You just couldn’t have scripted it better. Marc-Andre Fleury played his final NHL game in his home province—and he shut out the Canadiens in one of the most memorable nights of the season. And when the game ended, something absolutely incredible happened that had every NHL fan smiling.
Marc-Andre Fleury is in his final NHL season. The legendary goalie is calling it a career after this season, though everyone in the Minnesota Wild organization would love for him to continue. He’s now serving as the backup to Swedish goalie Filip Gustavsson—and doing a great job at it.
On Thursday, he took the ice for one final showdown in Montreal, his home province. And it turned out to be a fairytale night for one of the most iconic goalies of all time.
Awesome moment for Marc-Andre Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury was perfect in net, and early in the third period, with the Wild up 2-0, he made a spectacular save with his left pad while sliding onto his right. Shortly after, the Wild extended their lead to 3-0, and in a 4-0 victory, he earned his third and final shutout in Montreal.
Fleury also became the first goalie in NHL history to record a shutout both as a teenager and at age 40 or older. It was the perfect night, and he received the praise and respect he so richly deserved. The fans gave him loud cheers and a standing ovation during a TV timeout, and after the game, he returned to the ice for even more applause as the first star of the night.
But it wasn’t just the fans who paid tribute to Marc-Andre Fleury. The entire Montreal Canadiens team waited on the ice to exchange handshakes with him—a beautiful moment of mutual respect between a legendary player and an entire team. Fans absolutely loved it, and it was the perfect way to honor one of the all-time greats.
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