Making saves comes naturally to Patrick O'Brien, on the ice and off.
The 26-year-old goaltender for the Gander Flyers, who is also a paramedic with Central Health Newfoundland, dashed from the locker room to the stands in his equipment on Sunday to apply CPR to a fan who went into cardiac arrest before a game, The Beacon reported.
"I saw what was going on, and my first reaction was to run and get Patty," Flyers coach Chris Peach told the newspaper.
With his hockey pants, skates and one goalie pad on at the time, O'Brien tried to save the middle-aged man with the help of Gander Mayor Claude Elliott and Flyers board member Tom Whalen, both former paramedics themselves, CBC News reported.
The three took turns applying CPR and the man was breathing once more when an ambulance came to take him to James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre.
O'Brien would go on to play as a substitute in a 5-1 loss to the Corner Brook Royals.
The goalie was hailed as a "hero" on Twitter by TSN host Gino Reda, but O'Brien wouldn't take all the credit himself.
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The 26-year-old goaltender for the Gander Flyers, who is also a paramedic with Central Health Newfoundland, dashed from the locker room to the stands in his equipment on Sunday to apply CPR to a fan who went into cardiac arrest before a game, The Beacon reported.
"I saw what was going on, and my first reaction was to run and get Patty," Flyers coach Chris Peach told the newspaper.
With his hockey pants, skates and one goalie pad on at the time, O'Brien tried to save the middle-aged man with the help of Gander Mayor Claude Elliott and Flyers board member Tom Whalen, both former paramedics themselves, CBC News reported.
The three took turns applying CPR and the man was breathing once more when an ambulance came to take him to James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre.
O'Brien would go on to play as a substitute in a 5-1 loss to the Corner Brook Royals.
The goalie was hailed as a "hero" on Twitter by TSN host Gino Reda, but O'Brien wouldn't take all the credit himself.
@GinoRedaTSN I was one of a many who helped today. I appreciate your support but feel there are others who deserve the spotlight
— Patty (@PatrickOBrien29) November 24, 2014@Mike_McCarthy19 it's less stressful to save the pucks haha. Had lots of help today from incredible people on scene.
— Patty (@PatrickOBrien29) November 24, 2014Thanks very much for the kind words. Thanks as well to @whalen110 and Claude Elliott and all others on scene. Great work. @GanderFlyers
— Patty (@PatrickOBrien29) November 23, 2014
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