Adam Fantilli gave his all on Thursday night, aiming to secure a win for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the New York Islanders. Unfortunately, the Jackets had a defensive breakdown mid-game, resulting in a 7-3 blowout win for the Isles in front of their local fans.
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).
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.
