The Chicago Blackhawks’ hottest player right now isn’t a player at all – he’s an accountant.
Scott Foster, a 36-year-old Chicago accountant, is the internet’s Darling of the Day thanks to his performance as goalie in Thursday night’s game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets.
Foster was signed to the team in an emergency backup role shortly before the game. The last time he played hockey was in 2006, while he attended Western Michigan University.
The #Blackhawks have signed Scott Foster to an ATO today to serve in an emergency backup role.
Foster, 36, played 4 seasons at @WMUHockey (2002-06), posting a record of 20-22-6 with an .875 save percentage and 3.44 GAA.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 30, 2018
He figured he’d be warming the bench all night, but he soon found himself in goal as the backup’s backup after the team’s first two goaltenders were hurt. (Goalie Corey Crawford is out with an injury; the team’s other goalie, Anton Forsburg, was injured in practice on Thursday; and Forsburg’s backup, Collin Delia, was hurt in the third period, leaving no one but Foster to guard the net.)
The Blackhawks were up, 6-2, when Foster stepped in, and he made sure to keep it that way. He blocked each of the seven shots that came at him, prompting the hashtag #FosterOfThePeople to start circulating on Twitter, as well as chants in the stadium. The team left with the W.
AND A SAVE BY FOSTER!
FOS-TER! FOS-TER! Now chanted in the @UnitedCenter! You can't make this stuff up! #CHIvsWPG
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 30, 2018
People were loving it.
Are you kidding! The @NHLBlackhawks emergency goalie Scott Foster gets put in the game and makes 7 saves on 7 shots. Unbelievable!😮 #Blackhawks
— Kathryn Tappen (@KathrynTappen) March 30, 2018
Sidney Crosby : did you see my OT goal…. It is the best thing tonight.
Scott Foster : Hold my beer#Blackhawks
— Robert Dalton (@RougeDalts) March 30, 2018
Foster, meanwhile, was in awe of the entire situation. (Check out his postgame interview, above. There are some great quotes in there.)
"A few hours ago you're working your day job, and then you're living your dream." ❤️ pic.twitter.com/j2mP5sPkig
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) March 30, 2018
So good.
Apparently there’s a long history of average Joes being dressed and put into NHL games: The Coyotes, the Blues, the Penguins and the Hurricanes, among others, all have had randos moonlight on their squads, according to my very scientific review of previous Deadspin pieces. Sports!