What the pens did to clb last game was FAR more impressive. Their goalie didnt hand them any goals. All screens and deflections and hard work. Fleury just showed exactly how broken of a person he has become for reasons only he knows. Just like real people in real jobs, sometimes you lose your passion for what you do. No manager(coach) or supervisor(captain) can get that back for you, it has to come from inside, or you move on to something else. Fleury has had four years to figure it out and if it hasnt happened yet its not going to, period. Get the Kooner in there with Zatkoff backing him up and sit fleury until you give him away this summer. His time with this team is over.

Agree a meltdown has insued. Hes been our best player until approx. 20 seconds left but is anyone else asking why SID... perhaps seeking his 1st goal cruises in on empty net 2 defenders and doesn't pick up dumbinsky in his zone. Bylsma has run his course the locker room is player friendly buddy buddy . Im starting to question sids leadership skills to call out ppl . Bring in TOCCHET as coach and steal hextall for gm .

This whole team should be called into question. As a Sens fan I shouldn't say much but I'm also a pens fan. Fleury ain't there upstairs. But how in the hell did shero not pick someone up with experience at the deadline. Brodeur. Halak. Neuvirth. Thomas. Ellis. Anyone with more experience than zatkoff or more games played this season than vokoun.

Where is Crosby. Malkin. Neal.

How about Bylsma. Bad game planning.

My god. It's a mess. They may squeak it out but they haven't been the better team.

This whole team should be called into question. As a Sens fan I shouldn't say much but I'm also a pens fan. Fleury ain't there upstairs. But how in the hell did shero not pick someone up with experience at the deadline. Brodeur. Halak. Neuvirth. Thomas. Ellis. Anyone with more experience than zatkoff or more games played this season than vokoun.

Where is Crosby. Malkin. Neal.

How about Bylsma. Bad game planning.

My god. It's a mess. They may squeak it out but they haven't been the better team.
- BodyCheckRadio

Thomas....


I'd give my left nut for Tim Thomas to be a Penguin right now.....

I don't blame fleury at all this game should have been salted away before the 3rd even started but just like every game the team never plays a full 60 minutes and quit after they went up 3. All that needs to be pointed to for the reason for the loss is the penguins were outshot 46-25.
- Genev21

Don't blame him at all? Not even a little? For needlessly wandering from his net with 25 seconds to play, and then whiffing on the puck? Or for allowing a shot to get past him that has Darius Kasparaitis and Dave Volek considering suing for trademark infringement? Those are both perfectly excusable?

Not saying it all needs to be heaped on him, but he had made an awful decision leaving the net on the tying goal, and clearly never recovered and it led to the GWG.

I have no idea what happened to the Fleury of 08 and 09, but he's gone and never coming back. He's been given more than enough opportunities to regain that form. And yes, some of these playoffs he had depleted lineups and inferior defense corps in front of him. But blowing 3-1 leads against Montreal, and Tampa, the mess that was the Flyers series and his inability to perform behind a defense that Tomas Vokoun was able to get to the ECF is enough. And the team's confidence in him is painfully obvious in the way they play with a lead. They go into such a prevent defense that it leads to the shot disparity we saw tonight. They have no confidence in him. They're playing like they think any shot can go in, no matter how weak or far away it is. It seems the Pens best chance is to play from behind when they have no choice but to push the play, take chances and be aggressive. Whenever they have the option of retreating they do, and it backfires.

Don't blame him at all? Not even a little? For needlessly wandering from his net with 25 seconds to play, and then whiffing on the puck? Or for allowing a shot to get past him that has Darius Kasparaitis and Dave Volek considering suing for trademark infringement? Those are both perfectly excusable?

Not saying it all needs to be heaped on him, but he had made an awful decision leaving the net on the tying goal, and clearly never recovered and it led to the GWG.

I have no idea what happened to the Fleury of 08 and 09, but he's gone and never coming back. He's been given more than enough opportunities to regain that form. And yes, some of these playoffs he had depleted lineups and inferior defense corps in front of him. But blowing 3-1 leads against Montreal, and Tampa, the mess that was the Flyers series and his inability to perform behind a defense that Tomas Vokoun was able to get to the ECF is enough. And the team's confidence in him is painfully obvious in the way they play with a lead. They go into such a prevent defense that it leads to the shot disparity we saw tonight. They have no confidence in him. They're playing like they think any shot can go in, no matter how weak or far away it is. It seems the Pens best chance is to play from behind when they have no choice but to push the play, take chances and be aggressive. Whenever they have the option of retreating they do, and it backfires.
- schiefer466

Game should have been out of reach but the team stopped playing in front of him. He can't make a mistake costing them the game of the team doesn't do anything after the first 13 minutes.

