In just one month, Spencer Martin faced the Boston Bruins twice.
Now that in itself isn't too unusual, but how about the fact that he faced them with a different team each time.
Martin, who was claimed off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets by the Carolina Hurricanes one week ago, played his last game for Columbus against Boston on Jan. 2 falling 4-1.
This time though, in his first game with the Canes, he backstopped his new team to a 3-2 win.
To make it even more special, Martin got to play that first game in front of his mom, Karen, who joined the rest of the Canes' mothers for the Moms Trip.
"About half an hour after I found out I was getting picked up here, they said, 'Hey, there's a Moms Trip if she wants to go,'" Martin said. "I got my dad on a Dads Trip to Boston with Columbus earlier this year so I had to even it up. She's pumped to be here and I'm happy to have her."
Perhaps that provided him with some extra motivation, because Martin had a great showing, stopping 25 of 27 shots in the win and he looked extraordinarily comfortable in the net.
He did well tracking within the chaos and for a guy that doesn't necessarily know his teammates' tendencies. he wasn't afraid to get out of the crease and move the puck.
"He comes in to a tough spot and we throw him to the wolves, but he held his own and gave us a chance to win," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour on his goalie. "Made a couple of crucial saves early and then a couple late obviously too. Good for him."
Martin had only had a handful of practices with his new team, but it didn't take him long to feel comfortable.
"I think I've felt better every day," Martin said. "The first day I got here, I was off a 6 a.m. direct flight, but even just the adrenaline of being on a new team and being around these guys had carried me. Every day since then, yesterday I came in alone yesterday and worked with [goalie coach Paul Schonfelder].
"[Schonfelder] was coaching in Ottawa when I was in juniors so he's familiar with my game which is a really nice way to start for us and everything seems clear when he's explaining things. I think he's just willing to work with me and make my game as successful as it can be."
Already a journeyman in his career, since being drafted in 2013 by the Colorado Avalanche, Martin has now played for four NHL teams and several more AHL clubs.
"I've just been leaning into resilience and learning about myself," Martin said about his career so far. "I've learned how to block out a lot of noise. I've played in some big markets and on a lot of teams. I've played on 11 pro teams in nine years. I've had tons of really great experiences both on and off the ice, but for me, I feel like I'm just getting started at this level and I have a lot more to prove. I feel like I'm ready to do that here."
However, Martin's arrival in Carolina is already shrouded in uncertainty.
As a waiver claim, there was no investment into his development. He was picked up simply because of the Hurricanes' injury troubles in net and with Pyotr Kochetkov nearing a return, he could quickly find himself on the outside looking in.
But the Ontario native is used to having something to prove.
"I think that's always how it works," Martin said. "If you're on a longer-term contract or something like that then there may be different situations, but for me, my career has been all about proving yourself every day. That continues here."
Even if he may still be on the outside looking in, Martin's Hurricanes debut almost certainly bought him a chance to continue proving just who he can be.
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