The goalie for the Gander Flyers made a big save just before the team took on the Corner Brook Royals in Gander, N.L., on Sunday.

After a fan collapsed and was unresponsive, bystanders at the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League (NLSHL) game ran to the Flyers' change room to get netminder Patrick O'Brien.

O'Brien, who happens to be a paramedic, had half of his hockey gear on when he performed CPR on the man.

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott, a retired paramedic, and another paramedic also performed CPR on the man man who collapsed in Gander's hockey arena. (CBC) O'Brien, 26, declined a recorded interview, saying he was just in the right place when the call came.

Gander Mayor Claude Elliott, a retired paramedic, as well as another paramedic were also on the scene.

Elliott said Monday that it was quite a sight to see O'Brien step in to help.

"He's got his skates on, he's got his goalie pads on and I guess he had a little T-shirt on, because he was getting ready to go out on the ice," Elliott told CBC's The St. John's Morning Show.

"But he showed up and certainly was a great help to us."

Elliott said that he and the two paramedics took turns doing CPR while they waited for an ambulance.

"You have to play it cool, and share it, and in this case there was enough of us to share it around so that this gentleman got the best of care," he said.

Elliott said the man was breathing again by the time an ambulance arrived. At last report, he was in stable condition.

The stadium has a portable defibrillator, but it was not needed.