PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Never had seen or never will an NHL exhibition game like the one Saturday night as Marc-Andre Fleury's former teammates and the current Pens head coach reacted to the fans’ reaction towards Fleury in a 4-1 exhibition win over Columbus.
“I've been fortunate to part of some cool games, but yeah, that's definitely up there,” said Pens captain Sidney Crosby.
“It was the coolest preseason game I’ve ever played in,” said forward Bryan Rust. “I think Flower is a person who is so revered in this organization, in this city. I don’t necessarily think he wants the attention. But I know he appreciates it.”
“It was awesome,” said Pens first-year head coach Dan Muse. “As a coaching staff we got off the bench and walked into the hallway and we all just turned to each other and was like ‘that was amazing, that was awesome’. The crowd was incredible. Just the passion of the fans and obviously to see a tribute like that.”
There were several chants of Fleury’s name, wanting ‘one more year’ and even ‘goalie fight’.
“It’s obvious to someone like me to see it, not just tonight, but over the last couple of days, how much Marc-Andre Fleury means to the fans here, to the organization, to the city, to his former teammates,” Muse said. “The admiration from players that have never played with him before but have sat with him in the locker room with him these last couple of days. It was incredible.”
“It was a really special experience, thrilled the outcome was the one that it was, to get the win It was important to cap off a really special couple of days and a really special night for Marc-Andre Fleury and this organization.”
“We appreciate him,” Rust said. “I only played with him for a couple of years, and I know how special he is. So I can only imagine the guys who were with him for however many years it was.”
“I think just being able for him to enjoy it,” Crosby said. “When we were playing against him, there was so much going on, there was still some uncertainty whether he was going to keep playing or not. So, I think that was probably difficult. And I can tell you, it's a lot better feeling than it was in Denmark when we lost at Worlds and we thought that might be the last time. So, just so deserving. And give a lot of credit to our fans for the way that they turned out and supported him and showed the love that he deserves.”
Crosby said the four of them, Sid, Fleury, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin got a last little time together in the goalie crease at PPG Paints Arena after the game. He said the main emotion was happiness. They were all smiling and without saying much knowing what those 13 years together meant.
“I think it's one of those things that you don't expect to get the chance to do,” Crosby said. “It doesn't always work out that way. And for him to still be playing at the level that he is, and to accept to do this, you know? Some guys wouldn't have accepted do this. And I think it was him who even wanted the shootout (which they did after the game ended). He could have just called it at the game, but he wanted the breakaways (Sid said as he laughed) That's the thing about him, there's never too many shots. It's never enough.”
And yet some finality, in the most perfect way.