Marc-Andre Fleury was near tears when he spoke to reporters Friday after watching the Rangers celebrate their series-clinching 2-1 overtime win in Game 5.
Decidedly the Penguins' best player through the series, he turned in another brilliant performance. Yet here he was, beside himself, answering questions again about another iteration of a team that failed to fulfill expectations. Fleury at one time was Pittsburgh's postseason whipping boy, the obvious weak link on a roster containing two of the world's best players. But he's reversed course, having turned in a 2.32 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in his last 18 playoff games.
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The Penguins, though, are 8-10 in that span, five of the losses coming after Fleury allowed two goals or fewer. Four of those games came in this series. This time the problems were Pittsburgh's stars, who failed to score, and the team's battered defense, which was porous in front of Fleury.
Social media said he deserved better (#fleurydeservedbetter). Social media was right.
Aside from the Rangers clinching, Friday also featured another big performance by Craig Anderson, who stole another Senators win, and a Wild win that pushed the Stanley Cup-favored Blues to the brink of elimination.
Rangers 2, Penguins 1 (New York wins series 4-1)
Takeaway: In a series with a combined 19 goals, it's difficult to distinguish any one player on offense. The goalies owned these five games, essentially erasing stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Rick Nash and the like. Malkin, who is said to have been battling an injury, was especially disappointing; he failed to register a single point. He has gone 15 games without a point and 10 straight without a goal. A reminder: All five games of this series were decided by one goal.
Quotable: "I want to say sorry to fans, to my teammates," Malkin said. "I know I’m a leader on this team. Not so good game. I don’t know."
Highlight: Carl Hagelin scored the game-winner 10:52 into overtime, "One of the happiest moments of my life," he said:
Everyday, he’s swagelin. 😎 #StanleyCup https://t.co/REKXWpUggM
— NHL (@NHL) April 25, 2015Next up: The Rangers advance to the second round, where they will play the winner of the Capitals-Islanders series.
Senators 5, Canadiens 1 (Montreal leads series 3-2)
Takeaway: It couldn't have been easy for Senators coach Dave Cameron to bench goalie Andrew Hammond in favor of Anderson. Hammond was, after all, the main reason they made the playoffs. But if the Sens somehow manage to win at home Sunday and force a Game 7, we'll look back on the swap as the turning point.
Anderson has been outstanding since taking over after Game 2. He has allowed three goals on 123 shots as the Sens continue to rally from down 3-0. That includes the 45 shots he turned aside Friday as the Canadiens tried to end this series. Hammond might have gotten them to the playoffs, but Anderson is keeping the Sens in them.
Quotable: Cameron on his players mounting a comeback: "They're not going to go away. . . . With the playoffs exposure, the country gets to see that we won't go away."
Highlight: Erik Karlsson scores for the first time in these playoffs, launching a rocket on the power play for the Sens' third goal:
Karlsson winds up and hammers it home to give the @Senators a 3-0 lead. #MTLvsOTT #StanleyCup https://t.co/52CwRTpvGS
— NHL (@NHL) April 25, 2015Next up: Sunday at Ottawa, 6 p.m., NBCSN
Wild 4, Blues 1 (Minnesota leads series 3-2)
Takeaway: Devan Dubnyk responded to getting pulled in Game 4 by stopping 36 of 37 Blues shots and giving the Wild the first 3-2 series lead in franchise history. Jake Allen, Dubnyk's counterpart, wasn't so fortunate. He allowed four goals on 19 shots, the first time he's given up two goals in 12 starts dating to the regular season.
Quotable: "A year ago today, I was on the C squad in Montreal," Dubnyk said, referring to his time with the Canadiens last year before he excused himself from the team.
Highlight: Dubnyk's save on Alexander Steen in the second period pretty much summed up his night:
Next up: Sunday at Minnesota, 3 p.m., NBC
Three stars
3. Henrik Lundqvist, G, Rangers: Lundqvist was challenged more than he has been all series, allowing one goal on 38 shots.
2. Devan Dubnyk, G, Wild: Dubnyk rebounded from surrendering six goals on 17 shots in Game 4.
1. Craig Anderson, G, Senators: Anderson has an 0.95 goals-against average and .976 save percentage in three games.
Injury report
Mats Zuccarello, F, Rangers: Zuccarello took a shot to the left side of his head in the first period Friday. He did not return.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, F, Senators: Pageau blocked a shot from P.K. Subban and did not return. He's "banged up, day to day," Cameron said after the game. Clarke MacArthur is also day to day with an unspecified injury suffered in Game 5.
Jori Lehtera, F, Blues: Lehtera was held out of the lineup Friday with a lower-body injury he suffered late in Game 4. He didn't participate in the morning skate.
Shea Weber, D, Predators: The Predators announced Friday that Weber will miss the rest of the first round with a lower-body injury. He was injured in Game 2 against the Blackhawks and hasn't played since.
Calvin de Haan, D, Islanders: Already without Travis Hamonic and Lubomir Visnovsky, the Islanders will likely be down another defenseman Saturday after de Haan missed practice Friday. He suffered an unspecified injury late in Game 5. If de Haan can't go, rookie Ryan Pulock, who has never played an NHL game, would start in his place.
Saturday’s games
(All times Eastern)
Capitals at Islanders, 3 p.m., NBC
Red Wings at Lightning, 6 p.m., NBCSN
Blackhawks at Predators, 8 p.m., NBC
Canucks at Flames, 9 p.m., NBCSN