Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has been known a time or two to repeat the phrase, "The standard is the standard." That's somewhat true with the Penguins, but their standard when it comes to goaltending is a little higher.
In a good way.
With Thursday's news that Matt Murray is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the Penguins have the luxury of turning to a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender who doubles as their longest-tenured player.
The same impossible-to-dislike guy who has 368 wins and is playing his most consistent hockey of the season.
"Everybody loves Flower around here, and we're so happy to see him playing to his level," Matt Cullen said. "When he's playing this way, he's exceptional. It's really nice to see that."
Marc-Andre Fleury enters Saturday's game against his hometown Canadiens on a considerable roll. He's 4-0-1 in his past five decisions and, in his last five appearances, has stopped 108 of 114 shots for a .947 save percentage.
"It's been good," Fleury said. "Good little stretch here. Played a few games close together. Got a few wins. I just feel more comfortable in there. Looking forward to the next one again."
Tristan Jarry, called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday, is looking forward to exactly what he did on Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex: practice.
It's a well-deserved promotion, too, after Jarry put together a fine first half in the American Hockey League. He went 13-5-1, his win total ranking second in the AHL, to go along with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
Call it a continuation of a strong preseason, when Jarry strung together back-to-back shutouts and stopped all 54 shots he faced.
"I just want to adapt to practice, start getting better, start getting used to the shots," said Jarry, who's awaiting his NHL debut but did serve as Jeff Zatkoff's backup in the first two playoff games last spring.
"It's another step up from the American League, so I think the biggest thing for me is to go in there and practice like I can."
