The story of David Reinbacher's NHL debut and his father's long journey to witness it

ELMONT, N.Y. — It was roughly 6 p.m. when David Reinbacher stepped off the Place Bell ice in Laval on Saturday after a big AHL win for the Rocket, or an hour before the Montreal Canadiens would take the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets about 20 minutes south at the Bell Centre.As he made his way home, Reinbacher spoke to his father, Harald, who was at home in Switzerland. It was around midnight for him, but he never misses one of his two sons’ games, and this one was no different.Or at least he thought.Advertisement