Kyle Quincey made his international play debut in Team Canada's 7-2 win over France on Monday. (Photo by Getty Images)

It’s been a few years since Kyle Quincey missed a Mother’s Day tradition with his family. But last week he learned that he’ll be absent next Sunday when the family gathers at an Ontario golf course to honor his mom, Debbie.

Last Friday, Quincey was invited to join Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship in Finland after Marc-Edouard Vlasic was lost for the rest of the tournament to a knee injury.

“I got the phone call on Friday and was on a plane Saturday,” the Red Wings’ defenseman told TSN during the second intermission of Canada’s 7-2 win over France on Monday. “I’m glad to be here and just thankful for getting the chance.”

The Quinceys – Debbie, her husband Marty, Kyle and his brother Kevin – have made a habit of playing golf on Mother's Day and Father's Day. But the invitation to represent his country for the first time was just too much to decline, even if it means blowing off a family tradition, he said.

“I won’t be doing that; if she wants to fly over, I don’t know,” said Quincey, when asked how he got out of his family obligation. “I’m just so happy to be here and putting the Canadian sweater on is such a great thing for me.”

Quincey made his official international play debut on Monday against France. He dressed for two exhibition games ahead of the 2005 World Junior Championship.

Quincey, along with Columbus defenseman Marc Methot made up Canada’s third defensive pairing for coach Brent Sutter, who scrapped the team’s man-to-man defense for a zone scheme.

“The end zone coverage is just take care of your own area and these guys are working hard and buzzing so it’s a good challenge,” said Quincey, who had two shots on goal with a plus-1 rating in 13:26 of ice-time.

Vlasic is the second Canadian defenseman to bow out of the tournament due to injury.

Quincey’s invitation was necessary after Vlasic was hurt during Canada's 5-4 overtime loss to the United States in Helsinki, Finland on Saturday.

Vlasic is the second Canadian defenseman to bow out of the tourney, joining Montreal Canadiens’ P.K. Subban, who was hurt in a pretournament game against Switzerland.

The win over France elevated Canada's record in pool play to 2-0-1, which included a 3-2 win over Slovakia in a tournament-opener last Friday.

WATCH-BEARER: Wings coach Mike Babcock was on hand Monday morning at Helsinki’s Hartwall Arena to present Team Canada’s player of the game – Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp – with a silver watch.

Sharp, who led the Blackhawks with 33 goals last season, had a goal and four assists for a tournament-best five points in Canada’s win on Monday.

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