It’s time for the Florida Panthers to make a change.
The Cats dropped Game 1 of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Washington Capitals before rebounding to even things up in Game 2. One may have expected the Panthers to have things under control after a hiccup in the first contest, but that may not be the case.
Game 3 in Washington went to the Caps, 6-1, putting Florida in a 2-1 series hole while raising concerns again over the Panthers’ ability to earn their first series win since 1996.
For me, this series deficit is particularly concerning, because I picked the Panthers to sweep the Capitals. This felt like a matchup in which Florida should have excelled, yet things have been anything but smooth. Luckily, there is a fix for the Cats.
The Panthers need to make a big change for Game 4.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has started the first three games of this series, and in the first two, he was really good. He allowed only four goals on 64 shots against, which gave his team every opportunity to win.
However, he has been known to struggle in the postseason (his career save percentage in the playoffs is .899), and in Game 3, he struggled against the Caps’ offense. Washington put the puck past the two-time Vezina Trophy winner five times on its way to a 6-1 win.
By no means is Bobrovsky squarely to blame for his team’s disappointing start to the playoffs, as the Panthers were held to one goal in a game for the first time since January. However, something has to change, and I’ve had my eye on Spencer Knight all season.
There have been several examples of young goaltenders making names for themselves in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in recent years, and Knight played very well toward the end of the regular season. It is entirely possible that he could be the next young goalie to steal the postseason spotlight.
The 21-year-old has pitched two shutouts in the last month and a half, including a 27-save effort against the Ottawa Senators in his regular season finale. Knowing that he has played well lately should give Florida the confidence necessary to insert him into the lineup.
A lot of credit goes to the Capitals, and little blame goes to Bobrovsky, but something has to change for the Panthers. Given Bob’s shaky playoff history and Knight’s ability to succeed, it’s time for the Cats to get out in front of their situation by tabbing the young netminder as the Game 4 starter.