"I found out she was a sporty girl. And then, on came the conversations about hockey. And I was like, Oh, she knows what offsides is. She's the real deal," Hegler said.
The couple's first date took place Oct. 28, at a Carolina Hurricanes game against future Stanley Cup Final opponent the Vegas Golden Knights. Although the Hurricanes lost that game, the outing cemented their connection.
"I can't stand up and just, like, yell at the ref. I gotta have some kind of manners because she's there with me, and. And she's the first one to stand up and start yelling at the people. And I was like, Wow," Hegler said.
Howard said their shared enthusiasm for hockey made the relationship feel natural from the start.
"It's just something we both loved. So, it was, it was just the easy connection," she said.
The relationship developed quickly, moving from that first game to a proposal on May 9, less than seven months later. The couple chose June 20, 2026, as their wedding date.
That plan changed when the Hurricanes advanced to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, with the possibility of a championship parade on the same day as their wedding.
Howard recalled the moment they realized the conflict.
"My mom texted me, was like, hey, just so you know, if we win tonight's game, the parade is going to be Saturday. And we look at each other, and we're like, We're getting married that day. Like, what are we going to do?" she said.
Their wedding ceremony was originally scheduled for 1 p.m.
"So, we called all of our family members, and we told them we're pushing the time back to 6 p.m.," Howard said.
Howard said family and friends were not surprised by the decision.
"Our close friends and family know we like hockey, we love the Canes. So, they didn't, there was no push back from our family, the ones attending," she said.
The couple even joked about incorporating team spirit into their wedding attire.
"He said he was showing up to the wedding with my Cane jersey on," Howard said, prompting Hegler to reply, "Absolutely." Howard added, "No. You're wearing something nice. And then we can change into the jerseys."
The couple said this huge win was meant to be like their love story.
"It's a full circle moment," Howard said.