bobrovsky.
Bobrovsky showed his form early with a glove save on Stefan Noesen’s breakaway chance, made a sprawling blocker save on Sebastian Aho early in the second period and had a clutch pad save on a Seth Jarvis redirection late in the middle period. For good measure, he stopped all 11 shots he faced in a one-sided third period while his team clung to the lead.
Bobrovsky’s save total is the most ever within the first three games of a conference final or Stanley Cup semifinal, breaking the mark of 125 set by Johnny Bower for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1960.
The Hurricanes dominated the first half of the second period as well as the whole final frame, but their offence has run dry. “You can’t do much more,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
“We like the way we’re playing, clearly. You’ve got to find a way to put one in.”
RESULT
(best-of-seven series, home team in CAPS)
FLORIDA 1 Carolina 0 (Florida lead series 3-0)