Bobrovsky stopped 30 of 31 shots in the Blue Jackets 3-1 win over the Lightning in Game 3. Bobrovsky has been excellent for the Blue Jackets, pushing them to a 3-0 series lead after a disappointing first period in Game 1—since then, Bobrovsky has stopped 69 of the 71 shots (.972 SV%) he has faced. Bobrovsky has put past playoff disappointments behind him and has the Blue Jackets in a spot to sweep the Lightning tonight.
Bobrovsky allowed one goal on 24 shots in the Blue Jackets 5-1 victory in Tampa Bay in Game 2. Bobrovsky has a history of playing poorly in the playoffs, but so far he has stopped 49 of the 53 shots (.925 SV%) that he has faced to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead. Now they return to Columbus, where Bobrovsky was 18-13-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .907 SV% in 32 appearances this season.
Bobrovsky didn’t have his best season but finished the season extremely hot, going 6-1-0 with a 1.50 GAA, .947 SV% and three shutouts in his last seven starts of the year. Despite the hot finish, Bobrovsky is 5-12 with a 3.37 GAA and .898 SV% in 17 playoff games with the Blue Jackets. He will have a difficult time improving those playoff numbers against a Lightning team that won 62 games this season and outscored the Blue Jackets 17-to-3 in their three meetings this season.
Bobrovsky stopped all 38 shots that he faced in the Blue Jackets shutout win in Buffalo on Sunday. The suddenly red-hot Bobrovsky has won five in a row with a 0.80 GAA, .971 SV% and three shutouts and has the Blue Jackets sitting in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Bobrovsky stopped 28 of 29 shots in the Blue Jackets win over the Penguins on Saturday. Bobrovsky has put together back-to-back wins while stopping 57 of the 59 shots (.966 SV%) that he faced. Tonight he faces the Islanders for the third time this season—he is 0-2-0 with a 3.05 GAA and .893 SV% in the first two meetings.
Hutton allowed four goals on 45 shots in the Sabres loss in Chicago on Thursday. Hutton has lost three straight starts while allowing a combined 11 goals on 101 shots (.891 SV%). This afternoon he faces Colorado for the second time this season—he allowed six goals on 30 shots in a 6-1 loss in their first meeting of the season.
Bobrovsky played in eight games over a 14-day stretch and will be rested tonight in Pittsburgh, with Joonas Korpisalo getting the call. This is an ideal opportunity to give Bobrovsky a breather, as he is 11-8-5 with a 2.93 GAA and .906 SV% vs. the Penguins in his career.
