SURREY – Surrey’s own Desi National Hockey League player Jujhar Khaira scored his first goal in the NHL and it turned out to be the winner as the Khaira’s Edmonton Oilers defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Monday for their third straight victory.
“It’s a relief for sure, you always think about it and now I just want to build off it,” said Khaira, a 22-year-old from Surrey. “Growing up as a kid playing street hockey you always picture it (scoring in the NHL) in your head and it’s a reality now and it feels good.”
Khaira, who is the third player of Punjabi descent to play in the NHL, made it 2-0 for the Oilers with eight minutes left in the second period. Mark Letestu fed rookie Kharia a pass, who then chipped it over Smith for his first NHL goal.
But when Khaira scored the first goal, his family in Metro Vancouver had no idea.
Jujhar’s father, mother and sister had recorded the game, so they could watch it together at their home in Langley.
“We were about an hour behind the live feed and my daughter’s phone started going off with Tweets and stuff,” said Jujhar’s father Sukh.
“I knew he either had a goal or he was in a fight. I was hoping for a goal. That’s much easier on his Mom.”
Sukh got his wish.
“Growing up as a kid, you know playing street hockey and all that, you just always picture it in your head when you’re playing,” Jujhar said after the game.
“It’s a reality now and it feels good.”
Khaira is the third player of Punjabi descent to play in the NHL. Retired NHLers Robin Bawa and Manny Malhotra are both Punjabi-Canadians, both of whom came way before Khaira.
Khaira’s brother Sahvan, 19, plays for the Swift Current Broncos in the Western Hockey League.
Khaira made his debut with the Oilers last season but didn’t score in 15 games with the team.
He started this year with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, where he collected 18 points in 24 games, reported CBC News.
Oilers coach Todd McLellan says he’s impressed with Khaira’s progress.
“It’s very exciting for a young man, it doesn’t matter who it is, to score his first goal,” said Edmonton coach Todd McLellan.
“It’s not only exciting for that whole individual, but the whole team is happy for him. To get his first here at home, the winner, that’s a feather in his cap.”
Khaira’s goal is being celebrated by more than Oilers fans, however: it’s being viewed as a victory for those who want to see more diversity in the sport.
“Now, kids of Indian descent and kids who are quote-unquote ‘brown’ … they’re going to see somebody that looks like them in a professional league,” said Moezine Hasham, co-founder and executive director of the charitable organization Hockey 4 Youth.
