麻豆视频

RALEIGH, N.C. 鈥� Having a big brother has its advantages for a young hockey player.

Canadiens defenceman Cale Fleury grew up in Calgary trying to beat his older brother, Haydn, in everything they competed at.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 like to lose, so I never took it easy on him by any means,鈥� Haydn, a defenceman with the Carolina Hurricanes, said after his team鈥檚 morning skate Thursday at the PNC Arena. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 like to lose, he didn鈥檛 like to lose, but he lost a lot more than I did.

鈥淚 think any time you have that little brother who鈥檚 trying to keep up, it really shows,鈥� added the 23-year-old Haydn, who is three years older than Cale. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a very competitive kid and doesn鈥檛 like to lose. Losing a lot as a little kid I think helped him.鈥�

Cale made his NHL debut with the Canadiens Thursday night and as a special bonus got to compete against his big brother again. The brothers got together at Haydn鈥檚 home Wednesday night along with their parents, Cale鈥檚 girlfriend and a few other family members and friends who were also in attendance for Thursday night鈥檚 game.

鈥淢y aunt was crying at dinner last night,鈥� Haydn said about the emotional family gathering. 鈥淚t will be a very special night for my parents. They鈥檝e worked really hard to get us where we are. It will be a very special night for my family.鈥�

Said Cale after the Canadiens鈥� morning skate: 鈥淚t was a really good night. It鈥檚 kind of cool to have everybody around before the first game. I don鈥檛 think they could ask for a better first game. Any time you get to play against your brother is something special, but especially in the NHL I think it鈥檚 really cool.鈥�

Both Fleury boys give much of the credit for their success to their parents, John and Sandy.

鈥淚 think it was knowing when to push and knowing when to be supportive,鈥� Haydn said when asked what made them good hockey parents. 鈥淢y dad, especially. The amount of backyard rinks he built for me and Cale and all the stuff he did behind the scenes being our coach growing up and all that stuff. It helped a lot. They both put in a lot of work and it will be a very special night for them.鈥�

鈥淛ust how much they sacrificed for us,鈥� Cale said about his parents. 鈥淭hey always just put us first and our hockey first no matter what it took. There was a lot of kilometres on each vehicle we had, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�

The Hurricanes selected Haydn in the first round (seventh overall) at the 2014 NHL Draft and the Canadiens picked Cale in the third round (87th overall) in 2017. The last time the brothers played against each other was during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 WHL seasons when Haydn was with the Red Deer Rebels and Cale played for the Kootenay Ice.

Haydn admitted it was a bit of a surprise Cale made the Canadiens this season, but added: 鈥淲hen I started watching the (preseason) games he looked really good. He looked comfortable, he looked confident and he really earned the spot. I think he put a lot of work in this summer and he really prepared himself to push for a spot. I think that鈥檚 the biggest part. They didn鈥檛 make the playoffs last year in Laval and he went home and worked hard and worked on his game. He put the work in to build the confidence coming into camp and challenge for a spot.鈥�

Asked if he had any advice for his little brother before Thursday night鈥檚 game, Haydn smiled and said: 鈥淣o. Shea Weber can give him some advice 鈥� he鈥檚 played enough games. He doesn鈥檛 need my advice. I鈥檒l just go out there and say good game to him no matter what happens afterwards.鈥�

Was there a friendly bet on the game between the two brothers?

鈥淣o,鈥� Haydn said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l save that for Game 2.鈥�

The next game between the Canadiens and Hurricanes will on New Year鈥檚 Eve in Carolina.