Columbus Blue Jackets @ Pittsburgh Penguins: 2025 Preseason Game 5

What an emotional, memorable night in Pittsburgh, and what an honor for the Columbus Blue Jackets to be a part of it. It's an honor to write about Marc-Andre Fleury's final NHL game. The man is and will always be a legend of the game with his 575 wins in net and over 1,00 games both played and started. Tonight, after signing a PTO with the team 1st in 2023, Fleury, nicknamed Flower, would complete his career, and damn, it was emotional and the best exit from the NHL I've ever seen. That said, before I get ahead of myself, we have to recap two periods of rivalry hockey before Fleury took the ice, so let's go! 

Period 1 would see Elvis Merzlikins in the net for the visiting Blue Jackets, while Sergei Murashov would hold the home net. Luca Del Bel Belluz would score at the end of period 1, giving the Jackets a 1-0 lead at 16:08. Yegor Chinakov would continue to impress with the primary assist on this goal, while Corson Ceulemans would come away with the secondary assist for the Jackets. The period would end with this being the only goal in the game so far, allowing the Jackets to maintain their 1-0 lead going into Period 2. 

Who else but Sidney Crosby to score and tie the game early in period 2? His goal would come at 5:20 and give Avery Hayes and Kris Letang assists. The 1-1 tie would be broken by Rickard Rakell at 19:58, and it would be a Penguins Power Play Goal. Sidney Crosby would reach multipoint night status with the primary assist on this goal, while Erik Karlsson would add himself to the score sheet with the secondary assist. With 00:02 left in the period, the Jackets would have no chance to match this goal, and it was the Penguins' turn to take a one-goal lead into the next and final period of regulation.     

Realistically, this game was the Penguins to lose. There was no way they wouldn't put up a fight for their former goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, on his farewell in his first team's colors. No way. The Jackets had some good shots on Fleury in this final period of regulation, but nothing was getting past him! At 8:54, teammate Ville Koivunen would extend the lead for the Penguins to 3-1 after getting an unassisted goal. Then, in an effort to gain back a goal and put pressure on the Penguins, Dean Evanson would pull Elvis Merzlikins from the visitor's net, but the Penguins would score, making it 4-1. Rickard Rakell would add his second goal of the night with this goal, while Bryan Rust would come away with the primary assist, and Sidney Crosby would add his second assist of the evening. Loud chants would fill the arena with 'Thank you, Fleaury' as the final buzzer would sound, signaling that the Penguins did as planned: Win one last time for Flower. Watching the men he played with before he left Pittsburgh congratulate him on one final win was a moment for history. Then, Blue Jackets players did the same, including Elvis Merzlikins, who was 'inspired' by Marc-Andre Fleury when young. 

After Fleury took his victory lap around the ice and received congratulations from every player on it, there was a shootout for fun and practice. In round 3 of the shootout, Luca Del Bel Belluz would get one last puck past Fleury, allowing the Blue Jackets to win. 

Congratulations to Marc-Andre Fleury on his last game and win in the NHL. I've watched him since he started with the Vegas Golden Knights and rooted for him when he wasn't playing the Blue Jackets, but respected him when he was. The man is and will always be a legend. Personally, I hope he enjoys some time with his wife and kids, but returns to the game as a coach or commentator. Even if he doesn't, though, he's certainly left a mark on this sport that will forever be here. I know that the Pittsburgh Penguins are our rival, and I'll look forward to playing them time and again and hopefully beating them, but I have to admit that although I was a Jackets fan tonight and I always will be, I was a Marc-Andre Fleury fan tonight, too. I always will be. The man's skill, respect for the game, and genuine kindness and love for his fans are such a bright spot in this league. I hope many young players emulate his character on and off the ice for generations to come.     

The Blue Jackets will now take a few days to regroup and trim the roster a bit more. Their next game will be on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. The Capitals will come to town here for the final preseason home game. After this, we'll travel a few days later to face the Capitals in Washington, D.C., for the final preseason game of 2025. That game will also be at 7:00 p.m. in exactly a week. I can't wait to watch these last two games, as it'll give us a very good look at what the Blue Jackets will look like on October 9th for their first road game of the season in Nashville against the Predators.  

Go CBJ!       






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