For all the talk about Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, tonight’s Penguins - Capitals game was all about the goalies.
Ultimately, Marc-Andre Fleury bested Braden Holtby (shown best with Holtby slamming his stick against the bench after Nick Bonino’s impressive empty-netter), and Pittsburgh bested Washington 3-1 on Wednesday.
Fleury’s efforts generated some well-deserved praise from onlookers.
END 1: #PITvsWSH scoreless after the 1st. Impressive period for last year's #Pens MVP, Marc-Andre Fleury. pic.twitter.com/r03jFH4T27
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 29, 2015
@penguins Marc Andre Fleury, AKA.. pic.twitter.com/iYZuAeL7vm
— Shawna Renea (@_shawnawinakor) October 29, 2015
Marc-Andre Fleury ... does not look like 2010-2013 Marc-Andre Fleury. Like, not at all.
— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) October 29, 2015
Marc-Andre Fleury is the Penguins' best player. Things I never thought I'd say at any point
— Josh Cooper (@JoshuaCooper) October 29, 2015
It was a physical, nasty game at times, with all the missed shots maybe indicating that the two teams could use a few breaks to create more offense.
This leaves Pittsburgh in a strange spot.
Sidney Crosby and much of the offense is sputtering, even with Phil Kessel looking strong. The power play is ... abysmal.
Sidney Crosby has been held without a point in eight of nine games. That's never happened before.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 29, 2015
That would seem to spell disaster, yet the Penguins are now winners of five of their last six games.
Maybe it’s all about the positive spin, then. If Pittsburgh can generate offense on a regular basis, then perhaps the Penguins will be a contender once again?
That’s up to debate, but either way, a series against the Capitals would probably be a lot of fun, right?