Goalies

Plante's first mask, a crude fibreglass model fashioned in Montreal, is held in the hand of the goaler himself.
Gazette Files

Thursday marks the 48th anniversary of Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante wearing a face mask into an NHL game for the first time, having been savagely cut by a backhander off the stick of New York Rangers' Andy Bathgate. Plante simply told his coach, Toe Blake, that he wasn't returning to action without it.

Plante revolutionized the game, while seriously getting under the skin of Blake, and goaltenders to this day, from the NHL to house leagues and even ball hockey, owe Jake the Snake a huge debt of thanks. Who knows how many injuries his trail-blazing prevented?

Below is a tribute to the historic event of Nov. 1, 1959 that took place on the ice of New York's Madison Square Garden. Thanks to the National Hockey League's public relations department for producing it:

Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau made it clear that his No. 1 goaltender on Oct. 3 will be Cristobal Huet and despite the critics calling for Carey Price to take Huet's job, the statistics tell a different story.

Although Thursday night's win was Huet's first of the preseason, Pat Hickey writes that Huet left little doubt that he's the man going into the season. Of the three goalies still in camp, Huet has the lowest goals-against average and the best save percentage.

Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau made it clear that his No. 1 goaltender on Oct. 3 will be Cristobal Huet and despite the critics calling for Carey Price to take Huet's job, the statistics tell a different story.

Although Thursday night's win was Huet's first of the preseason, Pat Hickey writes that Huet left little doubt that he's the man going into the season. Of the three goalies still in camp, Huet has the lowest goals-against average and the best save percentage.

Cristobal Huet stands – in this case, kneels – his ground Saturday vs. Ottawa.
Pierre Obendrauf, Gazette

Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau has said in the past week that Cristobal Huet is his No. 1 goaltender, and he expects to give the steady veteran the final two starts of the preseason this week to get him ready for the Oct. 3 season opener in Carolina vs. the Hurricanes.

On Saturday, having played his first full game since last April 7, Huet called Price the goaltender of the future for the Canadiens. But Huet, who made 17 saves in his team's 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, sees himself as the club's goalie of the present, at least, and he's sharply focused on being ready for the start of the season.

Huet missed 20 games last season, having suffered a torn hamstring on Valentine's Day. The injury required surgery and extensive rehabilitation, and he returned to action for a period on April 5, then played the Canadiens' final game, April 7 in Toronto.

Huet can expect to start Thursday's home game against Boston and the Canadiens' final preseason game on Saturday in Ottawa.

Below is a feature on the third-year Canadien that appears in Monday's Gazette.

Cristobal Huet stands – in this case, kneels – his ground Saturday vs. Ottawa.
Pierre Obendrauf, Gazette

Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau has said in the past week that Cristobal Huet is his No. 1 goaltender, and he expects to give the steady veteran the final two starts of the preseason this week to get him ready for the Oct. 3 season opener in Carolina vs. the Hurricanes.

On Saturday, having played his first full game since last April 7, Huet called Price the goaltender of the future for the Canadiens. But Huet, who made 17 saves in his team's 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, sees himself as the club's goalie of the present, at least, and he's sharply focused on being ready for the start of the season.

Huet missed 20 games last season, having suffered a torn hamstring on Valentine's Day. The injury required surgery and extensive rehabilitation, and he returned to action for a period on April 5, then played the Canadiens' final game, April 7 in Toronto.

Huet can expect to start Thursday's home game against Boston and the Canadiens' final preseason game on Saturday in Ottawa.

Below is a feature on the third-year Canadien that appears in Monday's Gazette.

With thanks to Alanah at kuklaskorner.com for the link:

ESPN has cooked up a list of "100 players you love to hate" across many sports, categorized in many different ways, in no apparent order. Former Canadiens goalie André Racicot and current defenceman Patrice Brisebois both make the list which you'll find in its entirety here.

Hockey's list is about halfway down if you scroll. But below are the hockey players excerpted to save you the time of looking for them:

The Gazette's Pat Hickey reports that Canadiens goalie-of-the-future Carey Price brings a cool attitude to the hot task that's facing him this week.

ROGIE VACHON
Stanley Cup and Vézina Trophy winner
David Bier photo, from Gazette files

Former Canadiens goalie Rogie Vachon, the best netminder not in the Hockey Hall of Fame, turns 62 today. I've argued long and loud that Vachon should be enshrined in the Hall, and a number of others have tried to organize campaigns to have the most famous citizen of Palmarolle, Que., inducted. (You've not heard the end of this...)

In the meantime, Happy Birthday, Rogie! Read on for more on at least one Habs Inside/Out writer's first Canadiens hero.

In another stretch for Habs Inside/Out, but it is hockey-related: Montreal native and New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur is at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for this afternoon's NASCAR Busch Series NAPA Auto Parts 200 race. He'll be working the pits of driver Greg Biffle, an association with Biffle's Cub Cadet Ford team raising funds for one of Brodeur's favourite charities: the Quebec Breakfast Club, which provides meals to needy Quebec children.

This despite wider nets quietly being introduced by the National Hockey League: