Fleury pummeled with shots in loss.
Oct 11, 2003 11:15:58 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2003 11:15:58 GMT -5
Get this Pittsburgh team some defense. Now.
Article snatched from TSN: www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=56753&hubName=nhl
Fleury stellar in debut but Pens lose
Associated Press
10/10/2003
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Even the Los Angeles Kings are wondering how much better Marc-Andre Fleury can possibly get if he's already this good at age 18.
Los Angeles spoiled the No. 1 draft pick's otherwise sensational debut with two special teams goals and the injury-thinned Kings beat Fleury's Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Friday night.
Fleury, the top pick in the June entry draft, couldn't have played much better in his first NHL game, stopping 46 of 48 shots. But the goaltender's talent-depleted team couldn't have played much worse, tying a franchise record with only 11 shots.
Fleury gave up a goal on the first shot he faced in the league, Eric Belanger's short-handed breakaway 38 seconds into the game after Belanger grabbed the puck from dick Tarnstrom along the boards.
``That wasn't a good way to start,'' Fleury said. ``That didn't help.''
Fleury, who was playing junior hockey a year ago, took three or four strides out of the net to gather himself. He then made one excellent save after another - four in one remarkable 15-second span - until Trent Klatt scored on the first of nearly consecutive five-minute Kings power plays late in the second period.
``That was pretty impressive,'' Klatt said of Fleury, who reached contract terms only Monday. ``He's only 18 years old? That was pretty good.''
Teammate Luc Robitaille, riding a stationary bicycle a few feet away, raved to anyone who walked by, ``Could you believe some of those saves? That was sick.''
Kings coach Andy Murray said, ``It is obvious he is a real talent. You only have one chance to make a first impression in life and he made a great first impression.''
The standing room-only crowd of 16,986 cheered every Fleury save, standing in unison midway through the second period to give him an extended ovation while chanting, ``Fleur-ry, Fleur-ry.'' He got another when he turned aside Esa Pirnes' penalty shot at 17:40 of the third. Ziggy Palffy scored the final Kings goal into an empty net with 38 seconds remaining.
``I'm happy we didn't give up 10 goals,'' said Fleury, who said afterward he was nearly exhausted. ``But we're here to win.''
The Penguins never were in the game, and had more ejections (2) than goals (0). Reid Simpson was ejected for checking Lubomir Visnovsky into the boards at 15:11 of the second, leading to Klatt's goal. Brooks Orpik was tossed out in the final minute of the period for levelling Tim Gleason with a knee as they skated through the neutral zone.
The penalties displayed a lack of discipline that new coach Eddie Olczyk said the youngest Penguins team in franchise history must have as it tries to win with youth, speed and a trapping-style defence designed to limit good scoring chances.
``He (Fleury) played exceptionally well, especially since it seemed half the time we were short-handed,'' Olczyk said. ``To bounce back the way he did after that first goal showed a lot of resiliency.''
The Penguins' trouble was they barely got many chances themselves against backup goalie Cristobal Huet, who got only his fifth career win. They were outshot 12-2 in the first period and 20-6 in the second and were so woeful offensively that they didn't get their 10th shot until about eight minutes remained.
Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux, playing a personal record 10th consecutive game without a goal dating to last season, didn't get his first shot until 7:10 of the third.
The Kings bounced back from a 3-2 loss to Detroit in their opener Thursday despite missing injured frontliners Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller and Mattias Norstrom. Kings center Sean Avery was away attending Thrashers centre Dan Snyder's funeral Friday in Elmira, Canada. The two were roommates in junior hockey.
Notes: A moment of silence was observed for the late Herb Brooks, the Penguins' player development director and former U.S. Olympic hockey coach who died in a summertime car accident. ... Pittsburgh has lost its last five season openers. The Penguins lost 6-0 to Toronto last season. ... Rookie forward Ryan Malone became the first player developed in Pittsburgh amateur hockey to play for the Penguins. ... The Kings are 7-0-1 against the Penguins since the 1998-99 season. ... Gleason injured his left leg and didn't return, but team officials said it was not a knee injury. ... Palffy and Belanger each got their second goals in as many nights. ... Two of Huet's five victories have been in Pittsburgh. The French-born goalie got his first career win there on Feb. 25. ... The Penguins will start their other goalie, Sebastien Caron, Saturday night in Philadelphia.
