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Q: After blowing a 4-1 lead (Sunday in Washington), it seems that the Penguins need to make an effort to shore up the defense as well as the goaltending to make a run deep into the playoffs. It seems Sergei Gonchar has been in the penalty box, turning the puck over more frequently and again Marc-Andre Fleury is giving up a lot of soft goals. Is it time to send a message that sub-par play is unacceptable and look at the options to improve the teams defensive shortcomings?

Mike Ruszkowski, Helena, Mont.

MOLINARI: If there was an official announcement, we missed it, but there's no question that Fleury-bashing season has opened, even though the submission above hardly is the most caustic evidence of it. (Heck, compared to many that have reached the Q&A lately, it's a virtual love letter. According to some of the others, Fleury not only is hopelessly miscast as an NHL goaltender, but bears much of the responsibility for the worldwide recession and probably is to blame for the weekend snowstorm.)

Clearly, those who believed that winning a Stanley Cup (does anyone recall him lunging across the crease to deny Nicklas Lidstrom in the waning seconds of Game 7 in the Cup final?) would buy Fleury a little slack at those times when he is not at his best -- and he certainly wasn't in the games at Montreal and Washington this weekend -- had it wrong. It's only a matter of time before some fan demands that Fleury not only be removed from the Canadian Olympic team, but stripped of his citizenship, too.

As for the Penguins' defensive performance -- and understand, that's not just about the defensemen and goalie -- it seemed to be coming around a week or so ago, but had a serious relapse during that 5-3 loss in Montreal Saturday.

The point has been made here repeatedly that the Penguins would benefit from the addition of a defensive defenseman, ideally one with a physical edge to his game, by the March 3 trade deadline. The Penguins, as currently constituted, are capable of playing better defensively than they have for much of the season, but bolstering their blue line with a veteran who is sound in his own end and willing to play the body would be wise.

Because general manager Ray Shero is more in tune with his personnel than any fan, writer or other outsider, you can reasonably assume that he has identified the soft spots in his roster, and is working to upgrade them. Most indications, though, have been that he isn't likely to make a move until after the Olympic trade freeze that takes effect Friday.

Q: Has there been talk of bringing Eric Tangradi up to the Pens? With all the call-ups, I have been surprised that he has not been one of them. Can you give a little analysis on his play at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, since he is supposed to be the top prospect?

Marc Enie, Twinsburg, Ohio

MOLINARI: Tangradi is, in fact, generally regarded as the top prospect on the Penguins' farm team in Wilkes-Barre, but he is in his first season as a pro and management clearly is guarding against throwing him in over his head when he's just 20.

Tangradi was injured early in the season and didn't play for nearly a month. He picked up an assist in the Baby Penguins' 5-4 loss at Hershey yesterday to put his 42-game totals at 10 goals and 13 assists.

Tangradi, like a lot of players, struggled early with the adjustment from major-junior hockey to the American Hockey League, but apparently has pretty much cleared that hurdle. The Penguins want him to get stronger, but like his skating, instincts and willingness to operate in high-traffic areas.

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