MTL@VAN: Big goal in British Columbia

VANCOUVER - When the Canadiens battle the Canucks in the Lower Mainland, Brendan Gallagher can always count on having a serious supporter section in the stands.

But that isn't the case this season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
His parents, Ian and Della, who reside in nearby Delta, BC, along with his siblings, are all watching the Habs' alternate captain and the rest of his teammates from home.
Unfortunately, they all missed out on a rather special moment Wednesday night when Gallagher scored a memorable goal at Rogers Arena, converting a perfect feed from Tomas Tatar late in the second period.

With that in mind, the 28-year-old right-winger had a little fun at his loved ones' expense during a Zoom call with members of the media on Thursday.
"It's a little bit tough not having your family and friends come to the game," admitted Gallagher. "But at the same time, last night was the first time I ever scored in this building in the NHL, so I might tell my family that they're not allowed back."
The nine-year veteran was just kidding, of course, but the tally was certainly a long time coming.
It was Gallagher's eighth appearance in the Canucks' home rink.

Never gets old
Gallagher is no stranger to Western Canada road trips, but playing on home turf is still extra special.
Born in Edmonton, he moved with his family to Tsawwassen, BC at age 12 after his father accepted a job as the strength and conditioning coach for the WHL's Vancouver Giants.
Now, he spends his offseasons there training with his proud papa, who serves as president of the renowned Delta Hockey Academy.
"I love coming out here," said Gallagher. "When I was younger, I grew up watching NHL games in these buildings, speaking of Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. That was my childhood, so it's fun to play here still."

Fortunately, the Canadiens still have two more regular-season trips to Western Canada on their schedule, including one visit in March and another in April.
Important differences
Road life isn't what it used to be for NHLers, Gallagher included.
So what is he missing most about the way things were?
"I'm really missing the cards on the plane. I'm used to beating Tuna and seeing the anger in his eyes. I miss that," joked Gallagher. "We have little things, like dinner on the road is something you really look forward to. It's just a good time with the guys, one of the best parts of the year, so you don't have that."

The feisty forward doesn't mind the baseball-style calendar, however.
He's a big fan of playing multiple games in the same town against the same opponent.
"The travel is something we can't really complain about. Playing three games in the same city is really nice for us players. There's some good, there's some bad," confided Gallagher. "I think every team is dealing with the same thing. There are just some adjustments that you have to make throughout the year."
Puck drop tonight is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.
You can watch the game on TSN2, NBCSN and RDS, and listen to all the action on TSN Radio 690 and 98,5 FM.