Marc-Andre Fleury likely played his final game against the Pittsburgh Penguins—and it just so happened that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were the ones who scored against him. After the game, the legendary goalie fired back at his former teammates with some hilarious comments.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Minnesota Wild, the Pittsburgh Penguins hadn’t won a game in four outings. And this one was particularly special. Fleury had previously announced his plans to retire after this season, and if he follows through, it seems like a certainty he’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in three years.
Fleury is one of the winningest goalies in NHL history and a true legend of the game. His most successful stint came with the Penguins, where he won three Stanley Cups alongside players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Marc-Andre Fleury’s hilarious words on Crosby
With his retirement plans in mind, it was understandable that Sunday’s game against his former team meant so much to Fleury. The 38-year-old goalie, who made 20 saves in the game, allowed his first goal of the night in the second period—a powerplay goal from Evgeni Malkin. Sidney Crosby also got on the scoresheet in the third period with a rebound goal to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead. Crosby added an empty-netter to seal the win for Pittsburgh. Postgame, Crosby shared how much he enjoys competing against Fleury, who played a significant role in helping him win all three of his Stanley Cups.
“I think it’s fun to compete against him,” Crosby said, according to NHL.com. “He’s probably saved a lot more than I’ve scored against him, but it’s definitely a fun competition. That definitely made me better, and having him as a teammate did too. It’s one of those things where you get out there, compete, and try to have fun with it. But I really enjoyed having him on our team.”
Marc-Andre Fleury was also asked about the goal Crosby scored on him—and, being the hilarious guy he’s always been, he didn’t disappoint.
“I feel like I’m going to hear about this for a long time,” Fleury said. “He still talks about his goal in juniors against me. Lucky too. He missed his shot and it hit (Brock Faber’s) stick. It’s like, are you kidding me, this guy? I don’t know, I still played for the win. That’s what matters, right? That’s what annoyed me the most—losing that game.”
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