> These guys aren’t usually that good (by NHL standards) and you’ve probably lost the game anyway.

Interestingly, EBUGs have a pretty good record -- teams using an EBUG have won 3 of 4 games they've been used in. I think #3 factors into it: the players know that a "normal" (to be clear: while EBUGs aren't NHL caliber, they're not scrubs or beer leaguers, either) guy has gotten the night of a lifetime, and they'll (based on a subjective eye test) play more tightly in their own end.

It'd make absolute sense to play more tightly on defence when you've got an EBUG in your net as plain self-preservation. Of course the players may want to give extra support to the emergency guy out of sympathy as well, but if you've still got any shot left at the game, you'd also do it for simple tactical reasons.

> Interestingly, EBUGs have a pretty good record -- teams using an EBUG have won 3 of 4 games

This is mostly coincidental: the goalies only appeared in the dying minutes or seconds of games their teams were already leading.

My point is more that, given the wide skill gap between an NHL-caliber player and a EBUG, there's a reasonable chance that the EBUG would "blow" the lead (a hockey goaltender is one of the most consequential positions in sports, probably second to a gridiron football quarterback). Of the four EBUG appearances, three were no-decision games (the lead didn't change after the EBUG came in) and one win (a come-from-behind victory after the EBUG came in).

>"EBUGs aren't... beer leaguers"

is contradicted by the stories in this thread

Most EBUGs had their career apex in either minor leagues or NCAA D-I college hockey; while the EBUGs may still play in local beer leagues, the colloquialism doesn't really apply to them ("beer leaguer" being a pejorative that implies a player's career apex was in a beer league).

>These guys aren’t usually that good

To further this point, the person in this article is nearly blind in one eye.

And on three, I agree. But the rule also applies to playoffs and it's interesting to imagine how you would play with your favorite team's Stanley Cup dreams riding on it. More so when you add in how the city would react to your actions.

I don't think it applies in the playoffs. Last night in the Hurricanes Bruins game, canes goalie left game early in the first period. The backup entered the game, and during the intermission they showed another canes goalie that had gotten dressed and was waiting in the locker room if needed. This goalie is a player for the canes AHL team, and had actually started a game for the canes earlier in the season. So it seems during the playoffs teams can provide their own team affiliated (professional) EBUG to dress if needed. I assume away teams travel with one as well.

The rules specify that the EBUG needs to be available for playoff games, though it does also say that if both goalies are injured any member of the player roster can dress as a goalie. And in the playoffs the roster limit becomes 50, so it's unlikely to come up unless all the other goalies under contract are also deep in the playoffs.

Waiting in the locker room is key though, you can only break the 20 players dressed rule if both goalies are injured.

> He made two saves on three shots, allowing a goal from Jason Robertson, which wound up being the game winner to help secure a 4–2 win for Dallas.[7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hodges_(ice_hockey)

I'm not sure why you're responding to me with that quote.

> > These guys aren’t usually that good

> To further this point, the person in this article is nearly blind in one eye.

You mentioned that he's nearly blind in one eye in response to someone saying that EBUGs aren't usually that good. And yet, he stopped 2 of the 3 shots on him securing the game win. So perhaps, he is actually that good.

>And yet, he stopped 2 of the 3 shots on him securing the game win

>which wound up being the game winner to help secure a 4–2 win for Dallas

Hodges was playing for Anaheim. Plus, stopping 2/3rds of your shots is pretty terrible.

Linking Scott Foster's page would have made more sense, he stopped all 7 shots, but even he would probably agree he isn't that great.

Teams bring their own goalies in the playoffs. A third goalie travels with each team.

Typically, said goalie is from the minor league (AHL) and not the EBUG.

But better to have a goalie, ANY goalie than no goalie at all?

Icing a goalie who is actively aiming for you to lose vs six skaters? Six skaters no contest. In most scenarios the EBUG is the better option though, I'm fantasizing about the extremely unlikely happening at the extremely key moments.