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Jackets need Bobrovsky to return to regular-season form

Sidney Crosby, Sergei Bobrovsky

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates assisting on a goal by Jake Guentzel as he skates around Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL first-round hockey playoff series in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

Sergei Bobrovsky was the MVP of the Blue Jackets this season.

He might even be a finalist for MVP of the league.

But Bobrovsky hasn’t been great in these playoffs. The 28-year-old goalie has allowed 11 goals in three games, all Columbus losses to Pittsburgh, for a save percentage of just .897.

Bobrovsky’s save percentage during the regular season was .932, and he’ll no doubt win another Vezina Trophy in recognition. If the Jackets have any chance of making it a series against the Penguins, he’ll need to be that goalie from now on.

“There’s no question, in the playoffs, your goaltender needs to be your best player,” head coach John Tortorella said this morning, per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. “Bob needs to be our best player tonight.”

Only four NHL teams have come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win, against almost 200 that have failed.

That said, two of the comebacks have occurred in the last decade, and it’s not like the Jackets have been badly outplayed by the Penguins.

If Bobrovsky can return to form tonight, the Jackets can at least get the series back to Pittsburgh and put a little pressure on the defending champs.