Accountant-turned-goalie steals the hearts of Americans with special message for his kids
Scott Foster’s time in the NHL may have lasted only 14 minutes of actual game time, but it produced a lifetime of memories.
Foster, 36, is the accountant-by-day who was thrust into emergency duty as the Chicago Blackhawks fourth-string goaltender on Thursday in the team’s 6-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets.
He faced seven shots and stopped all seven in becoming, for at least one night, the toast of Chicago. More than 21,000 fans in attendance chanted his “Foster! Foster!” as he was named the No. 1 star of the game.
Foster, who played collegiate hockey at Western Michigan University, is also the star goalie of his “beer league” rec team. He plays a couple of nights a week at a rink known as Johnny’s Ice House, not far from the United Center where the Blackhawks play.
Foster won’t receive any compensation for his appearance in Thursday’s, according to the Chicago Sun Times, but the father of two said the memories would be invaluable.
“This is a dream regardless. It’s something no one can ever take away from me,” Foster said. “It’s something I can go home and tell my kids and they can tell their friends and whatnot.”
What a night.
Emergency backup goalie Scott Foster gets the belt for his surprise performance. #FosterOfThePeople https://t.co/g1dHZKPanr
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 30, 2018
The chain of events that led to Foster even needing to put on a uniform was one that seems as unlikely as winning the Powerball jackpot. The Blackhawks first-string goalie, Corey Crawford, was out with an injury. Second-string goalie Anton Forsberg hurt himself prior to the game. That meant third-string goalie Collin Delia would get the start — his first ever in the NHL.
NHL teams have a handful of local players like Foster on call just in case a rare set of circumstances happens like it did Thursday. As one of Chicago’s emergency goalies, Foster attends about 13 games per season, and “gets to show up in his suit and eat nachos and hot dogs in (the press box) and go home, with minimal probability that he’s ever going to get in a game,” beer-league teammate Michael Hendrie told ESPN on Friday.
“A lot of stars have to align for him to play. And they did last night,” Hendrie added.
For Foster, the dichotomy of his day on Thursday was amazing.
“A few hours ago I was sitting on my computer, typing on a 10-key,” Foster told reporters after the game. “Now I’m standing in front of you guys, having just finished 14 and a half minutes of NHL hockey.”
Foster tries to keep sharp by playing in two recreational hockey leagues in his downtime. Despite his fairytale NHL debut, Foster joked he’d sound even better to his coworkers and rec league teammates.
“I’ll tell them I made about 30 saves in a 1-0 win,” Foster said.
This Scott Foster story is incredible, once-in-a-lifetime stuff, like the movie "Rudy." You've never played pro hockey. You're 36. Yet the stars aligned in spectacular fashion Thursday night. This is generational storytime stuff you can't make up. This happened, folks. It's nuts!
— Tim Froehlig 🏀🥎⚾️🏈🏐🏒⚽️🍕 (@TFroehlig) March 30, 2018
But the lesson he learned of his magical day is one he can teach to his kids or anyone else who struggles with doubt.
“Who would have thought?” he told reporters after the game. “You just keep grinding away in men’s league, and eventually you get your shot.”
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