Marc-Andre Fleury

[interminded 1]

Should I vent my emotions about this or not... YES, I WILL !

I can't believe how many times Marc-Andre Fleury was hyped to the point that every tiny save was being commented with

"What an awesome save by Fleury" or "Yet another dazzling save by Fleury".

I'm not attacking the player Fleury.

But it made me sick to my stomach how those two commenting buffoons made him the next Ken Dryden.

So I'm just going to say it: I think Fleury played a mediocre game at best.

And here is why:

(1)

Granted, 55 saves is a lot.

But let's be honest, of those 55 there were at least 30 to 35 easy, simple butterfly stops.

It's not like the Red Wings were aiming into the corners. Most of the shots went through the middle.

He only had to go down on his knees and control his rebounds.

In the whole game he had like 5/6 tough saves to make, which he made nicely.

(2)

He was caught out of position more than once, IMO.

He tends to 'walk' the ice when he can't reach a side of the net with his butterfly.

That makes him vulnerable and it's easy to notice, because he looks like he's tripping over an invisible rope.

Which brings me to my next point:

(3)

Marty Turco is a great puckhandler.

Chris Osgood is not that great of a puckhandler. He knows this, so he keeps it simple.

Fleury is also no a great puckhandler but he acts like he is.

It's only because of a large portion of luck and the presence of his teammates that he didn't lost the puck 4/5 times.

He's not even close to controlling the puck besides the plain stopping of it.

Again, this is notagainst the person MA Fleury.

I really don't care.

It's those stupid exxagerating comments ... I hate it !!!!!

[edit: spelling]

Edited June 3, 2008 by interminded

[Firehawk 305]

Fleury came up with big ass saves last night for his team. We had 55 shots on goal or whatever, but that was over 6 periods of play. Still quite a few, but not a HUGE amount for 6 periods for the wings.

I'm more nauseated by their constant barage of Crosby Crosby Crosby.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I'm not going to lie, I thought Fleury was very, very good and basically stole them the game.

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

Fleury flat out stole that game and deserves all the credit in the world. That game shoulud have been over SOOOO many times in the first 2 ots.

[ThreeRiversFan 0]

So I'm just going to say it: I think Fleury played a mediocre game at best.

FAIL

[interminded 1]

Fleury flat out stole that game and deserves all the credit in the world. That game shoulud have been over SOOOO many times in the first 2 ots.

In the first OT he stopped 20 shots.

Not a single one of them was difficult.

Even the glovesave (" Oooo, Fleury comes up with a huge glovesave !!!") he made wasn't that difficult.

Clear sight, not a hard shot, 20 inches to his left, shoulder-high while he was on his knees.

I would have gloved that one.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you certainly don't have to agree with me, but I just don't think Fleury 'stole' the game or was as mindblowing as all those comments made him to be.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

In the first OT he stopped 20 shots.

Not a single one of them was difficult.

Even the glovesave (" Oooo, Fleury comes up with a huge glovesave !!!") he made wasn't that difficult.

Clear sight, not a hard shot, 20 inches to his left, shoulder-high while he was on his knees.

I would have gloved that one.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you certainly don't have to agree with me, but I just don't think Fleury 'stole' the game or was as mindblowing as all those comments made him to be.

Sorry, but he stole the game, and the annoucers were well within their right to get hyped up with some of the saves he was making b/c they were pretty damned good saves. Wings had plenty of realistic chances both in regular time and overtime that Fleury ripped saves out of his rear.

[interminded 1]

Sorry, but he stole the game, and the annoucers were well within their right to get hyped up with some of the saves he was making b/c they were pretty damned good saves. Wings had plenty of realistic chances both in regular time and overtime that Fleury ripped saves out of his rear.

You don't have to say 'sorry', buddy !

I can take it

[2probert4 8]

In the first OT he stopped 20 shots.

Not a single one of them was difficult.

Even the glovesave (" Oooo, Fleury comes up with a huge glovesave !!!") he made wasn't that difficult.

Clear sight, not a hard shot, 20 inches to his left, shoulder-high while he was on his knees.

I would have gloved that one.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you certainly don't have to agree with me, but I just don't think Fleury 'stole' the game or was as mindblowing as all those comments made him to be.

Fleury did make some big saves for the Pens, yes for a period or so the Wings were back to their blasting long shots because they werent driving the net. Also take into consideration the fatigue factors and the amount of time he was in full gear on the ice, so even though I hate to admit it, he was very good when he needed to be. The Wings had him on the ropes in the third, and they had their chances to win.

[BlueMonk 102]

Goalies get too much credit when they win and too much blame when they lose. It's always the same. Fleury was spectacular in overtime, but he let in a howler that started the Wings comeback and made OT necessary in the first place.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

The WIngs just played like a lazy ass team that kept shooting the puck at the goalie's chest or shoot it wide.

We tried to be too fancy in the OT's. Next time they need to throw the puck on net.

[DatsMyWings13 4]

Fleury flat out stole that game and deserves all the credit in the world. That game shoulud have been over SOOOO many times in the first 2 ots.

I completely agree. He stole the game so i would have to say he was borderline great last night.

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

The WIngs just played like a lazy ass team that kept shooting the puck at the goalie's chest or shoot it wide.

