Alberta's Berlin Makes NHL Debut in Relief

Matt Berlin (Alberta) got to see his NHL dream come true Saturday night.

The 6-foot-4 Edmonton native dressed for his hometown Oilers that evening as an emergency goaltender, replacing an ill Stuart Skinner. He played the last 2:26 of regulation, stopping the only shot he faced in Edmonton's 7-3 victory over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.

Berlin, 25, is in his third campaign with the University of Alberta, where he has fashioned a 4-0-1 mark with a 2.57 goals-against average in five appearances so far this season. In 21 career contests with the Golden Bears, he has gone 14-5-1 with a 2.09 GAA and three shutouts.

Prior to suiting up for Alberta, Berlin went 28-9-1 (2.57, 2 SO) in the 2018-19 season with Sherwood Park (AJHL). He spent parts of the previous three seasons in the WHL with Spokane, Seattle and Kootenay, going 23-18-8 (3.40, 2 SO) in 57 games. He was also part of Seattle's 2016-17 squad that won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL postseason champions, which also earned the Thunderbirds a berth in the Memorial Cup that season.

Alaska's Parayko Signs with St. Louis

Alaska junior defenseman Colton Parayko has passed up his final year of NCAA eligibility with the Nanooks to sign a two-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, according to alaskananooks.com. He will be assigned to the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

Parayko was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-WCHA, and a WCHA Scholar Athlete during his three years at UAF, and was also named to the NCAA Division I All-American Second Team last season.

A 6-foot-5, 224-pound native of St. Albert, Alberta, Parayko served as UAF's captain this past season. He also led the team with 67 blocked shots while recording six goals and 17 assists for 23 points, as the Nanooks finished 19-13-2 overall (14-12-2 WCHA).

Parayko tallied 17 goals and 49 assists for 66 points in 104 career games with Alaska. He also helped UAF to three straight Governor's Cup championships over rival Alaska Anchorage, including last weekend in his final collegiate games in blue and gold. He was drafted by the Blues in the third round (86th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, following the completion of a two-year junior career with Fort McMurray (AJHL). The Oil Barons, like the Nanooks and Blues, also wear blue and gold.