The entire team needs to get reamed out. They've played about 15 minutes of solid hockey each game this series, and have been able to win 2 games, which is fortunate. The entire team from top to bottom took 50 minutes off last night.

However, the fact that some people STILL absolve MAF of any blame is just baffling. How many times does this guy have to give up backbreaking goals until he has to face the music? Over the past 4 years, he gives up horribly disheartening goals, but it's never his fault. It's the defense. Or the offense. Or injuries. Somehow, it's never, ever his fault.

Was the entire game last night his fault? Not at all. Did he play well, generally? Yes. Was he responsible for giving up 2 horrible goals when it came down to the line? 100% absolutely. I don't think some people here have ever played hockey and don't realize what 2 goals like that do to a team's mentality. For those who don't get it, I'll put it this way: you basically have Ilya Bryzgalov, a guy who will make great save after great save, but then lets in awful goals that crush your team's confidence.

Last night's game as shocking as it was really should not surprise anyone. The admission of that is the biggest indictment of this team's current construction from the top to the bottom.

To blame on player in particular would be fool-hearty. That was the essence of a team loss.

I know the series is tied, but it is time to put 87 and 71 on the ice together. Let Jussi center the second line.
- Tiogadog

I don't like that idea at all... load up the top line with two guys who seemingly won't shoot the puck.

And what of the great Jonathan Toews?

Proud owner of a 9 game goalless streak and 10 game goalless streak all within last year's Stanley Cup run.
- Ryan_Wilson

Big difference to me between playing Columbus and STL.

Yikes...how on earth does MAF think that going behind the net (EVER really) is a good idea at this point in his professional hockey career?

The evidence against it...now another goal and subsequent loss...is overwhelmingly strong.

His gaffe shows what I have been saying for a long time...this team suffers from problems between the ears.

All the talent in the world can't fix a train of thought that leads the cars off the track.

Fleury is clearly not the only one guilty of it.

I think it's a case of having too much belief in the ability to do certain things...like blind backhand passes...that ultimately does this team in.

Winning in the playoffs is about all out effort from the physical and mental point of view. The Penguins sometimes accomplish the first...rarely seem to be able to accomplish the second...and almost never (anymore) achieve both in the same game.

The entire team needs to get reamed out. They've played about 15 minutes of solid hockey each game this series, and have been able to win 2 games, which is fortunate. The entire team from top to bottom took 50 minutes off last night.

However, the fact that some people STILL absolve MAF of any blame is just baffling. How many times does this guy have to give up backbreaking goals until he has to face the music? Over the past 4 years, he gives up horribly disheartening goals, but it's never his fault. It's the defense. Or the offense. Or injuries. Somehow, it's never, ever his fault.

Was the entire game last night his fault? Not at all. Did he play well, generally? Yes. Was he responsible for giving up 2 horrible goals when it came down to the line? 100% absolutely. I don't think some people here have ever played hockey and don't realize what 2 goals like that do to a team's mentality. For those who don't get it, I'll put it this way: you basically have Ilya Bryzgalov, a guy who will make great save after great save, but then lets in awful goals that crush your team's confidence.
- jmatchett383

I think Fleury is a perfect microcosm of this team... You can go up and down the lineup and find examples of guys who play well for the most part, but have horrible, costly mental gaffs either with the puck, defensively or with dumb penalties.

Little adversity never killed anyone. Hawks were down 2-0 and are on their way back. Boston behind 1-0 in their series. Struggle builds character. Lets Go Boys

Look at these numbers...

4
7
6
3
2
4
0
4
4
6
3
3
4
3
4

Those are the number of goals allowed by Marc-Andre Fleury in playoff games since 2012.

In 15 games, he's let in 3 or more goals 13 times. Yes, the team has often played poorly in front of him, but at some point in that stretch, stealing a game would have been nice...

Look at these numbers...

4
7
6
3
2
4
0
4
4
6
3
3
4
3
4

Those are the number of goals allowed by Marc-Andre Fleury in playoff games since 2012.

In 15 games, he's let in 3 or more goals 13 times. Yes, the team has often played poorly in front of him, but at some point in that stretch, stealing a game would have been nice...
- rival22

I'd be curious to see how many of those were odd man rushes or breakaways. I never fault a goalie for those

Dang! It's like everyone was waiting for Fleury to make a mistake and WAMMO, send him to the bench. While we're at it, might as well bench everyone else for messing up somewhere along the line. We can dress the ice crew and they can play D with their ice shovels.

Dang! It's like everyone was waiting for Fleury to make a mistake and WAMMO, send him to the bench. While we're at it, might as well bench everyone else for messing up somewhere along the line. We can dress the ice crew and they can play D with their ice shovels.
- Topshelf Mountain

Bipolar fans #becauseitsthecup

If it was just the behind the net play I could defend Fleury, I'm assuming most of us on here have played hockey and pucks sometimes bounce over your stick. I kept telling myself he was going to bounce back in OT and he didn't. I'm not going to say I know he is going to implode, but I'm certainly not confident going forward.

It is simply not hard enough for the Blue Jackets on the ice. I know they are a bigger team but that doesn't matter, pens are just not a hard team to play against. It hurts the pens D, I mean physically hurts, almost every time they make a breakout pass. The pens maybe have 3 guys that make the Jackets D pay. It doesn't have to be a bone crunching highlight reel hit, but the bodies need to fly more. I honestly think the 4th line should have seen more minutes early last night when we had the lead. Physicality often leads to more room for skill, which we have plenty of.

Anyways, it won't help complaining now and beating the same drum.

Glorious thing about hockey playoffs is you can have a bad game or two and still have a chance to win the series! Not like football where you have a bad game and are done. LGP!

The entire team needs to get reamed out. They've played about 15 minutes of solid hockey each game this series, and have been able to win 2 games, which is fortunate. The entire team from top to bottom took 50 minutes off last night.

However, the fact that some people STILL absolve MAF of any blame is just baffling. How many times does this guy have to give up backbreaking goals until he has to face the music? Over the past 4 years, he gives up horribly disheartening goals, but it's never his fault. It's the defense. Or the offense. Or injuries. Somehow, it's never, ever his fault.

Was the entire game last night his fault? Not at all. Did he play well, generally? Yes. Was he responsible for giving up 2 horrible goals when it came down to the line? 100% absolutely. I don't think some people here have ever played hockey and don't realize what 2 goals like that do to a team's mentality. For those who don't get it, I'll put it this way: you basically have Ilya Bryzgalov, a guy who will make great save after great save, but then lets in awful goals that crush your team's confidence.
- jmatchett383

But you also can't single out Fleury when his team hangs him out to dry. Is it his job to play a full 60 minutes when his team only plays 10? I'm sorry. I don't buy it that it's the fault of the guy that plays 58 minutes of solid hockey but the 18 guys that played only 10 are not a bigger problem. I just can't get behind that logic. Ever. If his team was playing hard in front of him and he still lets in the back-breaking goal, then I'll give him all the criticism in the world, but they weren't and they aren't. So I can't put the blame on him when his team constantly leaves him hanging out to dry. Especially when 2 of the goals were pure bad-luck weird bounce situations that worked out perfectly for the opposing team.

Didn't this guy win you a cup 6 or so years ago? What's with all the hate? Goalies have bad games. Try being a flyers fan!!!!!!

Agree with this post. The question is if this ends in a loss to a team that has one third of the talent than the Penguins, how does Shero rework the team. To me, the moves are obvious. To him, I don't think they are. He will try to force feed Letang more and more instead of admitting a mistake.

If the cap is 68 million and with out top three having 37% of the cap space, something needs to happen. In addition, our questions in goal seem to still be there. Fleury all the sudden is a good regular-season goalie, but has WTF moments in the play-offs.

Ryan says Fleury needs to sit. If we were Anaheim, SJ, STL for starters, I'd agree. However Zatkoff and Vokoun, a guy that hasn't logged a minute in goal for the Pens this year isn't the answer. Too bad we can't make a deal for that backup in Tampa, the one from Latvia. I would be more confident in him at this juncture.

If we are fortunate to get past this series, I see zero evidence we get by the second round. Our stars are AWOL. If they show up, this series is over last night. It's just that simple. It's easy to say we are up 2-1 and have received nothing from our stars. Now, its 2-2 and still the same.
- Oneonta Penguin

The pens are being outplayed and out worked by an inferior team, how does anyone on this board not hold bylsma atleast partially accountable??? If they lose this series ...1) bylsma must be fired and 2) fleury must be amnestied or traded 3) the pens will listen on anyone not named Crosby, maata, Malkin and Kunitz.

