Oilers feature U of A goalie during final moments of Saturday's Blackhawks win
Oilers feature U of A goalie during final moments of Saturday's Blackhawks win
A University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey goalie was doing homework Saturday night when he got the call that he would dress as the Oilers' backup.
Twenty-five-year-old Matt Berlin, born in Edmonton, was supposed to watch the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks game from the press box.
As the emergency goalie for the Oilers, the plan was changed around 4:30 p.m. after Stuart Skinner was ruled out because of illness, and it was too late for the team to prep another regular goaltender.
"I just couldn't believe it," Berlin told CTV News Edmonton. "I called my mom, my girlfriend, saying you guys won't believe what's going on."
He rushed over to Rogers Place and got to meet the team, with Captain Connor McDavid being the first player to welcome him onboard.
"He was talking to me a lot through the night," Berlin added. "Same with Leon [Draisaitl]. They are both super, super nice."
"It was incredible to be around them and seeing them play at ice level is different than seeing them play in the stands."
Berlin then got the tap on his should around the seven to 10-minute mark of the third period to get ready to play.
Matt Berlin, from the University of Alberta (@GBHKY), dressed for the @EdmontonOilers tonight. He saw 2:26 on ice, making one save on one shot for a 1.000 SVP% and a memory that will last a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/go9fvADKPh
— UAlberta Golden Bears & Pandas (@BearsandPandas) January 29, 2023
Berlin is now the eighth Golden Bear to play in an NHL game with the Oilers.
Rogers Place erupted in cheers after he made his first NHL save on a shot by Blackhawk Caleb Jones. Berlin called it a "pretty routine point shot."
"I was pretty excited about it," he added. "It all worked out great."
'A TESTAMENT TO OUR PROGRAM'
Ian Herbers, Golden Bears hockey head coach, was proud Berlin was able to contribute to the Oilers game and show off the quality behind the university's hockey program.
He was also grateful to the Oilers for giving the young hockey player the chance to live out his dreams.
"Usually, those guys are sitting up in the bleachers up in the press box watching the game," Herbers added.
"So for him to have that chance… to just be in that atmosphere," he said, "and then go on the ice for warmup and take shots from those guys in two-on-one situations, that's something you are telling your grandchildren."
Golden Bears captain Matt Fonteyne said the whole team was incredibly excited to see Berlin play.
"It's just a testament to our program," Fonteyne said. "A quality guy like him getting the opportunity to shine, and that's exactly what he did."
Matt Berlin was all smiles at the Golden Bears hockey morning practice on Monday, Jan. 30, 2022 (CTV News Edmonton/Nahreman Issa).
The team was on a high at practice Monday morning, the captain added, still celebrating Berlin's achievement.
"Whenever you see somebody on your team do something individually, that's positive for him," he said.
"We can band behind that and kind of take off his positive motivation and positive energy off the ice and bring it into our practices and onto the ice."
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived on Parliament Hill for a jam-packed day of events as part of his first official visit to Canada since taking office.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.
The Calgary Police Service confirms charges have been laid against a driver in connection with Thursday's crash of a semi-truck into the 32nd Avenue N.E. overpass along Deerfoot Trail.
With Calgary Board of Education students set to kick off spring break once the final bell rings Friday afternoon, some Calgarians are eager to leave the country in pursuit of warmer weather with their families.
An alleged victim of a former staff member of Legacy Christian Academy can now be identified after she successfully petitioned in court to have a publication ban lifted.
Many residents across Saskatchewan had a prominent view of the Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights Thursday night and Friday morning and are sharing the pictures they captured with CTV News.
The Tim Houston PC government remains firm in their promise they'll fix the health-care system by spending more taxpayer money on health than any previous government before.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow broke council’s code of conduct by criticizing two public employees on Twitter before retaliating against one of them after she filed a complaint, the city’s integrity commissioner has found.
With fares set to increase in a matter of days, a new report has found that Torontonians are already paying more than residents in most other cities for transit when compared to average incomes.
Canada and the United States are negotiating a deal that could see asylum seekers turned back at irregular border crossings across the border, including Roxham Road in Quebec.
For the first time, the owner of a building in Old Montreal has responded to questions about the fire — through his lawyer — addressing allegations that the building was unsafe.
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived on Parliament Hill for a jam-packed day of events as part of his first official visit to Canada since taking office.
The ‘Catch the Ace’ jackpot is still up for grabs in Hagersville. There was no winner Thursday night so the total prize money is now an estimated $1,526,067.
An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to see with the naked eye.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Manitoba’s labour force is growing at a rate to supply enough workers for available positions into 2026, according to the province’s labour market outlook.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived on Parliament Hill for a jam-packed day of events as part of his first official visit to Canada since taking office.
A series of ancient landslides have been “reawakened” in British Columbia's Cariboo region, costing hundreds of millions in federal disaster assistance funds and prompting warnings that logging is connected to the problem.
A first-of-its kind study in British Columbia suggests salmon hatcheries could improve survival rates by optimizing the weight of the juvenile fish and the timing of their release.
A Victoria man’s life of crime has turned into one of survival, hope and advocacy amid ongoing conversations in the community about how best to tackle public safety matters.
Matt Berlin was all smiles at the Golden Bears hockey morning practice on Monday, Jan. 30, 2022 (CTV News Edmonton/Nahreman Issa).
