Rossi: Fleury can wait until Murray caps Caps

WASHINGTON — Progress.

That was the word coach Mike Sullivan chose to use while addressing what has become his least favorite subject: Marc-Andre Fleury's condition.

On Saturday morning, Sullivan said Fleury had shown “encouraging” signs in recent days. And while neither he nor I are experts in the field of brain injuries, we're on the same page.

In particular, Fleury has looked a lot more like himself since Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs began for the Penguins. He was joking around — to the point of playing pranks on old teammates-turned-opponents — before and after practices. He also was sharp in the practices, seemingly tracking pucks as he had before suffering a second concussion in a span of about three months more than a month ago.

Is Fleury ready to resume protecting the Penguins' goal? That should be his call (after he's medically cleared, anyway), not ours.

Should Fleury play against the Capitals if he's cleared? That should be Sullivan's call, and it's an easy one.

No.

For as long as Round 2 lasts, Matt Murray should man the Penguins' net … unless something completely crazy happens.

And at this point, it would be something crazy if Murray were to play himself out of the starting gig. He has simply been too impressive to doubt and never more than in the Penguins' Game 2 victory Saturday night at Verizon Center.

Career postseason start No. 5 was Murray's No. 1 performance and a more revelatory one than a couple of good games that closed out the New York Rangers in Round 1.

The Rangers' highest-profile forwards were past their prime. The Capitals' best-known scorers are either all-time (Alex Ovechkin), big-time (T.J. Oshie) or in or about to enter their primes (Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov).

That is as impressive a foursome of forwards as any remaining in the playoffs. Each is capable of altering a game with one shot. Any could break a goalie.

Murray did not look broken after Game 1. However, Oshie's hat trick made him look human.

If we're being honest, merely human might not be good enough to take out the Capitals. Yet, in a best-of-seven series that is tied 1-1, the Capitals haven't been the best team.

The Penguins probably should be up 2-0 heading into Game 3 on Monday night at Consol Energy Center. They carried the play for three-fourths of an overtime loss in Game 1. They downright dominated Game 2, when it took almost 15 minutes for the Capitals to register a shot in the second period.

It was a hard (but easy-to-see) slapper from Ovechkin. It was only the Capitals' sixth shot of the contest. It also was absorbed neatly by Murray's large upper-body padding.

No big deal, right?

Thing is, the deal turned real from that point until the final seconds. After Ovechkin's shot, Murray was tasked with stopping another 18 over the final 25 minutes. He saved all but one.

Amid that frenzied finish, Murray was most impressive. He was more impressive amid the two-thirds of Game 2, when the Penguins put on a clinic of modern-day defense by baiting the Capitals into low-percentage shots then blocking in bulk quantities.

Every goalie likes to “see some pucks early.” A rookie goalie like Murray could be forgiven for being shaky if he doesn't.

In a game his club had to have — and coming off a series-opening performance he described as “at best average” — Murray was subtly superb before he had to be spectacular Saturday night. Once again, he was what he has mostly been in Fleury's absence: ready.

If Fleury is ready to return, he can wait.

He remains the goalie most likely to help the Penguins win the Cup. If healthy, he should be the goalie they go to if there is a Game 1 of a conference final.

But with what Murray has shown so far, the Capitals' progress as the Cup favorite is his to stop.

Rob Rossi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rrossi@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RobRossi_Trib.