Canadiens Defenseman Shares Heartfelt Thanks to Parents

But what stood out most to the brothers, of course, was getting to play together, and everything paying off for their parents, who dedicated so much. Xhekaj's mom was in the arena for the game, and Arber shared how he felt about the experience during postgame media availability.

“My parents sacrificed everything for me & my brother their whole lives," (Arber) Xhekaj said. Sleeping in the car, driving us to Toronto for every practice, late nights, tournaments, putting every single ounce of money they have into me & Florian. For her to be there (at the Bell Centre) and see where we’ve come, it’s a pretty special moment.”

Arber also touched on the fact that his mom drove for six hours to surprise the brothers, and then had to leave to go to work the next morning bright and early. It's easy to see that the Xhekajs had a strong upbringing, built on hard work.

But they also have proud parents, who recognize all they have done, and when it mattered most, despite the situation, their mom made it. In typical Xhekaj fashion, the brothers left it all on the ice and pushed the Canadiens to their second win of the preseason in as many games.

After a brilliant debut season in the American Hockey League, which saw him post 24 goals, 11 assists and 175 penalty minutes, Florian proved he is ready for the professional game. While Arber continued growing and rounding out his two-way game, he was trying to solidify himself as one of the Canadiens' top-six defensemen.

For a couple that moved to Canada for a better life, Simona and Jack, Arber and Florian's mom and dad, have to be awfully proud of how far their sons have come.

Imagine the pair make the Canadiens together out of camp, and then face the Toronto Maple Leafs in their regular-season opener. A shorter drive for their parents, and a gigantic gift — their sons putting on a show in enemy territory — to show their appreciation for the sacrifices that allowed them to attempt to reach the top level in the sport.