NHL team calls up a student to be an emergency goalie

[cbrooks]

By Ira Podell

Associate press

Of all the things Tom Fenton had to do before heading home to Canada for Christmas, suiting up for an NHL game didn't crack the list. Not even in his wildest dreams.

Little did he know while getting a holiday haircut thursday that the wheels were already in motion to give him his one day of NHL glory. And thats all it was for the former college goalie. Fenton earned the story of a lifetime, but not one penny of pay from the desperate Phoenix Coyotes.

The 26-year-old graduate student and hockey coach from Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., couldn't care less.

Fenton signed a one-day amateur contract to be an emergency backup for the Coyotes. He never got into the game-a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Rangers-but he was the most sought after interview subject during and after it.

"Oh, I don't know. I just signed the paper," Fenton said when asked if he would be paid. "I think it's like a tryout contract, so I'm not even sure if there is anything involved there."

Fenton found the spotlight when Ilya Bryzgalov, Coyotes' No.1 goalie, came down with the flu Thursday hours before a game at Madison Square Garden. That left the starting assignment in the hands of Jason LaBarbera and created a void behind him. With no time to summon another backup goalie from their AHL affiliate in San Antonio, the Coyotes were left scrambling.

"Somehow my name got thrown out there," Fenton said after the game, still smiling broadly. "I got the call, and I guess I just called back quicker than the other guys."

[cbrooks]

I know what your thinking...it would been cooler if he actually played but I thought it was a cool story anyway. I never heard of Manhattanville College. Must be Division 3 school.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Yeah this seems to happen every other season or so. I think it happened recently where one of these quick amateur signings actually had to play...I believe it was Vancouver.

[cbrooks]

Yeah this seems to happen every other season or so. I think it happened recently where one of these quick amateur signings actually had to play...I believe it was Vancouver.

Wow. This is the first time I ever heard of this. I will have to do a search to see how that replacement did.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Look up Alexander Pechurskiy if you're curious

[cbrooks]

Look up Alexander Pechurskiy if you're curious

I look up Alexander. The Penquins didn't even spell his last name right on his jersay. I still have to say the Fenton story was more random. He was playing for some small time college where Alexander had some world jr expirence and played on a much bigger stage. Well atleast Alec got some playingtime.