Lukas Gustafsson is a talented puck-moving defenseman. (Jerry Zhao/Cushing Academy)
In some ways, Cushing has Hurricane Katrina to thank for Lukas Gustafsson.
Gustafsson, the star puck-moving defenseman for the Penguins, was born in New Orleans where his hockey-playing dad, Marcus, had settled after a short minor-pro career.
Some might remember Marcus Gustafsson, who scored the game-winning goal in the 1999 national championship for the University of Maine over the University of New Hampshire.
Back to Katrina. The category 5 hurricane ravaged New Orleans in late August of 2005, killing 1,833 and devastating the area to an extent that in some areas it's still recovering today. The disaster sent the Gustafssons packing to Alphretta, Ga., where the family had friends, with Lukas not quite four.
