Tuesday, February 6, 2018, was a date that many had marked on their calendars before the season started.

The newly christened Vegas Golden Knights made their first appearance in Pittsburgh, but for one player, was familiar territory. Tuesday night was Marc-Andre Fleury’s first game in Pittsburgh in an opposing team’s colors.

The Penguins won in a roller coaster of a game that saw them fall behind early 2-0, then rally back for a 5-2 lead. Vegas would score two more in the third period to bring the game to a final score of 5-4.

Most nights the game would make the best story for the night, but not in this case. This night was about more than two points from a Western Conference opponent. This was about Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury played in Pittsburgh for 13 years and captured the hearts and minds of this city through both his amazing saves on the ice and the strides he took off the ice for the community.

As a Penguin, Fleury set the franchise record in wins and games played for a goaltender with 375 wins and 691 games played for the black and gold. He became a sports icon in the city for his outstanding on-ice performances, especially toward the end of his time in Pittsburgh. His flexibility was always on display as he dove and flopped in the blue paint to deny multiple scoring chances.

The tribute video that played at PPG Paints Arena was done phenomenally well. It featured old videos of Fleury making spectacular saves, and then it focused on him, the man who won three Stanley Cups, set a franchise record in wins, and loved this city.

It was one last “thank you” from the fans and the Penguins organization for all his work to bring this team where it is today, because there’s no way the Penguins would stand where they are in terms of status and accomplishments without Number 29.