FORT Lauderdale, Fla. (AP) — The only time Sergei Bobrovsky really reflects on winning the Stanley Cup is the obvious moment. The ice celebration that night. The day of parade. Such a thing.
Otherwise, he did what he had been doing. He watched what was next.
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It's an easy way, and it works best for the Florida goalkeeper, who will play in the Stanley Cup final for the third straight season. Bobrovsky's savings percentage in these playoffs is higher than he posted a year ago on the championship run, and his goal averages are lower, Bobrovsky shows no sign of slowing down at 36.
In this championship series, he may again match Stuart Skinner with goalkeeper’s wisdom – Edmonton Netminder, who reached last year’s Stanley Cup final, when Florida topped the Oilers with a seven-game record. The first game was in Edmonton on Wednesday night.
"You love this moment and taste the moment," Bobrowski said. "You're not trying to cut off your thinking about what's going on in the future or the past. So you just want to take advantage of the opportunity again. It's a great opportunity. There are only two teams left with two teams, we're one of them, and we have a chance to win everything. It's an exciting time and I want to enjoy everything."
Bobrovsky has been the only goalkeeper in Florida during these playoffs. It's a different story for Edmonton. Skinner made the starter in the playoffs before losing to Calvin Pickard and then getting it back. The Oilers need 12 wins to reach the finals, obviously: Skinner won 6 wins and Picard won the other 6 games.
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But Skinner just didn't have the numbers he has now before he was replaced in the playoffs. He had 3.39 GAA and .872 savings percentage in his first six playoff appearances. He has a savings percentage of 1.25 GAA and 0.952 in the last four games, and all have won Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. He seemed to be more confident. Skinner said that's not the case.
“I used to feel confident,” Skinner said. “This is life as a goalkeeper.”
That said, Skinner does admit that those games against Dallas feel differently.
"It's the ebb and flow of the tide," Skinner said. "You can feel it right away. Sometimes you don't feel it right away. I mean, I wish I felt it all the time."
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Bobrovsky almost made his career trying to avoid ebbs and flows. Black Panther has completely trusted him and what he needs to do. Panthers coach Paul Maurice often says - and he's not kidding - he doesn't have coach Bobrovsky. Robb Tallas is a goalkeeper coach at Florida, who works with Bobrovsky, whose job is to say hello and nothing else.
Bobrowsky rewards trust.
"I've said it a lot, and I'm lucky with the team," Bobrowski said. "You guys, management, coaches. The coaches allow me to do my things, which is important, especially at my age. To have to do what I need, I believe, I believe everything - where I am, who is around me.
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