http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A goaltender's mandate is to give his team a chance to win. Marc-Andre Fleury failed in that endeavor Wednesday night, as his coach, Dan Bylsma, pointed out afterward.
PITTSBURGH - APRIL 14: Marc-Andre Fleury(notes) #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save against the Ottawa Senators in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on April 14, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)Fleury was far from the Penguins' only problem. And he was victimized by a few bad bounces in a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
But you can't give up a short-side goal to Chris Neil and a ridiculous goal to Jarkko Ruutu and feel too good about your night.
I would imagine those were the goals Bylsma was referring to when asked to evaluate Fleury's performance.
"I think there's a couple that he's going to be thinking about, that he's gonna want back," Bylsma said, "and (he) knows he can be a lot better in those situations to give us a chance."
Translation: He didn't give us a chance.
Not that the Penguins really deserved one. It might be better in the long run that they didn't steal this game, because that would have been fool's gold. They were outplayed and must change their ways against a patient, systematic, muck-it-up Senators team.
By the middle of the second period, the befuddled Penguins had managed all of seven shots — to Ottawa's 17 — and trailed, 3-1.
That, after a rousing start.
Everybody wondered if the Penguins could change their inconsistent ways and flip the proverbial switch at playoff time. An early omen portended good things: Just before the opening faceoff, the Mellon Arena lights flashed the following message on the ice surface — "Consol Energy, America's On Switch."
Soon after, with a white-out crowd rocking, the Penguins swarmed. Max Talbot (remember him?) drew a penalty, and Evgeni Malkin converted with a short-side blast at 3:03. Chris Kunitz followed up with a serious search-and-destroy mission on Chris Campoli.
Felt like old times.
Then the lights went out. The Penguins did not record another shot for more than 16 minutes.
Which was a shame, because Ottawa's rookie goaltender, Brian Elliott, seemed capable of giving up a goal on any puck directed at him from inside the red line. He fumbled Tyler Kennedy's harmless blue-line shot a minute in and never seemed to settle down. The Penguins just didn't test him enough.
"(Ottawa) played the same way all night," Penguins winger Craig Adams said. "They took their opportunities, and they played a smart defensive game."
The shutdown defense pair of Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov lived up to its reputation, stifling Sidney Crosby (two shots), while teammates peppered pucks past Fleury.
"Any time there's so many goals against us, it's frustrating, for sure," Fleury said.
Peter Regin, Neil and Chris Kelly scored unanswered, Kelly's goal coming on a lucky bounce off the glass on Campoli's dump-in — the kind of bounce that probably had folks wondering if the Hockey Gods might not want a different Cup champion this season.
Ottawa led, 4-2, going into the second intermission, and that had to be comforting. The Senators were 28-1 when leading after two periods. Adams' goal at 5:16 of the third made for a brief Penguins' revival, but Fleury allowed Ruutu to beat him from the low left circle at 9:40, sending the crowd back into its slumber.
By the way, has anyone seen Alexei Ponikarovsky? For a guy who stands 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, he manages to go unnoticed for uncommonly long stretches. He had one shot. Linemate Ruslan Fedotenko (no shots), has spent about 60 games on IR — Invisible Reserve — this season.
It's time for those guys to wake up and for the Penguins to simplify their game. Get pucks deep and pound the Ottawa defense. Get Mike Rupp in the lineup, as well, to add some size and punch.
Something better change before Game 2, or people will be wondering if that might mark the Igloo's final game.
I don't think so.
I think the Penguins will perk up and win this series — but only if their goalie gives them a chance.
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