Well we finally got a win tonight – hopefully that’ll at least get some confidence back in the players.
And I would not call Fleury average. Not by a longshot.
More early season statistical quirks: Jason Chimera has 50% more goals than Sidney Crosby.
By what objective measure isn’t he?
He’s not a bad goalie, but if you stack him up against other regular goalies (e.g. not someone who just played two games or something) every single year he’s like 17th in save percentage. In his entire career he’s been in the top ten (eighth) in GAA once, and never in top top ten in save percentage, and his best years are well behind him now.
Things will of course look unusually bad for the Pens if their best player isn’t playing well but that won’t continue.
A couple of weeks ago the Caps were having one of their fund raisers for charity. This time it was “Pick-a-Stick”. You pay your money, pick up a hockey stick and pull back the wrapping to see who signed it. I thought this would make a good Christmas gift for my sons so I paid for two. First one I picked was signed by Ovie. The second was signed by Kuznetsov. Merry Christmas one and all!
That’s how the Ice Cheetah rolls.
My favorite Chimera quote, when asked about scoring 20 goals in 2012-13 when he was 33: “I didn’t want to peak too soon.”
I have a Chimera bobblehead on my desk at work. I have been known to drape a “tissue of shame” over it and have also been known to make an inverted-cup pedestal to elevate it.
Um, Fleury’s been one of the best goalies in the league the past few seasons, easily the Pens MVP the past two, and he’s getting better. Nobody realizes this because, yes, he was absolutely garbage through his first… 10 years?.. in the league. But Pens changed goalie coaches, had him see a sports psychologist, and he’s been a rock since then. He’s steady, makes routine saves, doesn’t fight the puck like he used to, etc. He does still have bad games from time to time, but he hasn’t let in an Islanders-playoffs goal in years. In fact, the last 2 trips to the playoffs, Fleury was one of the only things about the team that wasn’t a problem – him and Malkin.
And trust me, I really, really, really wanted to send him to the moon, several times, over the years. His transformation is astounding.
Well Red Wings slide into first place for at least a day 
nice, but I’m not counting on it lasting.
Marchand might miss the winter classic because of his cheap hit on Mark Borowiecki.
Let us all cross our fingers in hope…
Filthy play by a filthy player.
What I don’t understand is that the last time he low bridged a player he got a 5-game suspension. By giving him a phone hearing they’ve already limited it to a maximum of 5 games. It clearly wasn’t enough last time, do shouldn’t they keep the option of a longer one?
3 games, so he will miss the Winter Classic. And it’s not like baseball, so even if he appeals the ruling, it won’t matter. He’s still suspended while the appeal process goes on.
I hate him, he absolutely deserves the suspension, and I’m glad he got it. But the Winter Classic will be a little less interesting without him.
Honestly, if it weren’t Fleury, we’d be a lot worse off than we are this season.
And the guy’s a human jellyfish. I’ve never seen a goalie that flexible. And how many times has he made saves behind his back? If anything, he’s underrated. A lot of his problems seemed to be nerves, but it looks like he’s gotten past that.
(I am an unabashed Fleury partisan, and I don’t care who knows it)