Kenilworth mourns death of star hockey player

Friends and classmates of Kenilworth hockey player Daniel Triano gathered for a prayer vigil on Thursday evening to honor the teen who died in car crash on Wednesday afternoon.

The junior at Union County Academy for Information Technology was killed in the head on collison on Cooper Road in Scotch Plains, according to ABC 7. Witnesses said the roof of the car had to be removed to get the 17-year-old out of the car.

UCVTS Superintendent Peter A. Capodice told NJ Advance Media that Triano died at University Hospital in Newark during emergency surgery.

His teammates from the Devils Youth Hockey Team and the hockey team at David Brearley High School gathered at the crash scene to remember Triano who also attended David Brearley Middle School.  "He cared about others and put the team first. He would be upbeat and made everything seem lighter," Alex Frei told NJ Advance Media.

A tweet from the DBHS Class of 2017 asked for all to wear blue in his memory on Friday.

Traino's father Gary wrote a touching Facebook post about his son. "17 years ago my wife, Michele, and I were blessed with a son, Daniel Reid Triano. Daniel loved life and lived it to the fullest. He filled a lifetime of experiences in those 17 years. He was caring, thoughtful and compassionate. He was a good guy, a wonderful son, and a great friend. I also consider this son of ours one of the finest men I know. Though he is no longer with us, as he with the Lord, I hope you all can take away great memories of him and hold a place in your heart for him."

Triano will be laid to rest on Monday at the Mastapeter Funeral Home in Roselle Park on with a viewing on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial donations in Daniel's name can be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of NJ, 1 AAA Drive No. 203, Trenton, NJ 08691 or to Daniel's Scholarship Fund in care of Academy for Information Technology PSSO, Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076.