This sounds like our team the past few years...except a whole fricking lot worse.
Article snatched from TSN: www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=56753&hubName=nhl
Fleury stellar in debut but Pens lose
Associated Press
10/10/2003
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Even the Los Angeles Kings are wondering how much better Marc-Andre Fleury can possibly get if he's already this good at age 18.
Los Angeles spoiled the No. 1 draft pick's otherwise sensational debut with two special teams goals and the injury-thinned Kings beat Fleury's Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Friday night.
Fleury, the top pick in the June entry draft, couldn't have played much better in his first NHL game, stopping 46 of 48 shots. But the goaltender's talent-depleted team couldn't have played much worse, tying a franchise record with only 11 shots.
Fleury gave up a goal on the first shot he faced in the league, Eric Belanger's short-handed breakaway 38 seconds into the game after Belanger grabbed the puck from dick Tarnstrom along the boards.
``That wasn't a good way to start,'' Fleury said. ``That didn't help.''
Fleury, who was playing junior hockey a year ago, took three or four strides out of the net to gather himself. He then made one excellent save after another - four in one remarkable 15-second span - until Trent Klatt scored on the first of nearly consecutive five-minute Kings power plays late in the second period.
``That was pretty impressive,'' Klatt said of Fleury, who reached contract terms only Monday. ``He's only 18 years old? That was pretty good.''
Teammate Luc Robitaille, riding a stationary bicycle a few feet away, raved to anyone who walked by, ``Could you believe some of those saves? That was sick.''
Kings coach Andy Murray said, ``It is obvious he is a real talent. You only have one chance to make a first impression in life and he made a great first impression.''
The standing room-only crowd of 16,986 cheered every Fleury save, standing in unison midway through the second period to give him an extended ovation while chanting, ``Fleur-ry, Fleur-ry.'' He got another when he turned aside Esa Pirnes' penalty shot at 17:40 of the third. Ziggy Palffy scored the final Kings goal into an empty net with 38 seconds remaining.
``I'm happy we didn't give up 10 goals,'' said Fleury, who said afterward he was nearly exhausted. ``But we're here to win.''
The Penguins never were in the game, and had more ejections (2) than goals (0). Reid Simpson was ejected for checking Lubomir Visnovsky into the boards at 15:11 of the second, leading to Klatt's goal. Brooks Orpik was tossed out in the final minute of the period for levelling Tim Gleason with a knee as they skated through the neutral zone.
The penalties displayed a lack of discipline that new coach Eddie Olczyk said the youngest Penguins team in franchise history must have as it tries to win with youth, speed and a trapping-style defence designed to limit good scoring chances.
``He (Fleury) played exceptionally well, especially since it seemed half the time we were short-handed,'' Olczyk said. ``To bounce back the way he did after that first goal showed a lot of resiliency.''
The Penguins' trouble was they barely got many chances themselves against backup goalie Cristobal Huet, who got only his fifth career win. They were outshot 12-2 in the first period and 20-6 in the second and were so woeful offensively that they didn't get their 10th shot until about eight minutes remained.
Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux, playing a personal record 10th consecutive game without a goal dating to last season, didn't get his first shot until 7:10 of the third.
The Kings bounced back from a 3-2 loss to Detroit in their opener Thursday despite missing injured frontliners Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller and Mattias Norstrom. Kings center Sean Avery was away attending Thrashers centre Dan Snyder's funeral Friday in Elmira, Canada. The two were roommates in junior hockey.
Notes: A moment of silence was observed for the late Herb Brooks, the Penguins' player development director and former U.S. Olympic hockey coach who died in a summertime car accident. ... Pittsburgh has lost its last five season openers. The Penguins lost 6-0 to Toronto last season. ... Rookie forward Ryan Malone became the first player developed in Pittsburgh amateur hockey to play for the Penguins. ... The Kings are 7-0-1 against the Penguins since the 1998-99 season. ... Gleason injured his left leg and didn't return, but team officials said it was not a knee injury. ... Palffy and Belanger each got their second goals in as many nights. ... Two of Huet's five victories have been in Pittsburgh. The French-born goalie got his first career win there on Feb. 25. ... The Penguins will start their other goalie, Sebastien Caron, Saturday night in Philadelphia.
This sounds like our team the past few years...except a whole fricking lot worse.
