A day after the New Jersey Devils star received a hero’s welcome at the Prudential Center, he received a standing ovation from a usually hostile Pittsburgh Penguins crowd during Thursday’s introductions.
The Penguins won 4-1, with Hughes recording an assist and two shots on goal.
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Hughes hopes to see a similar reception for at least the rest of the season, barring when the Devils travel to Canada. However, only those games remain on the team’s regular season schedule, an April 5 date against the Montreal Canadiens.
It wasn’t until Sunday that Hughes achieved immortality with the decisive goal in overtime of the gold medal game. The former first overall pick in the NHL draft has had an up-and-down career thanks to a series of injuries, one of which occurred shortly before the Olympics. He also famously lost two front teeth before his goal against the Canadians, which is now part of beer legend.
Hughes spent his time between winning the gold medal in Italy and returning to the Devils visiting the White House with his teammates. She was in Congress during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday and also addressed her team, laughing at a joke at the expense of the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s team.
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Now the task once again falls to the Devils, who sit in second-to-last place in the Metropolitan Division at 29-29-2 after Thursday’s loss.