Clayton Keller named first star in game following the sudden passing of his father

Early on Friday, reports emerged around the National Hockey League of a heartbreaking tragedy, with Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller losing his father unexpectedly.

Despite the heartbreak, the Mammoth's captain showed his dedication and commitment to his team, agreeing to play on Friday against the Dallas Stars with the thought in mind that it's what his father would have wanted.

The Mammoth would come up short in the matchup against Dallas, with 24 saves from Vitek Vanacek not enough to get the job done as they fell 4-3 in a thrilling contest.

However, given what he played through, Keller was given the first star of the game by the National Hockey League, showing the admiration that the opposition and the league have for the Mammoth captain.

When the announcement was made in Dallas, fans showed their appreciation for the 27-year old, and while he couldn't help his team get the job done on this night, this game was about so much more than hockey for Keller, as he is getting the love and respect he deserves for battling through everything to take the ice.

Moving forward, if the Mammoth want to give Keller time to grieve adequately, that will be a widely supported move in Utah and around the National Hockey League, and given that he even took the ice on Friday, he showed that he's incredibly tough and earned all of the respect he garnered around the league.