At this stage of their careers — nearly 40 combined years and more than 2,200 combined NHL games, 3 ½ years as teammates, 21 regular-season games and seven playoff games as opponents — it’s not exactly a novelty for Brayden and Luke Schenn to be on the same sheet of ice at the same time. They know what this is like. They’ve done it plenty.
In some ways, though, that’s what makes nights like Tuesday special to both of them. When the extraordinary becomes routine, you need to keep reminding yourself that it’s extraordinary. Otherwise, there’s no enjoying anything.
“You know these games don’t last forever, especially Eastern-Western Conference, there’s not as many of them anymore,” Brayden said before his Islanders faced Luke’s Canucks on Tuesday night at UBS. “And this is a chance for us to just appreciate the moments.”
That’s usually easier said than done, but the Schenns make the effort. Jeff Schenn, their father, made the trip down to Long Island for the game, though the boys’ mother, Rita, is still recovering from eye surgery and couldn’t travel.