MONTREAL — Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for his first shutout of the season in likely his final game in Montreal, helping the Minnesota Wild beat the Canadiens 4-0 on Thursday night.
The 40-year-old Fleury, from Sorel-Tracy about 50 miles northeast of Montreal, is retiring after the season. He has 76 career shutouts — three at Bell Centre, where more than 100 friends and family cheered him Thursday.
In doing so, Fleury became the first goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout as a teenager and at 40 years or older. It was his 76th career shutout overall, tied with Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for 10th on NHL’s all-time list.
“I was just hoping to not let in six,” Fleury said, according to the The Minnesota Star Tribune. “Little stressed, but so many people watching I wanted to put on a good show so they could remember me playing well.
“I’m happy it went well.”
Fleury was the star of the night.
The crowd roared for more than 30 seconds when the camera flipped to him during the signing of “O Canada.” Canadiens fans serenaded him with another lengthy ovation during a TV timeout late in the third period before chanting “Fleury! Fleury!”
And Montreal players lined up to shake his hand after the game.
“A little surprised, but it was very kind and very humbling for me that they stayed out there,” Fleury said.
Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore each scored his first goal of the season. Marco Rossi had a goal and an assist, and Frederick Gaudreau added an empty-netter.
Gaudreau didn’t mince words when talking of the importance of the game with Fleury on the ice near his hometown.
“Guys would have blocked shots with their face if they had to, honestly,” he said. “That’s how everybody felt about this game.”
The Wild improved to 3-0 on their five-game trip. They beat Chicago 4-2 on Sunday night and topped Toronto 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for Montreal.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.