Former NC State hockey player Jorge Alves lives the dream for a day, plays for Carolina Hurricanes

Occasionally, equipment managers do get to live the dream.

Jorge Alves is an equipment manager for the Carolina Hurricanes, and has been with the team for more than a decade. Alves spent a couple of years playing for NC State’s club hockey team and also spent some time in the minors but his playing career went no farther, at least not until Saturday.

The Hurricanes announced Saturday that they were signing Alves, a goaltender, to a professional tryout contract and that Alves would serve as Cam Ward’s backup in Tampa Bay during the game tonight. The Hurricanes lost 3-1, which is a bummer, but it did lead to this:

Jorge Alves is a goaltender of record in the @NHL after coming in tonight's game with 7.6 seconds remaining. #HipHipJorge

WATCH #CARvsTBL http://pic.twitter.com/cS2sLKJXaS

— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) January 1, 2017

The signing forced Alves into double duty, leading to unusual photos like this one:

All you need to know about Jorge Alves. The man is doing two jobs tonight. @NHLCanes http://pic.twitter.com/rTMXShPTjl

— Mike Maniscalco (@mikemaniscalco) January 1, 2017

I can’t be completely certain, but there is a pretty good chance that Alves is the first NC State alum ever to play in an NHL game. That’s pretty cool. Watching him getting choked up about all of this: also cool.

"You're starting to make me emotional."@NHLCanes #HipHipJorge Alves, who played for NC State, signed a Professional Tryout for #CARvsTBL http://pic.twitter.com/9UgT4hxpoH

— FOX Sports Carolinas (@CanesOnFSCR) January 1, 2017

Jorge Alves leads the #Canes onto the ice. #CARvsTBL http://pic.twitter.com/pNWyWc2mL1

— Michael Smith (@MSmithCanes) December 31, 2016

: #HockeyHugs for Jorge Alves from his #Canes teammates after tonight's game. #HipHipJorge http://pic.twitter.com/D8IsE8qtDX

— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) January 1, 2017

http://ift.tt/2hAUvEI