Save percentage in hockey is comparable to RBIs in baseball. It has a lot to do with your surroundings and how your teammates perform in front of you. This is proven by the fact that the guy who leads the league in save percentage in a given year is usually a guy playing on a "neutral zone trap" type team. Those teams tend to give up a lot of long shots but not very many good shots. Perfect example of a ton of shots that weren't good chances was the Capitals in game 7 the other night. Halak had an unreal save percentage but never made what you would call a memorable save.
Meanwhile, getting back to Fleury, it all comes back to the fact that defense within the Penguins organization has been optional since ....well, forever. They are more interested in pushing forward and scoring goals. Its been especially atrocious this year. As a result, Fleury gets "hung out to dry" more than any goalie I have ever seen (at least on a good team) by defenders who should probably just give up and be wingers (Alex Goligoski anyone?). He may face 25 shots in a game but 24 of them will be GREAT scoring chances. The three overtime game against Ottawa in game 5 was the classic case. The Pens controlled play the majority of that game but couldn't do much to generate solid scoring chances. However, Ottawa got a number of odd man breaks that forced MAF to make great saves. Those break outs only count as one or two shots.
Bottom line is...Stats just don't tell you as much in hockey as they do in baseball. There is nothing in the box score for the play Sidney Crosby made in the crease in the Ottawa series. There is no stat to show how much better Fleury has become at handling the puck behind the net as his career has gone on. He has gone from being about as comfortable looking as my Alaskan Malamute in 90 degree heat to it being almost second nature. On the other hand, you can determine almost anything that happened in a baseball game somewhere in the box score or on a site like Fangraphs.com.
One final note.. Don't let Anthony convince you that Marc-Andre Fleury is the only goalie he has ever "doubted." This goes back as far Tom Barrasso. If Marty Brodeur was in goal for the Pens, he would still be complaining about his "terrible" play in the Olympics. MAF would probably need to go 82-0 with a 98% save percentage to appease Anthony. Crosby also tends to be a target of Anthony, but we will get back to that some other time.
Typical chance on MAF, Notice the large number of Penguin players around the net protecting him...
I haven't said a sour word on Crosby all year. He's convinced me he's the best player in the world right now. It wasn't that long ago that many felt Malkin was better than Sidney, but that isn't even discussed anymore.
ReplyDeleteSid had two areas he needed to improve: shootouts, and faceoffs. He became among the best in the league in both in a single off season.
Sidney is off my bash-list. He's a stud. But be very certain that I've got Fleury's chicken ass in my sights.
First, I love Malkin, but Crosby is more stable and wholesome in the overall game. Malkin shows up when he needs to, but Crosby is the captain for a reason (even besides the fact that he speak English...)
ReplyDeleteThen with Fleury, I have to agree with Brian. Yes there are those times in which you shake your head in disgrace because of the easy goal just let in by your goalie, but then there are those times when it is just him against another and he just stones them (game against Capitals ring a bell?)...
either way, for as many soft goals that are those times when he just completely amazes you (Philadelphia game last year, skate save?)
...and defense is the other issue, in conjunction to talking about defense and goalies the Canadians defense blocked a majority of the shots and Halak made good saves, not great...I don't recall him flipping over backwards, turning to the side making a glove save....
by the way, I can only imagine the plethora of knowledge and arguments to come, should be good.
Game 1 proves a lot tonight. The fact that the Pens had more then one person unlike the Caps shooting on Halak tonight. If you look at the score sheet. Not only did the Power play go 4 for 4 but 6 different guys scored tonight neither being Malkin or Crosby. Now to Fluery you need to see somewhat on. The first goal was a bit cheesy. Now goals 2 and 3 you can sorta look past because 1.Staal wasnt on the ice and thats usually where he(in front of the net). Regardless, Fluery is doing his best work in the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me like there are always "cheesy" goals being let in by the Flower. Many more than Tom Barasshole used to let in.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Brian on Fleury - although he does get into (short) streaks of letting in cheesy goals, he's still underrated in NHL circles.
ReplyDeleteHis streakiness will diminish as he continues to mature - after all, he's still a kid.