Rust not a factor for Knights’ Fleury in rout of Sharks
It’s a common and yet at times ironic truth: All everyone seems to worry about with an NHL goaltender is rest.
Is he being underworked?
Is he being overworked?
Is he starting back to backs?
Is he being honest about how he feels?
Marc-Andre Fleury knows the drill. He also knows how best to learn from history.
He also likes the wave. More on that later.
The last time Fleury had at least eight days off between playoff games, he came out rusty and allowed three goals in 24 minutes.
He allowed zero in 60 on Thursday night.
A best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal between the Golden Knights and San Jose has commenced, and if a 7-0 victory by Vegas before 18,444 at T-Mobile Arena told us anything, it’s that Fleury and his teammates weren’t bothered in the least by extended time off.
The same can’t be said for the Sharks, who will be better in Game 2 on Saturday because it’s impossible this time of year — or any other, for that matter — to be worse, especially those charged with keeping things clean and orderly in front of goalie Martin Jones.
Maybe the Sharks will actually bring their skates Saturday.
Jones was gone at 3:28 of the second period, replaced when Shea Theodore’s goal made the score 5-0.
By the time San Jose realized the series had begun, 12 minutes had elapsed in the first period and the top three Vegas lines had each produced a goal.
I mean, the Sharks did absolutely nothing for their guy in net.
“We weren’t good and they beat us, and whether you lose 2-1 or 7-0, they don’t get any extra points for it,” said Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, whose team swept Anaheim in the first round. “It’s the first adversity we’ve faced in the playoffs, and it’s on us to respond. I don’t think the gap is what the score was.”
It’s not, not even close, but what also didn’t change for Vegas from a sweep of the Kings in the first round is the play of Fleury, who continues to stand on his head and back and shoulders and any other available body part in playing some of the best hockey of his career.
Never has been better
He was the starter on the first of his three Stanley Cup championships for Pittsburgh in 2009.
He’s better now. A lot.
“It wasn’t an easy shutout,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “There were some tough shots. Marc-Andre has been fantastic for us. He has been our leader all year. He comes to the rink and has fun and enjoys it. He’s the guy that runs our group.”
Think about it: Fleury is 5-0 in these playoffs, having stopped 160 of 163 shots in 330 minutes.
He now has three shutouts in five playoff games and hasn’t allowed a goal in more than 122 minutes.
In 2008, Fleury and the Penguins opened an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Rangers.
Pittsburgh had been off for nine days, and New York took advantage to start, leading 3-0 early in the second period.
The Penguins rallied to win 5-4.
There was no such corrosion in Fleury’s game Thursday, when of the 17 shots he turned away in the first period, 10 came on San Jose power plays.
“It was a longer than usual wait (between games),” Fleury said. “I was worried a bit in the beginning. The first shot they took was close. But once a few came and we started moving around a bit, I started feeling a little better.
“(San Jose) is a good team, obviously, and things got carried away a little bit. Penalties on both sides were a factor. It’s not going to be like this every night.”
Like this: His team holding a comfortable lead, Fleury at one point noticed the wave had begun in the stands. As it came toward his side of the ice and behind the goal, he turned to the crowd and raised an arm so as to participate in the famous cheer.
“I like the wave,” Fleury said. “I’ve always been a big fan of it. I saw it coming, heard the music going … sometimes, you just want to have some fun.”
Classic Fleury.
Oh, yeah. In 2008, when he needed help from his team to rally and win Game 1 against the Rangers, Fleury followed with a shutout in Game 2.
Which can’t make the Sharks feel any better.
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Contact columnist Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.
