NORTH CAROLINA, USA — The Carolina Hurricanes need some wins. The playoffs are right around the corner, so every game counts. With two goalies injured in the matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the odds didn't look good.
Zamboni driver, David Ayres, subbed in as the Canes' emergency goalie. His employer, sitting on the other bench. Ayres works for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ayres helped lead the Canes to a 6-3 win. He stopped eight of ten shots. It was an improbable ending and even a possible movie script. The Zamboni driver who works for the Maple Leafs, suits up for the opponent and comes out with a win. Craziness.
On Tuesday, Governor Roy Cooper decided to recognize Ayres. He proclaimed him an honorary North Carolinian.
"David Ayres had so many astonished North Carolinians, including me, yelling with glee at our televisions Saturday night," Cooper wrote in statement, "We had to officially make him one of us."
Ayres is also a kidney transplant survivor. He still lives in Canada, and he still drives the Zamboni. No doubt, he has plenty of playful smack talk to dish out around the Maple Leafs organization.
The proclamation declaring his honorary North Carolina citizenship states "[he] proved to be the personification of 'That's hockey baby!'" I couldn't agree more.