Marcus Gustafson’s life changed forever on April 3, 1999. That night, he scored the overtime game-winner to beat New Hampshire 3-2 in the NCAA championship game in Anaheim.

His life changed dramatically again in August of 2005.

Fortunately for Gustafson and his family, what could have been a catastrophic situation worked out for the best.

Gustafson, wife Cassidy [Borgman] and children Emma and Lukas were living in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina all but destroyed the city.

“We evacuated to a black angus cattle farm 70-80 miles away. One of my clients owned it. We always went there when these storms came in,” said Gustafson, who owns an investment company and was back in the Bangor area for the Black Bear Hockey alumni festivities this past weekend.

“We didn’t know when we would be able to move back. Emma had just started school the week before,” said Gustafson. “We didn’t know what was going on with her school because the communications and cellphone towers were down. They couldn’t find the teachers. School wasn’t starting until after Christmas. There were so many unknowns.

“When all was said and done, we could have moved back to our house but we decided not to,” added Gustafson.

He explained they had friends who had moved to Atlanta two years before the hurricane hit and they invited them to stay with them [and check out Atlanta].

“So we did. They had kids who were the same age as ours,” said Gustafson.

He’s glad they did.

“We’re very happy in Atlanta from a business standpoint and a family standpoint,” said Gustafson.

He said the way things worked out, they probably couldn’t afford to live in New Orleans today.

“They’re having a tough time down there now. Insurance costs have gone through the roof,” said Gustafson. “Insurance companies are dropping people left and right. Only a few people can afford the insurance.”

Atlanta, according to Gustafson, is “10 times the hockey town New Orleans was.”

They have an NHL team in the Atlanta Thrashers who made the playoffs for the first time in their history.

Ironically, the Thrashers’ first year was 1999.

Gustafson said people still remember him for the goal, even in the deep south.

“Hockey is a small community,” said Gustafson.

Clauson steals the show

Kevin Clauson stole the show at the dinner to honor volunteer assistant and former full-time assistant/recruiting coordinator Grant Standbrook on Saturday night at the Black Bear Inn in Orono.

Clauson told how he was standing in a corner of the rink when he heard Standbrook, standing on the ice with a couple of players, shouting “Brian, Brian, Brian’ Brian.”

“I looked up and Grant was motioning to me. He thought I was Brian Addesa, who had played the year before I got here,” said Clauson, a Western Michigan transfer.

Clauson never corrected him.

“My senior year, I coughed up the puck and the other team went down the ice and scored,” recalled Clauson. “Between periods, Coach [Shawn] Walsh shouted ‘Grant, who coughed up the puck?’ Grant said ‘Brian did.’ Coach Walsh said ‘We don’t have a Brian.”

Clauson was spared a tongue-lashing.

Larry Mahoney can be reached by calling 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.