Fleury wants another shot at the Cup

cpawfan · Sep 27, 2008

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/archive/s_590356.html

In the end, the experience was as bittersweet as it was much-anticipated.

But forgive Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury if he enjoyed last spring's run to the Stanley Cup final, anyway.

Not the end result.

Not the Red Wings' 4-2 Cup victory over the Penguins.

But the overall experience?

The postseason run that brought the house down at Mellon Arena and brought the Penguins to within two victories of the Cup?

Absolutely.

"To be able to fight through it together was tough, it was long," Fleury said. "It was so much fun, though, such good hockey, so intense.

"It's the most fun in hockey that I've ever had."

In the process, Fleury chased away any personal postseason demons that might have been lingering about his crease, even if the final against Detroit was ultimately as frustrating as Fleury's performance in the three preceding series had been scintillating.

He won his first seven games, didn't lose on Mellon Arena ice in the first three rounds of the playoffs and registered three postseason shutouts while the Penguins were in the process of making quick work of Ottawa, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia.

Then came a final that included a little bit of everything, from a face-first flop onto the Joe Louis Arena ice just prior to Game 1, to a 55-save performance that staved off elimination in overtime in Game 5, to the eventual Cup-winning goal being knocked into the net by Fleury off Fleury's backside.

All of the above stuck with Fleury this summer.

He acknowledged thinking about it from time to time in the days between the night of June 4 and last night's exhibition start against Toronto at the Air Canada Centre.

And Fleury emphasized wholeheartedly that yes, he enjoyed the ride.

He's still enjoying it.

"The feeling, to be honest, I get goose bumps when I think about it," Fleury said. "It was such a great feeling from winning those games, it was awesome."

It was not, Fleury said, a feeling he realized in retrospect.

Fleury said yesterday morning that he was aware of what was taking place as it was taking place, and that he understood and appreciated how special a spring it was for himself, his team and the city in which he plays.

"I realized it a couple of times, especially in Pittsburgh because our crowd was so loud and cheering with all the white towels and stuff," Fleury said. "When we'd score goals, and you'd see everybody up, it was crazy.

"I think it's good to enjoy it. Everybody wants to win, there's always pressure. But when you win, and you beat that pressure, that's the best feeling."

Fleury and the Penguins depart this afternoon for Sweden, where they'll open the NHL's regular season against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 4-5.

For Fleury and his teammates that have yet to win a Cup, there's just one feeling left to experience.

That crossed his mind between June 4 and last night, as well.

"I thought about it," Fleury said. "When you get so close, it's frustrating when you can't get it. But it's in the back of my mind.

"That's why I want to go back."
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Fleury wants another shot at the Cup

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Fleury wants another shot at the Cup

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