Epic father-son moment for Paul, Brysen Byron

MONTREAL - Paul Byron has experienced many memorable moments during his five seasons with the Canadiens.

There was his first goal in a Habs uniform against the Flames, which came just weeks after being placed on waivers by the Alberta-based franchise. And it happened in Calgary while short-handed, no less.
There was also his clutch performance against the archrival Boston Bruins in the 2016 NHL Winter Classic when he scored twice, including the game-winner, at Gillette Stadium.
How about his first career NHL hat trick in a 10-1 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre?
And being named an alternate captain alongside Brendan Gallagher was super cool, too.
But Byron's highlight reel wouldn't be complete without mentioning the moment he fist-bumped his six-year-old son, Brysen, before a home game against the New York Islanders on March 21, 2019.
Brysen was serving as a flag bearer for the pre-game festivities.
"I just remember how excited he was. He talked about it for months and months. My wife Sarah got him a flag so he could practice carrying it around outside because we weren't sure how heavy it was going to be," recalled Byron, of the events leading up to the special day. "But to come out and give him fist bumps, he was pretty excited. You could see it in his face. Instead of the more serious look he had going into the game, it was more fun and pleasure."

It's a memory the 10-year NHL veteran and his better half will always cherish.
Family moments like those don't come along too often, of course, even for the players themselves.
"When we got here, Brysen was two years old. You look back at some of the memories, and that's definitely one of the coolest. How many kids get the opportunity to be a flag bearer, and then how many players get to be a father coming out of the tunnel and high-fiving their son? It's pretty special when you think about it," mentioned Byron. "Sarah loved every minute of it. Her mom came to the game, her brother came to the game, and our nieces came, too."
Brysen's flag bearer partner that day was none other than captain Shea Weber's son, Beckette.
So when it was time for the pair to rehearse their on-ice duties ahead of the contest, their proud papas were front and center to observe from the bench.
"Before the game starts, before warmups, the two of us come pretty early to the game, so we usually get most of our warmup done before anybody else. We noticed they did a quick lap on the ice and we had a good chuckle watching them practice, making sure they knew the right route and where to go," explained Byron. "But they're like best friends. They're on the same hockey team, they go to school together, and they FaceTime each other, even during all this. They're pretty close. I know Brysen's a little nervous for stuff like that, so to have Beckette with him helped him enjoy the experience a little bit more."
"Enjoy the experience" would be an understatement because apparently Brysen still recalls everything about that particular game almost 13 months later.

Brysen and Beckette proved to be lucky charms, because the Canadiens blanked their opponents 4-0.
"His memory is incredible," said Byron. "He remembers the score and the shutout. I bet if you asked him the number of shots on net, he'd probably remember that, too."
Make no mistake about, Claude Julien's players understand just how much being a flag bearer means to youngsters and their parents.
Byron definitely looks forward to those magical fist bumps every game day on home turf.
"When that music goes on in the tunnel, it kind of gives you goosebumps a little bit. You know exactly when the note in the song turns that it's your turn to come out, so you run out of the tunnel and you give the kids fist bumps. It's a dream come true. You see it in their face. You just made a kid's dream high-fiving them," concluded Byron. "And then there's the energy in the crowd. It's one of the first things I noticed coming to Montreal, just how special that moment was compared to playing elsewhere."
Fly the flag
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