CNN
—
In what was an emotional night for Buffalo, the number 3 that NFL player Damar Hamlin wears for the Buffalo Bills seemed to permeate everything the city’s ice hockey team has done, such as by the fate.
A day after Hamlin’s collapse in the Buffalo Bills’ NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Buffalo Sabers secured a dramatic 5-4 overtime win over the Washington Capitals – a victory centered on the number three.
Played on January 3, Tage Thompson’s three goals helped the Sabers claim victory. It was Thompson’s third hat-trick this season and his third goal even came three minutes into extra time.
The players had been wearing ‘Love for 3’ shirts as they arrived at the Capital One Arena in tribute to Hamlin, with both teams observing a moment of silence before the start of the game as a smiling picture of Hamlin was displayed on the electronic screen.
After the game, the Sabers tweeted a simple yet powerful message: “This one was for you, Damar.
Wearing a No. 3 sticker on his backhand, Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams wouldn’t discuss the details of the victory, opting instead to talk about how the city of Buffalo came together after the Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.
“What happened last night is something that makes the game itself and any secondary sport so it was a tough day for all of us,” Adams told reporters.
“There is an emotional connection to the city of our team. It was tough, to be honest, this morning, the conversations. But (the players) also I think know how much our team means to this city and I just wanted to be able to go out and do what we can today to do our best.
Hamlin remains in hospital and in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest during Monday’s game. His uncle, Dorrian Glenn, told CNN that Hamlin was still sedated after being resuscitated twice — in the field and then in hospital.
The game was then postponed with players from both teams visibly distraught.
According to Glenn, Hamlin is on a ventilator to relieve some of the pressure on his lungs, which were damaged as a result of the cardiac arrest. He said his nephew’s condition is “positively improving” while he is being treated in hospital.
The Sabers and Bills share the same owners, Terry and Kim Pegula – something that has helped unify the two teams.
“There’s really good chemistry between all of us, and we help each other out,” Adams said. “And that’s why it’s been such a tough week for us because we’re in the same boat.”
