DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji spoke with the families of Dennis Cholowski, Christoffer Ehn and Michael Rasmussen on Thursday, chronicling the in-the-stands reaction to the trio of players’ NHL debuts:
Playing in your first National Hockey League game is a special event for any player, but when you get to share it with the ones who made it possible, it makes a fantastic experience an absolutely unreal one.
At 7:46 of the second period in Thursday night’s home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Red Wings rookie defenseman Dennis Cholowski scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, setting off a raucous celebration in section 117 of Little Caesars Arena.
Cholowski’s parents, John and Natalie, his older brother, Fred, his aunt, Carrie Light, and his girlfriend, Brooke Kudirka were all high-fiving and hugging everyone in range.
“Absolutely over the moon,” Fred Cholowski said. “I mean, it’s surreal alone having him play his first NHL game and being here. The goal is just the icing on the cake. He was in the perfect position, it was the perfect shot and I’m so glad I was here to see it.”
