Panthers have nothing to lose by benching Sergei Bobrovsky

With 0-2 series deficit and on the brink of elimination, Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville has nothing to lose by benching Sergei Bobrovsky.

The New York Islanders beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Tuesday to take a 2-0  lead in their qualifier series. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was good in Game 1, stopping 28 of 30 shots in a 2-1 loss, but he allowed all four New York goals on 34 shots on Tuesday.

It was not all Bobrovsky’s fault in Game 2. After the Panthers killed a double minor and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, the Islanders scored three of the game’s next four goals in the second period. New York took advantage of the sloppy Panthers in the middle period, and they ultimately went 2-for-7 on the power play for the game.

Should Sergei Bobrovsky be benched?

The Panthers ponied up for Bobrovsky last offseason, giving him a seven-year, $70 million contract. He didn’t deliver anywhere near to the level of his salary during the regular season, with a 23-19-6 record, a 3.23 goals against average and a .900 save percentage in 50 games (49 starts). But his contract assures he’s not going anywhere as Florida’s No. 1 goaltender anytime soon, for worse or better.

In 12 games (11 starts) this season, Chris Driedger went 7-2-1 with a .938 save percentage. The small sample should be noted, as well as the total of 15 games Driedger has on his NHL resume right now. But the 26-year old has put up good numbers over more extended action in the AHL and ECHL over the last few years.

In the NHL playoffs, at least in a normal year, a hot goalie can take a team very far. Bobrovsky is hardly a hot goalie right now, and it’s worth wondering where his confidence is heading into Wednesday’s Game 3.

It won’t be easy for Panthers coach Joel Quenneville to bench Bobrovsky. But in the face of elimination, a switch to Driedger might spark something and there’s absolutely nothing to lose.