High School Hockey Player Nets Game-Winning Goal on Day Father Died

Playing in a game just hours after his father died, Notre Dame (West Haven, Connecticut) High School defenseman Doug Caliendo gave his team a 3-2 victory over Northwest Catholic (West Hartford, Connecticut) High School by netting the game-winning goal in overtime.

And you better believe his dad was in his thoughts in the moment.

Doug's father, Lou, died Wednesday morning after a battle with colon cancer:

Not only did he play in his team's game hours after his father's death, but he wound up being the hero of the game. As his teammates rushed to mob him out on the ice, Caliendo pointed up toward the sky, a tribute to Lou.

"I came out to the point, stepped into it and let it go, and it hit the net. I was happy," Doug said, per Joe Morelli of GameTimeCT. "My father was the first thing that came to my mind. He was the one who got me into this sport (age four)."

It certainly would have been understandable for the high schooler to not play in the game given the circumstances. But Caliendo said that's not what his dad would have wanted.

"Knowing my father for so long, he really loved the sport and always wanted me to play," Doug said, per Morelli. "He would have said, 'Just get out there and do what I do best.'"

It was undoubtedly a tough day for the Caliendo family. But the game-winning goal was certainly a great way for Doug to honor his father.

[SportzEdge.com, Twitter; h/t Fox Sports]