Retired Marc-Andre Fleury receives emotional farewell in final game with Penguins

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 pre-season win against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

"It was a little surreal, a little crazy, but also comfortable," said Fleury, a native of Sorel, Que. "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 with 10.

Fleury, who practised 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