today is the 50th anniversary of the goalie mask

[pghbuccos]

50 years ago today on November 1, 1959 Montreal Canadiens' goalie Jacques Plante left the ice after taking a shot in the face from New York Ranger's forward Andy Bathgate. Plante left the game only to return after a 21 minute delay wearing a mask he had been using in practices to protect his broken nose and the 17 stitches he had to be given to sew up the gash from his lip to his nose. his coach Toe Blake didn't want him to return to the game with the mask but didn't have a choice because there wasn't a backup goalie. the Canadiens won the game 3-1. other goalies soon started donning masks as well and the final goalie not to wear a mask was the Pittsburgh Penguins Andy Brown. Brown played his last game in the NHL in 1974.

TSN posted a very cool video about the Plante Bathgate incident...

TSN.ca

there is also a special about the goalie mask on the NHL Network at 7 tonight.

 

[G $MONEY$]

Would love to see that show.

My favorite mask as a kid was Kelly Hrudey's Hollywood mask...

Erik Ensberg had a cool Hrudey inspired mask as well...

If anyone else has a favorite goalie mask post it up!!!!!!!!

 

[gonzagacubs]

I've always like the Rangers Statue of Liberty logo, and I think Henrik has a pretty cool mask

This is another one of my favorites

 

[pghbuccos]

some of my favorites

Fleury...

Brent Johnson's current mask is Led Zeppelin themed...

Peter Budaj's Ned Flanders mask...

Mike Wall of the Lake Erie Monsters Optimus Prime...

Vesa Toskala...

Evgeni Nabakov

and of course Gerry Cheevers...

 

[G $MONEY$]

a couple other favs...

Stephen Valequette

Curtis McElhinney

 

[Pine Tar]

nothing beats the old school kind

 

[pghbuccos]

the NHL Network special was interesting and very well put together. I am sure they will replay it throughout the week if anyone missed it and wants to see it.

here is another awesome mask I saw tonight

Jason LaBarbara...

the Ultimate Warrior

Eddie Vedder

James Hetfield

 

[pghbuccos]

TSN has a great gallery of some of this season's best masks...

http://www.tsn.ca/window/gallery/?id=325

another pretty cool gallery of masks...

http://www.goaliesarchive.com/masks.html

 

[G $MONEY$]

good links! heres another good one....

http://www1.nhl.com/images/media/masks/


another fav of mine is jiggys terminator duck

 

[G $MONEY$]