Local hockey dad David Amirault's wish is coming true this weekend as his family joins him on a journey to see the Montreal Canadiens play two games at the Bell Centre in La Belle Province.

"I feel ecstatic and honoured and privileged," Amirault told the Star this morning. "I'm overwhelmed, and the community has been so supportive."

After learning his leukemia was terminal last month, Amirault quietly began making plans to realize a dream - to take in a couple of Montreal Canadiens games with his two sons.

When local hockey parents got wind of Amirault's desire, they rallied the Whitehorse Minor Hockey community and raised more than $13,000 to defray travel and accommodations expenses.

"We far surpassed our goal, and it's amazing," said Deborah Turner-Davis, a local hockey mom who, along with hockey parents Sandra Paun and Richard Meredith, organized the fund-raising and secured the tickets.

Thanks to Jerry Frapier, president of Reseau des Sports cable television network, which telecasts Habs games, and the fabled team's upper management, the trio secured tickets to the two games.

On Sunday afternoon, Amirault and his family will see the slumping Canadiens face off against the Bruins and on Tuesday, the Penguins will be in town.

As added bonuses, the family will likely get to meet some of the current Habs' lineup.

Last week, Amirault was treated to a telephone call from former goaltender and current Liberal MP Ken Dryden.

"We didn't talk a whole lot about hockey," said Amirault, a lifelong Canadiens fan. "We talked about politics, where I grew up."

That was the small Acadian village in Nova Scotia known as Pubnico. As a French-speaking and Catholic community, most of Pubnico cheered for the Habs, according to Amirault.

On Sunday and Tuesday, Amirault will also be cheering for Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, who he hopes to meet.

"I'm really impressed with him, well, I should say me and my boys really are because of his bout with cancer and his determination," said Amirault. "The guy gives 110 per cent every game."

In September 2001, Koivu was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma but made a miraculous recovery and returned to finish the 2001/2002 season, helping his team make the playoffs.

Thinking back, Amirault said while his love of the Habs has not wavered over the years, his favourite era was when Doug Harvey, Jacques Plante, Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard roamed the ice for the famed team from the early 1950s through the mid-1970s.

In the Canadiens' 100 years as a professional hockey team, they have won more Stanley Cups (24) than any other franchise.