There has not been a lot to cheer about of late for fans of one of the NHL’s most storied franchises, but on Thursday night the crowd in Montreal were cheering despite the Canadiens being held scoreless.
That’s because Future Hall-of-Famer Marc-Andre Fleury was in between the pipes for the visiting Minnesota Wild, helping his side to a 4-0 win over the Habs.
At the age of 40, Fleury is retiring at season’s end, after 21 seasons in the NHL, which has included stops in Pittsburgh, Vegas and Chicago before joining Minnesota.
While he never suited up for the Habs, he is from nearby Sorel, and he was given a fond farewell by fans and players at the Bell Centre.
As soon as the Wild netminder stepped on the ice, the crowd cheered. Then during the third period, the crowd chanted his name, despite the fact he was about to record a shutout over the Canadiens.
“I remember my parents used to come to games when I was with the Penguins and they’d get in fights, because Canadiens fans yelled at me and booed me,” Fleury told reporters after the game.
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“But tonight my family is here, my kids are here, my wife. And they all saw the love from the people here. That made it really special.”
But the celebration of his storied career did not end there as Fleury’s teammates swarmed the crease after the win as one would expect.
What was more unexpected was seeing the entire Canadiens squad, as well as the coaching staff, step onto the ice to shake his hand.
“We paid our respects to a player who deserves that respect. A long career, a French guy, in Quebec,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said. “I think it was our obligation to do that, even after the result.”
— With files from The Canadian Press
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