Round 1: (M1) Pittsburgh vs. (W1) Columbus

[mc]

There were two penguin defencemen already back there. Why would he go there with so little time left and fumble the puck. Was he trying to score from back there?

EDIT: Looking back at the goal, I stand corrected, there werent any penguin defencemen there at all. Might have been the right move to play the puck. Looks like it back fired in the worst possible manner.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Yes, he was trying to score.

And there were not two Pittsburgh defencemen back there when he went to stop the puck.  There were none in fact.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

There were two penguin defencemen already back there. Why would he go there with so little time left and fumble the puck. Was he trying to score from back there?

When the puck passed the goal line both defencemen were at the top of the faceoff circles. And the two Columbus forecheckers had them both beat. It's a pretty standard move for Fleury to go out and play the puck, he just fumbled it.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Bounced over his stick.  Just happened to a guy known for gaffes.

 

[bustaheims]

Bounced over his stick.  Just happened to a guy known for gaffes.

It doesn't look like it bounced over his stick to me. Looks more like he misjudged the angle that it came off the boards.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Bounced over his stick.  Just happened to a guy known for gaffes.

It doesn't look like it bounced over his stick to me. Looks more like he misjudged the angle that it came off the boards.

If you watch the NHL.com highlight from the other angle, it seems like it hops right over his stick: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,3,134&lang=en

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think my problem with Fleury on that is how he didn't immediately get back into the net afterward. Why did he drop down into the butterfly while he was still in the trapezoid area?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I think my problem with Fleury on that is how he didn't immediately get back into the net afterward. Why did he drop down into the butterfly while he was still in the trapezoid area?

I think he lost his balance/Fleury's sorta herky-jerky with his balance.

 

[mc]

The tying goal, with all guys going down to block the almost empty net, you can say it was a lucky shot..the puck had eyes blah blah blah...but to let in a floater in overtime from that far out? Inexcusable.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think he lost his balance/Fleury's sorta herky-jerky with his balance.

Looks to me like he was trying to block the pass, but yeah it's hard to tell if going down was part of the plan or not. Still he should have left that to his defencemen and returned to the net as quickly as possible.

 

[bustaheims]

If you watch the NHL.com highlight from the other angle, it seems like it hops right over his stick: http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20132014,3,134&lang=en

Maybe, but, it still looks like he misplays it to me. Only having the one hand on his stick didn't help, either.

 

[Coco-puffs]

The tying goal, with all guys going down to block the almost empty net, you can say it was a lucky shot..the puck had eyes blah blah blah...but to let in a floater in overtime from that far out? Inexcusable.

Floater?  LOL.  I'm not saying he shouldn't have had it, but it wasn't an easy save.

1.  It was a pretty hard shot, and it was a sinker (knucklepuck)
2.  Foligno used the defenseman as a screen.  Watching replays from behind the net, you can clearly see that Fleury wouldn't have seen the release of the puck.

I'm surprised by the number of people who expect goalies to make saves when they can't see the release of the puck.  It makes it much more difficult to stop.  I love using defenseman as screens when I play   Kane did it perfectly last night as well in OT.

 

[mc]

The tying goal, with all guys going down to block the almost empty net, you can say it was a lucky shot..the puck had eyes blah blah blah...but to let in a floater in overtime from that far out? Inexcusable.

Floater?  LOL.  I'm not saying he shouldn't have had it, but it wasn't an easy save.

From that far out, you make that save. A wrister too.

 

[mc]

No screen.

 

[Coco-puffs]

No screen.

I don't see the puck until after it passes the defenseman.... that's a screen my friend.  Like I said before, I still think he should have had it.  I just don't agree it was a "floater" or an "easy save".

 

[mc]

No screen.

I don't see the puck until after it passes the defenseman.... that's a screen my friend.  Like I said before, I still think he should have had it.  I just don't agree it was a "floater" or an "easy save".

you take these superlatives too literally my friend.

there is no screen. the defenceman clearly move out of the way so Fleury can see the shot.

 

[L K]

No screen.

I don't see the puck until after it passes the defenseman.... that's a screen my friend.  Like I said before, I still think he should have had it.  I just don't agree it was a "floater" or an "easy save".

I do.  That's a terrible goal.  The defenseman leaned away from a long wrist shot.  Fleury just did his usually playoff choke job.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't see the puck until after it passes the defenseman.... that's a screen my friend.  Like I said before, I still think he should have had it.  I just don't agree it was a "floater" or an "easy save".

You might not, but, from the angle Fleury had, he should have been able to.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Gotta love that Columbus crowd.  Almost everyone was standing for the last part of the 3rd and OT, extremely loud.

 

[L K]

Gotta love that Columbus crowd.  Almost everyone was standing for the last part of the 3rd and OT, extremely loud.

I still don't think they win the series, but they deserve it.  Doug McLean killed the passion from a very good (but small) hockey market but running a team that sucked.  They made a mistake with Scott Howson right after that, but things seem to have turned around a bit.  It would be nice if the Blue Jackets could win over their fanbase again.