The ‘other’ first rounder keys Pens in postseason

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar over the last month and a half.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Of all the first-round draft picks who have transformed the Pittsburgh Penguins from one of the NHL’s worst teams to one of its best in only two years, he is usually mentioned last.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal ... and, oh yes, Marc-Andre Fleury.

As well as Fleury is playing in goal — and his coach says no one is playing better — the Ottawa Senators probably must find a way to get to him unless they want their Eastern Conference playoff series with Pittsburgh to be over quickly.

The Senators got nothing past Fleury in their 4-0 loss in Game 1 Wednesday, and the Penguins — big favorites before the series began — can take a 2-0 series lead by winning on home ice again tonight.

The 23-year-old Fleury’s transformation into one of the NHL’s best goalies is a key reason the Penguins are widely viewed as a prime Stanley Cup contender. Since returning Feb. 28 from a nearly three-month injury layoff, Fleury is 11-2-1 and hasn’t allowed more than three goals.

“There’s no doubt this is the best I’ve seen from Marc-Andre Fleury, the last month and a half,” coach Michel Therrien said Thursday. “He’s calm, the game is going slower. ... He’s more mature, he’s not surprised with plays and shots and he’s always squared to the puck.”

As Crosby said, Fleury didn’t get good only after getting over his high ankle sprain. Fleury also won his final four starts before being hurt Dec. 6 in Calgary, allowing a combined four goals, and he tied for third in the league with 40 victories last season.

In Game 1, Fleury looked nothing like the nervous playoff rookie he was a year ago, when he let in six goals in Ottawa’s 6-3 opening-game win and the Penguins were eliminated in five games.

Fleury twice kept the Senators from scoring during 5-on-3 advantages, and he earned his first career playoff shutout despite seven Ottawa power plays.

“I think the penalty killers did an awesome job,” said Fleury, who made 26 saves. “They have a lot of skilled guys who are dangerous around the net. I know our defense blocked a couple of shots and cleared away a couple of rebounds from in front of the net.”

The Senators were short-handed when the series began without injured Daniel Alfredsson, plus center Mike Fisher and forward Chris Kelly, but Dany Heatley said there’s enough offense remaining to make a series of it.

“Marc-Andre Fleury, he made some saves, but we feel that if we shoot more pucks on net, we can score some goals,” Heatley said.