High schooler scores OT winner hours after father’s death (Video)
Hours after losing his father on Wednesday, Doug Caliendo found a reason to smile.
The Notre Dame-West Haven (CT) senior scored the overtime winner to help beat Northwest Catholic 3-2 on the same day his father, Lou, lost his battle with colon cancer.
Down 2-0 in the third period, the Lions rallied to tie the game and force overtime. It was there that Caliendo, a defenseman, pounced on a loose puck 25 seconds into the extra frame and fired it home for the winner.
Despite the tragedy earlier in the day, Caliendo said he had no doubt he would play.
“Knowing my father for so long, he really loved the sport and always wanted me to play,” Caliendo said via GameTimeCT.com. “He would have said, ‘Just get out there and do what I do best.’”
The teams held a moment of silence before the game, and you can hear the crowd chanting “Strong for Lou,” the fund setup for Caliendo’s father following the goal.
You couldn’t really write a better script to this story.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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