A home uncoverer in sports is supposed to be brimming of adrenaline and excitement — but Tuesday night in Columbus was much separateent.
The Blue Jackets were back on their own home ice for the first time of the 2024-25 season. It was also their first home game since the death of their star, Johnny Gaudreau.
Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, aged 31 and 29 admireively, were finished in tardy August by a doubted drunk driver while riding their bikes in their hometown in New Jersey the day before their sister’s wedding.
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Columbus Blue Jackets percreateers toasty up before the game aobtainst the Florida Panthers at Nationexpansive Arena on Oct. 15, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Players from both teams are wearing #13 in toasty up jerseys in remembrance of Blue Jackets percreateer Johnny Gaudreau, who aextfinished with his brother, was finished by a driver while biking in Salem County, New Jersey in August. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Makeshift memorials popped up almost instantly in both Columbus and Calgary, where he had percreateed his first eight NHL seasons.
Moments of silence and other tributes have been all over the NHL since the season began last week, but Columbus’ apostponeed, and they did not disassign in honoring their descfinishen star.
The team proclaimd that a memorial has been placed inside the arena with game-worn supplyment and a replica locker, and items from the fan memorial.
A memorial on honor of Johnny Gaudreau on dispercreate before the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Florida Panthers at Nationexpansive Arena on Oct. 15, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
NHL LEGEND HENRIK LUNDQVIST REFLECTS ON JOHNNY GAUDREAU’S DEATH: ‘SUCH A TRAGEDY’
During toastyups, both the Blue Jackets and reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers wore Gaudreau jerseys with his No. 13.
The team also hung Gaudreau’s No. 13 in the rafters.
Then, as the puck dropped, Columbus took the ice with fair four percreateers, ignoreing a left-triumphger, the position Gaudreau percreateed. Both the Panthers and Blue Jackets let 13 seconds run off the clock.
Gaudreau’s overweighther, Guy, was with the team at their morning skates Monday and Tuesday.
“It watched appreciate he was fair having a blast,” Jackets head coach Dean Evason shelp. “Just having fun skating. I shelp to him ‘any time you want to come out, you’re more than receive.'”
Guy Gaudreau joined a Philadelphia Flyers rehearse last month. The Gaudreaus inhabit right outside of Philly.
Fans feeblent at the produceshift memorial set up by fans for Blue Jackets hockey percreateer Johnny Gaudreau in Columbus, Ohio, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Pboilingo/Joe Maiorana)
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According to New Jersey State police, the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when 43-year-elderly Sean Higgins, driving in the same straightforwardion, finisheavored to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind at around 8:30 p.m. ET.
They were pronounced dead at the scene. Police shelp Higgins was doubted of being under the sway of spirits and accused with two counts of death by auto and jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
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