NHL Debut

On an otherwise normal Sunday night, I got a call around 8:45pm. It was from my friend Mark who frantically informed me that his goalie was not around, and therefore needed one for his team's NHL game. It wasn't until I hung up the phone and starting getting my gear ready that it hit me: I'm making my NHL debut tonight.


The NHL I'm talking about of course is the Nipissing Hockey League, the intermural league at my school. In my second year I had tried unsuccessfully to get into the league and ever since then I was slightly bitter about it. At the time I preferred play shinny a few times a week anyway as I re-learned and honed my skills as a goaltender. In the back of my head though I always wanted a chance to play to see how well I stacked up.


As I continued to go through my gear, the nerves started going. I hadn't felt this nervous for a hockey game in a long time.


When I got to the rink, I noticed a few of my friends playing in the game ahead of us. I watched while I waited for Mark and the rest of the team to arrive, trying to keep my mind off my impending doom. The team arrived and we went to the room to get dressed.


I didn't say much, I just went about my routine. The typical dressing room jokes were spread around but I just stayed quiet and tried to focus on what was about to happen.


As soon as I hit the ice, the nerves were gone. I did my usual lap around our end and stopped in front of the penalty box to go through the same sequence of stretches I've done before every game of shinny I've played over the last four years. I did my usual skating and sliding drills and then headed for the net. I did my best to stop as many of the shots as I could to instill some confiedence, but at the same time I wanted to save some energy for the game. Finally the refs asked us to pick up the pucks and get ready to start.


It was almost three minutes into the game when I faced the first shot. It was a short handed chance which ended with a hard wrist shot to the glove side. I pushed off with my right skate and slid to my left, watching the puck all the way into my glove. It seemed like a routine save for me, but I got a tap on the pads from a defenseman, impressed with the save.


It was in that moment that I finally felt comfortable. A good scoring chance early in the game and I was able to make the save. There were a few others through the first period; a goalmouth scramble that I was able to smother and a few other chances, but nothing got by me. When the first period buzzer sounded we were up 3-0.


The first goal got past me early in the second. Another goal mouth scramble to my left that resulted in 3 or 4 whacks at the puck found the puck in the back of the net. For a split second I thought I was actually able to get my glove on the fourth chance, but when I heard the forward mutter "Yes, finally" I knew where the puck was. I calmly dug the puck out of the net, drank some water and readied myself for the faceoff. No anger, no flipping out, just calm indifference.


I've gotta give credit where credit is due, the guys played well in front of me. I conservatively estimate that I faced between 15 and 18 shots, and most were from the outside. We played a lot of the game in their end, drawing penalties and maintaining a solid attack. While the guys were impressed with my play, I would say that I didn't really feel like I was that busy. The game ended in a 7-1 win in what I would say was a great team effort.


I got lucky. Twice. about midway through the second, I was down and out as the puck came loose to my blocker side to an opposing forward. I will probably never know whether I got a piece of the shot as I came sprawling across in desparation or whether the shot simply went over the net. The bottom line is that the puck ended up in the corner rather than the back of the net. Another shot plain beat me glove side and I knew it. But alas, I heard every goaltender's favourite sound, that of vulcanized rubber on steel. It hit the post and came right back to me, allowing me to cover up for a whistle.


Who knows whether this will lead to another game or not, but I must say, I do feel very good about my NHL debut. Hopefully, I'll get more than a cup of coffee in the NHL.


-matt