With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin sidelined with injuries for much of the 2010–11 season, Fleury and the Penguins' defence were relied on to carry the team to the playoffs. Fleury finished with a 36–20–5 record and the Penguins finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins squared off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, where they were defeated in seven games despite taking a 3–1 series lead early. Fleury posted a .899 save percentage in the series.