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Morning Coffee: Bobrovsky emerges as the favourite to win Conn Smythe Trophy
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You’re back on the case, Bobrovsky.
After shutting out the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 18 of the 19 shots that he faced to lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-1 win in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Bobrovsky became just the seventh goaltender in the Modern Era (1943-44) to allow one goal or fewer through the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final.
He’s the first goalie to accomplish that feat since Chris Osgood did it for the Detroit Red Wings back in 2008.
With the 4-1 victory, the Panthers took a 2-0 series lead and went from -250 to -500 to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel.
The latter number represents an 83.3 per cent implied probability that Florida goes on to win it all.
Teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final have a 49-5 series record all-time.
Only three teams in NHL history have blown a 2-0 series lead after winning the first two games on home ice.
Turning the page this morning, the Oilers are -134 for a must-win Game 3 on home ice on Thursday night and +375 to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel.
With just one goal through the first two games of the series, their biggest obstacle remains finding a way to solve Bobrovsky.
Considering the circumstances, it’s not a surprise that the veteran goaltender has emerged as the favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at FanDuel.
This is the Morning Coffee for Tuesday, June 11th, 2024.
Bobrovsky Emerges As The Favourite To Win Conn Smythe Trophy
Connor McDavid was considered an obvious favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at FanDuel at the start of the Stanley Cup Final.
Behind the Oilers’ captain, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and Bobrovsky could all be found between +400 and +600 to win that award as the top three candidates for the Panthers.
With the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final in the books, Bobrovsky is now the obvious favourite at -160.
Bobrovsky has made a combined 50 saves while allowing just one goal in the series, becoming the first goalie since saves were first tracked in 1955-56 to record 50 saves while allowing just one goal or fewer through two games in the Stanley Cup Final.
The 35-year-old has allowed two goals or fewer in 12 of his last 13 playoff games, joining Jonathan Quick (2012), Patrick Lalime (2003), Arturs Irbe (2002), and Ed Belfour (1998, 2000) as the only goalies in NHL history that have done it in 12 of 13 starts within a single postseason.
After recording a 32-save shutout in Game 1 versus Edmonton, Bobrovsky needed to make just 18 saves to secure the victory in Game 2.
The Oilers generated just one high-danger chance across all situations in Game 2.
Somehow, they didn’t record a single high-danger chance at 5-on-5.
While Bobrovsky was outstanding in the series opener, he didn’t have to be last night.
That must be the biggest concern for Edmonton as the Stanley Cup Final shifts to Alberta for Game 3.
With Bobrovsky playing at a high level through two wins and Barkov suffering an injury in Game 2, Bobrovsky has emerged as the obvious favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at FanDuel.
Bobrovsky’s odds to win that award were cut from +210 to -160 at FanDuel following last night’s win.
The Panthers’ goaltender is an obvious favourite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at this point.
Still, there’s time for Edmonton to turn things around.
There’s no doubt that the Stanley Cup Final has been one-sided through the first two games in Florida.
Now it’s up to the Oilers to respond as the favourite to win Game 3 on home ice on Thursday night.