Despite the team's struggle, the third overall pick in this summer's draft wasn't at fault. Fantilli's line, with Kent Johnson and Emil Bemstrom, scored twice in the second period, giving the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead. Fantilli's standout performance included a beautiful sequence that made the highlight reel.
The star rookie ended the night with two goals and an assist, revealing that his motivation came from a personal loss. Fantilli shared that he played for his recently passed grandmother, expressing his emotions in a post-game media scrum. He explained the extra motivation derived from this unfortunate tragedy.
In last night's game, Fantilli achieved his first multi-goal game in his NHL career, currently tying for second in rookie scoring with 15 points, just behind Connor Bedard (21).
Despite the tough situation with the lowly Jackets and the loss of his grandmother, Fantilli continues to perform admirably. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him during this difficult time.
We can expect the star rookie to keep making his grandmother proud, using the extra motivation to guide the Blue Jackets back on track. Despite facing tough competition from Bedard, Fantilli remains a contender for the Calder Trophy this season.
Source: Hockeyfeed