Emotions will flow for goalie Fleury
Vegas we played against them, I guess I got a little taste of playing against my friends and ex-teammates. I guess I got that out of the way. We’ll see.”
Fleury said he is looking forward to facing his old teammates for the second time this season — the Golden Knights beat the Penguins, 2-1, in December — and was happy to return to the city he called home for 14 years until this summer’s expansion draft senthim to Vegas.
“It was my home for so long,” Fleury said. “From the neighbors to the restaurants, the seasons. I think the people. I met a lot of people over the years who have always been great for me.”
Fleury said he planned to meet up with some of his old teammates Monday night. When he gets to the rink Tuesday morning, he’ll receive his 2017 Stanley Cup ring from the Penguins. He wanted to get the ring earlier in the day rather than right before the game because, well, he’ll have enough on his mind at that point.
“I’m sure the game will be crazy, too, in my head, thinking about stuff,” Fleury said. “I just wanted less to do that night.”
As for the game itself, Fleury was quick to point out Monday that there are still two points on the line, despite all the emotions and fanfare surrounding his return to Pittsburgh. But he also knows this night will be one that sticks with him, regardless of the result.
“You always want to win,” he said. “But I don’t think I want to block everything out, either. It’s going to be a special moment for me, playing the first game back here. I want to remember my time here.”
He is also well aware that during the first TV timeout, the Penguins will have a tribute video ready to go, and he’ll get one more standing ovation from the PPG Paints Arena crowd.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “They always did a good job every time we had an old teammate coming. I think it just brings back memories over the years, things you forget, fun times.
“I’ve had such great support over the years, through the good, through the bad. I think people have always been very supportive of me, always cheered me on and stuff. It’ll be fun.”
And then, Fleury will try to put the emotion to the side (as much as he can) and try to win a hockey game. The Golden Knights are, to the surprise of basically the entire hockey world, battling for the top seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, and coming off a 4-3 comeback win Sunday against Washington.
That success certainly has helped Fleury adjust to life in the desert.
“From the start, the expectations weren’t too high on the team, right?” Fleury said. “I think we have a good group of guys here, a good leadership group. Guys that have played a lot, been through a lot, won games. I don’t think any of us wanted to be satisfied with just being OK, or being an expansion team. I think we wanted more than that. Life in hockey goes quick, and I think we’ve got to make the most of it. Winning makes a lot of things better, for sure.”
It would certainly put a bow on his return to Pittsburgh. The trip is a bit of whirlwind for Fleury, with so many people to see and memories to relive. Perhaps the only uncertainty is whether or not Fleury will have time to sneak one of his signature pranks on his old teammates at some point over these two days.
“Nothing so far,” he said, before pausing for a second and flashing a smile. “They should be out of their locker room now, though, right? We’ll see.”