May 5, 2024
Panthers’ Bobrovsky pulled after allowing 4 goals in Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final | CBC Sports

Panthers’ Bobrovsky pulled after allowing 4 goals in Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final | CBC Sports

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled midway through Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday after allowing four goals on 13 shots against host Vegas Golden Knights.

It marked the first time this postseason the 13-year veteran gave up four goals in consecutive games. He also yielded four in each of his last two regular-season games.

Jonathan Marchessault and Alec Martinez gave Vegas a two-goal lead in the first period as the Golden Knights looked to grab a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. Nicolas Roy made it 3-0 just 2:59 into the second period, and Brett Howden ended Bobrovsky’s night minutes later when he deked his way across the crease and tapped the puck into a wide-open net.

Alex Lyon, who opened the playoffs as Florida’s starter, replaced Bobrovsky after Howden scored 7:10 into the second.

Bobrovsky was the hottest goaltender around coming into the final, winning 11 of 12 games and stopping 438 of 465 shots during that span for a 1.95 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

So far in the final, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner has a 5.52 GAA and .826 save percentage.

Eichel sustains injury, returns

Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel briefly left the game late in the second period after sustaining an apparent right shoulder injury, but he returned at the start of the third period.

Eichel was skating out of his own zone when the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk made a hard shoulder-to-shoulder hit near the line that knocked Eichel onto his back and also sent his helmet flying.

Eichel, who assisted on Marchessault’s goal in the first period, got up and immediately skated to the locker room while grimacing in pain.

At the start of the third period, Eichel was back on the Vegas bench, and he returned to assist Marchessault again at 2:10 of the third to put the Golden Knights up 5-1.

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