Before the start of the playoffs, the NHL published a list of league site experts' predictions for the outcome of the first round series, and in the confrontation between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins, absolutely all authors preferred the latter. The choice was obvious — «Boston» walked through all the rivals in the championship and became the best club in the regular season, along the way setting a number of landmark records in the history of the NHL. “Florida” with great difficulty jumped into the playoffs, booking a place in the Stanley Cup at the very end of the championship.
Doubts in the output of the “Bruins” in the second round did not arise from anyone. And when the score in the series became 3-1 in favor of the Bears, the outcome of the confrontation seemed to be decided. Moreover, in the first four matches, the best club of the «regular season» won three victories with a total score of 13:5. The Bruins' last victory came in Sergei Bobrovsky's first game as a Florida starter in the current playoffs. Prior to this gate, “Panthers” defended Alex Lyon. But later, the experienced Russian goaltender took to robbing Boston and helped his team get two wins in a row and even the series score. turns only to the middle of the second period, when Florida led 2-0. It seemed that the favorite of the Stanley Cup “floated” and began to say goodbye to thoughts of the championship. It just seemed.
The first goal happened in the starting segment of the match, when the “Panthers” completely controlled the course of the meeting and had an advantage in shots on target. One of them ended with a goal by Brandon Montour with a simple throw from an uncomfortable hand. Jeremy Sveiman, unexpectedly for everyone, could not cope with him, and the defender of “Boston” Dmitry Orlov could only watch the puck flying into the goal.
Surprisingly, Sergey Bobrovsky also took part in the goal. Russian goalkeeper “Panthers” formally started the attack and entered the protocol as the second assistant. For the seasoned goaltender, who made his 50th NHL playoff game as a starter, it was the first scoring action of his career in the NHL playoffs.
In the entire history of the NHL playoffs, Bobrovsky became the sixth Russian goalkeeper who managed to score with an effective action. The leader in points among Russian goalkeepers is Igor Shesterkin (0 goals and 3 assists). This is followed by Evgeny Nabokov (0 +2), as well as Andrei Vasilevsky, Anton Khudobin and Nikolai Khabibulin (all — one assist each).
At the end of the period, Boston made an attempt to take revenge on Bobrovsky, but to no avail. The Russian goaltender went on a break with the net intact.
Instead, Florida doubled their lead in the very debut of the second period, and then the Bruins finally turned up the heat, declaring their intentions to make a comeback.
Numerical majority helped to win back one goal. On the third attempt, the «bears» sold «extra». Not without the participation of Dmitry Orlov, who assisted David Kreichi. Thanks to an assist, the Russian defender of “Boston”, who personally supports his friend and now former Washington Capitals partner Alexander Ovechkin, who went on an early vacation, became the sole leader in the list of scorers of the 2023 Stanley Cup among Russians. In seven games, Orlov scored 7 points (0 + 7) and outstripped the leader of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who was eliminated from the playoffs, Nikita Kucherov (1 + 5).
But Orlov did not stop there. At the very beginning of the third period, the Russian defender returned the “Boston” to the game: after throwing the puck into the goal of Bobrovsky, Tyler Bertuzzi corrected and gave Dmitry another assist in the current playoffs.
The Bruins were already unstoppable. The Boston machine began to attack Bobrovsky's possessions over and over again and instantly took the lead. The Russian goalkeeper coped with a powerful shot by Brandon Carlo, from which he hit the puck exactly on David Pastrnak. The Czech sniper did not forgive and scored his fifth goal in the current playoffs.
And everything went to the success of the winners of the «regular season» until «Florida» launched a counteroffensive. Removing Bobrovsky in exchange for a sixth outfield player in the end, the Panthers immediately equalized and sent the game into overtime with 59 seconds left in normal time!
It is interesting that those responsible for the broadcast schedule 25 seconds before the Panthers goal brought out the corresponding plate. The NHL seemed to know that the puck at the gate, “Boston” will definitely visit. And they were not mistaken.
Overtime, as you know, is always a matter of chance. One moment can decide everything. Such, for example, was David Pastrnyak, but Sergei Bobrovsky closed his gates before the victory and gave the “Florida” a chance to compete for access to the next round.
And the “Panthers” took advantage of it! Nobody prevented Carter Veraga from delivering the fatal shot. Just look at these emotions! Boston, which was predicted to win the Stanley Cup, is eliminated from the tournament in the first stage!
History repeats itself. In 2019, Sergei Bobrovsky, who defended the gates of the Columbus Blue Jackets, did not let the winners of the Tampa regular season into the second round. Four years later, the great Russian goaltender did the same to NHL-record holders Boston. Thanks to the magnificent Dmitry Orlov for a powerful and bright season. But then comes Sergei Bobrovsky.