Marc-Andre Fleury on Friday made NHL history and all he could do was smile at what it meant.
“I think it just means I’m old, maybe,” Fleury said after getting a shutout against the 28th different team, the most by any goalie in NHL history. “I have been playing for a while, I guess.”
Fleury posted the 72nd regular season shutout of his career and made Mats Zuccarrello’s goal late in the first period stand up as the Minnesota Wild snapped the Seattle Kraken’s five-game win streak with a 1-0 win on Friday night.
Photo: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY
Fleury had been tied with Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur and Tomas Vokoun, all of whom shut out 27 teams in their careers. The only teams Fleury has not shut out at this point: the Columbus Blue Jackets, the St Louis Blues, the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota.
Fleury made 28 saves and was excellent in the third period as Seattle pushed for an equalizer, getting his first shutout in his 22nd regular season game with the Wild. Fleury made three stops in the closing seconds on Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde.
“Just seems like when we play them at home or here it’s boring a bit and not too much action both sides,” Fleury said. “We played a little defensive and didn’t give them much. It’s good. It gives us a chance to win every night when we do that.”
Fleury had four shutouts last season with the Chicago Blackhawks before being traded to Minnesota.
The Kraken saw their longest win streak in the two seasons of the franchise come to an end. Part of that win streak was a 4-0 win in Minnesota last week where Seattle got the better of Fleury.
He was not going to let that happen again. Fleury has allowed one goal or fewer in three of his last four starts after giving up 24 goals combined in his first seven of the season.
“He admitted he was trying to do a little bit too much instead of just do his job. We all did,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “When we get back to doing your job, committing to that, like he has, it gives a give us a chance to win every night.”
In Toronto, Brock McGinn and Jake Guentzel scored in the third period, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins top the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2.
Zach Aston-Reese, who played parts of five seasons in Pittsburgh, opened the scoring the first period when he swatted a rebound past Casey DeSmith.
“It’s just awkward,” Aston-Reese said of facing former teammates. “Kind of like going to dinner with your ex-girlfriend.”
Leafs great Borje Salming received a huge ovation during an emotional pre-game ceremony honoring this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.
Diagnosed in the summer with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — the former defenseman was flanked by fellow franchise icons Darryl Sittler and Mats Sundin.
With tears streaming down his cheeks, Sittler raised Salming’s arm so he could wave to the crowd.
“He was the first [Swede] to make his way over and lead the way with his toughness and being a leader,” Nylander said. “He represents a lot of Swedes, and he’s done a tremendous job.
In other Friday games, the Washington Capitals beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1, while the San Jose Sharks defeated the Dallas Stars 5-4.
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