NOTEBOOK: Panthers feeding off Bobrovsky's big saves

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Sergei Bobrovsky has been dialed in for the Florida Panthers.
One of the driving forces behind the team's current push for a playoff spot, the 34-year-old veteran has posted an 8-4-0 record with a .932 save percentage over his last 13 outings.
But for his teammates, it's been business as usual for the man they simply call "Bob."

"Nothing new to see," forward Sam Reinhart said following Thursday's practice at the Panthers IceDen. "He's the hardest worker day in, day out. To see him have that success and poise in the net is nothing new to us. We're just trying to make it as easy as possible on him. It seems like the timely saves are there for us right now."
Indeed they are.
Making high-danger saves look routine, Bobrovsky hasn't batted an eye in situations where his back has been up against a wall. Since Jan. 6, he ranks first in the NHL with 12.37 high-danger goals saved above average, according to the numbers at NaturalStatTrick.com.
In that same stretch, he ranks fourth in the NHL with 129 high-danger saves.
"It can change the momentum," Reinhart said of those big stops. "It can also kind of let you know on the bench as well that it's time to tighten it up. He's been a huge part of our success."
Adding more than a few clips to his personal highlight reel in 2023, one of Bobrovsky's biggest stops during this current run came during a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 4 when, despite losing his paddle, he slid across the net to rob Sidney Crosby with his blocker.

That win was one of three times in the last four games that Bobrovsky gave up just one goal.
"We would say the word is confidence," head coach Paul Maurice said of Bobrovsky being in the zone. "It gives you confidence on the bench that even if you get beat by one that doesn't mean there's another one going by him. He's been really strong. He's made big saves on good shots."
Starting 13 of the last 14 games, Bobrovsky, who will be between the pipes against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, is no stranger to managing a heavy workload. In fact, when asked about his increased role in recent post-game interviews, he's said that he truly relishes the opportunity.
A creature of habit, the more he plays, the more comfortable he gets in his routine.
And with the Panthers sitting just three points out of a playoff spot with 17 games left to play, Bobrovsky's teammates are confident that he'll give the team a chance to win every contest.
"Bob's been really good," forward Anton Lundell said. "He's been himself. He works super hard on and off the ice. He's always one of the first guys [to arrive] and one of the last guys to leave the rink. It's so much fun to follow him and try to learn from him."

DUCLAIR'S DAY OFF

Antony Duclair was the only player missing from Thursday's practice.
Maurice said the absence was due to an illness.
"He's not feeling great today," Maurice said. "We'll see where that brings us tomorrow."
Playing on the top line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Eetu Luostarinen during Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, Duclair has been on top of his game ever since he returned from an Achilles injury that had kept him out of the lineup for the first 60 games of the season.
In five games since coming back, he's logged one goal, two assists and a +5 rating.
When Duclair was on the ice at 5-on-5 against the Knights, Florida led 12-0 in scoring chances.
"It was my goal to come back and not really start from scratch," Duclair said last week. "It was my goal to be in mid-season form. I worked pretty hard to get there. I'm very happy and very pleased with the way I've come back so far and the way I've adapted to the system."
Stay tuned for updates on Duclair following morning skate on Friday.

THURSDAY'S PRACTICE LINES

Forwards
Eetu Luostarinen - Aleksander Barkov - Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk
Ryan Lomberg - Anton Lundell - Colin White
Nick Cousins - Eric Staal - Casey Fitzgerald
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal - Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura - Radko Gudas
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Alex Lyon