Oilers sub in EBUG in dying minutes of blowout win
The emergency backup goalie — affectionately referred to as EBUG — is without doubt one of the rarest occurrences in hockey. Per league guidelines, each residence workforce must have somebody on standby to play in aim for both workforce ought to their common goalies be injured or unavailable.
When activated, EBUGs normally signal both an beginner or skilled tryout contract. Whereas having an EBUG swimsuit up and sitting on the bench occurs extra repeatedly, solely 4 had ever logged any ice time and achieved one thing each younger hockey participant on this planet goals of.
The primary was Carolina Hurricanes tools supervisor Jorge Alves who suited up for the Canes in 2016-2017, adopted by accountant Scott Foster who made seven saves on seven photographs for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-2018. Most famously, David Ayres helped the Hurricanes beat his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 within the 2019-2020 season. Thomas Hodges additionally crammed in within the Anaheim Geese internet in for lower than a minute of play in April 2022, permitting one aim on three photographs.
Nevertheless, on Sunday evening, a fifth participant joined these legendary ranks. With the Edmonton Oilers comfortably forward 7-3 and a pair of:26 left within the recreation, head coach Jay Woodcroft changed Jack Campbell with EBUG and College of Alberta goalie Matt Berlin, fulfilling his childhood dream and changing into the fifth emergency netminder to play minutes in an NHL recreation.
“I assumed they have been kidding, to be sincere,” stated Berlin after the sport. “With about 5 or 6 minutes left they go ‘you’re moving into with two minutes left’ […] and I stated ‘OK, I assume we’re doing this.’”
Berlin advised Sportsnet’s Scott Oake that the workforce reached out to him within the morning saying they wanted an EBUG for the sport towards Chicago. Within the afternoon, when it was decided that Oilers backup Stuart Skinner wouldn’t be capable of swimsuit up, Berlin was advised to he’d be backing up Jack Campbell.
“I used to be in scramble mode, I needed to signal a contract and do all these items earlier than I’m going,” Berlin stated. “It was a little bit of a whirlwind nevertheless it was so thrilling, I could not consider it.”
Berlin made one save on Blackhawks defenceman Caleb Jones from a degree shot which prompted an explosive cheer from the group.
Woodcroft advised reporters after the sport that it was the gamers’ thought to present Berlin a while between the pipes.
“To start with, it got here from the gamers,” he stated. “We talked about it on the bench, we needed to ensure we did it in a respectful manner, however we simply needed to present someone a possibility that they will bear in mind for the remainder of their lives. I used to be happy with our workforce that they got here to that call.”
Berlin has performed 5 video games this season for the quantity five-ranked College of Alberta Golden Bears, posting a 2.57 objectives towards common and a .892 save proportion, however no person can take away his good document within the NHL.
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