On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live, Mike McKenna and Tyler Yaremchuk mentioned the feel-good story of the weekend: Matt Berlin making his NHL debut for the Edmonton Oilers.
Signed by the Oilers to an ATO after Stuart Skinner got here down with an sickness, Berlin — who performs for the University of Alberta Golden Bears — started Saturday’s recreation in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks on the bench as Jack Campbell’s backup.
But with the Oilers up 7–3 within the dying moments of the third interval, head coach Jay Woodcroft elected to present Berlin his NHL second. The 25-year-old goaltender entered the sport for the ultimate two minutes, making a save on a shot by Blackhawks defenseman Caleb Jones.
McKenna, who appeared in 35 NHL video games with seven completely different groups throughout his personal skilled profession, shared some perspective on the scenario in dialog with Yaremchuk throughout Monday’s version of Daily Faceoff Live.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Saturday night time in Edmonton, the Oilers, up massive on the Chicago Blackhawks, determine to their EBUG between the pipes, and it’s University of Alberta Golden Bear and former Sherwood Park Crusader Matt Berlin who will get to enter the sport. It was an unbelievable scene as you’ll be able to see right here, he will get to put on the bike vest for the Oilers’ participant of the sport. An Edmonton product who truly, Mike, was on the identical bantam workforce as Stuart Skinner in addition to Tyler Benson and James Hamblin. So he’s been a teammate with a few of these Oilers earlier than, will get to stay out the dream and make an look in an NHL recreation.
Mike McKenna: You would see this in school hockey typically, on the NCAA stage, the place your third goaltender, who could by no means play a recreation in school, will get tossed in for the final 4 or 5 minutes, simply due to the exhausting work they’ve put in. This one’s a bit bit completely different as a result of, like Jay Woodcroft stated, it’s an expertise. Berlin was doing homework 4 hours earlier than the sport, Tyler. This is wild stuff. But it’s simply actually cool, and I liked, within the line afterwards, you’ll be able to see Jack Campbell come over and be so excited for Matt Berlin. Like you stated, a number of the parallels — being Stuart Skinner’s minor hockey teammate. It’s actually cool. He’s from Edmonton, he performs for U Alberta, it couldn’t have been any higher.
Watch the total episode right here:
