Minor league Zamboni driver plays in NHL game

[samspann1]

...at the age of 42, and gets the win! Pretty crazy story.

Zamboni driver saves the day in goal for Carolina

Dave Ayres, a 42-year-old who drives the Zamboni for the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, stepped in as the emergency goalie for the Hurricanes on Saturday night, stopping 8 of 10 shots to help Carolina to a 6-3 win.

www.espn.com

Guy also had a kidney transplant in 2004.

 

[creatorsgam]

Such an under-the-radar feel-good sports story of the weekend. Loved this.

 

[CanadianSU]

Awesome

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[upperdeck]

one of those cool rules that some sport have.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

this was the most leafs thing ever .. get it to 4-3... other teams apparently screaming about how unfair it is that essentially a leafs employee is the emergency backup ... and he proceeds to shut the leafs out in the third and get the win .. this guy apparently wasn’t even good for rec league !!! And they couldn’t even muster shots at him !!

 

[HSPORANGE]

This story is fantastic. Only the Leafs could lose this one to a 42 yr old ex jr b keeper. The Canes D shut them down in the 3rd.

 

[upperdeck]

so why does he get the win when he came in leading 4-1?

 

[jncuse]

Two great parts to this story.

1) David Ayers
2) The Leafs losing.

 

[Hoo's That]

so why does he get the win when he came in leading 4-1?

The story says it was 3-1 in the 2nd period when he came in. I guess it doesn't work like baseball. Maybe it's based on how much of the game he played.

 

[orange79]

The story says it was 3-1 in the 2nd period when he came in. I guess it doesn't work like baseball. Maybe it's based on how much of the game he played.

From nhl.com: A goaltender receives a win, tie or loss if he is on the ice when either the game-winning or game-tying goal is scored.

 

[Newhouser]

great story but makes hockey look odd. Name any other major sport where a guy could come off the equivalent of a zamboni and contribute at a key position?

 

[OburgOrange]

great story but makes hockey look odd. Name any other major sport where a guy could come off the equivalent of a zamboni and contribute at a key position?

Teams don’t carry more than 2 goalies. Both were injured during the game. What do you suggest?

 

[upperdeck]

you mean like the NFL which does the same thing with QBs?

 

[orange79]

Teams don’t carry more than 2 goalies. Both were injured during the game. What do you suggest?

"Section 122, Row G, seat 114 - Come on down! You're our new goalie!"

 

[OburgOrange]

"Section 122, Row G, seat 114 - Come on down! You're our new goalie!"

There is an emergency back up at every game per league rules. Doubt they would call you down.

 

[Alsacs]

Soccer is the only sport I could see some nobody be able to just come on and be able to play that game.
That is because in soccer teams get red cards and play short handed so if a team can play 11 on 10. I think an average Joe could be an 11th player on the pitch and atleast just be a body marking a spot.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Teams don’t carry more than 2 goalies. Both were injured during the game. What do you suggest?

In baseball if your two catchers are injured do you bring in some former high school player. Of course not. Someone on the team throws on the tools. Same thing should happen in hockey. One of your defenseman should be prepared for that. Personally its a great story but this isn't the old Eastern League.

 

[OburgOrange]

You think anybody can just step in the net and take pucks from world class hockey players? Laughable. Good way to get injured. Ayers played goal his whole life and is the Marlies practice goalie

In baseball if your two catchers are injured do you bring in some former high school player. Of course not. Someone on the team throws on the tools. Same thing should happen in hockey. One of your defenseman should be prepared for that. Personally its a great story but this isn't the old Eastern League.