A special night became even more so for Colorado College commit Connor Sundquist.

The 6-foot, 180-pound forward scored his first U.S. Hockey League goal on Saturday in what proved to be the game-winner for the Sioux City Musketeers.

That moment became poignant since he scored on Pink in the Rink Night and his mother, Melissa, 42, who is battling Stage 3 breast cancer, dropped the ceremonial first puck before the 5-3 home win over the Tri-City Storm.

A memorable, emotional night hasn’t quite hit home for the 18-year-old forward from Glastonbury, Conn.

“Even after a couple days, it still seems unreal,” Connor said in a telephone interview. “To think the goal I have been work so hard to finally score is scored with Mom here for breast cancer awareness night. It just seemed so perfect like it was meant to be.”

Connor, who is scheduled to join the Tigers in 2017, gave his mother his pink game jersey after the contest.

“You are a family who is battling cancer, it’s Pink in the Rink night, it’s kind of scripted,” Musketeers coach Jay Varady told ABC 9News of Sioux City. “It is really special for their family, really special for Connor, it’s really special for his mother and I am just happy I could be a part of it.”

Melissa has undergone four months of chemotherapy and been positive throughout, Connor said.  She has surgery scheduled in two days and will begin five-days-a-week radiation treatments afteerward.

As a result, she won’t be able to come watch her son play before she and his father Erik, a former Providence College player, travel out for Parents Weekend in February.

Even miles away, she remains very much a part of Connor’s life.

“We talk every day,” said Connor, who has his mother’s initials and a breast cancer ribbon on his stick knob to remind him that she is always there for him. “It stunk when I first came (to Sioux City) but we all knew this was a step I needed to take after I committed (to CC in November 2014). She supports me even more than ever before. We’ve made it work.”

His father Erik said the Sioux City organization did a great job welcoming him and Melissa for last weekend’s event with a “family before wins and losses” attitude he appreciates.

“We are a pretty close-knit family so having (Connor) playing 1-1/2 hours away would be difficult,” Erik said. “With the way technology is now, it is very easy for him to stay in touch.”

Connor talks with his four brothers – ages 16, 14, six and four – via FaceTime so often that the parents have to hide the family iPad from the younger siblings.

Melissa’s example has helped her son realize that the ups and downs of junior hockey and homesickness are small when compared to what she is battling.

“She handles raising five kids and is battling this,” Connor said. “She is an inspiration. She is so positive and shows me there are no excuses. (Her example) pushes me to work even harder. I dedicate everything to her.”

Photo courtesy Sioux City Journal