TORONTO —
Twenty-four hours ago, David Ayres was simply enjoying his life as a Zamboni driver. But now his name is known across the hockey world, and he’s been offered honorary citizenship in one state.
“It was wild, it was pretty fun,” the Whitby, Ont. native told reporters after Saturday night’s game, which may well become the basis for a future Hollywood film.
During an NHL game, the home team is required to have an emergency goalie in the building in case either team loses their goalies during the game for whatever reason. And on this night in Toronto, it was Ayres.
Ayres, who had been watching the game in Scotiabank Arena with his wife, quickly began donning equipment when Carolina Hurricanes goalie James Reimer went down with an injury.
And once Carolina backup Petr Mrazek went down, Ayres was told “Get going. Get ready” because he was going in net.
And so it was that the 42-year-old Zamboni driver for the Toronto Marlies was forced onto the ice as an emergency backup goalie for the Hurricanes. And after a rocky start, he went on to make eight saves helping to carry the team to an unlikely 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Within hours of the game ending, the social media-savvy Carolina Hurricanes already had Ayers’ No. 90 jersey up available for sale on their website.
In a follow-up tweet, the team wrote that “Dave will be getting royalties, but we are also working with him to identify a kidney foundation that will receive a portion of the proceeds.” The choice of charity has a special meaning for the backup goalie: around 15 years ago, Ayres had a kidney transplant and, at the time, he thought he’d never play hockey again.
Dave will be getting royalties, but we are also working with him to identify a kidney foundation that will receive a portion of the proceeds https://t.co/RwSNg12DA4
In both Canes tweets, the comment section was flooded with memes and jokes at the Leafs’ expense.
Even North Carolina governor Roy Cooper took to Twitter to praise Ayres, tweeting, “I’m ready to make emergency goaltender and Zamboni driver David Ayres an honorary North Carolina citizen after courageous (Hurricanes) win. Amazing.”
I’m ready to make emergency goaltender and zamboni driver David Ayres an honorary North Carolina citizen after courageous @Canes win. Amazing.
Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour gave his emergency goalie kudos as well, telling reporters after the game: “What a moment for him that he can have for the rest of his life. That’s incredible.”
‘THIS IS YOUR MOMENT, HAVE FUN WITH IT’
Ayres, who donned a face mask for the Marlies as he skated onto the ice, looked like he was in for an embarrassing night, letting in two goals early into his time between the pipes during the second period.
But he said his new teammates told him “Don’t worry about how many goals go in, just enjoy it. This is your moment — have fun with it.” That’s when he rose to the occasion, buckled in and shut out the Leafs the rest of the day.
“I was nervous for the whole second period. As you could tell, I couldn’t stop a puck if I had to in the second but I told the boys, ‘when I come out in the third I’ll be ready to go,” he said, praising the Hurricanes defence for keeping the puck away from him.
But Ayres even had words of thanks for rabid Toronto Maples Leafs fans.
“Even though I was on the other team, they were so receptive, they were so awesome — every time I made a save, I could hear them cheering for me,” he said.
Hurricanes head coach Brind’Amour singled out Ayres for post-game praise, saying, “It’s not often in a game you get tied to a great memory. That’s why you do this … when you look back, all you have is the memories you got and you guys just gave me one … that’s a memory I’m going to have forever.”
Ayres is taking a memento from the night: the game puck. He also said he plans to hang up the jersey he wore that special night “and look at it every day.”
With files from CTVNews.ca writer Ben Cousins and The Canadian Press
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
BRUSSELS – Canadian shot putter Sarah Mitton rebounded from a disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics by capturing Diamond League gold on Friday.
Mitton, of Brooklyn, N.S., won the competition, the final Diamond League event of the season, with a heave of 20.25 metres on her third throw.
Chase Jackson of the U.S. placed second with a throw of 19.90, while German’s Yemisi Ogunleye, the Olympic gold medallist, claimed bronze with a toss of 19.72.
Mitton, the runner-up of last year’s world championship, failed to qualify for the top eight in Paris.
Edmonton runner Marco Arop, who won silver for Canada in the men’s 800 metres at the Paris Games, was scheduled to race in the 800 on Saturday.
Olympic bronze-medallist Alysha Newman, of London, Ont., also competes Saturday in the women’s pole vault.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers signed defenceman Travis Dermott to a professional tryout on Friday.
Dermott, a 27-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., produced two goals, five assists and 26 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season.
The six-foot, 202-pound blueliner has also played for the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Toronto drafted him in the second round, 34th overall, of the 2015 NHL draft.
Over seven NHL seasons, Dermott has 16 goals and 46 assists in 329 games while averaging 16:03 in ice time.
Before the NHL, Dermott played two seasons with Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. The team was coached by current Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
