Two hours before the game, about 100 fans were already waiting for the doors of PPG Paints Arena on Washington Place to open. That was already one sign of a special evening, far from the atmosphere of a regular preseason game.
It was the return of a favorite son of Pittsburgh, who played his first 13 NHL seasons with the Penguins after they selected him No. 1 in the 2003 NHL Draft. Young and old, they wore their No. 29 jerseys. Fleury’s name mixed in perfectly with those of Crosby, Letang, Malkin and other current members of the team.
The wave of love for Fleury surged during warmups.
“I love you Fleury,” read one sign written in French.
“So the retirement was just a prank” was displayed on another in a corner behind the Penguins net.
And behind the Pittsburgh bench, another message that fit the moment: “Fleury, you make Pittsburgh smile.”
Fleury, who invited Sergei Murashov to face the first shots because he was the starting goalie, lived up to his reputation during warmups. Despite a summer without a gym regime, he showed that he still had great flexibility while coming up with a number of spectacular saves. When he wasn’t in front of the net, the young retiree threw several pucks into the stands to the delight of the fans.
After finishing his last warmup on an NHL rink, Fleury walked down the hallway leading to the Penguins locker room before turning back. He returned to the ice accompanied by Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. The quartet, who helped the Penguins to three Stanley Cup championships (2009, 2016, 2017), commemorated the moment with a few photos before the game.
A game they won’t forget, especially because it ended with a win.