COLUMBUS, Ohio – When he catches a glimpse of his brother across the ice, Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno flashes back to the past and remembers the kid he grew up with all those years ago.
"A giant, 10-year-old Marcus," he said. "It will always be 10-year-old Marcus."
The two never played organized sports together, Nick said, but there were games with mini-sticks and times when they put holes in the wall.
But his favorite memory was watching the Wild winger make it to the NHL.
"I got to be there at his draft that day," Nick said. "It was pretty special. You're excited for your own, but to see your brother live out his dream is pretty special and I'm really enjoying watching his career."
For the 15th time as NHLers, Nick and Marcus Foligno squared off against each other Tuesday when the Blue Jackets hosted the Wild.
Their reunion this season was delayed when Marcus missed the Oct. 14 game because of a facial fracture suffered in a fight the previous game against the Blackhawks.
"No matter what game it is or how many games we've played against each other, it's always a lot of fun," Marcus said. "It's not nervous, but a certain feeling that you don't usually get playing in a regular game. Always fun to play him. You sometimes catch yourself watching him when you're on the bench and he's out there, and vice versa. It's always been a fun rivalry."