Hockey brings out a lot of different traits in a team. Determination, resilience, rivalry, competition. Maybe the strongest of them all, though, is brotherhood and sisterhood. There’s no bond quite like a hockey bond.
When you go out and compete with a team of friends, they quickly start to feel like family. You often hear hockey players talk about how important their hockey community is when going through tough times, a feeling that Declan Smith of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles can relate to that.
Smith’s mother passed away from cancer on December 1st, sending the family into mourning. On Friday, Smith returned to the lineup and scored the game winning goal in an eventual 4-2 victory.
Following his goal, which can be seen in the game highlights here, Smith took his glove off and pointed to the sky.
After the game, Smith was interviewed. His entire team stayed on the ice with him, and embraced him in a true showing of brotherhood that could bring a tear to your eye.
This is what sports is all about.
(H/T Cape Breton Post)
