The Pittsburgh Penguins are starting to rack up regular-season award nominations as voters determine the best players of 2013. While the team may sit tied in their playoff series with the New York Islanders, several of their players are at the top of award nominations. It is expected Sidney Crosby will win a few titles after an excellent regular season. While he may miss out on the scoring title, he is in the running for the Ted Lindsay Award given to the league's most outstanding player.
Crosby suffered a broken jaw at the end of March that caused him to miss the final stretch of games and possibly the MVP title. However, members of the National Hockey League Players' Association still believe the captain was one of the year's best players. Crosby won the award back in 2007, the same year he was named MVP. He finished 2013 tied for third in scoring with 56 points. He led the league in goals for much of the year until his injury March 30. He finished first in points per game average with 1.56. He did all of this while only playing 36 games, significantly less than the other two nominees, Alex Overchkin and Martin St. Louis.
Pittsburgh will hope Crosby can show some of that talent as the team prepares to break the tied series between them and the Rangers. The team determined it was time for a shakeup in the starting line, benching goalie Marc-Andre Fluery for Tomas Vokoun. After Fluery's shaky start to the postseason, Vokoun will attempt to get the team back on track for Game 5.
Fleury has allowed several questionable goals in the first four games of the season including the tiebreaking shot in Tuesday's game that led to the Islanders eventual win. The goalie is developing a reputation of not performing well in the postseason. Last season during the opening round against the Philadelphia Flyers, Fleury allowed 26 goals with a .834 save percentage. In his four starts against the Islanders, he has allowed 14 goals. The Penguins have seen enough.
Vokoun is a 14-year veteran and recorded a 2.45 goals-against average this season, going 13-4. Game 5 will mark the first time since 2011 the Penguins have started a playoff game without Fleury in the net.
