From season ticket holder to emergency goalie

It's 2 p.m. when Tyler Stewart's phone rings.
"Hello?" he says.
"Hey Tyler - Carter Hutton was hurt in practice this morning and we were wondering if you could help us out," responded Blues Director of Hockey Administration Ryan Miller. "We'll need you to take warm-ups and we'll go from there."
The rest of the afternoon is a bit of a blur.

"Out of the blue, (Ryan) said I needed to get down here, so I hopped in the car and here I am," Stewart told stlouisblues.com just minutes after taking warm-ups with the Blues as the team's emergency backup goaltender.
Stewart is still sitting in the Blues locker room wearing his goalie pads, skates and chest protector as he reflects on his incredible day. His authentic Blues jersey - which has his name and the No. 98 on the back - is sitting on the equipment room table with his blocker, glove and plain-white goalie mask, just in case he gets called into action in the first period.

As Stewart does an interview, he's incredibly relaxed for a 25-year-old that is one injury away from being thrust into an NHL game for the first - and probably last - time in his life.
"Can't worry about it," Stewart says, still cool and collected as the first period continues between the Blues and the Dallas Stars. "I'm as good (of a goalie) as I can be. What could I do (if I had to play)? I'm not an NHL-quality goalie or anything… it would be crazy weird to be in a game, but it is what it is."
"He doesn't really get nervous," said Alex Stewart, his wife of three months. "He was super excited, but he has this confidence about him."
Stewart's day had started at 4 a.m. - that's when he woke up to go to work for his father, who owns a vending machine company. Tyler refills the vending machines as often as his schedule allows to help pay for the pursuit of a master's degree at Maryville University, which he hopes will someday reward him with a job in sports.
Stewart was just getting home from work when Miller called. With his wife sleeping after working an overnight shift the day before, Stewart was taking his turn doing the household chores when the phone rang.

Because of Hutton's injury, the Blues were recalling goalie Ville Husso from the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League, but Husso's flight wasn't scheduled to land until 6:30 p.m. Until Husso could make it to Scottrade Center and suit up, Stewart would have to serve as the backup.
It was a scenario Stewart knew was a possibility, albeit a not-very-likely one. Per a new League rule, a designated emergency goaltender must be in the stands at every NHL home game in case of an injury or a situation like the Blues faced Thursday. Stewart, who was a goalie at Saint Louis University for three seasons, is the designated goalie in St. Louis.
His connection to the Blues happened by chance. During the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, several Blues players remained in town to skate in the event that a new collective bargaining agreement was completed. Former Blue Jamie Rivers would run the informal practices for the players, and when a practice goalie was needed, Rivers asked Todd Ewen - who coached SLU's club hockey team at the time - to loan him a goalie.
Since then, Stewart has also been an extra goaltender during Blues prospect camps and has worked in the front office as an intern for the Blues community relations department. He also was worked for Rivers as an instructor for the Blues' summer youth hockey camp and served on the Blues street team.
But none of those experiences could top Thursday.
Tweet from @TStewart_92: #NewProfilePic thanks @apetro_27 @StLouisBlues pic.twitter.com/S8bvHSVxOz
"I have the NHL Center Ice package, and I remember watching the Florida Panthers scramble last year (to find a goalie)," Stewart said. "I knew it wasn't completely crazy that I'd get called. I was telling my wife - it'd be cool to just dress as a Blue and even do warm-ups… to get to do it was just nuts."
Stewart, a season ticket holder in Section 313, has been attending Blues games with his parents since he was two years old. He'd seen the players step onto the ice for warm-ups for years, but never had he imagined what it might be like to follow them onto the ice like he did Thursday.
During warm-ups, Stewart found himself unsure when to take the net, so he stood along the perimeter of the rink until Jake Allen said "it's all yours." While he waited, he had conversations on the ice Scottie Upshall and Alexander Steen. Upshall was discussing the holiday shopping he did the night before at the lululemon store.

"You think everyone would be uptight (with a big game coming up), but everyone is loose," Stewart said. "It's fun to skate with them and all, but it's more the stories you hear. It's interesting to hear what they have to say, and they treat you like a teammate. It's something else."
While Stewart will certainly remember Thursday's experience for the rest of his life, it was equally amazing for his family, who scrambled to get extra tickets to the game to witness his special moment.
"As soon as he came on the ice, to see the Blues jersey with his name on it, it brings a tear to your eye," Alex Stewart said. "He's obsessed with the Blues. He wouldn't want me to say 'obsessed,' but he's loved the Blues since he was a baby.
"This was awesome."