Florida Bobrovsky beat Orlov’s Boston to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs

Before the start of the playoffs, the NHL published a list of league website experts’ predictions for the outcome of the first-round series, and in the match between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins, absolutely all writers preferred the latter. The choice was clear – “Boston” beat all competitors in the championship and became the best club of the regular season, while setting a number of landmark records in NHL history. In “Florida” she also made it to the playoffs with great difficulty, and at the end of the championship she booked a place in the Stanley Cup.

Doubts about the exit of the “Bruins” in the second round were not aroused by anyone. And when the score in the series was 3-1 in favor of the Bears, the outcome of the match seemed to be clear. In addition, the best club of the “regular season” in the first four games won three with a total score of 13:5. The Bruins’ final victory came in Sergei Bobrovsky’s first game in Florida’s first game of the current playoffs. Before this door, the “Panthers” defended Alex Lyon. However, then the experienced Russian goalkeeper took over the Boston heist and gave his team two wins in a row and even scored in the series.

In the decisive game 7, everyone expected an aggressive start from the Bruins, but Jim Montgomery’s team held back badly and only regained momentum in the middle of the second period with Florida leading 2-0. It seems that the Stanley Cup favorite “swimmed” and began to say goodbye to thoughts of the championship. It seemed so.

The first goal came in the starting part of the match, when the “Panthers” completely controlled the course of the meeting and gained an advantage in shots into the goal. One of them ended in a Brandon Montour goal with a simple throw from an offended hand. Jeremy Sveiman unexpectedly could not cope with it, and the defender of “Boston” Dmitry Orlov could only watch the disk flying into the castle.

Surprisingly, Sergey Bobrovsky also took part in the gold. Russian goalkeeper “Panthers” officially started the attack and entered protocol as second assistant. For the veteran goalkeeper to start his 50th NHL playoff game, this was his career first in an NHL playoff run.

In the entire history of the NHL playoffs, Bobrovsky became the sixth Russian goalkeeper to score with an effective move. Points leader among Russian goalkeepers Igor Shesterkin (0 goals and 3 assists). It is followed by Evgeny Nabokov (0 + 2) and Andrey Vasilevski, Anton Khudobin and Nikolai Khabibulin (all with one assist).

At the end of the term, “Boston” made an attempt to take revenge on Bobrovsky, but did not succeed. The Russian goalkeeper took a break, keeping the gate intact.

Instead, Florida doubled the lead at the start of the second period, after which the Bruins finally turned up the heat, announcing their intention to make a comeback.

The numerical majority helped to reclaim a goal. On the third try, the “bears” sold “extra”. Not without the participation of Dmitry Orlov, who helped David Kreichi. The Russian defender of “Boston”, who personally supported Alexander Ovechkin, who took an early vacation and now a former partner of the Washington Capitals, thanks to an assist, became the only leader among the Russians in the list of scorers of the 2023 Stanley Cup. . In seven games, Orlov scored 7 points (0 + 7) and beat Tampa Bay Lightning leader Nikita Kucherov (1 + 5), who was eliminated from the playoffs.

But Orlov did not stop there. At the very beginning of the third quarter, the Russian defender returned “Boston” to the game: after kicking the puck into Bobrovsky’s goal, Tyler Bertuzzi corrected the situation and gave Dmitry another assist in the current playoffs.

The Bruins were unstoppable. The Boston machine began to repeatedly attack Bobrovsky’s property and instantly took the lead. The Russian goalkeeper coped with Brandon Carlo’s powerful shot and hit the puck exactly on David Pastrnak. The Czech sniper did not forgive and scored his fifth goal in the current playoffs.

And it all went to the success of the “regular season” winners, until “Florida” launched a counterattack. Finally kicking Bobrovsky out in exchange for a sixth fielder, the Panthers immediately leveled the score and carried the game into overtime 59 seconds before the end of regular time!

Interestingly, 25 seconds before the “Panthers” goal, those in charge of the broadcast schedule brought the corresponding plate. The NHL seemed to know that the puck in the “Boston” gate would definitely visit. And they were not wrong.

Overtime, as you know, is always a matter of luck. He can decide anything in a moment. For example, David Pastrnak was like that, but Sergei Bobrovsky closed his doors before the victory, giving “Florida” a chance to compete for the next round.

And the “panthers” took advantage of them! No one stopped Carter Veraga from taking a fatal shot. Just look at these feelings! “Boston”, who was expected to win the Stanley Cup, was eliminated from the tournament in the first place!

History repeats itself. Sergei Bobrovsky, who defended the doors of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019, missed the Tampa regular season winners to the second round. Four years later, the great Russian goalkeeper did the same to NHL record holder Boston. Thanks to the amazing Dmitry Orlov for a strong and bright season. But then comes Sergei Bobrovsky.