Tuesday night was a tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. Yes, the Panthers won. But that was hardly important. You may not even remember the score by the time your head hits the pillow tonight.
The Panthers biggest task on Tuesday was being the guest for the Columbus Blue Jackets’ home opener — their first home game since Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were hit and killed by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bicycles over the offseason.
“It is healing,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said before the game. “You’ll get to see the family a little bit tonight. It’ll make you feel you’re going to be ok. There’s a huge community around them. Hockey is like that. it is a close-knit group.”
It was an extremely heavy night. A night that won’t cure anything, but a night that was important, nonetheless. It began the healing process for a team and fan base that is now mourning their second player death in three years, after Matīss Kivlenieks was killed in a fireworks accident on the 4th of July in 2021.
The tributes began from the moment the Panthers entered Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus. At the suggestion of Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk — a teammate of Johnny Gaudreau from their time with the Calgary Flames from 2016 to 2022 — the Panthers showed up with purple Gatorade and skittles, which were a favorite of Johnny’s.
Tkachuk could not be there himself, as he has been battling an illness for the last few days. But he gave a statement released by the Panthers a few hours before the game.
“Johnny was a huge part of the hockey community but to me he was much more than that,” Tkachuk said. “A great friend, teammate, and family man. Not a day goes by without me thinking about Johnny and Matthew.”
“The biggest thing I’m going to miss about tonight is not being able to see Meredith, Noa, little Johnny, Guy and Jane. Would love to give them all big hugs! Johnny will be my teammate forever.”
13 forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qWLV8DNfLa
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 15, 2024
Gaudreau was about to enter his third season with Columbus after spending nine years in Calgary.
Both the Panthers and the Blue Jackets took the ice in No. 13 jerseys with “Gaudreau” on the back as a tribute to his jersey number.
The Blue Jackets raised a memorial banner for Gaudreau that included a jersey number patch. Gaudreau’s wife Meredith watched on with the couple’s children, Noa, 2, and Johnny, born in February. Longtime teammate and friend Sean Monahan stood next to her. Afterwards, Meredith hugged Adam Boqvist and Sam Bennett, teammates of Gaudreau while he was with Columbus and Calgary, respectively.
“I’ve always known this game was going to come up,” Boqvist said. “It’s not like you expect something. But when I saw Meredith and the kids, and my old teammates out there, it was pretty hard, actually, I’m not going to lie. … Johnny is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. It’s hard but they’re strong, the Gaudreau family.”
After the game, Boqvist recounted how Gaudreau would sit and talk with him when he was hurt while while Columbus; things like maple syrup on Gaudreau’s family farm in New England.
“He would always get everyone involved,” Boqvist said. “Have a couple beers, just have a lot of fun. Such a family guy. He would always tell stories after games like ‘well, I’m going to go home and be a dad.’ Just all-around he was an amazing human being.”
Johnny Gaudreau was 31 years old, his brother Matthew was 29. Matthew had played a few seasons in the AHL and ECHL. The brothers were in their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey when they were killed to celebrate their sister’s wedding.
The final tribute on Tuesday came at the faceoff circle. To open the game, the Blue Jackets lined up with only four players, leaving the left wing open – Johnny’s spot. After the puck was dropped, both teams tapped their sticks and fans cheered as 13 seconds ticked off the clock.
And then, somehow, they played hockey.
After a scoreless first period, the Blue Jackets got on the board first with a shorthanded goal from Cole Sillinger 41 seconds into the second period.
Anton Lundell tied the game halfway through the second off a sick feed from Sam Reinhart, who tapped the puck out of mid-air and towards Lundell.
Monahan notched the go-ahead goal by slamming home his own rebound past Panthers goaltender Spencer Knight about a minute later.
Three unanswered goals from Reinhart, Dmitry Kulikov, and Eetu Luostarinen put the Panthers ahead for good, even with a late goal mixed in there from Columbus with an extra attacker.
Spencer Knight stopped 35 of 38 shots he faced.
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