MONTREAL — In a captivating performance, Marc-Andre Fleury recorded 19 saves, earning his first shutout of the season as the Minnesota Wild triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens with a score of 4-0 on Thursday evening. This game might mark the end of Fleury’s career in Montreal, as the seasoned goaltender plans to retire after this season. Fleury, hailing from Sorel-Tracy, located approximately 50 miles northeast of Montreal, celebrated his achievement in front of over 100 supportive friends and family members present in the stands. With this match, he now has a total of 76 career shutouts, three of which were achieved at the Bell Centre.

Both Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore found the net for their inaugural goal of the season, while Marco Rossi contributed with a goal and an assist. Frederick Gaudreau capped off the scoring with an empty-net goal. This victory marked the Wild’s third consecutive win on their five-game road trip, following earlier victories against Chicago (4-2) and Toronto (3-1).

Montreal’s goaltender, Jakub Dobes, managed to stop 23 shots throughout the match.

The Wild: Fleury’s performance improved his season record to 11-5-1, highlighting his impressive 21-year career in the NHL.

The Canadiens: The team has now suffered four straight losses following a successful stretch of winning 10 out of 13 games.

A notable moment came when the crowd erupted in approval as the camera focused on Fleury during the singing of “O Canada,” demonstrating their affection for the goaltender with a sustained ovation. This excitement continued late into the third period, culminating in fans chanting “Fleury! Fleury!” during a TV timeout.

A key statistic to note is that Fleury holds a record of 13-6-5 in Montreal during the regular season and boasts an overall record of 28-13-8 against the Canadiens.

Looking ahead, the Wild will face off against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, while the Canadiens are set to begin a three-game road trip on Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks.