Reinhart, Bobrovsky help Team McDavid reach All-Star Game final
Bobrovsky made several sparkling saves during his two games of All-Star action
The Florida Panthers were represented by forward Sam Reinhart and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto.
Both were drafted by team captain Connor McDavid and as such, got to play on the same squad.
The first game featured McDavid’s squad facing the team captained by Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.
It took a while for the game to pick up in the excitement department, tied just 1-1 after the opening ten-minute half.
Bobrovsky came in relief of Connor Hellebuyck for the second half of the game and was immediately met by a pair of odd-man rushes, neither of which ended up in the back of the net.
Unfortunately for Bob, the defensive effort was lacking by Team McDavid and eventually the pucks began to squeak by.
Goals by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nathan MacKinnon less than a minute apart gave Team Yellow a late two-goal lead, but Bobrovsky continued to stand tall, finishing with eight saves, several of which appeared to be of the high-danger variety.
Then the Comeback Cats effect kicked in.
With Bobrovsky on the bench for an extra attacker, first it was David Pastrnak scoring with 32 seconds left to draw Team White within one, and then 26 seconds later it was Captain McDavid tying the game for his squad and sending the game to a shootout.
It was there that Bobrovsky shined bright for his team.
He stopped both Sidney Crosby and MacKinnon, allowing Pastrnak to net the game-winner on his Bruins teammate Jeremy Swayman.
Bob and Reinhart would then have some time off while watching Team Matthews defeat Team Hughes, also in a shootout.
The ASG Final match started much like Bob’s time in the first game, with him getting shelled.
Team Matthews held a 1-0 lead and 5-0 shot advantage in the first four minutes, scoring on a backdoor pass to Filip Forsberg.
Reinhart, who was held off the scoresheet of the first game, made a nice defensive play on Mitch Marner to help out his goaltending teammate, and about a minute later the game was tied thanks to a Boone Jenner goal, his second of the day.
The first half of the final ended with Bobrovsky making his best save of the day, sliding to his right and robbing Marner with a great blocker save. Marner reacted by playfully throwing one of his gloves at Bob.
Florida’s All-Star tendie finished the day with 18 saves on 23 shots, and his perfect 2-for-2 performance in the opening game’s shootout. He left with the final tied at three.
Unfortunately for the Panthers contingent but fortunately for the home Toronto fans, the second half was all Team Matthews.
They claimed the final by a 7-4 final, with Matthews taking home the MVP.
Reinhart finished the two games with no points, three shots on goal and a plus-one rating.
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