Fleury is the key to Pen's cup chances

Las Vegas, the NHL Network, the average hockey fan all have the Pittsburgh Penguins as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. I can't really disagree with that prediction. The Penguins have the two best overall players on the world in Sidney Crosby and reining MVP Evgeni Malkin. They have three 40 goal scorers (Crosby,Malkin, James Neal) on their team, a potential Norris trophy candidate in Kris Letang, and they have a lot of experience in the postseason.

However, the franchise netminder Marc-Andre Fleury is the one guy that can make those cup dreams fade away into the night. If Fleury plays badly the Pens will not win the cup. It's really as simple as that. Of course another devastating injury to one of their superstars would also hinder their chances but a goalie is the one guy who can make or break a team.

The two times Fleury helped get the Pens two the Cup Finals in his career he played great in the postseason. The first time, in which the Pens lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings, Fleury was 14-6 with a 1.97 G.A.A., and a .933 save %. Those are Conn Smythe type numbers. The following year, when the Pens defeated the Red Wings and won the cup, Fleury played great in the final two games of the cup finals, allowing just two goals in the final two games combined, and made two ridiculous saves in game seven against the  Red Wings and game seven against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

 Both saves were great and very "clutch". Fleury was known as a big-game goaltender and he was ascended into stardom. Those saves are forever and Fleury will always have them but Fleury is still supposed to be in the prime of his career. Fleury was rewarded handsomely for his great play by a seven-year contract worht $35 million. The Penguins once again made him their franchise goaltender, after selecting him number one overall in the 2003 NHL draft. 

That was the spring of 2009. It's now winter 2013 and Fleury's play against the Philadelphia Flyers last year was atrocious. 

In six games, Fleury allowed 26 goals. In his last 13 starts in the playoffs Fleury is 5-8 in 13 starts, and has allowed 43 goals in those 13 starts. Against the Flyers it was as if Fleury was defending a soccer net. The Flyers couldn't do anything but score. Of course the defense let him out to dry at times but Fleury is the goalie and the goalie's job is to stop the puck. 

Look at the last two teams that won the Stanley Cup. They did it was solid defense and most of all, great goaltending. That's how the Pens won the last two games in 2009 against the Red Wings. Sorry for the cliche but Fleury has to bring his "A game" in order for the Pens to even sniff a Stanley Cup no matter how potent their offense is. Anything over a 2.70 goals against average isn't going to cut it. I have faith in Fleury and I think he will respond to the pressure, he has before.

Fleury doesn't have to be Tim Thomas, Johnathan Quick, or Patrick Roy, he just needs to make big saves in key moments like he did before. He's in a funk. You're not always going to be clutch. Let's just hope this year that Fleury is.