Brandon Montour's in-laws thought he would miss the birth of his first child

Modified Jun 07, 2023 20:25 GMT

Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour had a whirlwind experience in the span of 36 hours, going from playing in his first Stanley Cup Final game to becoming a first-time father. The unexpected overlap of these life-changing events almost caused Montour to miss the birth of his son, Kai, due to his commitment to hockey.

While Brandon Montour was in Las Vegas for Game 1 of the Panthers' series against the Golden Knights, his wife, Ryian, went into labor back east. Unaware of the situation until after the Panthers' 5-2 loss, Montour quickly boarded a cross-country flight to Florida, anxiously hoping to make it in time.

Recounting the nerve-wracking experience, Brandon Montour revealed,

"I was getting texts from her parents just with where she was at. They didn't think I was going to make it..... went to the delivery room, and it was kind of game on from there, and he came at noon."

(Source: Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter)

Brandon Montour's wife was originally scheduled to be induced on June 14, right after Game 5 of the series when the Panthers would be playing at home. However, Kai had other plans, resulting in a back-and-forth adventure for Montour, who had to return to Vegas for Game 2 shortly after meeting his newborn child.

Florida Panthers' Brandon Montour Finds Inspiration in Fatherhood as Game 3 Shifts to Home Ice

Panthers coach Paul Maurice acknowledged the excitement surrounding Montour's unique situation, stating,

"Monty is a physical specimen. He can handle a little fatigue, and I think it was just a good way for him to get used to becoming a father, or a mother for that matter. Sleep debt is your life for the next couple of years."

Despite the Panthers' 2-0 deficit in the series following a 7-2 loss in Game 2, Montour remains optimistic. He drew inspiration from the birth of his son, hoping it would serve as a good luck charm for the team's upcoming games.

Montour expressed his gratitude for the support he received from his teammates during this momentous occasion. Montour said:

"They're great. Obviously I have family back home, but this is my family when I'm at the rink."

As the series shifts to the Panthers' home ice for Game 3, Florida faces the challenge of cracking Vegas goaltender Adin Hill, who has been outstanding with a save percentage of .939. Montour believes that by getting in Hill's face and creating traffic in front of the net, the Panthers can find a way to score and turn the tide in their favor.

Montour emphasized,

"He's a good goalie. You've got to get in his face, make it tougher to see, I'd like to bear down on my chances. He's made some big saves. He's playing well. A team like that, they don't give much. We've got to get one here, and hopefully they can keep trickling in."

Now, Game 3 promises to be a pivotal moment in their quest for the Stanley Cup.