Posted by Scott Burnside
PITTSBURGH -- Marc-Andre Fleury (2.72 goals-against average and .901 save percentage) doesn't have the eye-popping numbers his counterpart Cam Ward does (2.22 and .927), but the Penguins have been quick to point out Fleury has delivered the goods when he's been called upon.
"We know he's going to make the big saves when he needs to," captain Sidney Crosby said Sunday. "He has that feel. He knows when that time is. Probably look back to last game and he makes that big breakaway save [on Alex Ovechkin] and that probably changes the whole momentum of the game. So we don't take him for granted, but we realize that he's going to be steady for us."
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said he figures the Hurricanes are happy with their goaltender and the Penguins are pretty happy with theirs.
"When [Fleury] makes a save in Game 7 against their best player on a breakaway, he's still a pretty big factor in the series," Bylsma said. "Whether we need him to win the game or not, he's always there for us in that regard."
When it was suggested to Carolina coach Paul Maurice that perhaps Ward had flown under the radar this spring, he said if that was the case, it was because people hadn't been watching the Canes play (which is likely the case).
"I think the difference is that he's not overly acrobatic in the net. He's a lot more efficient and controlled in his movements," Maurice said. "He's missed two games now going back to January. What we've done is tired him out to the point that he can only move post to post so it keeps him in net, pushes him to be very efficient."
Carolina center Eric Staal, himself a strong candidate for next year's Canadian Olympic team, suggested Ward deserves not just to be on the team, but to be "the man."
"I believe he should be the starting goalie," Staal said.
Injury updates
Rod Brind'Amour appeared at a media availability at the team's hotel in Pittsburgh bearing an ugly-looking shiner, courtesy of a shot to the right eye he took late in Game 7 in Boston while sitting on the bench.
He recalled being on the trainer's table in the dressing room when Scott Walker ended the series with an OT winner. Because there was a delay between the television broadcast and the live action in the arena, he heard the air go out of TD Banknorth Garden before he saw it on television.
On the Penguins' front, defenseman Sergei Gonchar skated Sunday for the first time since Game 7 on Wednesday evening as he continues to recover from that nasty knee-on-knee hit delivered by Ovechkin in Game 4 of the second round.
Expect him to be in the lineup in Game 1, along with veteran defenseman Philippe Boucher, as Bylsma will likely go with seven defensemen for the fourth straight game.
"My feelings on situations where a player's playing, coming off an injury, they have to be confident that they can do their job," Bylsma said. "We don't tell them that they can do their job. The trainers don't say you've got to get out there and do your job. He has to look me in the eye and say I'm ready to go out there and play my role on this team."
ESPN.com Stanley Cup playoffs blog
