Fleury will sit tonight

by **kbeech** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:35 pm

Pens coach Michel Therrien will give goalie Marc-Andre Fleury the night off which means backup Jocelyn Thibault will make his first start of the season.

by **Mad City Mike** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:41 pm

kbeech wrote:Pens coach Michel Therrien will give goalie Marc-Andre Fleury the night off which means backup Jocelyn Thibault will make his first start of the season.

No reason to even watch then, if the coach is admitting they have no chance to win by playing T-Blow.

7-1 Ducks.

Oh well, at least I can go to bed early knowing the outcome isn't in doubt. That likely means there will be no grades from me on this one, except this:

GOALTENDING: F--. You didn't expect T-Blow to actually look like an NHL goalie, did you? If he hadn't given up those four softies, the Pens might have had a chance. His rebound control was brutal. Even uglier was the one that went in from behind the red line. But who cares, anyway? This was a give-up game since they had already won two on this trip and Therrien didn't want to risk Fleury getting hurt.

by **arizonahotrock** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:43 pm

Son of a...

That's what I get for praising a Therrien decision in another thread...he answers by making a horrible coaching decision. Awesome.

by **bill from turtle creek** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:45 pm

Doesn't he realize that the posters here know best?

by **Steve** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:45 pm

the pens have 3 games in 4 nights coming up, so they need to get t-bo some work.

by **Pitts** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:46 pm

Are you guys serious? Giving up the game? Gimme a friggin break! Thibault has to play sometime. Fleury has to sit sometime. By everyone's account, Thibault was the best goaltender in the pre season. You "fans" amaze me with the negativity!

by **Mad City Mike** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:47 pm

Pitts wrote:Are you guys serious? Giving up the game? Gimme a friggin break! Thibault has to play sometime. Fleury has to sit sometime. By everyone's account, Thibault was the best goaltender in the pre season. You "fans" amaze me with the negativity!

I have seen with my own eyes the putridity that is T-Blow. You apaprently haven't.

by **Pitts** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:48 pm

Mad City Mike wrote:
Pitts wrote:Are you guys serious? Giving up the game? Gimme a friggin break! Thibault has to play sometime. Fleury has to sit sometime. By everyone's account, Thibault was the best goaltender in the pre season. You "fans" amaze me with the negativity!

I have seen with my own eyes the putridity that is T-Blow. You apaprently haven't.

How, he hasn't played a game yet this season!

EDIT: Jerez...can you smack him for me??

by **yeltzen** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:50 pm

I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

by **arizonahotrock** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:51 pm

Pitts wrote:
Mad City Mike wrote:
Pitts wrote:Are you guys serious? Giving up the game? Gimme a friggin break! Thibault has to play sometime. Fleury has to sit sometime. By everyone's account, Thibault was the best goaltender in the pre season. You "fans" amaze me with the negativity!

I have seen with my own eyes the putridity that is T-Blow. You apaprently haven't.

How, he hasn't played a game yet this season!

EDIT: Jerez...can you smack him for me??

He played some in that Carolina game...saw how well that turned out. He's not a backup goalie that this team will rally around.

I know that he has to play at some point...but why start him against the best team in the NHL, coming after a hard loss? It just doesn't make sense...

by **Pitts** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:51 pm

yeltzen wrote:I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

On the other hand, the Pens could come out flying while the Ducks play flat and the team could WIN.

by **eberhard** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:51 pm

It is MT's job to think long-term with personnel decisions like this one, despite how it plays on some sort of macho John Wayne level to not cower before your enemy or whatever.

We have Tampa Bay at home Wednesday after a cross-country flight, then Ottawa Friday, back on the plane to play Carolina by Friday, then back home for the Flyers Monday. Fleury could be feeling fatigued, mentally or physically. We don't know, but Therrien apparently knows something because he obviously prefers to start Fleury whenever possible.

by **Mad City Mike** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:53 pm

yeltzen wrote:I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

I actually agree with this line of thought. They were never going to win tonight anyway, so who cares if it's 8-1 instead of 4-1?

by **jmh470** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:55 pm

Probably a good idea. You just have to be realistic about playing the Ducks. Pronger and Niedermayer should totally neutralize the Pens 5 on 5.

by **arizonahotrock** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:56 pm

Mad City Mike wrote:
yeltzen wrote:I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

I actually agree with this line of thought. They were never going to win tonight anyway, so who cares if it's 8-1 instead of 4-1?

I don't know if I agree with that line of thought. I actually think they stand a pretty good chance against the Ducks...with Fleury in net.

by **WildKaper** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:04 pm

ESPNRadio 1250 just reported that Fleury is starting tonight. Hmmm, I wonder if something has changed.

by **arizonahotrock** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:06 pm

WildKaper wrote:ESPNRadio 1250 just reported that Fleury is starting tonight. Hmmm, I wonder if something has changed.

Maybe, just maybe, Nietzsche was indeed wrong. Stupid philosophy.

by **Henry Hank** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:08 pm

Anyone who is crying and saying the Pens can't win now is being a huge baby. Get over it.

by **SportsFan** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:09 pm

Anaheim has a pretty physical team with guys like Thorton, Moen, Dipenta, O'Brien, Pronger.. Wonder if Cairns see action tonight?

Especially considering how the Sharks hit everything that moved.

by **EagleMorph** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:17 pm

If Thibault gets the start tonight, then good.

Fleury can't start every game, kids. Thibault hasn't started once this season, and don't point to the Carolina game as evidence that Thibault is going to continue his suckitude from last year.

It's very tough for a goalie to come in cold off the bench and be effective. There's a whole rigorous mental preparation thing that a lot of players need to do in order to be effective, and coming off the bench cold against as streaking team is tough to do.

I'm going to laugh if Thibault shuts down the Ducks tonight. I wonder how many of you like crow.

by **Tico Rick** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:23 pm

YES! I'm all for anything that increases the chances of me seeing Fluery in goal when I go to Raleigh on Saturday. Thanks, MT!

by **arizonahotrock** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:24 pm

Tico Rick wrote:YES! I'm all for anything that increases the chances of me seeing Fluery in goal when I go to Raleigh on Saturday. Thanks, MT!

"Everything I do, I do it for yoooouuuuuu" -Michel Therrien (to Tico Rick)

by **magnum** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:26 pm

I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

I actually agree with this line of thought. They were never going to win tonight anyway, so who cares if it's 8-1 instead of 4-1?

A goaltender that hasn't plaed a single game all season. A defenseman who hasnt played a single game all season, minus our top defenseman.

Pens win in OT 4-3. My prediction woulda been 4-3 in regulation but I've had a good feeling about this game.

by **gregor** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:29 pm

Karen Price also has Thibault in goal.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 78477.html

by **penny lane** on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:30 pm

magnum wrote:
I'd rather see Thibault used in a game that the Pens have a slim chance of winning rather than in a game that the Pens have a good chance of winning. I don't want Thibault blowing a game we could have won against TB, for example. 4-2 vs. 7-2 against the Ducks, on the other hand, doesn't matter much.

I actually agree with this line of thought. They were never going to win tonight anyway, so who cares if it's 8-1 instead of 4-1?

A goaltender that hasn't plaed a single game all season. A defenseman who hasnt played a single game all season, minus our top defenseman.

Pens win in OT 4-3. My prediction woulda been 4-3 in regulation but I've had a good feeling about this game.

Plus, they are playing a team that has not loss at home yet...
that streak has to end.
I have a good feeling about this game too!

Fleury will sit tonight

Fleury will sit tonight

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