London Knights forward Mitch Marner was coming off a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of the OHL final when he was told his family home in Thornhill had caught fire.
The Maple Leafs top prospect was told about the serious fire by his parents, after scoring the final goal against the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday -- The same day as his 19th birthday.
Sportsnet reports that Marner's father received a call from a neighbour while driving to his son’s game. They were told by Ontario Fire Marshal's Office that firefighters were still fighting the blaze and would not be allowed near the house until it was deemed safe.
York Regional Police say the fire started just after 4pm and no one was home at the time. The entire front of the home was reportedly engulfed in flames, but the full extent of the damage is unknown at this time.
The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation as well.
“The London Knights support the entire Marner family through this difficult ordeal," says Knights General Manager Basil McRae in a media release. "This is a trying time for the Marner family and everyone involved. As this is not a hockey matter, it is requested that Mitch and the entire Marner family have privacy at this time.”
