Okay, let’s talk about what happened with me and that whole Mike Ayers hockey thing. You might have heard about it, it was all over the news for a bit.
How I Got Started
So, I’m just a regular guy, right? I work at this ice rink, driving the Zamboni. You know, that big machine that smooths out the ice? It’s not exactly a glamorous job, but I like it. I’ve been doing it for years, mostly for the Toronto Marlies games. I started doing it because I love hockey, always have, and it’s a way to be close to the game.
The Big Night
One night, everything changed. I was at the arena, just doing my usual thing, getting ready to clean the ice between periods. Then, someone tells me there’s a problem. Both goalies for the other team got hurt. Seriously, both of them! They needed someone to step in, an emergency backup goalie, or EBUG as they call it. I learned that the home team keeps an EBUG on standby just in case something crazy like this happens. It’s in the rule book.
Guess who was the EBUG that night? Yep, me. I almost dropped my jaw. I mean I always dreamed of playing in the NHL as a kid, but I figured those days were long gone. I’m not exactly a spring chicken anymore. Actually, I found out later I was the second-oldest guy to ever make his NHL debut! Who knew? The oldest was 44, so I was just a bit younger than that.
Stepping on the Ice
My heart was pounding like crazy. They gave me a jersey, I suited up, and before I knew it, I was out on the ice, in a real NHL game! The crowd was going wild. I tried to stay calm, focus on the puck, and just not make a complete fool of myself. It was nerve-wracking, but also the most exciting thing I’d ever done.
I let in a couple of goals, but then I settled down and actually made some saves! The team rallied around me, which was amazing. It felt like a movie. We ended up winning the game, which was just the icing on the cake. I even got named one of the stars of the game! Can you believe it? Me, a Zamboni driver, a star of an NHL game! I still have a hard time believing it all happened.
After the Game
After the game, everything went nuts. My phone was blowing up with messages. I was on TV, in the newspapers, everyone wanted to talk to me. It was a whirlwind. I even got a call from the governor! It was crazy, but also pretty cool. I guess people liked the story of an ordinary guy getting a chance to live out his dream. I always hear that Zamboni drivers make a decent chunk of change. Usually, it is somewhere between 26,000 to 32,500 dollars, with some making 37,500 dollars a year.
It’s been a while now, and things have calmed down a bit. But I’ll never forget that night. It just goes to show, you never know what life is going to throw at you. You gotta be ready to grab those opportunities when they come, even if they seem a little crazy. I’m still driving the Zamboni, still loving hockey, and now I’ve got one heck of a story to tell.
- What I learned: Never give up on your dreams, no matter how old you are or how unlikely they seem.
- What I did: Went from driving a Zamboni to playing in an NHL game.
- How it felt: Scared, excited, and incredibly grateful.
Life’s a wild ride, folks. Enjoy it.
