In case you missed it, Saturday was CRAZY for the Canes. After both goalies left Saturday's game in Toronto with injuries, the man that filled the net was Dave Ayres, a Zamboni driver and arena maintenance worker for the Toronto Marlies (a Maple Leafs affiliate). Turns out he was an emergency goalie and available for either team.
And like the plot of a Disney movie, the Canes won the game 6-3. They had a 3-1 lead when Ayres entered the game and impressed, stopping 8 of 10 shots.
And yes, there is Ayres merchandise and, according to the Canes Twitter account, he will be getting royalties from those sales. The team is also working to identify a kidney foundation to donate a portion of the sales to since Ayres is the recipient of a kidney transplant.
The 42-year-old Ayres will be at PNC Arena in Raleigh on Feb. 25 to sound the siren as the Canes take on the Dallas Stars. The city of Raleigh will proclaim Tuesday as David Ayres Day.