Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky recorded his fourth career Stanley Cup playoff shutout on Thursday. The native of Novokuznetsk, Russia also notched the first shutout of the 2025 National Hockey League postseason as the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0. With the win, the Panthers take a two games to none series lead in the best out of seven series. What was most impressive about the two Panthers wins is the fact they both came on the road.
Inside look at the shutout
Bobrovsky made 19 saves. He had seven saves in the first period, nine saves in the second period, and three saves in the third period. What was the most staggering was the fact that the Lightning only had three shots on goal in the final 20 minutes when they have so much offensive firepower, headlined by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov of Maykop, Russia.
The Lightning players to lead the team in shots on goal in game two were defensemen Ryan McDonagh of St. Paul, Minnesota and Erik Cernak of Kosice, Slovakia. When it is two defensive minded blueliners who had a combined total of seven goals throughout the regular season, are the ones leading Tampa Bay in shots on goal, the Panthers must be thrilled, and the Lightning must be deeply concerned.
Offensively, the Panthers got goals from defenseman Nate Schmidt of St. Cloud, Minnesota and Sam Bennett of Holland Landing, Ontario. Schmidt scored at 4:15 of the first period, and Bennett scored into an empty net four seconds left in the third priod.
What are Bobrovsky’s three prior playoff shutouts?
Bobrovsky’s first playoff shutout came on May 22, 2023 in game three of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, a 1-0 Panthers win over the Carolina Hurricanes. That was followed by a shutout on May 22, 2024, in game one of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, a 3-0 Panthers win over the New York Rangers, and a shutout on June 8, 2024 in game one of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, a 3-0 Panthers win over the Edmonton Oilers.
