Emotional Boeser honors late best friend, points to sky after goal

Brock Boeser scored a goal in the second period of the Vancouver Canucks win on Thursday. When he returned to the bench, he pointed toward the sky and dropped his head, overcome with emotion.

The Canucks forward couldn't help but get a little teary.

It was six years to the day that a tragic car accident claimed the life of a childhood best friend, Ty Alyea. Boeser was playing for Team USA in the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in Slovakia at the time of the accident.

Boeser has worn No. 6 on his jersey, Alyea's number, and written a tribute on the taped handle of his stick ever since. With the NHL season being paused in March due to the coronavirus pandemic and the Return to Play protocol starting in August, it was the first time Boeser had played on the date of the tragedy.

"It's obviously a tough day for my friends and I," Boeser said. "It's crazy how fast time flies. But to be able to get one for him, it's something special. Emotional day for sure... Obviously it's weird and different that we have a hockey game in August but I know my friends are all hanging out today being with each other."

That's why when Boeser's magnificent falling backhand somehow slipped past the skate of Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon and into the net before goalie Alex Stalock could recover, the Canucks forward couldn't help but think he may have had some help.

• NHL.com staff writer David Satriano contributed to this report.