Sergei Bobrovsky absent from Panthers practice, questionable for Game 7
Practice got underway in Florida this morning, and Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was not on the ice for his usual pre-game routine.
Instead, Anthony Stolarz and Spencer Knight were the two goaltenders out for Panthers practice today. For Bobrovsky to alter his pre-game routine so much before the biggest game of his career is incredibly strange, and it could mean that he may not be available for Game 7.
Sergei Bobrovsky strangely absent from Panthers practice before Game 7
It may be most likely that Bobrovsky is battling through an injury and will play Game 7, but since Game 3 of this series, Bobrovsky has been seriously struggling. As the Oilers have come storming back to tie the series, Bobrovksy's save percentage cratered to a horrific .785 from Game 4-6. There was a time in this series that Bobrovksy was a near shoe-in for the Conn Smythe Trophy, and now there's not a chance McDavid could lose it.
If Paul Maurice is really looking to put a shot in the arm of his team and is worried about the play from Sergei Bobrovsky in the last three games, perhaps the Panthers are planning to turn to backup Anthony Stolarz. It's very possible that an injury could be really affecting Bobrovsky's play, and Maurice wants the healthier option in net.
Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad was also absent from practice today, but will still likely play through an injury in Game 7. On the other hand, multiple reporters noted how unusual it is for Bobrovksy to miss time.
If the Panthers play Game 7 without their $10.5M starting goalie Bobrovksy for any reason, it will be a huge loss to the team, and would potentially benefit the Edmonton Oilers. The thought of a backup goaltender facing the red-hot Oilers would be a terrifying thought for any opposing player, and it looks like there's a possibility it could happen in Game 7.
Source: Tom Gulitti
Oddly, Sergei Bobrovsky is not one of the two goalies warming up
| POLL | ||
Do you think Sergei Bobrovsky will play Game 7 no matter what? | ||
| Yes, Bobrovsky will play | 504 | 82.5 % |
| If he's hurt, they won't play him | 53 | 8.7 % |
| They'll start Stolarz, Bobrovsky is struggling | 54 | 8.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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