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The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2003–04 season opener against Los Angeles is hazy in Dick Tarnstrom’s memory.
The only exception is the 18-year-old energetic and quick-footed starting goalie for the Penguins that evening, who is making his NHL debut.
Marc-Andre Fleury.
Tarnstrom, a former defenseman for the Penguins, remarked over the phone on Saturday, “He was awesome.” He was magnificent when he stepped on the rink.
“He’s unlike anyone else.”
There are several reasons why Fleury is exceptional. Among them is his friendly demeanor. The fact that he is still performing after more than 20 years is another.
Fleury is currently enjoying the winter of a brilliant NHL career and is a lock to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after his career concludes.
Fleury has publicly acknowledged that he may retire in the upcoming offseason, even if he hasn’t stated outright that this is his last season.
Fleury and the Minnesota Wild, his current team, will take on the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.
It might be his last trip to Pittsburgh as a player in the league.
Fleury began his career in Pittsburgh a little more than twenty years prior.
Less than three months after being selected first overall in the NHL Draft, Fleury skated on the ice at the Mellon Arena on October 10, 2003, in front of 16,986 fans who were seated exclusively in standing space.
The match was lopsided, with the home team hardly making an effort. The Penguins were outshot 49-11 by the Kings in a 3-0 loss.
Fleury was the only reason the final score wasn’t much more lopsided. In that game, he gave the Penguins hope by making 46 saves on 48 shots, with the Kings’ third goal occurring on an empty net.
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The game became a celebration of Fleury and the hope he offered in a dark period for the team, even if the Penguins were mostly operated out of their own building.
Before Sidney Crosby (2005) and Evgeni Malkin (2004) were selected, Fleury was the face of the Penguins’ comeback.
And it all started with that lopsided defeat to the Kings over two decades ago.
Fleury, who is 39 years old, recently watched three video snippets from that match and told TribLive what he thought.
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