After scoring the first goal of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes, Motte pointed skyward as he skated back to the bench. He was paying tribute to his fiancee's grandmother, who passed away earlier this week.
Motte and family members attended the service on Friday, one day before he would open the scoring in a
5-2 victory for the Rangers
, who staved off elimination and will play Game 7 on Monday night in Raleigh.
"A couple of days ago my fiancee's grandmother passed away. I spent yesterday in Michigan going to a service and just being with them," Motte said in a postgame interview with ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "To have one, it was special. Some of that family is in the building here. It just felt like I had a little help that's all."
Motte was
