MAF: The One Guy We Can't Lose

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Devils advocate... when has Fleury never NOT had a great regular season?

Listen, I would love for Fleury to continue this hot stretch into the post-season, but we also must be cognizant of historical trends.

He's had good seasons but nothing nearly like this. .921 is his previous best S% (in a year he only played 35 games), 2.32 was his previous best GAA, and 5 was his previous best SO number.

If his teammates could actually score in the shootout, his wins would be on pace for 40 again as well.

 

[cassius]

He's had good seasons but nothing nearly like this. .921 is his previous best S% (in a year he only played 35 games), 2.32 was his previous best GAA, and 5 was his previous best SO number.

If his teammates could actually score in the shootout, his wins would be on pace for 40 again as well.

Due to dead puck era reffing, goalie numbers (Sv% in particular) are up across the board.

Just like the old phrase "A rising tide lifts all boats"

 

[Wes C Addle]

He's had good seasons but nothing nearly like this. .921 is his previous best S% (in a year he only played 35 games), 2.32 was his previous best GAA, and 5 was his previous best SO number.

If his teammates could actually score in the shootout, his wins would be on pace for 40 again as well.

I don't agree with the last statement. Fleury has had a rough go in the shootouts this year, remember Chicago? He's faced 30 shooters and has allowed 12 goals this year. Last year he faced 28 and allowed only 5 goals.


Just looking through his shootout history he's never been below a .700 save percentage (save for the very first year the shootout was introduced and he stopped only 1 of 5 shots), most often he's above .800. This season he's at .600.


The team has struggled more than I can ever remember for scoring goals in the shootout no doubt, but Fleury is also stopping fewer than ever too. Every aspect of it has been lacking this year.


Thankfully Fleury has been playing some of the best hockey of his career when the clock is ticking. That makes me a helluva lot more confident for his postseason performance.

 

[Night Shift]

Due to dead puck era reffing, goalie numbers (Sv% in particular) are up across the board.

Just like the old phrase "A rising tide lifts all boats"

For the Pens I'm not sure that is the case. I think MJ brought a little more structure in and that has helped Fleury (along with a new goalie coach). The other part of your argument is goalies around the league but really how many bad goalies are in the NHL? Even bottom dwellers in Edmonton and Carolina- I believe Ward is still capable on a new team. Fasth when with the Ducks did fine and his numbers would probably improve if he was with anyone else other than Edmonton.

 

[Penguinator]

@ Cassius*** "A rising tide lifts all boats"

FAIL, and epic at that since MAF rose above most of these goalies that were lifted.

Thanks for the laugh buddy!

 

[cassius]

It's pretty evident that someone is NOT a fan of the old phrase "A rising tide lifts all boats"

 

[BurghThang]

Outside of the single brain-fart in Columbus, wasn't he pretty solid in last year's playoffs?
We lost to the Rangers because we couldn't score...not because of MAF

 

[cassius]

Outside of the single brain-fart in Columbus, wasn't he pretty solid in last year's playoffs?
We lost to the Rangers because we couldn't score...not because of MAF

That's a pretty bold statement. I'd re-watch the highlights if I were you..

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/new-york-rangers-pittsburgh-penguins-2014050916/
Comment: first goal is as soft as it gets, 2nd and 3rd goals... rebound control is a big issue.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins-new-york-rangers-2014051113/
Comment: less than 5 minutes in he lefts in 1. again, rebound control.. just horrible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/new-york-rangers-pittsburgh-penguins-2014051316/

 

[BurghThang]

That's a pretty bold statement. I'd re-watch the highlights if I were you..

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/new-york-rangers-pittsburgh-penguins-2014050916/
Comment: first goal is as soft as it gets, 2nd and 3rd goals... rebound control is a big issue.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins-new-york-rangers-2014051113/
Comment: less than 5 minutes in he lefts in 1. again, rebound control.. just horrible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/new-york-rangers-pittsburgh-penguins-2014051316/

He also shut them out twice...and only gave up 2 in game 7.....

Look...I know he will have to post ungodly numbers this post season to have any prayer of this narrative being changed....But he is still arguably top 5 in the league as we speak

I guess we will all just have to wait and see

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

I don't agree with the last statement. Fleury has had a rough go in the shootouts this year, remember Chicago? He's faced 30 shooters and has allowed 12 goals this year. Last year he faced 28 and allowed only 5 goals.


Just looking through his shootout history he's never been below a .700 save percentage (save for the very first year the shootout was introduced and he stopped only 1 of 5 shots), most often he's above .800. This season he's at .600.


The team has struggled more than I can ever remember for scoring goals in the shootout no doubt, but Fleury is also stopping fewer than ever too. Every aspect of it has been lacking this year.


Thankfully Fleury has been playing some of the best hockey of his career when the clock is ticking. That makes me a helluva lot more confident for his postseason performance.

IIRC, he's has two awful SOs where he allowed 5-6 of those 12 goals. That leaves 6-7 GA over the other 6 SOs, which should be a win with the talent this team has.

Also, not practicing the SO is prolly hurting his S% as well as the forward's scoring ability.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Due to dead puck era reffing, goalie numbers (Sv% in particular) are up across the board.

Just like the old phrase "A rising tide lifts all boats"

If this was true MAF would still be 10-20 in terms of stats. He's 3-5 in stats right now.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Outside of the single brain-fart in Columbus, wasn't he pretty solid in last year's playoffs?
We lost to the Rangers because we couldn't score...not because of MAF

He had better numbers than Quick who I think do pretty OK in the POs last year.

 

[tom_servo]

I agree that this is Fleury's best season ever, even considering that rising tide. Has he ever ranked so high in important categories?

The test, though, is when the games are singularly important, and not just small installments over a large body of work.

It's been very encouraging so far, but still short of meaningful.

 

[radapex]

IIRC, he's has two awful SOs where he allowed 5-6 of those 12 goals. That leaves 6-7 GA over the other 6 SOs, which should be a win with the talent this team has.

Also, not practicing the SO is prolly hurting his S% as well as the forward's scoring ability.

The one thing I noticed, and it factored into the winner last night, is that his timing with the poke check is way off this season and it used to be a big weapon for him. Not practicing shootouts as much would definitely factor into that.

 

[Ugene Magic]

He also shut them out twice...and only gave up 2 in game 7.....

Look...I know he will have to post ungodly numbers this post season to have any prayer of this narrative being changed....But he is still arguably top 5 in the league as we speak

I guess we will all just have to wait and see

Cassius is who you'll see at the Gates of Hell, and his first words will be, 'I told you so.

Meanwhile, He said this to everyone, but is only there when he is right.

Selective service.

 

[cassius]

Cassius is who you'll see at the Gates of Hell, and his first words will be, 'I told you so.

Meanwhile, He said this to everyone, but is only there when he is right.

Selective service.

I like being right, so sue me.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

There's a significant difference between Fleury this regular season and any other regular season. He's never been a top 10 regular season goalie, closer to 15 usually. This year he's been top 5. Look at his overtime/third period stats, especially compared to Greiss. He doesn't fold like a lawn chair or allow late goals very often.

I hope he keeps this up.....please dear God, play like this in the playoffs, Fleury.

 

[Ogelthorpe]

Speaking of MAF this season, there is a poll on the main board to vote for best goalies this year. Works like our top prospect voting. Anyway, it is to #4 and MAF is losing to Schnieder and Dubnyk. (Price, Rinne, Holtby were voted 1-2-3.) go to the Hockey league talk polls and vote for Flower.....he needs us, as the Penguin hate there is strong.

 

[lastcupever75]

He also shut them out twice...and only gave up 2 in game 7.....

Look...I know he will have to post ungodly numbers this post season to have any prayer of this narrative being changed....But he is still arguably top 5 in the league as we speak

I guess we will all just have to wait and see

the rangers played 5 games in 8 nights after the 2nd shut out game,
IIRC barely getting 20 shots in each game.
after game 4, they got their rest and legs back. and thats when MAF reverted to his old self with soft back breaking goals. he could have stood on his head a bit and thwarted any chance they had, but instead gave them a breath of life and they took full advantage of it

and as far as game 7, you would think he would learn by now with all the failures he's had playing the puck but while down a goal late in the game he put a puck into maata's skates that wound up almost being kicked in off a relatively safe dump in (on goal) by the rangers

 

[66-30-33]

What is Fleury's stats since he re-signed? anyone know?

 

[tom_servo]

There's a significant difference between Fleury this regular season and any other regular season. He's never been a top 10 regular season goalie, closer to 15 usually. This year he's been top 5. Look at his overtime/third period stats, especially compared to Greiss. He doesn't fold like a lawn chair or allow late goals very often.

I hope he keeps this up.....please dear God, play like this in the playoffs, Fleury.

I hope so too. He just needs to keep believing it's the regular season. Maybe it's not too late to trade that sports psychologist for a sports hypnotist.

 

[WayneSid9987]

What is Fleury's stats since he re-signed? anyone know?

Not totally spectacular: 0.919Sv% unless i did it wrong?
Since the All-Star break though: 0.934Sv%

 

[Penguinator]

Not totally spectacular: 0.919Sv% unless i did it wrong?
Since the All-Star break though: 0.934Sv%

...and at 0.925 right now he's where i predicted he would be, 0.920+.

Set for playoffs greatness once again.

 

[NatureBoy]

The Pens play much better team defense with Johnston, so we could see different results for Fleury. Sure he had some terrible moments in the Play-Offs in the last couple of years, but not all of it was his fault.