Panthers’ Montour rushes to birth of his child
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Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter
SUNRISE, Florida — Florida Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour went through a life-changing 36 hours this week, from suiting up in his first Stanley Cup Final game to becoming a first-time father.
It wasn’t the plan for those events to overlap. And Montour nearly missed the birth of son Kai because of hockey.
Montour was in Las Vegas for Game 1 of the Panthers’ series against the Golden Knights on Friday when his wife, Ryian, went into labor back east. Montour didn’t find out until after the Panthers’ 5-2 loss and was immediately whisked onto a nerve-wracking cross-country flight to Florida.
“I was getting texts from her parents just with where she was at. They didn’t think I was going to make it,” Montour told reporters Wednesday after the Panthers’ practice. “So, I honestly didn’t sleep at all. Got right there to Boca [Raton], went to the delivery room, and it was kind of game on from there, and he came at noon. We were joking, but it was like as soon as I got there, it was straight to work — for her, not me. I didn’t obviously know when he was going to come; I was a little upset, and I tried to get there as quickly as I could. But luckily, I was there … and got the experience with her.”
The 29-year-old said his wife was supposed to be induced on June 14, right after Game 5 of the series, when the Panthers would be home. Kai, naturally, had other thoughts. The back-and-forth adventure — Montour was on a plane back to Vegas for Game 2 hours after meeting the little one — should be good preparation for the unpredictability of fatherhood.
“We had a little excitement before we even left [for Game 1]; we thought maybe it was going to happen [then],” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “But good that he was there for it. Monty is a physical specimen. He can handle a little fatigue, and I think it was just a good way for him to get used to becoming a father, or a mother for that matter. Sleep debt is your life for the next couple of years. [Being there] for the birth was really a good thing to happen. He missed the first drive home; we had a laugh about that. But he’ll be there for a lot of firsts.”
Montour was hoping Kai’s arrival might be a good luck charm for the Panthers in evening the Cup Final with a Game 2 victory. That didn’t come to fruition as Florida fell 7-2 and now trails the Golden Knights 2-0 as the series shifts to Panthers home ice for Game 3 on Thursday.
Still, Montour felt the love from his teammates in the wake of a momentous personal occasion.
“They’re great,” Montour said. “Obviously I have family back home, but this is my family when I’m at the rink, and we all care about what’s going on in our lives, and they’re excited for me. Unfortunately, Game 2 didn’t end the way we wanted, but we tried to have that motivation of a new baby in the world to help us out. It’s nice to come back and try to get back to business as quickly as you could.”
Florida hasn’t trailed in a playoff series since its first-round matchup against Boston, when the Panthers came back from a 3-1 hole to eventually beat the Bruins in seven. Montour had five goals in that matchup, and Florida could use more of those contributions from him now. The Panthers have been outscored by Vegas 12-4 in the Cup Final, thanks in part to terrific goaltending by Adin Hill (.939 SV%).
Montour predicts Florida can find a way to crack Hill — and watch the floodgates open from there.
“He’s a good goalie. You’ve got to get in his face, make it tougher to see,” Montour said. “I’d like to bear down on my chances. I’ve had a few in the last couple of games here. He’s made some big saves. He’s playing well. A team like that, they don’t give much. We’ve got to get one here, and hopefully they can keep trickling in.”
The Army–Navy game will be honored as the recipient of the 2025 National Football Foundation’s Distinguished American Award, the NFF announced on Wednesday in conjunction with the College Hall of Fame.
The prestigious award recognizes an outstanding person or entity who has maintained a “lifetime of interest in the game and, over a long period of time, has exhibited enviable leadership qualities and made a significant contribution to the betterment of amateur football in the United States.”
The Army-Navy game was first played on Nov. 29, 1890, and remains one of college football’s oldest and most storied rivalries. The official recognition is Dec. 9 during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at the Bellagio Resort & Casino.
“Few traditions in sports capture the heart of a nation the way the Army-Navy Game does,” said NFF president and CEO Steve Hatchell. “For more than a century, the game has transcended football, reminding us of the values of sacrifice, unity and service. It is a timeless celebration of young men who are not only great athletes but also future leaders of our military, willing to defend our freedoms. The game’s history, pageantry, and enduring significance make it more than a rivalry — it is a national treasure, to be honored, protected, and respected.”
Navy leads the series 63-55-7, and Baltimore will host the Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets this year. The rivalry is played on the second Saturday of December, unopposed by any FBS or NFL game.
“Every December, the Army-Navy Game becomes one of the most powerful scenes in all of sports,” said NFF chairman Archie Manning. “Two fierce rivals play their hearts out for 60 minutes, and then, side by side, they stand together to honor each other’s alma maters. It’s a vivid reminder that while they compete on the field, they are united in a higher calling to serve our country. Honoring the Army-Navy Game with the Distinguished American Award is a recognition of not only a tradition, but of its importance to our country.”
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Adam Rittenberg
Texas A&M safety Bryce Anderson avoided “catastrophic injury” after being taken to a hospital for testing following a serious collision in Saturday’s game at Notre Dame.
Anderson returned to campus with the team following the game and is continuing to recover from the incident, which took place late in the first half of Saturday’s game when his head collided with Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon on a 25-yard passing play.
The senior from Beaumont, Texas, initially lay motionless on the field, and medical personnel spent about 10 minutes attending to him before stabilizing his neck and carting him off. Texas A&M said later Saturday that Anderson had feeling in all of his limbs.
“We are thankful to report that no catastrophic injury was found,” Texas A&M said in a statement Wednesday. “Bryce is in great spirits, and our focus now is on supporting him through his recovery.”
Aggies coach Mike Elko said the team expects Anderson to return at some point later this season.
“It was a blessing to have him on the plane with us,” Elko said. “It was obviously great for all the boys to see him. It was great that that we kind of skated through what could have possibly been a really, really bad situation. He’s still in the process of recovering, and so hard to kind of gauge a timeline right now, but we do expect that we’ll have him back at some point.”
Anderson has 10 tackles this season. He has 116 career tackles with two interceptions, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and eight passes defended.
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