Marc-Andre Fleury’s impact on Penguins evident even from bench

When told of the Penguins’ Game 4 starter, Marc-Andre Fleury disappeared, once again graciously relinquishing the crease to Matt Murray, Pittsburgh’s presently healthy, and always preferred, puck stopper. Having watched a championship run from the end of the bench last year when Murray surfaced from the minor leagues, and then serving as the backup this season while at the same time managing the ever-present threat of a trade proposal – which would have truly tested his team-first mentality – Fleury was called upon after warmups in Game 1 of the first round when the Penguins’ hot, upstart netminder went down with an injury. In that moment, Fleury launched an unlikely Conn Smythe Trophy bid.