Fleury bids emotional farewell in last game with Penguins - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Returning to Pittsburgh for one final farewell just felt right for Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury stopped all eight shots he faced during the third period of his final game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a 4-1 preseason win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

«It was a little surreal, a little crazy, but also comfortable,» Fleury said. «When I played here with other teams, I always felt a little weird, but this felt normal… like it used to.»

Fleury officially retired from the NHL as a member of the Minnesota Wild at the end of last season. But the beloved 40-year-old goaltender signed a ceremonial professional tryout contract earlier this month to see old teammates and friends, come full circle and complete a 21-season NHL career that began in Pittsburgh.

«I feel bad because I've done so many laps and goodbyes, and I keep coming back,» Fleury said. «I'm thankful I got the opportunity to come back for one more go-around.»

Fleury, a former Vezina Trophy winner who also played with Vegas and Chicago, is second in NHL history only to Martin Brodeur with 575 wins and 1,051 regular-season games played, and his 76 NHL shutouts are tied for 10th in league history.

But this night was meant to celebrate Fleury, who is most well-known for his time in Pittsburgh, where he won three Stanley Cups and holds nearly every major goaltending record in Penguins history, including games played (691), wins (375), goals-against average (2.58), shutouts (44), playoff games (115), playoff wins (62) and playoff shutouts (10).

Fleury, who practiced with the Penguins on Friday, wore his familiar bright, yellow pads and a specially made mask to commemorate the special weekend. Fleury was offered a choice as to when he could