David Ayres became a hockey legend Saturday night when he got a 6-3 win for the Carolina Hurricanes over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Coca-Cola Coliseum zamboni driver was rushed into action in the net after the two goalies on the Hurricanes went down with injuries. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
????there’s a 42 year old zamboni driver playing goalie for the hurricanes ????
— Josh Hyman ???? (@joshhymanNHL) February 23, 2020
For those of you who don’t know, the NHL has emergency goalies all over the place who can play in the event of freak accidents. There have been times they’ve sat on the bench, but Ayers actually got in for the win. According to SI, he’s the oldest goalie in NHL history to win his debut.
The emergency backup goalie is in!
David Ayres, a Toronto Marlies Zamboni driver, makes his @NHL debut ???????? pic.twitter.com/MqBDYoA5dB
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) February 23, 2020
This story is awesome ????
David Ayres, a 42-year-old zamboni driver, subbed in as an emergency goalie for the Canes and got the standing ovation after his first NHL win!
(via @Canes)pic.twitter.com/NKg0qUxMSa
— ESPN (@espn) February 23, 2020
This is just downright awesome. Ayres is a 42-year-old zamboni driver, and he went out and got a win last night against his hometown team.
This is the kind of stuff that comes straight out of Hollywood. One minute he’s driving the zamboni for the AHL affiliate and the next he’s suiting up against the Maple Leafs.
“I was a little shocked, but I’m lovin it”~ The Zamboni driver who is now an undefeated @NHL goalie
I love everything about this man Mr Ayres pic.twitter.com/coKZhZff5A
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 23, 2020
This interview says it all.
Dave Ayres will have a memory for a life time. pic.twitter.com/upqccSjVVm
— NHL (@NHL) February 23, 2020
David Ayres, a Zamboni driver who filled in as an #emergencygoalie for the Carolina Hurricanes, earned his first @NHL win when he helped carry the team to victory over the Toronto @MapleLeafs.
MORE: https://t.co/Eh3cOLrr5L pic.twitter.com/pXQ8TtRq7Y— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) February 23, 2020
.@markhmasters caught up with David Ayres and his wife Sarah following the whirlwind of a victory in Toronto.
He definitely found his way. ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/tqzDhqXmCn
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 23, 2020
You can’t make these stories up.
What a moment for Dave Ayres as he collects his first NHL win. pic.twitter.com/tivSTilvEn
— NHL (@NHL) February 23, 2020
Ayres’ story gets crazier too because the dude had a kidney transplant more than a decade ago! A kidney transplant!
David Ayres: “I went through a kidney transplant 15 years ago, I never thought I was going to play hockey again at that moment … it’s unreal right now. It’s hard to put into words, to be honest.”
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 23, 2020
Ayres went from being the zamboni driver to a damn legend in the sport of hockey. His smile after getting the win for the Hurricanes says it all.
Major props to him.