Today In NHL History - Craig Anderson Returns

On October 30th in 2016, Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson returned after a brief absence to care for his wife Nicholle, who had just been diagnosed with a rare form of throat cancer, to backstop his team to a 2-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers.

Anderson stopped all 37 shots he faced, including 18 in the third period, to post the 35th shutout of his career. With news of his wife's illness made public a day earlier, the Oilers fans and goalie Cam Talbot loudly applauded Anderson as the game's first star.
Post game comments from an emotional Senators side emphasized the respect and support the squad has for Anderson and Nicholle.
After six months of radiation treatment and chemotherapy, Nicholle was declared cancer free. Anderson led the Senators all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

At the end of the season, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association selected Craig Anderson as the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is for the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, dedication and sportsmanship to hockey.
Most importantly, Nicholle remains cancer free and healthy.

That's today in NHL history.