COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets are mourning the death of a fan with cancer whose spirit inspired team members during their recent playoff games.

On its Web site, the NHL team says the flag outside Nationwide Arena has been lowered to half staff in honor of 19-year-old Ryan Salmons.

He died Friday at a Columbus hospital. His father says Salmons had been on oxygen for a week following a visit to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.

Columbus had awarded Salmons a special one-day team contract in March, and later he was the first person forward Jason Chimera called when the Blue Jackets made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. They were eliminated in four games.

The funeral for Salmons is scheduled for Tuesday.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com