The old saying, “April showers bring May flowers” shows that Mother Nature likes to follow a pattern. This pattern allows the earth to show its true colors when spring comes around in May. Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, with his last name meaning flower, has been in full bloom since the middle of winter.
With the Penguins struggling at the end of the calendar year and into the New Year, it seemed like Fleury was losing every game he played. During this six game losing streak “the Flower” had a save percentage of .890 and was letting up on average 2.3 goals per game. Only allowing a little over two goals a game isn’t bad, but he wasn’t facing that many shots and was letting in some weak goals. However, since that six game losing streak ended, Fleury has been playing some of the best hockey I have seen from a goaltender since Broduer was in his prime winning two Stanley Cups with the Devils. Since, January 13th, “the Flower” has won 17 out of the 21 games he has played in, and has a save percentage of .919, allowing only 45 goals on 561 shots. Marc-Andre also is second in the league in wins with 35 only one behind Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators. He along with the resurgent play of Evgeni Malkin have sent this Penguins squad atop many power ranks across the league.
He now puts his name into the running for the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable player of the league, and the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender in the league at the end of the year. Fleury has been showing his true colors since winter showing the rest of the National Hockey League that he has become one of the elite goaltenders in the league today.
