MANCHESTER, N.H. —
University of New Hampshire men’s hockey goalie Kyle Chauvette was on the NHL bench Thursday, just 24 hours after his final college game.
The Goffstown native was at TD Garden with the San Jose Sharks, serving as the emergency backup goalie after the team’s starter was injured.
Chauvette, a senior economics major, had played in net for UNH on Wednesday as they faced Northeastern in the Hockey East playoffs, losing 7-3.
The Sharks signed the 24-year-old to an amateur tryout contract hours later, as they prepared to face his hometown team, the Boston Bruins.
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While Chauvette didn’t play, his father, Keith, called the experience a dream come true for his son.
“In a matter of just a few hours, he went from really not knowing what the future held to coming here as the emergency backup for San Jose tonight, which was really kinda cool. He’s worked his tail off, you know, for his entire career he’s always wanted to, you know, be an NHL player, and tonight that dream kinda came true,” he said.
San Jose won 4-2, snapping Boston’s 13-game winning streak. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 38 of 40 shots.