This is not a good season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In most of the early games, even the losses, Marc-Andre Fleury bailed out the guys in front of him time and time again. He’s out of commission for 1-2 weeks with concussion symptoms and things aren’t going well in his absence.
That’s not to blame his replacements, Jeff Zatkoff and Matt Murray, entirely. I’m actually a big fan of Zatkoff – he’s an alumnus of my university and a generally great guy. Murray’s NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes wasn’t too shabby and he got his first NHL win last night against the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets.
But, par for the course, the defense outside of the blue paint is imploding, especially with Kris Letang‘s absence, and quite frankly, these two have nowhere near the NHL experience Fleury does to make up for that.
I miss “The Flower.” I miss him thanking the goalposts for helping him out on lucky saves. I miss him trying to pick fights with anyone who comes near his crease. I even miss his soul patch.
So without further ado, I present a playlist for everyone who misses our Quebecois netminder as much as I do: “An Ode to Marc-Andre Fleury.”
Next: Fleury Come Back
“Baby Come Back” by Player
“I was wrong, and I just can’t live without you” – every Pens fan who complained about Fleury’s goaltending skills over the years now, probably
Baby, come back. You can blame it all on me. Well, not the concussion itself, of course, but regardless…come back.
Next: Miss You, Miss You
“I Miss You” – blink-182
That one’s pretty self-explanatory, I think.
“Will you come home and stop the pain tonight?”
The pain? Five straight losses for a Pittsburgh Penguins team that was expected to contend before the season began.
Next: Help! We need somebody. Not just anybody.
“Help” – The Beatles
“Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody.” -Zatkoff and Murray
I don’t think we need to trade for another goalie, Flower’s perfectly capable when he is in net. But maybe another new defenseman?
Next: Here Without You
“Here Without You” – 3 Doors Down
“I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time” – goaltending coach Mike Bales, but I don’t think he’d admit it.
Thank goodness it hasn’t been a hundred days without Flower. It’s been a week, but I do miss his pretty face.
Next: Stay And Defend
“Stay and Defend” – Wolf Gang
“Maybe we run, or maybe we stay and defend.” – the entire Pens defensive roster
This one isn’t directed toward Fleury as much as it is toward his defense and what they need to be doing. Please. Defend. Be able to say you did your best, which now you might actually be able to do without Rob Scuderi there.
Next: When You're Gone
“When You’re Gone” – Avril Lavigne
“When you’re gone the face I came to know is missing too” – but seriously, no one else can pull of that iconic goatee-thing like him
Who would I be if I didn’t include the Canadian queen of angsty anthems? The pieces of my heart are still missing you.
Next: Maybe We'll Find Better Days
“Better Days” – Goo Goo Dolls
“Maybe we’ll find better days” – yes, please
Interpret this one however you want. Think back to better days when Fleury stood on his head and made ridiculous saves like this one. Or think ahead and imagine the Penguins actually scoring and helping out whichever goalie is backstopping them.
Next: Comfortably Numb
“Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd
“I have become comfortably numb” – approximately 96% of Pittsburgh Penguins fans
I’m not even mad when the Pens lose anymore, I’m getting used to it. Even after Friday’s awful 6-2 loss to Boston I wasn’t angry.
Next: The Pens Wanna Get Better (Maybe)
“I Wanna Get Better” by Bleachers
“I didn’t know I was broken ’til I wanted to change; I wanna get better” – Mike Sullivan‘s system after not immediately solving the issues left over from Mike Johnston‘s system
I sincerely hope this is the sentiment that’s prevailing inside the Penguins locker room right now. Looking at such a stacked roster, you wouldn’t think that they need to get better, but the stats and lack of goal scoring don’t lie.
Next: Our Wilted Flower
“Wilted Flower” by Maximilian Hecker
“I am blooming without you” – the Penguins on Opposite Day
Pardon the pun, but it was too good to pass up. The main difference between the lyrics and reality is that the Penguins are not blooming without Fleury.
I don’t think “Wilted Penguins” is a scientifically correct term like “Wilted Flower” is, but it’s pretty darn accurate.
Next: The Ending Credits
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Marc-Andre Fleury has been out of the lineup for four games with concussion symptoms. With last year’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tandem standing in, it’s become obvious just how many of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ blunders he atoned for.
There you have it. Thankfully we’ve gotten through week one of Fleury’s absence and finally got a win to boot; the light at the end of the goaltending tunnel is visible.
Now we just have to wait and see if the rest of the team can step up for more than one game.
Do you have any songs that you’d add to the playlist? Let us know in the comments below!
