The Washington Capitals faced a tough defeat against the Minnesota Wild on March 27, 2025, losing 4-2 in what marked their second consecutive road loss. The Capitals, fresh off an overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, were looking to bounce back with star player Alex Ovechkin expected to shine. Ovechkin, who is in pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record, has historically performed well against the Wild, boasting a remarkable 0.83 goals-per-game and 1.58 points-per-game average against them. However, despite these impressive stats, Ovechkin was unable to add to his tally during this game.
Wild goaltender Marc-André Fleury has been a formidable opponent for Ovechkin, with the Capitals captain having scored 28 goals in 47 games against him—the most against any goalie in his career. Fleury, who announced his retirement following this season, was not in the net for the Wild during this match, but his presence loomed large. "I feel lucky I got to play so many games against him," Fleury said, reflecting on his storied rivalry with Ovechkin. "Maybe not getting scored on so much by him but it was a good battle. It was good times. Fun. That’s what hockey’s all about. The competitiveness and how exciting it gets. He wants to win; we want to win."
Ovechkin reciprocated the admiration, stating, "Obviously, he’s one of the best goalies to ever play. It’s kind of sad that he’s not playing tonight because, I hope he’s going to sign one more year but, it was a pretty good battle out there between me and him." After the game, a touching moment unfolded at the Xcel Energy Center as Ovechkin gathered his teammates to pay their respects to Fleury. It was likely the last time they would face the future Hall of Famer, and Ovechkin wanted to ensure they acknowledged his impressive career.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery noted that Ovechkin had mentioned the significance of the moment earlier that day. "We wanted to do that. ‘O’ had mentioned that this morning that it was going to be the last time going up against Marc-Andre. Just paying the respects he deserves and the impressive career," Carbery said. The Capitals team formed a handshake line at center ice, a gesture that lasted over a minute and drew applause from the Wild players.
Marcus Foligno of the Wild commented on the rivalry, saying, "Yeah, that’s amazing. That relationship is a little bit of a hate-love but it’s one of those where you just tip your cap to the other guy and the battles that you saw in Pittsburgh and Capitals. I got to watch it before I came into this league, and it was special. That was a really good sign of respect by those guys."
Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren expressed his admiration for Fleury, saying, "One heckuva career. He was definitely one of my favorite goalies growing up, the way he competed, the way he battled, just his personality. So, I never had the chance to talk to him and just, heck of a career. Loved watching him play." Dylan Strome, a teammate of Ovechkin, echoed this sentiment, noting that Ovechkin had discussed the classy gesture before the game. "He thought it was a classy gesture. Fleury’s played a lot of games in this league and obviously had some really good series with the Caps, and they played I don’t even know how many games against each other – I think I saw 47 today, not including playoffs. It’s one of those things where you gotta respect greatness and Fleury’s been great his whole career," Strome said.
Filip Gustavsson, who stopped 28 of 30 shots in the Wild's victory, added to the praise for Fleury, highlighting his popularity and respect within the league. "Yeah, every team we go to, you see the signs, everyone loves him, and everyone loves playing against him, because he’s very talkative and … have a smile on your face, and I think no one really would say anything bad about him or everyone probably sees how he’s a really good human being, and very respected. It's great to see him get the handshake like that."
As the Capitals reflect on this loss and the end of the regular season approaches, the gesture of respect towards Fleury stands out as a reminder of the sportsmanship that exists even amidst fierce competition. With just nine games left in the season for the Wild, including a potential postseason run, Fleury's legacy as one of hockey's greats is firmly cemented. His career, spanning over two decades, includes three Stanley Cup championships and recognition as one of the top goalies in the league. As the Capitals continue their journey, they will undoubtedly carry the memory of this moment and the respect shown to a legendary player.
