The Florida Panthers edged out the New Jersey Devils last night in a close matchup.
The Devils failed to get a puck past Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida, as the Panthers pulled off a 1-0 win. A single goal was scored between the two teams, coming from Sam Reinhart.
In total, the Panthers had 24 shots on goal, while the Devils had 32.
Both Bobrovsky and Jake Allen delivered impressive performances in goal. Ultimately, Bobrovsky earned the shutout, making nine high-danger saves according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
After the game, Bovrovsky told the media and PanthersVision how he felt the game went.
“The team was great,” Bobrovsky said. “You’re not going to have a shutout without the teammates in front of you. They did a great job in front -- offensively and defensively.”
Jake Allen has served as the Devils' backup goalie this season. Alongside starter Jacob Markstrom, their tandem remains key for the team. Markstrom has started slowly this season, raising concerns. Markstrom has started the season 5-3-1, with a .864 save percentage.
Allen has won seven games with only four losses, holding a .920 save percentage. Allen has made a case for earning more time, especially after his performance on Thursday night against the Panthers.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe was honest about the loss with NJD.tv.
“We have to get one over the line with the chances that we get. We played a pretty hard road game here today,” Keefe said. “Their goalie was really good, and they got a world-class goal from a world-class player. That's the difference."
Bobrovsky has led the Panthers to two Stanley Cup Championships in two years. His talent and value to the team are undeniable. As for his personal performance last night, he shared his feelings with PantherVision after the game.
"Tonight, I felt great. I played my game," Bobrovsky said. “I was focused and tried to help the guys as much as I could.”
The Devils were shut out for the first time this season. Following the game, Jesper Bratt shared his perspective on the game with NJD.com.
“It was a tight game from start to finish, not a lot of high-danger chances from either side,” Bratt said. “It was good defense played by both sides. Whenever [Florida] had a rush or started picking up momentum, Jake was there. He had a great game for us, really strong performance that kept us in the game.”
The Devils now have a record of 13-6-1, while the Panthers improve to 11-8-1. The two teams will face one another again on March 3rd.