Vokoun to Start

[knives of ice]

I can't believe it has come to this... sad.

[E-Ramone]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't TV help settle the team down and right the ship early this year when they were struggling? The team is playing similarly to how they played early this season, I think. Maybe TV can work that magic again.

[tfrizz]

wow i really cant believe they did it i did not think they would sit Fleury.

So what happens if he plays lights out does he stay in until he loses? I saw someone earlier say play him and even if he wins put fleury in game 6, why would they do that? would make no sense if he won

I suggested that without even considering that game 6 and 7 are back to back. Not sure how I feel about having to rely on Vokoun potentially playing 3 games in 4 days.

[America]

TV needs to play. It has to be done. He wins, awesome, ride him until he loses and MAF gets a chance to grab the spot back. Healthy competition never hurt anyone.

[thepittman]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't TV help settle the team down and right the ship early this year when they were struggling? The team is playing similarly to how they played early this season, I think. Maybe TV can work that magic again.

Yes and held the fort when Fleury was injured

[murphydump55]

It's been said before:

It's not about the saves you make, but the saves you don't make.

Fleury saps any momentum out of this team with his softies that he routinely allows game after game. TV has to start and as I predicted in another thread, we will win the next two games because of this.

[tfrizz]

It's been said before:

It's not about the saves you make, but the saves you don't make.

Fleury saps any momentum out of this team with his softies that he routinely allows game after game. TV has to start and as I predicted in another thread, we will win the next two games because of this.

And if Vokoun doesn't win the next two games? So many people assume that going from Fleury to Vokoun is going to magically turn to wins, but it's still entire possible that the team continues to play like garbage and/or Vokoun also plays poorly.

[DontToewsMeBro]

You can think that Fleury is the better goaltender than Vokoun at this point in their careers, but you would be wrong.

[Steve Dave]

Not sure if this has been discussed yet, does anyone think Fleury being a new father has affected him at all? Getting little sleep, up in middle if the night, etc?

[Crankshaft]

I'm sad for Fleury. I think he's a goaltender with immense potential. However, I hope nothing but the best for Vokoun. This team, for whatever reason, has responded in front of Vokoun. Let's hope that this defense shapes up and we can win the next two and move on to the next round with a clean slate.

[Kraftster]

If the team suddenly comes together and plays disciplined (both from a penalty and from a system standpoint) hockey then I'd rather have Vokoun in goal for Game 6 because he probably has a higher floor than MAF right now, and if your team plays a smart/tight game, you probably want the high floor guy in. If the team continues to play abhorrent hockey, then I'd want to go back to MAF because he has the higher ceiling, i.e., better chance to steal a game, which they may well need if they continue to fail to play to the situation.

If its somewhere in between I'd be tempted to go back to MAF because of his track record for responding positively after pull/bench.

I liken it to Hasek/Brodeur. If I knew my team would play Devils trapping style, I'd rather have Brodeur. If my team was going to play wildly and I needed one goalie for one game, I'd rather have Hasek.

[IanMoran]

It's been said before:

It's not about the saves you make, but the saves you don't make.

Fleury saps any momentum out of this team with his softies that he routinely allows game after game. TV has to start and as I predicted in another thread, we will win the next two games because of this.

And if Vokoun doesn't win the next two games? So many people assume that going from Fleury to Vokoun is going to magically turn to wins, but it's still entire possible that the team continues to play like garbage and/or Vokoun also plays poorly.

I don't think anyone can criticize the move to Vokoun no matter how it turns out. At this point DB's job is on the line... I think his best bet is with Vokoun

[DontToewsMeBro]

No. There are no excuses for a .750 SV%. None. Zero. He is not tired from playing in too many games (remember that one?) or staying up too much with his newborn. He is just not a very good goaltender.

[meecrofilm]

It's been said before:

It's not about the saves you make, but the saves you don't make.

Fleury saps any momentum out of this team with his softies that he routinely allows game after game. TV has to start and as I predicted in another thread, we will win the next two games because of this.

And if Vokoun doesn't win the next two games? So many people assume that going from Fleury to Vokoun is going to magically turn to wins, but it's still entire possible that the team continues to play like garbage and/or Vokoun also plays poorly.

If Vokoun craps the bed it's not like it's anything different, so why not.

