Sunday was quite a night for Surrey-raised athletes in pro sports on two fronts locally.
While hockey players Arshdeep Bains and Jujhar Khaira both scored big goals to lead Abbotsford Canucks to the Calder Cup final, Newton-raised soccer player Jeevan Badwal scored his first career MLS goal for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in his first career MLS home start for the squad.
In the 40th minute at BC Place Stadium, Badwal toed in the Caps' first goal against Seattle Sounders in a 3-0 win.
Midfielder Badwal, 19, was thrilled to be in the starting lineup for the first time, with several teammates either sick or away playing international games.
In front of 24,276 fans, Badwal became the fourth-youngest player in club history to score his first game-winning goal, trailing only Alphonso Davies, Kekuta Manneh and Kianz Froese.
Wearing #59, Badwal scored with many family members and friends in attendance at the game, largest MLS home crowd of the year at BC Place.
"It means a lot, especially as an academy player going up the ranks," Badwal told club reporter Sarita Patel post-game.
"Coming to BC Place. I used to be in the stands watching down, watching players, and now it was my turn and I got the goal, I'm really happy, excited."
After he scored Badwal said he "locked eyes" with family members, "especially my dad, who's my hero. I looked at him and everything was, like, silent. Oh wow, what a moment. It was nice seeing them in the stands, them being there witnessing history."
Feb. 23 in Portland, two weeks before he turned 19, Badwal made his MLS debut as a sub in Vancouver's 4-1 win over Cascadia Cup rivals in their first league action of the soccer season.
Raised in Surrey, and still a Newton-area resident, Badwal made his Whitecaps FC first-team debut last July, coming on as a second-half substitute in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal at Pacific FC. Two months later, he signed an MLS contract as a Homegrown player.
With Sunday's win, the Whitecaps set a club-record 11-match unbeaten run in MLS play and returned to the top of the league standings. Badwal has been on the sidelines for most of the season, including the club's recent 5-0 loss in Mexico City in the Concacaf Champions Cup Final.
The team is back in action Saturday, June 14, in Ohio for a game against Columbus Crew, followed by a home game June 24 hosting San Diego FC for the very first time.
