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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
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) January 1, 2017
WATCH #CARvsTBL pic.twitter.com/cS2sLKJXaS
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 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 pic.twitter.com/9UgT4hxpoH
— FOX Sports Carolinas (@CanesOnFSCR) January 1, 2017
Jorge Alves leads the #Canes onto the ice. #CARvsTBL pic.twitter.com/pNWyWc2mL1
— Michael Smith (@MSmithCanes) December 31, 2016
: #HockeyHugs for Jorge Alves from his #Canes teammates after tonight's game. #HipHipJorge pic.twitter.com/D8IsE8qtDX
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) January 1, 2017