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After Utah's latest 3-2 win against Anaheim, head coach André Tourigny walked into the room to do his typical postgame interview with the press.
While questions were asked about key moments from the game—like Dylan Guenther's power-play goal and Mikhail Sergachev's incredible skate save—a question from Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune brought attention to something remarkable, something Tourigny wasn't even aware of: fans had organized an event to write letters to Utah goalie Connor Ingram.
"That's unreal," Tourigny said. "That's another reason why we're so proud to play in front of those fans... Cannot be more grateful for that. I think that's unbelievable. I didn't know that. Kudos to them—that's unreal."
As reported by Fraser in the Salt Lake Tribune, "Letters to Ingy" was originally started by Jackie Johnson, a fan of Utah HC. Spreading her message online caught the attention of Brandon Merrill, another Utah HC fan who runs the @utah_hockey (Utah Hockey Club) account on X.
With Merrill helping spread the message, fans met up after the second period of Utah's game against Anaheim. There, they gathered to write letters and offer words of encouragement and support to Ingram.
Earlier in the week, it was announced that Utah goalie Connor Ingram would be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
After previously taking time off to grieve the passing of his mother, who battled breast cancer, Ingram returned to the ice for Utah on Jan. 11 in a 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders. Most recently, he played on Feb. 22 in a 5-3 loss to the Kings, a game in which Barrett Hayton recorded the Club's first-ever hat trick.
But despite returning to the ice, Ingram took to social media to explain that he needed to step back, saying, "After trying to make a return to playing, I have come to realize that I am not myself. At this point in my life I need to put my health first, and ... take the proper time I need away to come back at 100%."
Though Ingram left the team on what Tourigny called a kind of a day off due to the team's schedule amidst a three-day break between games against Chicago and Toronto, Tourigny made sure to let everyone know that he and the team were backing him.
"I'm sure all the guys reach out on one way or the other," said Tourigny. "At the same time you want to respect the guy, you know, for me it's the same... I don't want him to feel pressure. I want him to take care of himself. He took a big step and [he had] courage to take care of himself, good on him and we are supporting him big time."
Even though Ingram is not currently with the team, fans have still found a way to show their full support. And while it's unclear whether he has seen the messages or received any letters yet, the sentiment has certainly moved Tourigny.
If you want to write a letter to 'Ingy' yourself, Johnson has set up an email for anyone who wants to reach out: [email protected].
On behalf of The Hockey News, I hope you're doing well and getting the help you need, Connor!
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