Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final should be an interesting one.
With the series now tied 2-2, the Penguins face an interesting dilemma going into the next game. Do they stick with Matt Murray, who they pulled on Friday night, or do they go back to old reliable, Marc-Andre Fleury?
After the game, head coach Mike Sullivan wasn’t interested in tipping his hand when it came to his goaltending situation.
“I haven’t really given it any thought at this point,” said Sullivan.
Murray’s been fantastic for the Penguins this postseason. The 21-year-old has a 9-4 record with a 2.33 goals-against-average and a .923 save percentage. Will that be enough to get him at least one more start? We’ll find out soon, but the way the Pens played in front of Fleury in the third period won’t help Murray’s case.
Murray: Weird game. From getting clocked by my own Dman, to goals off shin pads, weird bounces. Thought I was in position most of time -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 21, 2016
Murray: Their last 2 goals were brutal bounces, good for them. I felt good. Thought I competed really hard -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 21, 2016
Maybe it was a coincidence, but Fleury’s arrival in the third period seemed to spark the Penguins. Trailing 4-0 going into the third period of Game 4, Pittsburgh not only dominated the period but they also came close to tying the game in the dying seconds of the third frame.
Fleury: I was nervous. Been a while since I played. Excited too. I love the game. I love to play. Fun to be a part of -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 21, 2016
Fleury: It was nice. It's been so long. Some getting used to in beginning. More it went on, better I felt -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 21, 2016
Fleury: Just to be a part of the game, the traffic, the speed. I've been practicing. Good to see the difference -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 21, 2016
“I thought he was solid,” Sullivan said of Fleury. “I thought he looked good. He was moving well. He made a couple of saves. So I thought it was solid.”
Game 5 goes Sunday night in Pittsburgh.