Nitzy's Hockey Den

Vegas Golden Knights goalie, Adin Hill replaced the injured Lauent Brossoit against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the 2023 Pacific Division Final. Hill became only the seventh goalie in NHL history to record their first post-season victory in relief, AFTER the first round of the playoffs. The first one to accomplish this was famously, Lester Patrick who came from behind the bench to lead the New York Rangers to a win in Game two of the 1928 Stanley Cup Final. The second ever goaltender was the relative unknown, Gord Henry. The 1953 Stanley Cup Final pitted the 3rd place Boston Bruins against the 2nd place Montreal Canadiens. Game 1 saw Montreal rookie Jacques Plante defeat "Sugar" Jim Henry by a score of 4-2. In Game 2, the Bruins goalie was injured with just over two minutes left in the first period and replaced by his namesake (unrelated) Gord Henry. Milt Dunnell of The Toronto Star described it eloquently: "Sugar Jim Henry, better known to Detroit as sugar-coated s

I picked up this fantastic old program at an antique shop in New Wesminster, BC recently. The cover pictures all-time Toronto Maple Leaf goaltending great, Turk Broda. The program is from a hockey old-timers benefit game held at the Vancouver, PNE Forum arena, a game that featured many stars of yesteryear. The game was presented by the British Columbia Benevolent Hockey Association and was meant to raise funds for ex-players in need.  Featuring the likes of Broda, Babe Pratt, Lorne Carr, Sweeney Schriner, Jack Adams, Tiny Tompson, coached by Frank Fredrickson and Lester Patrick and officiated by Cyclone Taylor and Duke Keats, the game promised to be a star-studded affair. The Victoria Daily Colonist of March 5, 1953 detailed the match as follows. "Yesterday's hockey greats sparkled with some old-time brilliance in Vancouver Forum Tuesday to provide a tomorrow for a fellow player stricken with polio. More than 6,000 fans shoe-horned into the rink at $1 each watch the third annu

"I don't really keep track of that stuff. I just try to go out and play the best I can. If the team wins and I don't get any points, that's fine." This was Darryl Sittler after he equaled the Maple Leaf record of points in 16 consecutive games on March 4, 1978. The mark was originally set by Babe Dye in 1921/22. Sittler would set the franchise record of 18 games straight a few days later. It was finally halted by Montreal on March 9 with the Canadiens checking line of Doug Jarvis, Bob Gainey and Rick Chartraw frustrated Sittler all evening. After the game Sittler stated, "I don't think it's so much putting Jarvis on me, but putting Gainey out to check my right winger. I might get the puck, but then I've got no one to pass to." During his 18 game streak, Sittler produced 17 goals and 16 assists for 33 points and the team went 11-4-3. He'd end up with a career high 117 points and finish 3rd in Hart Trophy voting. Just over a decade later, E

Dave Hanson at the WHA 50th Reunion Gala - Photo, Andrew Klaver This past weekend was the 50th Anniversary Reunion of the World Hockey Association in Whistler, BC. My friend, Greg Beaudin was one of the main organizers of the event; his father, Norm having been an original WHA Winnipeg Jet playing alongside Bobby Hull. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to help Greg in any small way I could. I got a phone call the night before I was to drive to Whistler from my home in North Vancouver asking if I could pick up one of the incoming WHA alumni at Vancouver International Airport the following day. Dave Hanson, of Slap Shot's Hanson Brothers fame needed a ride to Whistler. Needless to say, I said I would be more than happy to help. I actually bought Dave Hanson's autobiography that came out in 2008, and of course I am a huge fan of the movie Slap Shot. I printed a small sign to hold at the airport with "DAVE HANSON" on it. I know what he looks night even nowadays, I just th

"I wasn't impressed with the Canadian team. We had too much respect for them, but not anymore." These were the words of Swedish coach Kjell Svensson after his squad was beaten by the Canadians by a score of 4-1. His assistant coach, Bjorn Norell added, "It was a bad game, it was really our first game for the season." Harry Sinden summed it up, "When you win, everything is supposed to be okay. I sure as hell hate to think how I would feel if we had lost that one." Sinden was not pleased with how his team dealt with the European refereeing that they would quickly have to get used to. "We reacted silly. We react at home to a spear with a slash or a fight. Here, it's so obvious. You can't do that." The officials for this game would become familiar to Sinden and Canada; Franz Baader and Josef Kompalla. Sinden explained, "They have regular jobs. They only referee a handful of games a year. They can't be in shape for this. I don'

"It's all finished." These were the words of Bobby Orr after he lasted but a few minutes on the ice in practice. He would end up behind the White bench for the 5-5 tie in the intra-squad game versus the Red squad. Orr will remain with Team Canada and continue treatments with Physiotherapist Karl Elieff, but his hopes of suiting up against the Soviets appear to be over. If nothing else, the intra-squad game proved the Canadians have a difficult time getting up for these games in preparation for the Moscow leg of the series. "We have to respect the Swedes," Assistant Coach John Ferguson warned of the upcoming two game exhibition set with the Swedish National Team.  Still trying to adapt to the wider ice surface, defenceman Gary Bergman stated, "With that extra width and those corners, you have to keep telling yourself not to do things you normally would do. You can't go into those corners after a guy because that's tailor-made for the Russians. They w