We tried to be too fancy in the OT's. Next time they need to throw the puck on net.

Those two points seem a bit contridictary...

[Daniel Chosen 0]

I thought he played really well. I think the Wings helped him out a lot with those long shots, so I don't think the shot total is indicative of how many "tough" saves he had to make. But that being said, he made a few great saves that kept them in the game. I give the guy credit for winning that game for them.

[Icteria virens 11]

I've noticed that the announcers , generally speaking, make too many saves sound like they're the greatest saves ever made. I don't know if it's part of trying to sell the game to the casual fan?

Even MAF's toe save wasn't that great, the puck wasn't elevated, it wasn't shot anywhere near the post, what else was he going to do at that stage. these guys are so much more athletic and in better shape than ever before, all goalies make pretty acrobatic saves, it's become commonplace. Goalies are just more flashy now than 20 years ago. Osgood is more a positioning goalie from his standup days, hence not as flashy.

MAF has played very well overall but has also faced alot of avg. shots. BTW, some goalies need lots of action to be in a game, some couldn't tend for the Wings where they don't get as many shots b/c they drift in and out of concentration, which is why I'm a bit worried about Jimmy Howard.

[Nightfall 871]

Fleury stole the game plain and simple. He deserves the praise he got.

[C-Dub 0]

If the Penguins push a game seven, or heaven forbid win the Cup, game 5 will be the game that everyone will point to where Fleury had one of the most legendary performances in Stanley Cup history. I don't care what you think but he had one hell of a game, and not just in OT. Picking his game apart is sensless, he played awesome and should be proud of himself.

And of course the announcers are gonna be all over him. Come on, he's like 21 or something, this is an incredible story. They gave Ozzie a ton of credit the last game too, which he deserved.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Those two points seem a bit contridictary...

Not really. I'm talking about deflections or bad bounces. We scored 2 goals that way, yet in the OT, we constantly passed up on bad angle shots just to try to get into better position for a fancy play, and by that point Fleury was set to make a save.

So unroll your eyes, because the post wasn't contradictory.

[The Secret 304]

Although I don't believe MAF to be the next Dryden yet... he had one hell of a game yesterday. You take MAF out of the net and we never go to OT. I am still having nightmares about that split-kick toe save... the guy was part gymnest last night! I think he had a great game and we were so close... sooo close!

[Guest mindfly]

Open your eyes man, Fleury has been outstanding, Osgood has been average... that has been the difference in this series, especially in the last game.

Dont even mention the shutouts in the first games, it was all wings D's effort.

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

Edit...sorry gmrwings, i didnt mean to quote u in this post....i clicked edit because it wasn't aimed at u, its just a gereralization towards anyone

As much as i hate to admit, if not for MAF that game would have been a landslide victory for the wings...kid looked spectacular last night, and if you do not see that you don't really have the right to call yourself a true hockey fan.

Edited June 3, 2008 by XxGoWingsxX

[eva unit zero 271]

Open your eyes man, Fleury has been outstanding, Osgood has been average... that has been the difference in this series, especially in the last game.

Dont even mention the shutouts in the first games, it was all wings D's effort.

Fleury has given up 4 goals twice in this postseason run, including against Detroit. Osgood has done it once. Before you say 'Wings D!!' please recognize that Osgood gave up 4 goals, including Kronner's own-goal, on 32 shots. Fleury gave up 4 goals (including the game's first three) on 24 shots against the Rangers, a game the Pens only won because they scored 5 goals.

Osgood has been RIDICULOUSLY GOOD for the Wings.

[CAWingsfan25 0]

Fleury flat out stole that game and deserves all the credit in the world. That game shoulud have been over SOOOO many times in the first 2 ots.

IMO, Fleury is the only reason the Pens are still alive. Gotta give the guy his credit, he played a hell of a game last night.

[HeyNow71871929 0]

In the first OT he stopped 20 shots.

Not a single one of them was difficult.

Even the glovesave (" Oooo, Fleury comes up with a huge glovesave !!!") he made wasn't that difficult.

Clear sight, not a hard shot, 20 inches to his left, shoulder-high while he was on his knees.

I would have gloved that one.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and you certainly don't have to agree with me, but I just don't think Fleury 'stole' the game or was as mindblowing as all those comments made him to be.

WOW. What game were you watching then?

Why don't you get in net then in a must-win game 5 in OT and show us how it's done? Your comments about Fleury implies true ignorance and neglect. Fleury won the game for us and he flat out amazing. He was also mindblowing. I think the whole team should go and buy a brand new car for Fleury and buy him dinner for the rest of the week as well. He was fantastic and absolutely astonishing.

The thing I noticed about Fleury in these playoffs is that he makes difficult saves look routine. You probably fell into that trap yourself. Those glove saves he made aren't as easy as you portray them as. With all the distraction and confusion going on around the net and still keeping your focus and making save after save in a desperation game in OT, where all it takes is one goal, is truly admiring.

Edited June 3, 2008 by HeyNow71871929

[motorcitykid 42]

Fleury was by far the best player on the ice last night.

Now repeating that performance, or playing even a touch better if the Wings play "their" game, for 2 more games? Unlikely.