It’s often said that a Stanley Cup winner needs its goalie to steal a few games in the playoffs.  Well Marc Andre Fleury has just done that in the fifth game of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals.  He wasn’t perfect but he faced over 50 shots and made quite possibly the best save I’ve ever seen on a 2 on 1.

I’ve seen some saves where the goalie bats the puck out of mid air with his paddle (clearly pure luck).  I’ve seen miraculous glove saves from point blank (luck again).  I’ve never, ever seen a goalie stretch out in the splits on a 2 on 1 to make a skate save to save the game and the entire series.

It was at a point in the game when I was really starting to think that Sidney Crosby and the boys just wouldn’t solve Chris Osgood.  Osgood stopped Crosby on a breakaway which, had he scored, would have made every highlight reel for years to come - his move was just that good.  But at the very last second Osgood flicked out his toe and really changed the momentum of the game.  Fleury easily could have given up and no one would have blamed him for the loss.

Before this game I really didn’t have a favourite for the Conn Smythe trophy but if Fleury is able to lead his Pens to even one more victory I would say that the trophy is all but his.  The mighty offence has been only strong.  The stingy defence has been porous.  The Penguins really have no business being down only one game to a Red Wings team that looks as solid from head to foot as any team I’ve ever seen.

Can I talk about Malkin for a minute?  I know that Don Cherry talked about Malkin being in a fog but I really want to ask him, “what are you thinking?”  All of the backhand and blind passes to no one, or worse?  It’s really quite ridiculous.  It’s to the point where, if I were coach I would sit him.  He hasn’t provided any offence and is causing at least one major turnover every shift.  That’s a liability.  And before you say that he assisted on the game tying goal I would recommend viewing the tape again.  He actually was in the process of giving the puck away!  He was very lucky that the Wings were unable to clear and the Pens kept the puck in deep.  It would have been just one more example of Malkin passing to a ghost.  You almost have to wonder if he’s doing it on purpose…

[images courtesy of playoffbeard.com - a big thanks]