Casey Bailey’s dad is a dedicated hockey dad — more so than most hockey dads, in fact.

Glen Bailey made the journey to Columbus, Ohio to watch his son Casey and the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Columbus Blue Jackets last night. However, Glen, who performs missionary work in remote African villages, had to take a 16-hour flight from Uganda to catch the game. It’s a touching story, as Glen was still in Africa when Casey signed with Toronto, meaning this will be the first time he’ll get to see his son in action.

“He was disappointed he had to miss my first game, but he’s doing something great and for a better cause,” Casey said in an interview with The Toronto Star. “He isn’t disappointed in himself for being where he was.”

The timing is impeccable, seeing as Glen would have only one more opportunity to see his son play during the regular season after last night’s game. It’s a special story for a very unique hockey family. Most dads would do anything to see their sons play in the NHL, but Glen traveled halfway across the world to do so. That’s dedication in its truest form.

Bailey rewarded his father for that dedication, saving his best NHL performance to date for Wednesday night’s game. He logged a season-high 11:13 of ice time with four shots and an even plus/minus rating, by far the biggest impact he’s had thus far in a Leafs uniform.

While last night’s game was a special milestone for a father, the game also served as a congregation of two fine Alaskan hockey talents on the same ice — a rather rare occurrence. Bailey, along with Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky, are two of only 14 players in the history of the NHL to hail from Alaska. In fact, Bailey and Dubinsky are two of only five active players from Anchorage, making last night’s matchup even more memorable — despite the beatdown Columbus handed to the woeful Maple Leafs.

It was a special night of hockey for the pride of Penn State hockey, and a touching story of a father’s dedication to his son.