Emergency! We need backup!

Early last year there was a big storyline during an NHL game in Chicago between the Blackhawks and the Jets. The game garnered a lot of attention around the world due to the fact a 36-year-old accountant - who'd never played a professional hockey game in his life - found himself minding the Chicago net for the final 14 minutes of the game.

Scott Foster, who to this day still works as an accountant - despite the legend he became that night in March - was an NHL-mandated Emergency Backup Goaltender (EBUG), which is a rule not too many people are familiar with. Least not until Foster made EBUG's famous.

As per the NHL rulebook, each team can dress and list a maximum of two goaltenders for a game - one starter and one back-up, in case the starter goes down with injury. In Chicago's case, their regular number one Corey Crawford was out with injury (concussion I believe), so backup Anton Forsberg held the top job, with minor-leaguer Collin Delia serving as backup.

Given this rule, the NHL mandates that every home team must provide an EBUG at every game in the event that either team - home or visitor - experience injury to both of their net-minders during the course of the game. The EBUG is just about anybody - often somebody connected to the local team in some way with some level of goaltending experience, such as playing in a local recreational league. Sometimes it's as simple as somebody who already works for the team, like the Carolina Hurricane's equipment manager or the Washington Capitals' website editor.

Even though the EBUG almost never gets called to put the pads on - let alone actually take to the ice - I think the coolest part about the EBUG rule is that they're available to play for either team. Take Connor Beaupre for example - the Minnesota Wild EBUG. He's a Minnesota guy through-and-through (his dad even played for the North Stars), yet when he gets a call from the Wild to watch the game at the rink as their EBUG for the night, he could very well be suiting up for the opposing team instead.

While Scott Foster's story is rare, especially considering he stopped every shot he faced during his 14 minutes on the ice, I find it pretty interesting that somebody just like him is sitting in the stands at every single NHL game - just two injuries away from putting on the pads and being thrown into the firing line. And whilst they don't actually get paid for their service (they're required to sign an amateur try-out contract prior to jumping out on the ice), you can be sure that the Blackhawks organisation took care of Foster after his efforts.

So there you go. Just imagine that I had connections with the Socceroos, and one day they played an international here on the North Coast. Just maybe Matt Ryan and whoever else they have on the bench go down with injuries, I get called up as goalkeeper? Crazier things have happened. Just ask Scott Foster!

That's what I learned today.