Edmonton Oilers emergency backup Matt Berlin finishes game in 7-3 victory
Update: Berlin played the last 2:26 with the Oilers in control with a 7-3 lead, with Berlin saving the only shot sent his way by Caleb Jones with 47 seconds to go.
EBUG ACTIVATED 👀
Matt Berlin, from the University of Alberta (@GBHKY), dressed for the @EdmontonOilers tonight. He saw 2:26 on ice, making one save on one shot for a 1.000 SVP% and a memory that will last a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/go9fvADKPh
The Edmonton Oilers have signed U Sports goaltender Matt Berlin to an amateur tryout contract to fill in as backup for the team’s game on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Berlin will backup Jack Campbell as Stuart Skinner deals with an illness.
The 25-year-old is in his third season with the University of Alberta, posting a 4-0-1 record with a .892 save percentage with the Golden Bears. He shared the net with Brendan Burke in 2019-20 but as acted as a backup ever since.
Alberta currently sits second in Canada West behind the University of Calgary. The team’s starting goalie is former Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Ethan Kruger, while Nick Schneider – a former goalie in the Calgary Flames’ system – has also spent time in Alberta’s crease.
Berlin spent three years in the WHL with Spokane, Seattle and Kootenay, recording a 23-18-8 record and was a backup with Seattle when they won the 2017 WHL championship. He finished his career with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders in 2018-19 before embarking on a school tenure with Alberta, where he won the U Sports championship in 2021.
Berlin and Skinner wear goalie partners in bantam with the SSAC Lions, a team that also featured a high-scoring Tyler Benson.
Berlin will wear No. 33 for the Oilers, last worn by Cam Talbot from 2016-19.