Game should have been out of reach but the team stopped playing in front of him. He can't make a mistake costing them the game of the team doesn't do anything after the first 13 minutes.
- Genev21

Well said.

They put it on cruise control and hung him out to dry.

Well said.

They put it on cruise control and hung him out to dry.
- Ben37

Nah, they played scared in front of him, even when they were up 3-0

Game should have been out of reach but the team stopped playing in front of him. He can't make a mistake costing them the game of the team doesn't do anything after the first 13 minutes.
- Genev21

The two awful goals he allowed had nothing to do with them not playing in front of him though. Sure the game should have been out of reach but he was in position to steal a game for the Pens something that has been rare of late from him in the postseason and instead he chokes majorly. It just wasn't one blunder either but two. It's not like he allowed two blistering slapshots that were screened in front of him or goals on odd man rushes because of defensive lapses. Those goals were all on him. Definitely there is plenty of blame to go around, especially with their lack of intensity after going up by three, but MAF definitely deserves his share in this loss without a doubt. When he let that tying one in did anyone honestly feel that the next one he would let in wouldn't be a bad one? Unfortunately we've seen it before way too many times.

He needs to rebound big time on Saturday. Will the MAF be the one that played in the first 59 minutes and 30 seconds show up or the one that looked like he never played goalie in his life? It seems like we ask that question all the time with him. I will still sick with him though.

Game should have been out of reach but the team stopped playing in front of him. He can't make a mistake costing them the game of the team doesn't do anything after the first 13 minutes.
- Genev21

Ok, so I'll concede that the game SHOULD have been out of reach. But it wasn't and he f'ed up terribly. Twice. The team shouldn't have to give themselves such a cushion to allow for when Fleury inevitably implodes they still will win. He should just not make those mistakes, regardless the score, or what period, or what game.

Fleury has not had the greatest of games tonite, OT goal was bad but he's also been saving you guys big time too. Getting rid of fleury won't cure the playoff problem they hang him out too many times because the team defensive scheme doesn't seem to be working come playoff time.

This whole team should be called into question. As a Sens fan I shouldn't say much but I'm also a pens fan. Fleury ain't there upstairs. But how in the hell did shero not pick someone up with experience at the deadline. Brodeur. Halak. Neuvirth. Thomas. Ellis. Anyone with more experience than zatkoff or more games played this season than vokoun.

Where is Crosby. Malkin. Neal.

How about Bylsma. Bad game planning.

My god. It's a mess. They may squeak it out but they haven't been the better team.
- BodyCheckRadio

Agreed they should have looked at a veteran back up for the playoffs in case of something happening where they question Fleury. I'm not sure what the cap space is like though so good chance they were prevented from doing anything or cost was too high.

Crosby and Malkin no goals again. Arent they paid to produce in big games?

Thomas....


I'd give my left nut for Tim Thomas to be a Penguin right now.....
- TheGame316

No way, we don't need another wingnut for this clap trap of a team. Are you nuts?

While you've got some decent points, how does Fleury trust a team that stops playing in front of him as routinely as this team does?

They give opposing teams free reign to hang out in his crease with impunity. They are awful at clearing lanes so he can see the puck. And they don't backcheck when they have a leads. And don't even get me started on their lackadaisical puck play that so often leads to giving up numerous odd-man breaks against him or breakaways. Especially in situations where they should be controlling possession.

Or like in the case of last night, when 18 guys played for the first 10 minutes before deciding that it was ok to play prevent hockey for 50 minutes at half speed.

Sorry. Not buying it. You can argue optics or whatever, but when his team hangs him out to dry as often as they have, maybe he should go just to find some teammates that'll actually care about helping him out.

This team plays scared. They are as fragile as wafer cookies. Why is that? A combination of talent without the physical strength or courage is possible. The other is the creation of a team and coaches by a GM who likes a skilled team but is unable or unwilling to use the youth and talent the team has assembled with a win now excuse for playing vets who are past their prime is another. It has been so for several years now and we can speculate as to why. It's difficult to know for sure.

But the word I would use to describe this team's character come playoff time is fragile. Glass items are very beautiful but they crack under pressure. Maybe it's coach Dan's high strung nature, maybe it's the lack of heart and soul guys like Talbot, Dupuis, etc. Fragile and kind of sad. I feel bad from Fleury and the team. I don't think Fleury should start, he is damaged IMO. I guess start Zatcoff. It may not make much difference based on their inability to play defense properly. Groundhog Day here we go again.

