David Ayres is the Zamboni driver who won an NHL game as an emergency backup goaltender, stopping eight of ten shots for the Carolina Hurricanes in a 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on 22 February 2020. Ayres was 42 that night and worked as a building operator at the arena where the AHL's Marlies play, and Ayres became the first emergency backup goalie ever credited with an NHL win. Ayres now works as a freight-train conductor running between Ontario and New York, and after Disney let its option on the story lapse, Ayres is making the film independently.
| The night | 22 February 2020, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto |
|---|---|
| Team | Carolina Hurricanes, signed for the game as emergency backup goaltender |
| Why he played | Both Carolina goalies, James Reimer and Petr Mrazek, were hurt in the same game |
| His line | 8 saves on 10 shots over 28:41; credited with the win; named first star |
| Final score | Carolina 6, Toronto 3 |
| Day job then | Building operator and ice resurfacer at the Toronto Marlies' arena |
| Now | Freight-train conductor between Ontario and New York; still plays in an Ontario senior league |
| Legacy | First emergency backup goaltender credited with an NHL win; game-used stick in the Hockey Hall of Fame |