This team sucks. So disappointing.

I have held such high hopes and now it is just painful to watch. Like seriously just flat out hurts my eyes and my heart watching this team give up after going up 3-0. If they want to be professionals they should play like professionals.

It's also not Fleury's fault either. This team just flat out stopped playing hockey. I wish I could slap some sense into these A-holes. This is for the stanley cup you freaking idiots.

What is wrong with you people? It's a 2-2 series we haven't been eliminated. I sure hope the Pens don't just pack it in like all of you. It's frustrating but it's one game.

What is wrong with you people? It's a 2-2 series we haven't been eliminated. I sure hope the Pens don't just pack it in like all of you. It's frustrating but it's one game.
- dbell646

I get that, and in a best of 3 against Columbus, I'm taking the Pens every time.

It's just frustrating to see the same old issues popping up for this team year after year...

What is wrong with you people? It's a 2-2 series we haven't been eliminated. I sure hope the Pens don't just pack it in like all of you. It's frustrating but it's one game.
- dbell646

The pens are being outplayed and out worked by an inferior team, how does anyone on this board not hold bylsma atleast partially accountable??? If they lose this series ...1) bylsma must be fired and 2) fleury must be amnestied or traded 3) the pens will listen on anyone not named Crosby, maata, Malkin and Kunitz.
- Brianandr1

If they lose this series (which I don't think they will), those three things are all true.

What is wrong with you people? It's a 2-2 series we haven't been eliminated. I sure hope the Pens don't just pack it in like all of you. It's frustrating but it's one game.
- dbell646

Have you watched games 1 thru 4?
I'll assume you have so I'll explain "what's wrong"
1) we re being outplayed and out worked by an inferior team.
2) many of us have lost confidence in fleury ( esp the teams confidence in him)
3) many of us don't worship at the shrine of bylsma, don't believe in him and think he's being out coached.
4) scuderi and letang have been terrible, Malkin????? Enough said
5) most important of all, this team at a minimum needs to get to the third round and make a good showing, and that's a minimum ...nd or many of us it's the finals or a cup.... THATS NOT haPpening the way this team is playing!
6) special teams that dominated the regular season have been average at best, bD and inconsistent at its worst

On a positive note, how good have Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik been this series? We were all ready to leave Orpik for dead, but he has really elevated his game at the right time of the year.

What is wrong with you people? It's a 2-2 series we haven't been eliminated. I sure hope the Pens don't just pack it in like all of you. It's frustrating but it's one game.
- dbell646

You haven't watched much of the series based on your post. If you did, you would see we have been badly outplayed in three of the four games. There isn't any evidence that leads me to believe the switch will be turned on.

The pens are being outplayed and out worked by an inferior team, how does anyone on this board not hold bylsma atleast partially accountable??? If they lose this series ...1) bylsma must be fired and 2) fleury must be amnestied or traded 3) the pens will listen on anyone not named Crosby, maata, Malkin and Kunitz.
- Brianandr1

DV will get canned. To me, these guys are playing like a team that wants their coach canned. Nothing different than the guy for the Indiana Pacers, who is fighting to keep his job after leading Indiana to a great regular-season. DB is also flawed. To me, he shows a lack of emotion.

If someone offered me a great package, I'd be tempted to entertain the notion to deal Malkin. Simply, this roster isn't working. Break some of it up and spread the wealth around. I'd gladly take St. Louis' roster right now - one without an offensive star like Crosby or Malkin - over Pittsburgh's roster.

But you also can't single out Fleury when his team hangs him out to dry. Is it his job to play a full 60 minutes when his team only plays 10? I'm sorry. I don't buy it that it's the fault of the guy that plays 58 minutes of solid hockey but the 18 guys that played only 10 are not a bigger problem. I just can't get behind that logic. Ever. If his team was playing hard in front of him and he still lets in the back-breaking goal, then I'll give him all the criticism in the world, but they weren't and they aren't. So I can't put the blame on him when his team constantly leaves him hanging out to dry. Especially when 2 of the goals were pure bad-luck weird bounce situations that worked out perfectly for the opposing team.
- ScienceJesus

I didn't single him out. I said the entire team needs to get reamed out. What I'm saying is that MAF, time and again, despite playing generally well, lets up crippling ill-timed backbreaking goals that break his teammates' wills. Tell me I'm wrong.