Edmonton Oilers rookie Jujhar Khaira made history with his first ever goal, becoming only the third Indo-Canadian to score in the NHL.

Khaira planted himself in front of the Arizona Coyotes net and pushed in a pass from Mark Letestu before being swarmed by his teammates on the ice. His goal won the game for the Oilers, pushing them to their third-straight win.

“I had trouble falling asleep, but I think now that I’ve skated and stuff, now it’s time to get back to work,” said Khaira during Tuesday’s after-practice scrum.

The 22-year-old first-generation Canadian is of Punjabi descent, like only two others to play in the NHL: retired NHLers Robin Bawa, whose longest NHL stint was spent with the San Jose Sharks, and Manny Malhotra, who suited up for seven NHL teams including the Vancouver Canucks.

Following Khaira’s goal, fans across social media platforms erupted in excitement, offering their congratulations to the Indo-Canadian rookie.

Hockey isn’t a traditional sport in Indian culture, but the interest and demand is growing thanks to weekly broadcasts delivered in Punjabi and the success of players like Khaira.

“These kinds of things are just big for growing the game and diversifying the game,” Raja Dahmi, a lifelong Oilers fan, told CTV Edmonton. “It’s going to be great for Canada.”

Dahmi is also a first-generation Canadian of Indian descent, and was born in British Columbia. He grew up loving the game of hockey and the Edmonton Oilers and believes that Khaira’s success will introduce more multicultural players into the game.

“Now it’s the added bonus of getting to cheer on our childhood team with Jujhar Khaira, a Sikh kid also representing the Oiler blue,” said Dahmi.

According to Khaira, the support from fans on social media has been humbling, but he’s still trying to keep himself grounded and focussed on his short term goals.

“I’m glad I can be that person,” said Khaira. “But I have one goal in mind and that’s to make this team.”

With a report from CTV Edmonton's Bill Fortier