Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) celebrates with teammates foster the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Vegas Golden Knights, 2-1, in an NHL hockey game at T-Mobile Arena Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022.
Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 | 10:53 p.m.
The game started like so many at T-Mobile Arena have over the past four years. Marc-Andre Fleury’s name belted through the sound system, and fans serenaded him with a rousing “Fleury, Fleury” chant.
Just instead of those chants and cheers directed at the Golden Knights’ end they were aimed at the visitor’s net, where Fleury was stationed as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, opposing the Golden Knights for the first time.
Once the game began, he was the star of the show there too. Fleury made 30 saves to ensure his homecoming was a victorious one, leading the Blackhawks to a 2-1 win.
“I’m very lucky and fortunate to still play hockey and to do what I love, and to have the respect of my teammates, and the fans, and people in the community,” Fleury said. “That means a lot to me and it’s something I want when I leave the game. I don’t want to just be known as a hockey player. That’s why it’s sometimes emotional for me to have those nights.”
It was certainly one of those nights for the former Golden Knights icon, who had his moments both during warmups and immediately preceding the opening puck drop.
He garnered a loud cheer when he led Chicago out for warmups, and was received by a large crowd behind the visitor’s goal, both Golden Knights and Blackhawks fans alike donning No. 29 jerseys in gray, red and white. He also had a chat at center ice with Vegas goalie Robin Lehner, with whom he developed a friendship during their overlapping tenures with the Golden Knights.
Right after the anthem, where Fleury remarked he was happy he got to say hello to Vegas anthem singer Carnell Johnson, an announcement directed attention to the big screen. There, the Golden Knights paid tribute to their former goalie with a 60-second video of his time in Las Vegas, as he fought back tears behind his mask.
“It was good to get it out of the way quick,” Fleury said. “Obviously it’s just a few images and videos, but a lot of memories come through seeing that. I was really fortunate to have a great time here in Vegas.”
The Golden Knights didn’t make Fleury work as hard as they would have liked.
Vegas’ best chance to tie the game came in the final minute, when Evgenii Dadonov had a look after a cross-ice pass, but Fleury lunged to the post and shoulder-blocked it away, reminiscent of his famous save to win the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. Fleury said after the game that was his favorite save of the night.
With the victory, Fleury has now defeated all 32 NHL teams.
“You knew they were going to give everything that they had and empty the tank and their group was going to play really hard for him, knowing the meaning of the game for him,” Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. “We knew that going in, and you have to give them credit, starting with him.”
When the game ended, Fleury soaked in the moment and his teammates, knowing the importance of the victory to him, all lined up to individually congratulate him. Riley Stillman, who scored the game-winning goal, even urged him back onto the ice to take one final spin to tap his stick to the crowd.
It looked so familiar to the other 80 victories Fleury had in this building, regular and postseason. There was even a plastic flamingo thrown on the ice.
This time though, he was at the other end of the rink.
“I just wanted to say thank you to the fans for an amazing four years, and again tonight they were awesome,” Fleury said of his final salute. “I’m glad I got to say thanks.”
