Marc-Andre Fleury was honored by Calgary fans in an emotional NHL farewell appearance

In an emotional affair on the night of the match, Marc-Andre Fleury was given a farewell by the Calgary fans for what could be his last appearance at the Saddledome Arena. Although the Minnesota Wild could not defeat the Calgary Flames, Fleury was the subject of all attention, basking in fame and a legacy that deserved a standing ovation loud enough to be heard across the arena. A reminder of the respect that this great player commands across the NHL.

While the scoreboard might have said Flames 4, Wild 2, the lasting memory must be of Fleury's entrance into the game past the halfway mark of the third period. With the Wild conceding a fourth goal, the goaltender switch was made, and as Fleury came out, the crowd rose in thunderous applause inside the Saddledome.

Replacing Filip Gustavsson with just under ten minutes remaining in the game, Fleury stopped all three shots directed toward him, giving a glimpse of the mastery that has defined two decades of his career. Even with very little ice time, Fleury found a way to become the emotional center of the evening.
The Flames had raced into a nice little lead by this time, taking early advantage of a hot start. Mikael Backlund got them on the board first with a rebound that was quickly followed by Yegor Sharangovich and Nazem Kadri. The fourth was courtesy of Ryan Lomberg, who capitalized on a breakaway after a defensive lapse by the Wild. Yakov Trenin and Gustav Nyquist added Minnesota goals in the third, but the comeback was two skates too short.


If the scoreboard counted the tale of Calgary’s supremacy, the moment that made that night wholly different occurred midway through the third period. Marc-Andre Fleury stepped in to relieve Filip Gustavsson; the Saddledome crowd went wild with adulation. Fleury received warm applause from the NHL Flames home crowd, acknowledging him for his legendary stature in the NHL. Almost poetically, Fleury made one of his textbook vintage saves, reminding everyone why he is one of the most celebrated goaltenders in NHL history.
Also Read: Legendary Goodbye: Marc-Andre Fleury’s farewell hits home in personal way
With retirement on the horizon, Marc-Andre Fleury's career stands among the greats: 21 seasons, 1,049 games played, and 574 wins, putting him second all-time in NHL goaltending victories. With their playoff positioning still on the line, the Wild are sharing Fleury's goodbye moments with the history of the game, a memory for the fans and teammates of one of the game's all-time fan favorites.