Game Day: From standing room only to NHL goalie

In 1996, the American public was introduced to a professional golfer who, despite an unorthodox swing, could drive the ball further than just about anyone. His name was Happy Gilmore.

Gilmore was a man of the people, often competing in a tattered pair of sweatpants and a Boston Bruins jersey. He cussed on national television like a truck driver, punched anyone who messed with him in the face and rode his golf club like a bull when he hit a great shot. Ultimately, he defeated the great Shooter McGavin in the tour championship, allowing him to buy his grandmother a house. The fans didn’t love Happy Gilmore because he was a winner or a phenomenal physical specimen; they loved him because when they watched him compete they didn’t see the usual superstar athlete, they saw themselves. 

There have been plenty of great games in the past two weeks: a competitive NBA All-Star game, a potential college basketball final four preview between then No. 1 Baylor and No. 3 Kansas and a thrilling edition of the NBA's greatest rivalry between the Celtics and the Lakers. Though basketball dominated the headlines, the best game I saw took place on the ice last Saturday between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

The game was more exciting than those on the hardwood because sports fans got to experience a Happy Gilmore-esque moment. Forty-two-year-old  David Ayres, an operations manager and part-time Zamboni driver, stepped onto the ice for Carolina midway through the second period. Wait, what?

The NHL requires home teams to have an emergency goalie in their arena for each game. If both of a team’s goalies are injured, the emergency goalie suits up and plays the remainder of the game. Ayres, who played junior league hockey, has been Toronto’s emergency goalie for three years. Ayres was in his usual spot Saturday in the standing room only section of Carolina’s PNC Arena when the Hurricanes’ starting goalie James Reimer was injured in a collision. The backup goalie, Petr Mrazek, was later forced to exit after suffering a concussion. 

With Carolina leading 3–1, in came Ayres, a guy who could relate more to the fans in the stands than the players on the rink. It wasn’t a pretty start for Ayres as the Maple Leafs scored two goals on him with two shots in less than two minutes. 

Despite the rocky start, Ayres settled in nicely and saved the last eight shots he faced. The Hurricanes scored two goals in the third period, making Ayres the oldest goalie in NHL history to win his debut.

With a bright grin, red cheeks and sweat dripping down his face, Ayres told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas “[i]t was awesome. Time of my life out there.” Ayres was compensated with $500 and allowed to keep his game-worn jersey. 

Every kid grows up dreaming of playing their favorite sport at the highest level. On Saturday night, David Ayres got to live his dream for 28 minutes and 41 seconds. That’s awesome.