Ok, so I'll concede that the game SHOULD have been out of reach. But it wasn't and he f'ed up terribly. Twice. The team shouldn't have to give themselves such a cushion to allow for when Fleury inevitably implodes they still will win. He should just not make those mistakes, regardless the score, or what period, or what game.
- schiefer466

They took a 3-0 lead and then skated at half speed for 50 minutes, hoping to win by attrition. Had they kept any degree of effort and prevented their goalie from getting shelled for 40 plus shots because they didnt' feel like skating, they wouldn't have had to worry about it coming down to the last 30 seconds.

We'd be female doging about it if it was a football team getting an early 30 point lead and playing 50 minutes of prevent defense and expecting to win because we know that doesn't work. That's what they played in front of him for 50 minutes tonight.

Fleury has not had the greatest of games tonite, OT goal was bad but he's also been saving you guys big time too. Getting rid of fleury won't cure the playoff problem they hang him out too many times because the team defensive scheme doesn't seem to be working come playoff time.
- Yeti1181

This is too true.


While I don't like how the team went into a shell for the last 30 minutes, it did work. There was a 13 minute stretch in the third when they help a desperate hockey team without a shot. The tying goal was one part bad decision and one part bad luck.

Also, as good as Blysma has been this series, he had his worst defensive pairing out there in the last minute.

And can we agree to leave Vokoun's name out if this? Dude has played 2 AHL games in the last year, and wasn't all that great. Hrs not even practicing full time.

Zatkoff scares me too... He's played well this season, but had a Fleury-like melt down in WBS last season and was benched for the end of the playoffs.

This is too true.


While I don't like how the team went into a shell for the last 30 minutes, it did work. There was a 13 minute stretch in the third when they help a desperate hockey team without a shot. The tying goal was one part bad decision and one part bad luck.

Also, as good as Blysma has been this series, he had his worst defensive pairing out there in the last minute.
- rival22

Getting rid of Fleury won't cure everything, but you've got to start somewhere.
They'll part ways with him this summer, I think.

Game should have been out of reach but the team stopped playing in front of him. He can't make a mistake costing them the game of the team doesn't do anything after the first 13 minutes.
- Genev21

Exactly. This team tries playing prevent hockey because they're lazy and haven't felt the need to actually play for more than 20 minutes in a single game yet. They have played 20 minutes of hockey and 40 minutes of prevent-defense in every game of this series so far. And last night, I wouldn't even give them credit for 20 minutes. More like 10.

Getting rid of Fleury won't cure everything, but you've got to start somewhere.
They'll part ways with him this summer, I think.
- Pecafan Fan

Until they can get the 18 guys in front of him to play for more than 20 minutes in a game, it won't matter if they build a time machine and grab Patrick Roy circa 1995 to put in net. They'll keep faltering in the playoffs.

That's where I focus my attention in the summer. Finding guys willing to play a full 60 minutes and a coach that'll hold players that aren't playing for 60 minutes every night accountable. Right now, they have neither of those things.

Getting rid of Fleury won't cure everything, but you've got to start somewhere.
They'll part ways with him this summer, I think.
- Pecafan Fan

Agreed. He is a super nice guy but this high strung team needs some stability.

A few things I'll touch on in more depth later in the day but the Penguins are far from the only team that coasts after a big lead.

Every team does it, it is exactly why the score effects term exists. It doesn't make it right and it shouldn't happen, but it does and every NHL team is guilty of it. Just look at how many 2 goal leads have been lost in these playoffs, not just Penguins series.

It is very frustrating to watch and I know coach's aren't telling their players to hold back, it's human nature with a big lead.

2nd period was awful, 3rd period they played fine.

Until they can get the 18 guys in front of him to play for more than 20 minutes in a game, it won't matter if they build a time machine and grab Patrick Roy circa 1995 to put in net. They'll keep faltering in the playoffs.

That's where I focus my attention in the summer. Finding guys willing to play a full 60 minutes and a coach that'll hold players that aren't playing for 60 minutes every night accountable. Right now, they have neither of those things.
- ScienceJesus

Like I said, they have to start somewhere. That OT goal last night was unacceptable.

Also, give credit to Columbus. They are a very, very hard working team. It's too easy to say the Pens don't work hard for 60 minutes (it might be the case), but the Jackets appear to be on a mission. They are fast and they hit. Hard.