University of Michigan hockey player Steven Holtz brought his team to victory with a game-winning goal Friday following a frightening experience last year that found him in the intensive care unit.
In November, the Wolverines’ junior defenseman was transported by ambulance to a university hospital and checked into the ICU, where he was intubated and put into a medically induced coma due to adenovirus complications.
Holtz suffered seizures as well as memory loss during the terrifying episode, which was part of an outbreak among players on the team and at the university.
He was later discharged from the hospital, and his road to recovery has been a difficult one.
Holtz has struggled with his speech, on top of his incomplete coursework from the fall. He said he felt like he was learning to skate all over again.
He played his first game back in February. And on Friday, he scored his first career goal in overtime against the University of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
The goal puts the Wolverines one win ahead of the Badgers in the best-of-three series.
Watch Holtz’s goal below:
Following the win, Holtz said he was at “a loss for words.”
He told reporters after the game that the moment was hard to believe, likening it to a “Hollywood story.”
“I know it’s not necessarily my role here to score goals, but I think the big players step up in big moments,” he said.
“Whether it’s me throwing a hit, a stick check or blocking a shot. But tonight, it was scoring a goal.”