Max Raymond gives Canucks "Towel Power"

Those catching the opening game of the Edmonton Oilers-Vancouver Canucks series were treated to a big piece of Cochrane hockey history.

Max, the 12-year-old son of Canuck alumnus Mason Raymond, got the thrill of a lifetime to be invited to skate to centre ice wearing his dad's #21 jersey to kick off the opening ceremony by holding a white towel high that was tied to a hockey stick. It blew the roof off of the Rogers Arena.

It's called "Towel Power," a Canucks playoff tradition that pays homage to when in 1982 Canucks coach Roger Neilson attached a white towel to a hockey stick and waved it at the referees in mock surrender.

Mason remembers well the emotions it stirred when he appeared in 51 Stanley Cup playoff games for the Canucks, but having his son asked to do the honours was special.

"It's a thrill for a player, so I can only imagine what it's like to be my son," says Mason. "I know It was a highlight for him and, I'm sure, a dream come true that he'll never, never, ever forget."

Max was born in Vancouver in 2012 and is a passionate Canucks fan. On the ice, he's an avid blueliner,

"The Canucks organization is very good to him and still send him apparel and swag and gear to keep him a good Canuck fan."

Max Raymond with a portrait of his dad Mason that hangs in the Canucks home arena. (contributed)

Mason helped fire up the Canucks faithful who haven't had much to celebrate in recent years. He cranked the siren for the opening ceremony and made himself available for media interviews.

The Canucks most memorable Stanley Cup playoffs were in 2011 when they came oh so close to winning it all in the finals against the Boston Bruins. (the series went seven games).

"It's a pretty cool feeling," he says. "It's hard to explain when your heart's kind of beating out of your chest and everybody's waving a white towel in the air and the music's going and the players are coming out with a pump-up video song. It's something special for sure."

Mason remains in close contact with the club. He's also proud of his two years with the Calgary Flames and is an active member of both alumni organizations.

"Hockey's been a huge part of my life. I'm very proud to be a part of it and want to keep those connections alive. It's something that I'm very passionate about, spent a huge chunk of my career doing, and it's exciting to extend out to my family now and see my son enjoy some of the things that I was able to be a part of."

Mason is thrilled with the Canucks solid rebound this season. It was a year in which hockey experts weren't expecting them to even make the playoffs.

"Winning is a big thing," he says. "Winning can cure a lot of problems, we always used to say."

"It's super exciting to see the Canucks back in the mix and playing well. You could just feel the electricity in the building. The passion of the fans is back. It's the loudest it's been in that building for many, many years, maybe even dating back to 2011 when we were in a cup run. The fan base is hungry for a great team, and It was a lot of fun to be a part of it yesterday (May 8)."

Whether or no he'll be able to catch more of the action live is questionable. As owner of Cochrane GM, he's got a pretty hectic schedule.

Game Two between the Canucks and Oilers goes tonight. The Canucks stormed back to scored four unanswered goals to burst the Oilers bubble, 5-4, in the opening game.