A Zamboni Driver Has His Own Miracle on Ice (1 Viewer)

  • Welcome to the Roundtable! If you have an account already, please sign in, otherwise feel free to register. Note that you will be unable to post or access some boards and information unless you sign in.

Linda

Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Staff member
Global Moderator
Administrator
Board Moderator
Jul 20, 2016
6,572
20,209
Pucksterguy, this is a story close to your heart.

First, we have to understand EBUG. In hockey, there are emergency back-up goal tenders, and home teams in the NHL have to provide one for the visiting teams. Ok, it is Saturday night and the Carolina Hurricanes are playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. It is a close game, and then the Hurricanes' second goalie is injured.

Dale Ayres takes the ice as the EBUG. Here is his story.

Ayres is a lifelong hockey fan. He dreamed of playing professional hockey. But in 2004, he nearly died due to kidney failure before his mother, Mary, donated one of her kidneys to save his life. Everyone, including Ayres, thought he would never play professional hockey. His most recent competitive experience before Saturday night was playing an eight-game series with the Norwood Vipers of the Allan Cup Hockey League, several levels below even the minor league.
According to ESPN, Ayres “allowed 58 goals and had a .777 save percentage and an 0-8 record.” You don’t have to know hockey to understand that’s not a very good record. But who could blame him? Ayres spends most of his days maintaining the Mattamy Athletic Centre and helping coach a youth hockey league. https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/25/a-zamboni-drivers-moment-in-the-nhl-spotlight-inspires-ordinary-people-to-keep-dreaming/

He wanted to do his best, and he did - making 8 saves and helping the Hurricanes go on to a 6-3 victory. Even the home team cheered him. This story is traveling the news because it touches all of us. We can identify with the ordinary person stepping up to do the extraordinary thing. If you click on the news link, you will see a picture of him with his teammates. It says it all - pure joy. I think we each can stand a bit taller and reach a tad further when we hear stories like this one.
 

Pucksterguy

Elder Entity
Jul 28, 2016
1,992
6,519
I saw the game live on TV. I have never seen two goalies get hurt like that in one game. It just doesn't happen. In my leagues if a goalie got hurt. One of the other teams would lend theirs to finish the game. It was a crazy situation now the Leafs have to live this down lol.
 
  • Love this post!
  • Like
Reactions: Lila and June
OP
Linda

Linda

Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Staff member
Global Moderator
Administrator
Board Moderator
Jul 20, 2016
6,572
20,209
I had to learn a few things about hockey for this post.

Don't you all think that we each have our EBUG opportunities. I just love this term - maybe energetic back-up goalie!!
 
  • I agree
Reactions: Lila

Lila

Collected Consciousness
Staff member
RT Supporter
Global Moderator
Board Moderator
Jul 28, 2016
4,804
10,196
I saw the game live on TV. I have never seen two goalies get hurt like that in one game. It just doesn't happen. In my leagues if a goalie got hurt. One of the other teams would lend theirs to finish the game. It was a crazy situation now the Leafs have to live this down lol.
I think you should apply to be an EBUG, Pucksterguy O.o:D
You never know what might happen.
 

Lila

Collected Consciousness
Staff member
RT Supporter
Global Moderator
Board Moderator
Jul 28, 2016
4,804
10,196
I had to learn a few things about hockey for this post.

Don't you all think that we each have our EBUG opportunities. I just love this term - maybe energetic back-up goalie!!
I think I"ll always, from now on, think of an EBUG as 'the little engine that could' type of person; someone 'ordinary' who does something 'extraordinary'.
Seems to me we all do something of the sort from time to time and I love to celebrate that.

I also love that it was the Hurricane's teammates who were key to their EBUG feeling like he was there to 'have fun' so that he could relax and play his best. This is outlined in the article.
That, to me, is the bystander effect in action, ie a bystander to the 'goalie situation', in this case, another player, patted him on the back, gave him some encouragement and made him feel he was meant to be there at that time doing what he was doing. This was when things switched: he went from letting in two quick goals to making some extraordinary saves. Amazing what feeling like you are meant to be there can do :-D
 

therium

Involved Wayfarer
RT Supporter
Nov 1, 2018
1,422
2,740
Michigan
Heroes are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Anyone can do the right thing and help someone else.
 
OP
Linda

Linda

Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Staff member
Global Moderator
Administrator
Board Moderator
Jul 20, 2016
6,572
20,209
I'm crazy, but not crazy enough to play goal. Nope
Read a piece about a guy who, after hearing this story, wondered if he could be a goalie. He could skate but never played hockey. A local team let him try, and yep, he quickly figured out how impossible the position is.

The reason this story leaps out to me is that the man wanted to play hockey, but life events sent him in another direction. He coached and helped maintain the rink because he loved the game. Then the moment came for him, and his star shone bright and clear.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)