The applause for the assist was louder than it was for the goal, Justin Williams' empty-netter that sealed the win for the Carolina Hurricanes. The pass ahead to Williams came from a player who could possibly have taken a poke at the empty net himself, but scooted it along to Williams along the boards instead. It came from Jordan Staal, in his first home game back in the lineup.
Staal is still only days removed from unspeakable loss, and only now can those on the outside understand the unimaginable burden under which he has played these past months.