Hockey games can be dangerous, even for the fans in attendance.
At the tail end of the second period of Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators, Carter Hutton tried to clear the puck out of the zone for the Predators. Unfortunately, it careened into the crowd a struck a young girl.
Aaron Ekblad and several other players on the ice noticed it immediately, and motioned to the benches for medical assistance. The referees decided to end the period early, per Rule 77.3.
Hutton, being the great guy that he is decided not only to give the poor fan his condolences, but a souvenir to help dull the pain.
Chris Mason on #Preds broadcast says Carter Hutton grabbed a stick and took it to the young fan who was hit by the puck in the stands.
— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) February 14, 2016
Hutton made sure the little girl that got hit by the puck he shot into the stands got a souvenir pic.twitter.com/5oS2rE4Zts
— Stephanie (@myregularface) February 14, 2016
Hutton hit the puck in stands. Shes walking out on her own holding her head. Hutton gave her his goalie stick #flapanthers
— Harvey Fialkov (@hfialkov) February 14, 2016
That even got a shoutout from former goalie coach Mitch Korn:
@brooksbratten @jrlind Hutton is fabulous person with hi character & also a solid goalie. 15 min. with him & u want him on your team.
— Mitch Korn (@mitchkorncaps) February 14, 2016
The Thunder Bay, Ontario native is having the best season of his NHL career, and stonewalled the Panthers all night. He even made saves like this:
Carter Hutton with a highlight reel save #Preds: pic.twitter.com/SIc5kPmRhY
— Mark Harris (@MCHisTweeting) February 14, 2016
Saturday marked only his ninth start of the season, four months and 56 games into the Predators campaign. Gestures and performances like this perhaps pave the way for him to see more time in the crease.
Good on you, Carter. Hopefully the young fan is OK.