Emotional Return for Fleury in Pittsburgh

Marc-Andre Fleury, a beloved figure in Pittsburgh for his 13 seasons with the Penguins, returned to PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night. In what could be his final game there, Fleury led the Minnesota Wild to a 5-3 victory, making 26 saves.

Fleury, who won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, 2017) holds the franchise record for most wins (375) and goals-against average (2.58). After the game, he was embraced by former teammates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, and received a thunderous ovation from the crowd.

The Wild, on a successful seven-game road trip that ended 5-1-1, were led offensively by Frederick Gaudreau (2 goals, 1 assist) and Kirill Kaprizov (1 goal, 2 assists). The Penguins, struggling through a six-game losing streak, were outscored 26-13. Rickard Rakell scored twice for Pittsburgh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Wild. The night wasn’t without its emotional moments, with Fleury even making a reminiscent save that echoed his iconic stop on Nicklas Lidstrom in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer