Pens coach tight-lipped on starting goaltender

Pittsburgh blessed with dynamic duo

When a passionate Canadian Tire Centre crowd takes to mocking the Penguins goaltenders — as they did in Wednesday’s 5-1 romp by the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final — “Murree” and “Fleur-ree” can sound remarkably similar.

For those warming up their vocal chords for a repeat performance in Game 4 on Friday, well, it could be either Murray (as in Matt) or Fleury (as in Marc-Andre) in the Penguins crease.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was giving nothing away on Thursday.

“It’s always a hard decision,” Sullivan said following Thursday afternoon’s practice. “But it’s a good hard decision because we have two really good goalies.”

There are merits for both to get the call.

Murray, who made his first appearance of the 2017 playoffs on Wednesday after Fleury allowed four goals on nine shots, led the Penguins to the 2016 Stanley Cup. He went 15-6, with a 2.08 goals against average and a .923 save percentage last spring.

He was expected to return for another extended run, but suffered a lower-body injury in the warm-up before the Penguins’ first game against Columbus.

In stepped Fleury, who backstopped the Penguins to their 2009 Stanley Cup. Before the Senators found the holes Wednesday, he had gone 9-5, with a 2.32 average and .931 save percentage.

Fleury, 32, and the owner of the Penguins franchise record with 375 regular-season victories, has always been happy-go-lucky.

And throughout his career, he’s shown the ability to rebound from a poor performance, as was the case in Games 6-7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against Washington. Fleury closed the door on the Capitals with a 29-save Game 7 shutout.

“It’s not going to go 16 (wins) in a row perfectly,” Fleury said of the run to the Stanley Cup.

“You just try to enjoy the moment and have fun with it.”

The decision is in Sullivan’s hands, of course, but there’s little question the Penguins players — especially the veterans — have a soft spot for Fleury.

“He’s just got that personality,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “He always has a smile on his face. There’s a good way about him, he’s a supportive teammate and he cares a lot about the guys around him.”

If Fleury does get the call Friday, it will be because Sullivan believes he gives the Penguins the best chance to bring the series back to Pittsburgh deadlocked 2-2.

Murray, who turns 23 next Friday, followed up his Cup run with a splendid 2016-17 regular season. He went 32-10-4, with a 2.41 average and .923 save percentage during the season, and if not for guys named Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, would have been in line for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.

The Senators goal explosion came so quickly in Game 3 that Murray said he barely had time to think before grabbing his mask and stepping into the game. It was his first game action since a 7-4 regular-season win over New Jersey on April 6.

“It felt good to get back in there, but at the same time, I don’t think I would say I needed it,” Murray said asked about working off any rust in his 46 minutes on Wednesday.

“You don’t need to play all the time to be good.”