Fantilli feels right at home when Blue Jackets visit Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena

With the game knotted at 2-2, Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski head manned the puck to a speeding Fantilli in the neutral zone. Turning on the jets, he blew past Maple Leafs forward Max Domi before completing the perfect deke around Toronto goalie Joseph Woll for the winner with 38.8 seconds on the clock, causing Julia, who was seated right behind the Toronto net, to start jumping up and down with glee.

“It was a great play by Werenski, he just kind of let me get my speed going there to make that (Maple Leafs player) hesitate for a half second and I was able to get a step on him,” Fantilli said. “It was a perfect play by him, it was great.”

To say the least.

“Yeah, that was a blast,” he said. “I seem to have a lot of good luck in this building so maybe it’s all the friends and family wishing me luck here.”

In the process, it brought him back to the days when his dad would take him to games here.

“He would always bring me here when he could,” Fantilli said. “At that time, I would dream about playing on this ice.

“That dream came true.”

Once he’d completed his media obligations, he quickly showered and changed into street clothes before heading to Section 117, where friends and family of the visiting players greet them after games. On this night, there were hundreds there, many waiting for him.

Including his loving mom and proud poppa.

“I wouldn’t say I’m his lucky charm,” Julia said, her face beaming with joy. “It’s this whole group of people. That’s his lucky charm.

“It’s incredible for this to happen. And to have all these family and friends with us, it’s the best thing ever. I love it.”

Especially the way her son helped shut up some of the loud-mouthed Maple Leafs fans sitting around them.

“The people behind us were heckling him a little bit so I was praying that he was going to do something special,” Julia said. “And he did. I was very thankful.

“It was so special.”

Alas, the Blue Jackets do not play in Toronto again this season.

For the Fantilli family, that just means they’ll have to wait until the 2026-27 season to make the 50-minute drive to downtown Toronto to see what their son has in store in what he considers his NHL hometown.

Chances are it will be something good, judging by recent history.