SAN JOSE, Calif. — Marc-Andre Fleury was so sick last night that there was some question as to whether he would be available for the Minnesota Wild’s game against the Colorado Avalanche.
There was a gastroenteritis outbreak, and the future Hall of Famer wasn’t able to eat much until Friday.
“It’s been a tough few days,” Fleury said. “I’m sure the same thing is happening to a lot of people around Minnesota.”
On Saturday, Fleury didn’t just feel better.
he felt it.
Fleury was the Wild’s best player on the ice in a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. Minnesota could have easily fallen behind by a few points, but Fleury made 36 saves to protect his team.
“He was unbelievable,” Marcus Foligno said. “He definitely helped us win that game.”
The Sharks had Fleury make 16 shots in the first period, including a nice one on the early power play. The Wild looked sloppy for most of the night, struggling to get out of their zone. Macklin Celebrini, the top overall pick, had an overwhelming performance, setting a career high with 17 shot attempts (six on target). Fleury gave him a stone in several Grade A chances, but the only goal Fleury allowed was a rebound of Celebrini’s shot off the rush.
“Some (Sharks fans) kept screaming that I was too old and that I should retire,” Fleury said with a laugh. “So I wanted to show him that we can win and do well, so I’m happy.
“It was really interesting.”
After the game, there were many Sharks fans waiting by the tunnel for a chance to talk to Fleury and get his autograph. Even a few security guards near the locker room area asked him for a selfie.
The Wild didn’t make Fleury his final start Sunday in Las Vegas, instead starting him Saturday. But it’s hard to argue against that. Fleury has won his last nine starts at SAP Center, starting with a win over San Jose in November.
Did Marc-Andre Fleury sign his… face? 😂
Never change, Flower 💚 pic.twitter.com/spSY76MrzN
— NHL (@NHL) January 12, 2025
“I thought about that tonight,” Fleury said. “We’ve had good times, we’ve had bad times. Playoffs against Las Vegas, we lost badly in Game 7. It’s always been fun to play here. It’s always a loud building and they’ve had good teams over the years. It was a good time.”
The Wild started attacking from the top line, with Marco Rossi, Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello (empty netter) each scoring goals. They were minus-10 in Thursday’s 6-1 loss to Colorado, but were plus-9 with six total points. The Wild are 12-1-2 against non-playoff teams in the Western Conference and 16-3-3 on the road overall, the best record in the NHL.
“I thought Rossi’s line was really good,” coach John Hynes said. “We could have done more than just the goal. We didn’t have that. It wasn’t an A game. Tonight was a B game. But we had a ‘Flower.’ There were enough players to rise to the occasion, including , Rossiline. Some nights we need that and they ran for us. ”
Marco: 🏎️ 🏒🚨 pic.twitter.com/qPE8isR3ph
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 12, 2025
Fleury will miss his final start in Las Vegas, which will disappoint some Golden Knights fans. But Fleury understood that. “That’s what it is,” he said. “(Filip Gustafsson) has been our best goaltender all season, and they’re the best team in the league right now. It’s okay. We won tonight, so go cheer for Gus tomorrow.”
Wild problems helped the Sharks
It was pretty easy to understand the Wild’s main problem on Saturday. They had big problems getting the puck out of their own zone, which fueled the Sharks’ offense.
If they do that against a powerhouse Las Vegas team, it’s going to be a long Sunday night. “We just slammed the puck inside our own zone, which gave them more chances,” Foligno said. “We really pushed the crap onto the next guy and didn’t help him. We honestly just threw the puck at the wall and hoped they would run away. That’s not us. There were times when I was right in front of the blue line and couldn’t get out. But I’ll have to be more crisp tomorrow. I better record my passes on tape against Las Vegas.”
Hines said the Wild’s ability to break the puck with structure is “the engine that drives the team.” And Saturday was a day off. “We defended better than we wanted to,” he said.
Celebrini is a stud
Hmm, Celebrini is good. The top overall pick out of Boston University showed why he will be a feared presence in this league for a long time. Celebrini recorded 17 shot attempts, six of which were on goal and 10 missed the net. Many of his plays were Grade A chances, and he assisted on the Sharks’ only goal.
“That kid is leading the team,” Foligno said. “His skates, his hands, his head are always up. He’s fast and he can cut back. Even when you think you’ve got him, he keeps his head up so he can notice a lot of guys coming in late. He’s going to be a hell of a player in this league, and he’s already been that player.”
Coach Hines said of Celebrini, “He’s got speed, he’s tenacious with the puck. When he has time and space away from the rush, he’s a guy who can run plays. We played him twice and played him twice. I was impressed with him every time.”
That can be called a “really great hockey goal.” pic.twitter.com/7TEGVWHhaz
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) January 12, 2025
David Jilicek is perfect
Indeed, it looks like the Wild have a thing for David Jilicek. The former No. 6 overall pick, acquired from Columbus in November, has only played in two games for Minnesota. But there are some good signs here.
Jilicek, 21, skates pretty well for his size (6-foot-4, 204 pounds). On Saturday night, he made some smart pinches. He took a big hit on Nico Sturm in the defensive zone in the first period. It will take Jilicek some time to get used to it, but he was impressive in the first two games against Minnesota.
“It was a good couple of games for us,” Hines said. “You can’t teach his size. He has good reach. He’s willing to fight from a defensive standpoint in the D-zone, in front of the net, in the corners. He has good offensive instincts and he has great offensive instincts, and he has good reach. He moves well and has a good shot. You can see the style of player he is, even if it’s just a few games. You can see what he can do now, but you can see what he can do in the future. .”
“Good sign” for Kirill Kaprizov
Kirill Kaprizov has missed eight games since the Christmas break as he continues to recover from an extended period out with a lower-body injury. The superstar skated alone back in St. Paul, combining it with off-ice training.
Asked if Kaprizov could return next week or this weekend, Hines said, “I don’t want to set a schedule.” But Hines said the Wild are encouraged by how well Kaprizov is responding to on- and off-ice training.
“I think it’s good that he’s skating regularly and starting to see reactions every day,” Hines said. ‘Try a little harder, how do you respond to that?’ But he’s been working out regularly and skating regularly, so that’s a good sign,” Hines said.
Jonas Brodin (lower body) and Brock Faber (upper body) were treated in Minnesota and continue to receive treatment daily. Jared Spurgeon has started on-ice training. Hines said Jakub Lauko, who is still on long-term injured reserve, has not experienced any setbacks, but rather his rehabilitation has been “stalled.”
(Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
