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Sergei Bobrovsky is feeling philosophical.
The Florida Panthers goaltender is trying to describe what’s made him and rookie Spencer Knight so formidable together sharing Florida’s crease this season. But how to articulate the unique alliance of a goalie tandem?
Teams match players and hope for the best. Spend over a decade in the NHL like Bobrovsky has, and you churn through a fair share of partners. What he’s learned about the best unions is that they strike a fine balance between support and space.
“[Spencer and I] have a good relationship. But also, each of us has our own journey,” Bobrovsky told ESPN recently. “We serve the team. We work, we compete and we try to complement the team with the best goaltending. And then each of us has their own life, their own destiny. So you build in that and try to be your own kind of successful every day.”
Hey, whatever works. And there’s no arguing with the Panthers’ results.
Florida opened its season at 10-0-1, the last NHL team without a regulation loss. Bobrovsky was 6-0-0 in that stretch, with a .948 save percentage and 1.72 goals-against average. Knight was right behind him at 4-0-1, .918 and 2.51, respectively.
It hasn’t always been the norm to lean so heavily — and evenly — on two goaltenders. But the league has trended that way more recently, and the Panthers are an example of why goalie tandems can be so effective.
In 2010-11, a team’s No. 1 goalie averaged 54 starts per season. By 2018-19, that number was down to 50.
From 2000-01 to 2015-16, 23 goalies started 70 or more games 43 times. Only one goalie — Cam Talbot — has made 70 or more starts in the four full 82-game seasons since 2016-17.
Managing regular-season starts may also correlate with playoff success. In the last five 82-game seasons, the Stanley Cup winner’s top goaltender averaged 51 starts.
Prior to arriving in Florida, Bobrovsky was the undisputed No. 1 goalie in Columbus for seven seasons. He clocked 60-plus starts in three consecutive seasons…
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Source : espn
