Hudon looks above for inspiration
Habs forward pays tribute to friend
After the Canadiens’ Charles Hudon scored his first NHL goal in Monday night’s 8-3 win over the Senators in Ottawa, he pointed skyward as part of his celebration.
He did the same thing after scoring his second goal later in the game and will continue to do so after every other goal he scores in the NHL, he says.
Hudon does it as a tribute to his friend Nicholas Antonelli, who was killed six years ago at age 17 after being hit by a drunk driver while walking home from a party.
Hudon was born in Alma, Que., but his family moved to St-Bruno when he was seven and that’s where he met Antonelli, the goalie on his atom and novice hockey teams.
“Since that time, we were always together,” Hudon said in the Canadiens dressing room after Monday’s game. “We weren’t together a lot the last two years (of Antonelli’s life) because I was playing for Chicoutimi (in junior), so it was pretty far and he was in soccer.
“It was pretty hard for everyone … for myself, too,” Hudon said about Antonelli’s death. “When I heard about it I was in Chicoutimi, so I was not able to go to Montreal for everything. But I know his mom and dad, his brothers, they’re with me and I’m still close to that family.”
Hudon believes his friend Nick is still with him also.
“I know that Nick is behind me,” Hudon said. “Every single goal that I’m scoring since that date (of his death) is for him and today is a big one. I’m pretty sure that he felt my joy and everything about that goal. He’s there … I’m always talking to him and I’m pretty sure that he’s happy and all my family, too.”
Hudon was fighting back tears Monday night as he spoke.
“I know he’s there … I know he’s tapping on my shoulder every single time, every single shift,” Hudon said. “It was good for me and I know he’s pretty proud.”
When asked what kind of a kid Nick was, Hudon smiled.
“You can say that every goalie, they’re different,” Hudon said. “But that goalie was always smiling. That guy was always having fun when he was on the ice, having fun when he was around everyone. He was an Italian guy and they were a close family. It was pretty hard to lose him … pretty hard for everyone. It’s just tough to talk about it and now I can say that I scored a goal and I’m pretty sure he’s proud of me.”
Hudon said losing a friend at such a young age made him more mature and aware of the dangers of drinking and driving.
The Canadiens, on a two-game win streak that improved their record to 4-7-1, had the day off Tuesday before heading to Minnesota to face the Wild Thursday.