Former college goalie called up to be Rangers' backup while watching game on TV

Santino Vasquez was a step away from playing goal for the New York Rangers on Thursday.

When starter Antti Raanta was forced out of the game after taking a Marco Scandella slap shot to the head, the Rangers were suddenly stuck in Minnesota without a backup for Henrik Lundqvist.

The NHL dictates that home teams must have candidates on call if the visiting team needs a backup and cannot bring in a replacement from the minors in a pinch.

Enter Vasquez, who appeared in two games for Hamline University and played semipro hockey in the Czech Republic before starting a nearby hockey clinic. He was called to help the Blueshirts by Wild strength and conditioning coach Kirk Olson.

"I was literally at home watching the game just got home from coaching and Kirk called and said, 'Can you get down here as fast as you can?'" Vazquez explained to Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press.

"I live like two minutes away over the bridge. I just grabbed all my (stuff) and got down here."

Once at the arena, Vasquez waited across from the Rangers' locker room, ready to make his NHL debut, if needed.

"I was just in here stretching, just hanging out, staying relaxed," he said. "I don't really get too nervous. I've been down here a lot. I would have been ready to play, that's for sure. I know they wouldn't have scored on me every shot."

Vasquez played a grand total of 47 minutes for Hamline, a Division III school, and boasts a career GAA of 8.49. Minnesota won 5-2, but chances are the score would've been much more lopsided had Vasquez been pressed into action.