Petruzzelli's NHL contract has Marlies teammates, social media buzzing

Raleigh, N.C. -- Keith Petruzzelli's first call-up to the NHL is a moment he will remember forever.

Thanks to social media, so will much of the hockey world.
On Saturday night, the 23-year-old goalie made 26 saves for the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies in a 5-2 win against the Belleville Senators. At the same time in Boston, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov suffered a knee injury in a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins. After Marlies general manager Ryan Hardy got word of the injury, he brought it to the attention of his team in the postgame locker room. The team recorded video as the GM patiently waited to reveal the news that all minor league players hope to hear.
"In that video, that's literally the first time I found anything out about it," Petruzzelli said. "I had no idea until that moment, so it was great to be around the boys and see their excitement as well."

The moment of unrestrained joy among his teammates went viral. In less than 24 hours, the video had more than a quarter-million views on Twitter. By the time he joined the Maple Leafs in Raleigh to serve as the backup goalie against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, he had created a lot buzz.
"I bussed from Belleville to Toronto (on Saturday night). I spent two hours in my apartment getting some stuff together," Petruzzelli said. "Daylight savings was great. I got a little extra time there because of that. Then a 6 a.m. flight down here."
The goalie's path to the NHL has been fraught with uncertainty. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round (No. 88) in 2017 but went on to play four years at Quinnipiac University. When Detroit did not sign him after college, he signed a two-year AHL contract with the Marlies.
"It just makes it mean that much more," he said after the Maple Leafs' 3-1 win on Sunday. "There were definitely some doubts about me coming out of college. It's just really exciting for me to be able to prove that stuff wrong and showcase my abilities."
So far, there are no doubters in the AHL, where he has started the season 6-0-0 with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. That's why the Maple Leafs didn't hesitate to offer a two-year entry-level NHL contract on Sunday.
"Our organization identified him as a guy to give an opportunity that we could work with and develop," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's not a guy coming out of nowhere. Certainly, his signing is probably expedited given our (injury) situation, but he's a guy our organization has believed in and, frankly, the way that it was going, his signing was somewhat inevitable."

The promotion to the NHL may be short-lived for now. Injured Leafs goalie Matt Murray will begin practicing with the team soon. Petruzzelli understands that this first taste of NHL life might be temporary.
"I was playing a game in Belleville yesterday, so I'll take things one day at a time," he said.
And if his NHL debut happens in the coming days, Petruzzelli will meet the moment with enthusiasm.
"I think I'm ready," he says with a smile, before his voice goes higher. "We'll find out."
Whenever it happens, there will be a lot of people watching. Just like when he got the call to the NHL.