Home / News / Marc-Andre Fleury’s diving stop last night was amazing, but it was not better than Braden Holtby’s ‘The Save’

Marc-Andre Fleury’s diving stop last night was amazing, but it was not better than Braden Holtby’s ‘The Save’

By Ian Oland

 7 Comments

November 20, 2019 3:10 pm

Marc-Andre Fleury has found a second life in Las Vegas since being selected in the expansion draft in 2017. The French-Canadian goalie has won 75 of his 124 starts in Sin City. The three-time Stanley Cup champion (all with the Penguins) also led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season in the NHL.

Tuesday, Fleury made perhaps the greatest save of his career against the Toronto Maple Leafs. You’ve probably seen it already, but if you haven’t, take a look.

Video

After an Ilya Mikheyev shot from the left circle hit the post, Fleury dove across the crease to make an acrobatic glove save on Nic Petan.

“It was fun,” Fleury said to NHL.com. “A little lucky because I didn’t stop the first one because it hit the crossbar. It’s good when you get those second saves to redeem yourself. It was a lot of fun. You just enjoy it. You get up, have a little smile. You’re just happy that it didn’t go in. I think as a goalie those are the saves that make you feel like when you’re a player and score a goal. Those are the saves I love to play for.”

“He’s pretty incredible when he makes saves like that,” Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant said. “As a coach, you come to expect that from him. He’s acrobatic, he never gives up on the puck.”

The victory against the Leafs marked Fleury’s 450th career win during his 16-year career in the NHL.

But here’s where things went a little sideways. The Vegas Golden Knights Twitter account tweeted that MAF’s robbery by glove was the Save of the Century.

I have some opinions. First, while MAF’s save is incredible, it is most definitely not the best save in NHL history. Second, the tweet is especially oblivious considering Braden Holtby made The Save at T-Mobile Arena a year and a half ago. The stick save on Alex Tuch in Game Two saved the game for the Capitals. The Caps won four consecutive games to win their first Stanley Cup championship.

So MAF, great job, dude. But Golden Knights Twitter account, you need to calm down.

Headline photo: NHL

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