[Puck Drama]

Holy crap! Bylsma is waking up. Maybe he can explain taking a HoF right winger and skating him on the LW?
If the defense plays any deeper the Pens will have three goalies on the ice.
I hear Fleury's wife is suffering from Post Partum depression from all the crying her baby has been doing, the infant can't get any sleep either with all the MAF crying.
Now has anyone seen this Morrow guy? Rumor has it he got 16 minutes of ice time. Must of been Bud Ice, because I don't remember seeing him playing.

[meecrofilm]

Not sure if this has been discussed yet, does anyone think Fleury being a new father has affected him at all? Getting little sleep, up in middle if the night, etc?

I wasn't aware he's had a kid every playoffs since we've won the cup. He must have a big hidden family.

[meow]

No. There are no excuses for a .750 SV%. None. Zero. He is not tired from playing in too many games (remember that one?) or staying up too much with his newborn. He is just not a very good goaltender in the playoffs.

FIFY

[CERV96]

In '91 Barrassole was being owned by the Devils if I am not mistaken. Then he got hurt and then came the save.

[burghsportsguys]

There are some hockey games where a goaltender gets pulled and replaced not because that goalie is himself playing all that badly, but because the team is playing bad in front of him and the coach is trying to send a message to the rest of them. I view this as an equivalent situation. I certainly hope the message gets through.

This is more like the situation where both the goalie AND the team are playing awful, but you can't bench the whole team.

This is a wakeup call that is much needed. Bylsma CANNOT be criticized for this move, even if TV gives up 8 goals tomorrow night. This was the only decision, and if DB wasn't going to make it, then Shero and Mario were going to make it for him. The hope is that the entire team responds. I personally wouldn't stop here, I'd put Vitale and TK in the lineup as well - Sutter and Jokinen would be out.

There's a very good chance that we will need Fleury again this post-season.

In hockey history, there have been a lot of marginal backup-type goalies with incredible post-season runs (Roloson, Hedberg) and backups that came cold off the bench to win huge games (Frankie in 1991, Wregget in game 7 two years before that against us).

[DontToewsMeBro]

No. There are no excuses for a .750 SV%. None. Zero. He is not tired from playing in too many games (remember that one?) or staying up too much with his newborn. He is just not a very good goaltender when it matters.

He is actually average in just about every statistical category. It's not until the playoffs where he is completely abhorrent. Like, worst-playoff-performace-by-a-goaltender-in-NHL-history awful. Average out the two cases, and he's not very good.

[burghsportsguys]

No. There are no excuses for a .750 SV%. None. Zero. He is not tired from playing in too many games (remember that one?) or staying up too much with his newborn. He is just not a very good goaltender.

I can't remember, what was the excuse when they lost to the Habs and he was giving up a soft goal on the first shot in what seemed like every game? He's a streaky player, and he's in a funk right now after a great regular season. Goalies are like kickers.

[IanMoran]

No. There are no excuses for a .750 SV%. None. Zero. He is not tired from playing in too many games (remember that one?) or staying up too much with his newborn. He is just not a very good goaltender.

I've been a MAF fan forever... I'm just starting to come around to this....

It sucks because you can see all his raw talent / potential, but at this point the gaffes seem to be just part of his game...

[jimjom]

I endorse the decision, but this is something that could go very well or backfire horribly. If it goes well, ride TV until the wheels fall off and put MAF back in. If it goes wrong, TV lays an egg, MAF starts in an elimination game on the road with shaky confidence and self esteem, and it's Isles in 6.

I think the fatherhood issue has some bearing on his play. I also believe that the fans are in his head. I think the tendency to do poorly in big games is the main issue and I am not sure how that gets fixed no matter the outcome of this series.

[MarioLives]

I actually feel sorry for this team. How a group like this can fail in the post season so many times is just sad. I still have faith that they will win this series, but the excitement that they have a legitimate shot at the cup is not there anymore. I hate to say it, but this has to reflect on Crosby as a captain as well.
He needs to step it up from a leadership
Standpoint.

[Rocco]

It's been said before:

It's not about the saves you make, but the saves you don't make.

Fleury saps any momentum out of this team with his softies that he routinely allows game after game. TV has to start and as I predicted in another thread, we will win the next two games because of this.

And if Vokoun doesn't win the next two games? So many people assume that going from Fleury to Vokoun is going to magically turn to wins, but it's still entire possible that the team continues to play like garbage and/or Vokoun also plays poorly.

It's the devil you know or the devil you don't know. At this point MAF looks toast. You can't preach accountability and leave him in there.