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November 1, 1959 – Plante Makes History

Posted by | Nov 1, 2009 | 3 |

November 1, 1959 is a date all goaltenders should know and be thankful for. Jacques Plante took to the ice after being injured by an Andy Bathgate shot wearing a fiberglass mask. Although not the first mask to be worn in an NHL Game – that had happened way back in the 1930s thanks to Clint Benedict of the Montreal Maroons- Plante was the first to wear one on a regular basis, literally changing the face of the game.

Of course let’s not forget the first mask worn in a hockey game was a fiberglass fencing mask used by Queen’s University goalie Elizabeth Graham in 1927.

There is fantastic material all over the web on this big day and we encourage you to take it all in. We’ll update this list throughout the day so keep checking in and if you have some great links, feel free to share them with us in the comments or direct via email or twitter.

Check out CBC’s Inside Hockey report on mask painting including a look inside David Arrigo’s studio with a preview of Carey Price’s Remembrance Day mask and Kipper’s new lid.

Lots on masks from ESPN’s Puck Daddy today.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP-kdFAAMDg

Here’s a great review in video – toute en Francais (all in French) but fantastic and well worth a look.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUU7CAsIevU

TSN.ca has some great commemorative desktop wallpaper:

planteWP_1024x768

InGoal Magazine Posts on Goalie Masks

Some great Old School footage of Plante Playing Goal! It’s all in French – but the saves need no translation!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOXF4I3MVU

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqstjIhQmE

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About The Author

David Hutchison

David is one of the founders of InGoal Magazine which he began in 2009. Of course he finds time for some goaltending of his own as well, and despite his age, clings desperately to the idea that some NHL team will call him to play for them - though in his mid-forties (OK, late 40s) it'll likely be for a practice when everyone else on their depth chart has the flu and the shooter tutor has gone in for repairs.

3 Comments

  1. James
    James on November 2, 2009 at 1:27 PM

    I wish he would have painted the mask!

  2. David T
    David T on November 3, 2009 at 2:36 PM

    I am glad he didn’t paint it. It is wonderful to see the mask transition through the years.

  3. Nick
    Nick on November 4, 2009 at 4:05 AM

    Never mind the danger from pucks hitting them in the face … how is it that a goalie from that era never encountered an incident similar to Clint Malarchuk considering the way the forwards are crashing into Plante?

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