TORONTO — The Carolina Hurricanes had to turn to an emergency goaltender on Saturday night in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
Carolina was forced to go with 42-year-old Dave Ayres in net midway through the second period after both James Reimer and Petr Mrazek left with injuries.
Ayres has backed up both the Toronto Marlies and Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League in the past.
Reimer started but left just 6:10 into the first period with a lower-body injury after Toronto’s Zach Hyman shoved a Hurricanes defenceman on top of him in the crease.
Mrazek came in, but also had to leave after a collision with Leafs forward Kyle Clifford while attempting to play the puck near the face-off dot in Carolina’s zone in the second.
Both Hyman and Clifford were given penalties.
Carolina was leading 3-1 when Ayres took over.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2020.
The Canadian Press