Third-year University of Toronto Varsity Blues netminder Brett Willows came through in the clutch, rushing down to the Air Canada Centre to back up the Toronto Maple Leafs in NHL action on Thursday night (Oct. 17).

Willows (Rivers, Man.) was an emergency call-up as Leafs starting goalie James Reimer headed to the locker room following a collision 32 seconds into the game.  He served as Jonathan Bernier's back up as the Leafs fell 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes.

"It was definitely quite the turn events," said Willows after the game. "I was out with some of the boys for dinner after practice and my phone went off with a call from coach [Darren Lowe].  He told me that one of their goalies went down and that they needed me. I sprinted down Bloor Street in the next 45 seconds and we jumped in the truck and got down there right away."

Willows was dressed and ready to go in the Toronto Maple Leafs locker room for the remainder of the game.

"Their dressing room was awesome," added Willows. "We have a pretty good set up here at U of T but they take it to a whole new level."

A third-year kinesiology major, Willows had a stellar 2012-13 season with the Varsity Blues. He ranked second in the OUA and third in the CIS with a .930 save percentage in 16 games and is coming off a career-high 50-save performance in a 7-3 win over the Ryerson Rams on Wednesday night.

Willows previously played for the Dauphin Kings in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he was named the squad's most valuable player. 

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