Marc-Andre Fleury’s career will be defined by big saves, like the one made against Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom at the death of Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup for the Penguins in 2009.
But it will also be defined by big errors.
Like the one he made in the World Junior Championships final in 2004 vs. the United States.
And the one he made Friday to allow Montreal’s Josh Anderson to net the tying goal late in Game 3 of the playoff semifinal between the Canadiens and Vegas. Montreal won in OT to take a two games-to-one series lead. Fleury was benched for Game 4 in favor of Robin Lehner. Vegas won. That could be the last we see of Fleury in these playoffs.
Fleury has never been adept at handling the puck. But his latest error – and mistakes made by other netminders – sparks debate about the value of goaltenders’ stick skills: Do they provide irreplaceable benefit, or mostly create jackpots? To read more, click HERE.
Thumbnail via Getty Images.