Marc-Andre Fleury stops every shot in final game with Penguins

It’s rare to find a truly memorable moment during an NHL preseason game in September.

But on Saturday night, we got one.

Marc-Andre Fleury played in his final period with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, taking the ice for the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury took over for rookie Sergei Murashov as Pittsburgh entered the frame with a 2-1 lead.

Fleury stopped all eight shots sent his way as Pittsburgh won the game 4-1. The two teams partook in a shootout for fun, with Luca Del Bel Belluz scoring the lone goal for Columbus to end the skills competition – marking the only goal Fleury allowed.

As expected, Fleury received a standing ovation the minute he hit the ice. For most, the game didn’t matter. It was all bout seeing Fleury hit the ice one last time with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang after leaving the Penguins in 2017.

Fleury made his first save of the game less than four minutes in, stopping a slap shot from Brendan Smith.

Fleury finished his NHL career last year after winning his 575th game, putting him second all-time behind Martin Brodeur (691). While he played competitive hockey throughout his career, he’ll always be remembered for his remarkable play for Pittsburgh.

Fleury was taken No. 1 overall by the Penguins in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the club. In 691 regular-season games with Pittsburgh, the Sorel, Que., native went 375-216-68 with a .912 SV% and 2.58 GAA. He also appeared in 115 Stanley Cup Playoff games as a Penguin, going 62-51 with a .908 SV% and 2.65 GAA. Fleury helped the team win three Stanley Cup championships in 2009, 2016 and 2017, serving as the starter in 2009.

Through 21 NHL seasons, Fleury posted a 575-339-97 record with a .912 SV% and 2.60 GAA through 1,051 career regular-season games with the Penguins, Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks. He spent the most recent campaign with the Minnesota Wild, going 14-9-1 with an .899 save percentage (SV%) and 2.93 goals against average (GAA) in 26 appearances. Fleury then capped off the year with a solid showing with Canada at the World Championship, reuniting with long-time friend and teammate Crosby.

Is this truly the last we see of Fleury? Or will he join a team later on once injuries arise? That’ll be an interesting storyline to see this season.

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