FEATURE: Berlin makes his biggest save in Oilers EBUG appearance

EDMONTON, AB - A simple wrist shot from the top of the zone in the final moments of a 7-3 hockey game will go down as the biggest save that 25-year-old goaltender Matt Berlin has ever made in his life.
He's made a lot nicer stops over his career in the WHL, AJHL and now USports with the University of Alberta Golden Bears, but this relatively routine save on Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Caleb Jones with 48 seconds remaining has the special distinction of having come in the final minutes of a regular-season National Hockey League game for the Edmonton Oilers.
"I think it was actually maybe missing the net," Berlin said after the game to CBC's Scott Oake on Hockey Night in Canada. "Or maybe not. I don't know. But the guys did a great job boxing out there."
The Oilers emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) mentioned how he wasn't sure if he wanted to face any shots, but it was a crazy, unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Edmonton product who could never have imagined waking up on Saturday that he'd be making a save in his NHL debut later that night in the final 2:26 of Edmonton's rousing four-goal victory over Chicago.
But here we are, and it was every bit of amazing as you'd imagine.
"The whole day was a whirlwind, but the finish to the day was unbelievable," Berlin added post-game from the Oilers locker room. "It's a special moment I'll never forget for the rest of my life."

A normal Saturday for Berlin started to evolve when Oilers Manager of Hockey Communications Shawn May sent him a text in the morning asking if he could serve as the club's designated EBUG for their final game before the All-Star break against the Blackhawks.
Berlin has had experience filling the EBUG role at Rogers Place over the last two seasons, including during last season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, and expected nothing more than a quiet night watching the game from the press box.
But as he sat studying for a Psychology midterm on Monday later that afternoon, his focus shifted quickly and his heart rate rose drastically when he got the news around 4:30 p.m. that he'd be serving as the Oilers backup with Stuart Skinner unable to go due to illness.
"I'm actually sitting there doing homework and my heart rate spikes," Berlin said. "I'm like oh my god, what's going on? Then it was of a bit of a whirlwind of a day getting organized and getting ready to get down here."
From the moment he arrived with his Green & Gold goalie gear, Berlin said the Oilers players, coaches and staff immediately made him feel like a part of the team. The former Sherwood Park Crusader signed an amateur tryout with the club and took up Skinner's stall on the tight side of the Oilers locker room, having a few times filled in at practices for Edmonton, but had never been this close to real NHL action.
When it was time for warmups, Berlin was given his customary solo lap by his teammates for making his NHL debut which he would've imagined was going to be the highlight of an already unforgettable evening as he settled into the backup's seat on the Oilers bench for the game.

With the Oilers ahead by four goals in the third period, captain Connor McDavid helped set in motion a plan that would make the experience even more unimaginable for the U of A netminder.
"Of course, we don't want to disrespect the Hawks. That's obviously our first thought," McDavid said. "He's a young kid and you never know where his path could go. Maybe we'll see him in the League one day as well, but for today, he's playing in the NHL. That's something he can hang his hat on for a while."
"Just trying to give a cool moment to someone that was here. He lived out a dream to play in the NHL."
The coming-together moment from Head Coach Jay Woodcroft's players to try and give Berlin the chance to play real NHL minutes was a source of pride for the bench boss in his post-game media scrum.
"First of all, it came from the players," Woodcroft said. "So we talked about it on the bench. We wanted to make sure we did it in a respectful way because we have nothing but respect for the Chicago Blackhawks, their players and their coaching staff. We just wanted to give somebody an opportunity that they'll remember for the rest of their lives, and I was proud of our team that they came to that decision."
"For that to come from our players, I think it's special. I think it brings the team together. Nobody was happier for that young man than all those players in that dressing room. It was great."

Jack Campbell was briefed at the next TV timeout about the plan and gave his unconditional approval before Woodcroft alerted Berlin at the end of the bench that he'd be going in after the first whistle inside the final three minutes.
"I thought they were kidding. I thought they were joking," he said.
When it finally sunk in that he was going into the game, his heart rate skyrocketed as he got out of the backup's seat and went into the player tunnel to get prepared.
"I went back to do a couple of stretches, took a couple of breaths, and I was in."
Berlin's heart continued to race as he hit the ice with 2:26 remaining in a 7-3 Oilers lead into a sea of applause from Rogers Place and the bench before dapping gloves in passing with Campbell.

"It was pretty high, not going to lie," Berlin said on Hockey Night in Canada. "I was probably pushing 140 [beats per minute] when I skated out there, but a big high five from Campbell and I was good to go."
Berlin took a drink of water and stretched his legs with a skate to the corner during a break in play to soak as much of the experience as he could until his first chance at a save came from Caleb Jones came with 48 seconds left. The 25-year-old parried it away to loud applause from the crowd for his first-ever NHL stop before being congratulated by his teammates after time expired, including a head tap and hug from another U of A Golden Bear in Derek Ryan.
"Good on the young man for going out there making a save. I'm sure he will carry that memory with him the rest of his life," Woodcroft said. "He'll be in the record books as having played in the National Hockey League."
With his former Spokane Chiefs teammate Kailer Yamamoto beside him in the locker room after the game, Berlin was handed the team motorcycle vest by video coach Jeremy Coupal to proudful cheers from his teammates who couldn't help but share in the excitement of his playing in his first NHL game.

"It's a lot of fun. It's not an experience that you have too often and I think we all realize that it's a special moment for him, so I think that kind of gets you excited," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "Definitely a cool moment for the whole group."
"It was awesome," defenceman Darnell Nurse added. "Obviously this day had to have been a whirlwind. I think at first he thought he was coming to the stands, and then all of a sudden he's on the bench and in an NHL game. It was pretty cool. A special moment and I hope he enjoyed it."
Berlin might've been thinking that he didn't want to face any shots at first when he got out there, but he'll be happy that he got at least one so he can say forever that he owns a 1.000 save percentage in the best league in the world.
"That might be the most memorable save I've made my whole career, so yeah, it's very special."