As one of the best players in the game, longtime Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is no stranger to a standing ovation.
But on Tuesday, it was his former teammate, Marc-Andre Fleury, who was the recipient of one at the Bell Centre as Canadiens fans cheered on the Quebec-born goalie in what may have been his last NHL game in Montreal.
Fleury, who currently plays for the Minnesota Wild, stopped 27 out of 29 shots, securing a 5-2 win for his team. And while fans weren’t happy with their own team’s performance, they did not hesitate to salute the 38-year-old Sorel-Tracy native, even chanting his name after he made a highlight-reel save.
“I was happy for him,” Crosby told reporters during Pittsburgh’s off day on Friday. “He’s always excited to play there, for them to give an ovation like that — it was well-deserved. I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of games with him… Just happy to see him do well.”
With the former Penguins goalie and three-time Stanley Cup champion approaching retirement, Crosby also emphasized how “classy” the reaction from Montreal’s fans was.
“With next year kind of being up in the air and not knowing what’s going to happen, I think it was really classy of them to do that,” he said.
Crosby on team identity: "I think we have some speed, so we want to make sure we're playing fast. Making sure that we limit odd-man rushes, that we're good defensively… I think it's just consistently doing things that are our strengths and that lead to winning games." pic.twitter.com/54p1TB63ba
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 20, 2023
Funnily enough, Crosby, a Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, native, grew up cheering for the Canadiens himself. His father, Troy, was a goalie drafted by the Habs back in 1984 but never suited up for a game with the team.
After nearly two decades in the NHL, Crosby, 36, has begun to slow down. While he’s still a dominant player, netting his 1,500th career point last season, his farewell tour is expected to take place sometime in the next few years.
Hopefully, when it reaches Montreal, the crowd gives him something similar to remember.