So much for that Penguins' goaltending controversy tearing apart the team.

Goaltending controversy?

What goaltending controversy?

Isn't it amazing how these things tend to work themselves out? Just a few weeks ago, there was city-wide concern that the Marc-Andre Fleury-or-Ty Conklin debate would doom the Penguins and their playoff chances. You know the big fear: If you have two goaltenders, you really don't have any at all. Only one man can be the man heading into the postseason.

Well, Fleury has solved that dilemma. He didn't just respond well to the challenge from Conklin, the first time in his young career that he has had to fight for his starting job. He might be playing his best hockey.

With the playoffs less than two weeks away, it couldn't happen at a better time for the Penguins.

"He's earned the right to play," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said yesterday. "Look at his performance. Look at his stats. Look at his save percentage."

Fleury has been terrific since returning in late February from a high ankle sprain that forced him to miss 12 weeks. The 2-0 shutout he threw at the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night in the Penguins' biggest game of the season clinched a playoff spot and left him with a 7-1 record since he came back. In seven of those eight starts, he didn't allow more than two goals.

End of debate.

You're not hearing much talk these days that Fleury allows too many long rebounds. You also aren't hearing that the team has more faith in Conklin. Did you watch the New Jersey game? The Penguins looked plenty confident in front of Fleury, who stopped the Devils' 31 shots.

But it's not the team's confidence that is striking as it closes in on a division championship and possible conference title. It's Fleury's confidence. Early this season, when Fleury was struggling, Therrien described him as "fragile." Now, Fleury is playing as if he believes he can carry the team to the Stanley Cup.

It has been a remarkable transformation.

"Technique-wise, he's more solid," Therrien said. "He's reading the play better. He's not surprised. He doesn't have to make the spectacular save because he's not surprised and he's more square to the puck."

Don't underestimate Conklin's role in all of this. He's nothing less than a team hero. His contribution goes beyond the fact he saved the Penguins' season with his superb play after Fleury went down Dec. 6 in Calgary. His mere presence has pushed Fleury to become a better goaltender.

That's the way competition is supposed to work.

"Ty was playing really, really well," Therrien said. "This is the first time since Marc-Andre has been in the NHL that he had to fight to get his job back. That's what he did."

You can argue the deck was stacked against Conklin all along. Fleury is younger. He's making more money. He's the Penguins' future.

You'll get no argument here that team management hoped Fleury would win back his job for all of those reasons. But the truth? Fleury and Conklin made it an easy decision with their performances.

Fleury knew he had to play well right away after coming back. He did just that, stopping Atlanta's Erik Christensen, Eric Perrin and Ilya Kovalchuk in a 3-2 shootout victory in his first start March 2. He followed that with a 2-0 shutout March 4 against Tampa Bay and, after allowing three first-period goals and being yanked in a game March 6 at Florida, has maintained that brilliance.

Conklin has not played as well. Since Feb. 23, his record is 2-4-2. He gave up at least three goals in six of those eight starts.

Fleury won this competition fair and square.

It's going to be fun to see if Fleury can keep up his strong play in the playoffs. A year ago, he had no clue what to expect when the Penguins got to Ottawa for their first-round series. It showed early in the first game when he stumbled around in his net and gave up two goals in fewer than seven minutes. But, after that, Fleury adjusted to the speed and intensity of the playoff games. The Penguins still went out rather quietly in five games, but it wasn't because of him. He might have been their best player in the series.

That experience should help Fleury significantly, come the second week of April.

"It will help all of our young guys," Therrien said. "For a lot of them, it was their first time in the playoffs. We got beat by the best team in the conference. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Game 3 of that series, we should have won. Maybe that would have changed the series ...

"There won't be anything new for our guys this time. They know now. They know what to expect."

No player more than Fleury, the man who will be under the most pressure.

"We all know goaltending is crucial at this time of year," Therrien said, shrugging.

The coach is confident he has the man to take the Penguins deep into the playoffs.

That makes two of us.

Sidney Crosby will be back in the lineup tonight when the Penguins take on the Islanders at 7:38 p.m. at Mellon Arena (TV: FSN Pittsburgh).