Dahlin learning to 'keep going' through year of challenges on, off ice

TORONTO -- The best day of Rasmus Dahlin’s NHL career came half a year after the worst time of his young life.

Such is the roller-coaster journey the Buffalo Sabres captain has been on the past six months, one that has tugged at the collective heartstrings of the hockey world.

Little wonder his eyes began to well up as he addressed the media after the Sabres’ 7-4 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

On one hand, there was the joy of equalling his NHL career high of five points, including his first career hat trick.

On the other, there was the reflection of what he’s been through, a tumultuous time which began when he lost his unborn baby and almost lost his fiancee Carolina Matovac last summer.

“You know, it’s been … I don’t know if I can fully describe it now. I need some time,” he said, struggling to find the proper words. “It’s been a crazy year. And I’m just so happy I can be with this team.”

He paused.

“My brothers, they help me every day,” referring to his Sabres teammates. “I could not have done this without them, that’s for sure.”

If his emotions seemed raw, there was good reason for it.

Just 24 hours earlier, Carolina posted a moving message on Instagram revealing that the due date of the couple’s first child would have been on Monday.

Unfortunately, the baby didn’t survive during a traumatic health scare for Matovac last summer. And she almost didn’t either.

The couple was on a vacation in France when Matovac became sick. She subsequently was put on life support for weeks before undergoing a heart transplant.

In her Instagram story, Carolina explained that the couple had first gone to the hospital with concerns for the unborn child. It was there that she had her first heart failure, leading to a lengthy spell of serious treatment.

“Today was meant to be the day we finally met you," Matovac wrote. "You will always hold a special place in our hearts as our first baby, even though we never had the chance to meet. Our love for you is endless.

"Though you didn't get to experience this world, you played a vital role in ensuring that I could continue to be a part of it.

"This is just one of the many reasons I am alive today, able to embrace a normal life once again. You are our hero, and I hope you are being well cared for in heaven. We love you, baby Matovac Dahlin."

The couple’s painful odyssey has not been lost on Dahlin’s teammates or coach Lindy Ruff. When they see precious moments like the smile on Dahlin’s face on the ice when the final horn sounded Tuesday, it was a reminder to them of just how far he and Matovac have come in their quest to regain some sort of normality in their lives.

“It’s amazing,” Sabres forward Tage Thompson said. “I mean, what he’s gone through, personally, I can’t even imagine. The fact that he’s here playing hockey and competing for us, means the world to us. And I think that speaks to his character, how much he loves this team, how much he wants to win. He’s not just playing. He’s leading by example.

“I can’t say enough good things about him and obviously the mental strength you have to have to do what he is doing.”

What he and the Sabres are doing right now is making a concerted run to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 15 years. To that end, they’ve gone 19-3-1 in their past 23 games, a streak that’s propelled Buffalo (30-17-5) to third in the Atlantic Division with 65 points.

As a hockey player, this is all pretty new for Dahlin, all this winning stuff.

“He just said, 'This is fun, but I don’t know how to act,'" Ruff recounted with a chuckle. “He said he’s never done this before.

“You know, there’s a lot of hockey left. But I’m happy for him. This is a young man, and I’ve said it before, who’s gone through a lot. And I’m so happy for him that he’s getting rewarded for all the work he’s put in and all the adversity he’s faced.

“This is going to put a big smile on Carolina’s face, too.”

Ruff then reiterated that Dahlin has the full support of the entire Sabres organization.

“I think he understands that every time he’s needed time, we’ve said family comes first. I think he really respects that part of it. He knows that hockey is second and family is first. And you know, that’s the way life should be approached.

“I don’t really know what to say, because unless you’ve lived what he’s gone through, well, you can feel the pain but not near as much as he has.”

For most of this night, those blips of hurt took a back seat to the enjoyment of the game, of the win, as symbolized by the ear-to-ear grin he wore when reminded of the magic he’d just produced on the ice.

“I just love doing it with the boys here (in Toronto),” he said. “It’s such a fun, fun thing to go to war with these guys, and I think we’re doing such a good job to win tight games now.

“We’ve just got to keep going.”

It’s a credo he and Carolina are living by with each passing day.