In Washington Saturday, Marc-Andre Fleury showed why the Pittsburgh Penguins brass opted to hold the goaltender during this year’s trade season.
In the first period of Game 2 Saturday, Fleury stopped 16 Washington shots to keep the 
Penguins in the game.
He was rewarded with a six-goal barrage from the Pens over the final two periods of the game in a 6-2 thrashing of Washington and a 2-0 series lead heading home.
“He’s been our best player,” Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said. “In the first series (against the Columbus Blue Jackets), the first two games here, he’s made timely saves for us, especially in that first period.”
Much of the offense came from Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel who struck for two goals each in the win.
Matt Cullen broke through first for the Pens on a shorthanded goal to give them a 1-0 lead early in the second period.
Less than a minute later Matt Niskanen solved Fleury to tie it at 1-1.
The Pens responded with three straight goals before Nicklas Backstrom made it 4-2 in the third.
Evgeni Malkin made it 5-2 shortly after.
Washington now finds itself in an 0-2 hole to their playoff nemesis and that cannot be going down well anywhere in the organization.
“We’re in a little hole. We need to focus on Game 3 and winning that and that is it,” Washington’s Justin Williams said.
A little hole is 0-1; this is a team that was built to win this year and more importantly get past their ghost in Pittsburgh and the second round.
“They came hard. They put us back. They’re a skilled team, a quick team. I just tried to keep our team in the game, and I thought the guys defended well and helped me out around the net, taking rebounds and blocking some shots,” Fleury said.
Wait till next year is not a refrain that will be tolerated in Washington this off season if the second round is another catastrophe.
[WATCH: All Capitals vs. Penguins highlights | RELATED: Complete Washington vs. Pittsburgh series coverage]
Braden Holtby was given the hook after surrendering three goals on just 14 shots.
The 3-1 deficit was more than enough to make the call from the bench.
“The playoffs are made of big moments,” Holtby said. “That third goal, that’s a big moment. That’s where your goalie needs to come up with a save and I just didn’t.”
Philipp Grubauer finished up in the Washington net and made six saves.
You must be logged in to post a comment.