Emergency backup goaltender Matt Berlin played for the Edmonton Oilers in Saturday’s 7-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
“It was wild all day, but the end of the day was incredible,” said Berlin. “Something I will never forget for the rest of my life.”
The 25-year-old, who is in his third season at the University of Alberta, had signed a probationary amateur contract earlier in the day after Stuart Skinner was ill.
Berlin has been an emergency backup for the Oilers for the past two seasons and has occasionally trained with the team.
Video: CHI@EDM: Oilers emergency goalie stops the puck
“I was EBUG last year, and then Shawn [May, Kommunikation der Oilers] texted me and I thought I was going to be in the stands like last year during the playoffs and he texted me again around 4:30pm saying there was a change of plans and I’m tonight would move up.”
“I was sitting there doing my homework and my heartbeat was picking up speed. It was a tumultuous day preparing to come here but it was just amazing. Everyone was so friendly, the players, the staff, everyone. It was just amazing. I was studying for a midterm in psychology on Monday.”
Berlin came into play 2:26 minutes before the end of the third period to great applause and parried the shot from with the blocker Caleb Jones 48 seconds before the end of the game, to loud cheers from the spectators.
“I thought they were joking, but [Oilers-Trainer Jay Woodcroft] said at the three-minute mark to be ready to go, and the first whistle after the three-minute mark I’d come in,” Berlin said. “So I went back, did some stretches, breathed in a couple of deep dives and I was in.”
“My heart was pounding for four minutes after he told me and then once I got in and had water I was fine.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid was the one who suggested Woodcroft to bring Berlin into play.
“First and foremost it came from the players,” Woodcroft said. “We wanted to make sure we were doing it in a respectful way because we have nothing but respect for the Chicago Blackhawks, their players and their coaching staff. But we just wanted to give someone an opportunity to remember for the rest of their life life will remember.”
Berlin replaced Jack Campbellwho had 25 saves on 28 shots.
“I was proud of our team for making that decision,” said Woodcroft. “Jack Campbell came to our bench during the TV break, we told him what we thought and he was all in. He was very happy for him and the opportunity came up. We did that and I think so It’s good that the young man went out there and had a save. And I’m sure he’ll carry that memory with him for the rest of his life.”
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In five games with Alberta this season, Berlin are 4-0-1 with a 2.57 goals-against average and an 89.2 percent save percentage.
Before his time in Alberta, Berlin played for Spokane, Seattle and Kootenay in the Western Hockey League and for Drayton Valley and Sherwood Park in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“We didn’t mean to be disrespectful to Chicago, we just wanted to give someone who was here a cool moment to play the moment in the NHL,” McDavid said. “He’s still young and he’s playing for a good program in [Alberta]and maybe one day we’ll see him in the league.”
NHL.com independent correspondent Derek Van Diest contributed to this report.