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The Anatomy of a Moment: EBUG Comes to the Rescue as the Canes Embarrass Toronto

During a mid-February tilt in Toronto, the unthinkable happened, leading to one of the most amazing nights in NHL history.

By Ben Huffman

Dallas Stars v Carolina Hurricanes
Dallas Stars v Carolina Hurricanes / Grant Halverson/GettyImages
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The moment that changed it all

Feb 22, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek (34) comes off the ice after a collision with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford (not pictured) during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Petr Mrazek (34) comes off the ice after a collision with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford (not pictured) during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

If you remember this game well, this moment is likely embedded in your brain forever. With about 8:45 left in the second period, Petr Mrazek came well out of his net to play the puck. Toronto's Kyle Clifford bore down on Mrazek to try and win the race to the puck. Clifford bowled over Mrazek, sending the Canes' goalie down in serious pain. A scrum ensued and Clifford was assessed a penalty on the play. It was a talking point at the time whether or not Clifford should've been penalized. It was a violent collision, but Clifford was clearly going for the puck and not Mrazek.

Regardless of intentions and optics, the Hurricanes were left with zero healthy goalies on their roster. This meant the emergency backup goalie, or EBUG, would be forced into action. This wasn't unfamiliar territory for the Hurricanes, who became the first franchise in NHL history to use an EBUG in a game. In 2016, backup Eddie Lack got sick, meaning equipment manager Jorge Alves had to suit up behind Cam Ward. To make it an even better night, Alves got into the game for the final 7.6 seconds of the teams' 3-1 loss to the Lightning on New Year's Eve.

Following in the footsteps of another famous EBUG story, the EBUG for the night in Toronto was 42-year-old David Ayres. As a Zamboni driver for the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, Ayres came out in blue pads and a Marlies mask, though he sported #90 for the Hurricanes. Ayres had never even sniffed the NHL, yet here he was, playing in an important game in mid-February on Hockey Night in Canada. The look on Rod Brind'Amour's face told the entire story as the Canes had to rely on Ayres to play the remaining 28 minutes.