The Minnesota Wild made a perfect decision involving retiring goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the final regular-season game of his career.
The Wild made a goaltending change heading into overtime against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, swapping in Fleury after clinching a playoff spot in regulation, as going to OT meant they had already bagged the lone point needed to make it there.
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After teammate Joel Eriksson Ek tied the game with 20.9 seconds left in the third period, head coach John Hynes made the decision to insert Fleury for the extra frame.
Fleury, 40, entered the game and made the most of the moment.
“Little shocked, little shocked, little worried. I’d been sitting there for a few hours,” Fleury said after the game. “A good talk from Gus (starting goalie Filip Gustavsson), and obviously Hynes let me go in, too. I’m happy I got to go play just a little bit more at home.”
Not only did Fleury play, but he turned aside all five shots he faced in overtime, including two on the penalty kill.
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Meanwhile, Matt Boldy scored with 17.9 seconds remaining in the period to seal a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks and give Fleury his 575th career win.
“It was fun, just to go one more time out there, and play the game I love,” Fleury said. “It was cool.”
Fleury’s NHL debut came in 2003 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had drafted him first overall that year. He also has played for the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups with the Penguins and a Vezina Trophy with the Golden Knights.
He started the Wild’s final home game last week with his children on the ice for warmups.
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“Being back in the battle, on the bench, in the room — all the little parts of the game — it felt amazing,” Fleury said.
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (center) smiles as he congratulates Marc-Andre Fleury (29) after a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Coincidentally, the Wild locked into a playoff series against Fleury’s former team in Vegas, which means he may yet have another moment on the ice depending on how the series progresses.
The Wild are expected to start Gustavsson in net during their first-round matchup, but if there is a moment to bring Fleury in, it’s reasonable to expect the Wild will do so.
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