Bathgate wrote:The Pens organization blames Fleury for the lost to the Flyers.
http://sulia.com/channel/nhl-lockout/f/9a5caf3d-0dde-41c0-bbfc-f241e8280fd2/?source=twitter
If that is true its complete BS. I am not absolving Fleury at all but I am pretty sure the lack of defense and ability to cycle on offense had just as much to do with it. They won the cup on the strength of 6 guys who could play defense and wingers on 3 lines who could cycle. Lets not forget Crosby and Malkin did not exactly light the lamp vs. Detroit and we still won. We couldnt cycle, coudlnt stop the cycle and our PP and PK was ALL PERIMETER.
The problem is they were exposed. I have used this analogy before. 2001 - 03 Steelers. Best front 7 of a 3-4 defense I had ever seen at the time. Teams couldnt run at all and were afraid to throw. If they went shotgun the QB got creamed. But what happened? Cheat-a-Check figure if you went shotgun, and spread them out you pick apart a slow secondary with quick throws. Lead to them getting embarrassed on that side of the ball until they got Troy, Ike and Hope.
Point being - teams were afraid of the Pens. But a few teams put a blue print of attack attack attack. Even give up some chances of your own but keep attacking. Yes, Fleury was bad. but if the organization think this team minus Staal and ZM are better off if they get a better goalie they are smoking the crack pipe.
If it wasnt late a would look for a youtube clip of one of the Flyers goals in the series. Game 2 or 3. They had a 3 on 2 and ran it to perfection. The two Pens players were so out of position it was tic tac toe basic tap for an easy goal. Me and my neighbors 12 year old could have played better defense if we just skated backwards and took up space.
Sorry for the long rant. Was annoyed at the board for blaming it all on Fleury. Now the Pens themselves. Cant wait til hockey starts back up and Martin and Engellend are the 2nd PK pairing. After every goal scored I am going to scream BLAME FLEURY (in a South Park character voice).