Sergei Bobrovsky’s secret to success? His preperation

During Stanley Cup Final media day in Edmonton, Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito opened up on starting netminder Sergei Bobrovsky’s secret to his success and how he has helped lead the Panthers to a third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Bobrovsky’s ability to turn his game up a notch at this point in the season is the reason why Florida has won the Eastern Conference in each of the past three seasons. Bobrovsky finds ways to make big saves in key moments, doing more than simply giving his team a chance to win.

This past season, Bobrovsky put together a 33-19-2 record to go with a 2.44 goals against average and a .906 save percentage in 54 games. Throughout the playoffs, Bobrovsky has put together a 12-5 record, a 2.11 goals against average and a .912 save percentage, along with three shutouts.

“It’s been well, well chronicled and documented,” Zito said about Bobrovsky’s path to success. “His preparation, his attention to detail and his consistency with the way he handles himself every single day, preparing for practice in practice, pregame and postgame.”

“There’s a reason that he’s been able to sustain that high level of play. That’s the answer. It’s not a secret. He’s a pro. He’s a pro’s pro and somebody that I think every player will tell you. If you want to know why a guy is successful, it’s because of the way he prepares and the way that he does his job.”

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis pointed out in his Skinner versus Bobrovsky piece that, “Bobrovsky absolutely dominated the Hurricanes’ duo of Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov, with Bobrovsky’s GSAx of 3.56 showcasing some of his best playoff hockey to date.” If Bobrovsky can keep up these ludicrous numbers, the Russian netminder and Vezina Trophy winner will have no problem winning a second straight Stanley Cup.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for Wednesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 8 p.m. ET.