Knights’ Fleury meets with Humboldt bus crash victim’s family

Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save in the first period during game three of Las Vegas' NHL Western Conference Finals matchup with Winnipeg on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Marc-Andre Fleury meets a lot of people over the course of a hockey season.

Wednesday, it was Fleury’s pleasure to meet the family of deceased Humboldt Broncos coach-general manager Darcy Haugan following the Knights’ 4-2 win over Winnipeg in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final.

Haugan was one of 16 members of the Broncos — a team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League — who died in a bus crash in the Canadian province on April 6. Haugan’s widow, Christina, and her two sons, Carson and Jackson, met with Fleury after the game outside the team’s locker room at T-Mobile Arena.

Fleury was still emotionally moved from the experience Thursday.

“It’s such a sad story for all those families and that community,” Fleury said. “Obviously, they’re big hockey fans. I’m fortunate that I was able to make them think about something else for a bit and maybe get them to smile for a bit.

“It makes you realize you have to cherish every day with your family and your friends.”

Tickle remains an earful

Fleury was still a big hit on social media Thursday after tickling Blake Wheeler’s ear during a scrum in front of the net late in the second period.

“I did that? There are cameras everywhere,” he said. “I was just sitting there, he was sitting there, people were fighting and I thought I’d have a little smile by myself.”

Fleury had 33 saves in his 72nd career playoff victory that moved him past Jacques Plante and into ninth place on the NHL’s all-time playoff wins list. Chris Osgood is eighth with 74 wins.

Fleury also picked up an assist on Jonathan Marchessault’s empty-net goal with 2.7 seconds left. It was his third career playoff assist and his first since 2013 when he assisted on Evgeni Malkin’s goal against the New York Islanders.

“I got an assist? I didn’t even know,” Fleury said. “I’d like to score a goal, but assists are good.”

Perron may play

Forward David Perron said he was feeling better after an apparent flu bug and said he could be back in the lineup Friday for Game 4.

“We’ll see,” he said after skating Thursday at City National Arena. “I didn’t skate for three or four days and (Wednesday) was the first time and today was much better.

“At this point, it’s not my decision. The team’s winning. Whatever it is, it’s going to be. I trust everyone in the organization, but it’s not easy. I flew back before Game 2, and it’s tough to miss the game. I think it was the right decision to make sure it didn’t go around the room.”

First and last

When Marchessault scored into an empty net with 2.7 seconds to go, he became the first player in NHL playoff history to score in the first minute and the final minute of a game.

Marchessault beat Connor Hellebucyk 35 seconds into Game 3 to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

Marchessault, who leads the Knights in playoff scoring with 17 points, including eight goals, is one point from tying the NHL record for most points by a player in his team’s first playoff appearance.

Igor Larionov and Jude Drouin share the record with 18 points. Larionov did it in 1994 with the San Jose Sharks, Drouin in 1975 with the New York Islanders.

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Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.