Andrew Alberts might play for the HATED Vancouver Canucks, but he grew up in the Twin Cities playing high school hockey for Benilde-St. Margaret's (pictured, left). With that connection as the backdrop, Alberts met Jack Jablonski -- also, of course, from BSM -- and brought along some teammates when the Canucks were in town to face the Wild. From the Vancouver Sun: Vancouver Canucks defenceman Andrew Alberts has been a healthy scratch several times this season and sometimes that requires a little perspective.

Alberts got it when the Twin Cities native gathered a few of his Canucks teammates after Wednesday's late-afternoon practice and visited Jack Jablonski, the 16-year-old Minneapolis-area teen. ... Jablonski's devastating injury had an effect on most who play the game, either professionally or recreationally, but few more so than Alberts.

Jablonski attends the same high school Alberts graduated from — Benilde-St. Margaret's — and Alberts met the teen last summer.

"Every now and then they'll grab a group of young kids and they'll come and work out with the pro guys at the gym we train at," Alberts said before Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Wild. "So I had a chance to meet him this past summer and he's just a great kid, a good hockey player. You don't want to see it happen to anybody, but he's got the right attitude. That's the biggest thing."