The Hockey News: Adam Proteau's Blog: THN.com Blog: Pens goalies on thin ice

THN.com Blog: Pens goalies on thin ice

Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't given the Penguins the consistent goaltending they hoped for this season, going 9-8 with a 2.90 GAA and .902 SP.

Adam Proteau
2007-12-12 13:26:49

The Pittsburgh Penguins may be one of the NHL’s hotter teams as of late, but getting pounded 8-2 by Philadelphia as they did Tuesday night is bound to take the spring out of their step (watch highlights).

The loss snapped Pittsburgh’s four-game win streak – their longest of the season – but more importantly, the manner in which the Flyers dismantled the Pens should be cause for concern for GM Ray Shero, particularly in terms of his goaltending department.

The lack of consistency demonstrated by Marc-Andre Fleury and Dany Sabourin this year is a significant cause of the Penguins’ struggles to stay in the playoff picture. If Sidney Crosby & Co. continue to receive shaky netminding and if Shero doesn’t deal for a reliable veteran, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Pittsburgh could miss the post-season altogether.

What a colossal embarrassment that would be for the game’s marquee player, the league itself, and a franchise still aiming to rebuild and pad its fan base.

• If you’re a Bruins fan, you probably won’t want to read this Boston Magazine profile of team president Charlie Jacobs.

If you’re not, settle yourself down somewhere comfortable and enjoy.

• As a follow-up to my mailbag column from Tuesday, here’s a little note from Matt Thacker of West Jordan, Utah, that was far more polite than the rest:

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Adam,

I definitely would not descend to the level of some of the letters you received, because I don't believe you're a bad guy.

However, your blogs are pretty negative about the game. It truly seems to me that you don't like it. It seems like writing about it is just a job that you have to do to pay the bills. I try to read between the lines, but in the end, it seems to me that hockey is just not something you love... or even like... even a little.

Of course, I don't know you personally. I'm just calling it as I see it (and I'd be the first to admit it if I'm wrong). We obviously know what you don't like, but is there anything you DO like about the game? I bet I wouldn't be the only one who would like to read that.

In the end, thanks for providing me with something to read at my cubicle while waiting for (John) Buccigross' next article to come out. You definitely have a better job than I do.

Matt,

I get this question every so often, and I even answered it here last March.

And you’re absolutely right; I’ve got a pretty cool gig. But like a music critic that has to suffer the craptastic tones of Toby Keith and the Black-Eyed Peas before he gets to true artists such as The Arcade Fire and Feist (a.k.a. Mrs. Proteau the Third), I’ve got to wade through a good degree of god-awful hockey before I see the type of game I enjoy.

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COMMENTS (5)

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Brooke Hitt Posted
(2009-04-30 06:54:12)

OK, I'll admit that the penguins goalies aren't doing the best this year but Fleury is recovering from an injury for one thing. And also it is not just the goal tenders because you can not place all the blame on them. Sure they were amazing last year and didn't need as much support but for the puck to get the to the goalie it had to go through five other bodies of the defending team. So why put all the blame on one person when five others could have stopped it. This is coming from another goalie that the pressure is crazy but having a strong line out in front really helps. And if the front line can't stop the player coming down the ice with the puck then they are just as much to blame for a goal. The goalie should never be the lone soul that is blamed. Also another reason they are loosing is because the front lines aren't scoring goals. The so-called "next Wayne Gretzky" has not scored a goal in a while but you are not mentioning that fact. Even if the goal tenders do as amazing of a job that they did last year it does not help if the centers and wingers are not scoring and aren't taking prime shooting chances. You must not put the blame on one player out of the whole team. If you were injured it might take you just as long to get back on your feet as it is Fleury. So please if your going to talk about how a team may not be Stanley Cup material this year place the blame on all parts of the team and show how each areas are slipping in what they are supposed to be doing.

D.S. Posted
(2009-04-30 05:56:38)

You can marry Leslie Feist after she divorces me. Of course, first we actually have to meet, date, fall in love, and then get married (not necessarily in that order) before we can then get divorced which will assuredly happen once Keira Knightley steals me away.

Alex Sinclair Posted
(2009-04-30 05:56:37)

People have to recognize that the tone of Adam's negative comments on the NHL is not from spite, its from disappointment. His comment on the Boston owner in this article does not mean he enjoys reading about Boston's woes. Its just such a constant, never-ending story of mismanagement and when you see it so much you turn from annoyed to upset to sarcastic. Adam definitely loves the game, and that's why much of his writing is negative. Anyone who wants to change something for the better needs to point out the problems, but after doing it for so long without seeing change, I can see Adam's frustration. I don't always agree with everything you say man, but thanks for writing. Keep up the good work.

Brian Cass Posted
(2009-04-30 05:56:35)

Overated team period. No balance, all firepower no D or goaltending to back it up

Craig S Posted
(2009-04-30 05:56:33)

Adam: I'm looking forward to your column next week when you decry the thuggery that's invaded basketball (re: the TJ Ford incident of last night). When will TPTB in the NBA front office take action to stop the rash of headshots that are driving fans away from the game. Tell us how there is no place in the game for a one-dimensional slug like Holford, and the game would be better off without him.