Bobrovsky's calmness, humility has Panthers two wins from Eastern Final

SUNRISE, Fla. --It was after Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round, a game Sergei Bobrovsky had stolen for the Florida Panthers, his final-second stop of forward Brad Marchand's breakaway keeping the Panthers alive long enough for a 4-3 overtime win that would propel them, after two more wins, into the second round, and Bobrovsky addressed his team.

He was given the game puck after making 44 saves on 47 shots, after demonstrating the form that had twice won him the Vezina Trophy, voted the best goalie in the NHL.

But Bobrovsky was not celebrating after that game. Or, not exactly.

"He goes, 'Everybody stay in your humble bubble,'" said Florida backup goalie Alex Lyon, who had started the first three games of the first-round series before ceding the net to Bobrovsky at the end of Game 3. "Obviously that just means we need to reset as quickly as possible, get back. It's been really valuable for me to understand the things that he does to bring yourself down after a super emotional win."

Bobrovsky reset. The Panthers reset. They advanced, shocking the Bruins with three straight wins, a streak that has stretched to five straight after taking the first two games of the Eastern Conference Second Round on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, as they prepare for Game 3 of the best-of-7 series at FLA Live Arena on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET; TBS, CBC, SN, TVAS), the message remains the same.

"It's been feeling well," Bobrovsky said Saturday. "We have a good atmosphere in the locker room. We get closer and closer to each other. Lots of good feelings. But again, at the same time, we're excited and humble because it's the playoffs. We're playing good teams. We're staying humble and staying focused."

RELATED: [Complete Maple Leafs vs. Panthers series coverage]

With Florida doing what no one expected -- first vanquishing Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston and now going up 2-0 on Toronto -- Bobrovsky has been its backbone. Ever calm. Ever professional. It's a role he will play yet again in Game 3.

"We're not really looking about what's this worry," Bobrovsky said. "It's all about one moment, one game at a time, one shift at a time."

It's part of what has made Lyon so keen to watch Bobrovsky, knowing where he has been and how he has gotten there, and the strength and focus it has taken to keep himself at the level where, at age 34, he has been able to turn an up-and-down season into a tour de force at exactly the right time.

Bobrovsky started 49 games this season, going 24-20-3 with a 3.07 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout, all numbers off the ones he put up in 2012-13 (21-11-6, 2.00 GAA, .932 save percentage, four shutouts) and 2016-17 (41-17-5, 2.06 GAA .931 save percentage, seven shutouts), when he won the Vezina.

But neither of those seasons saw Bobrovsky get past the first round of the playoffs.

Asked to assess his game, Bobrovsky deflected, "It's tough to say your game is at a high level or a low level. It's about also what's going on around you. I'm really happy to be part of these games, to play this hockey at this time of the year. Fortunate for that. I'm excited to compete against the best guys in the world. They've got really good offensive guys and it's a go0d challenge for me, a good challenge for us, and we're excited about it."

They're excited about the position they're in, as Bobrovsky has helped to push the Panthers toward the Eastern Conference Final, having given up two goals in each of the first two games of the second round against the Maple Leafs.

"He's been lights out," defenseman Radko Gudas said. "He's been there for us the whole time he's in and he's giving us the confidence for us to play the way we can and stop everything he could. And I'm really happy for him, the way he handles himself, too. He's the hardest-working guy on our team, so it's no surprise for us that he's getting ready for all these shots."

It's that work, that preparation, that Lyon continues to be in awe of, something he has watched since he first watched Bobrovsky during training camp.

"Whether it was Dec. 20, when I first came up, or April 20, he's the same person, approaches the game the same way," Lyon said.

But there was no guarantee it would have gone this way. After coach Paul Maurice inserted Bobrovsky in Game 3 against Boston, he had the veteran start Game 4, his first start since March 27. Bobrovsky allowed five goals on 30 shots in the game that put Florida one loss from being out of the playoffs, down 3-1 in the series.

Instead of going back to Lyon, Maurice stuck with Bobrovsky. It has paid off.

"That's the weight of leadership -- and I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about him," Maurice said. "He's a veteran guy that is a really important part of our team and when you get into those elimination games, the players have to take that burden of leadership and he certainly did that.

"Sergei came in and has been solid and strong and consistent, and so that's how he makes the team feel in front of him."

It's because of the way Bobrovsky performs, but also because of those details, because of that preparation, because they see him coming in on those off-days to work with the coaches, the way he takes care of himself and doesn't ever skimp, even at 34.

"That's a big thing even for the young guys to come in and see the way he works," Gudas said, "the way a superstar like that is still on top of his game and doing everything possible for every single night, not just for the future but for the game that's coming up."

Two more wins and Bobrovsky will reach the Eastern Conference Final, a place he has never been in his career. If it happens, he will be ready.

"He knows how to handle himself in these pressure situations and down 3-1 in that last series was big, a lot of momentum coming against him, a lot of pressure," Gudas said. "He's the man for the job. He's doing it for us."