Thursday, March 31, 2011

1919-20 Ottawa Senators Jack Darragh Jersey

At the conclusion of the 1918-19 hockey season, the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL travelled west to face off against the Seattle Metropolitans of the PCHA for the rights to the Stanley Cup Finals. With the series tied at 2-2-1, several members of the Canadiens began to show symptoms of the Spanish Influenza, which caused the remainder of the series to be cancelled and eventually claimed the life of Montreal's Joe Hall.

1919 Stanely Cup engraving
The 1919 Stanely Cup engraving which reads "series not completed"

One year later the NHL champion Ottawa Senators, who won both halves of the regular season to qualify for the finals without the need for the usual playoff. Meanwhile out west, the Metropolitans finished first overall in the PCHA by the slimmest of margins, as Seattle won 12 and lost 10 to narrowly edge the Vancouver Millionaires, who had a final record of 11-11-0, just ahead of the third place Victoria Aristocrats and their 10-12-0 mark.

Seattle still had to face Vancouver in a playoff series to determine the PCHA championship. Vancouver came out strong and won the first game by a 3-0 shutout only to have Seattle return the favor in spades, shutting out the Millionaires by a resounding 6-0 score to claim the series 6 goals to 3.

With their spot in the finals now secured, Seattle began the cross continent trek to the Canadian capital to face off against the Senators, who last drank from the cup back in 1911.

Before the clubs could take to the ice, there was a sartorial issue which needed to be resolved, as both the host Senators and the visiting Metropolitans wore "barberpole" style sweaters which featured colorful horizontal striping, the Senators in black, red and white, while Seattle arrived with their green, red and whites, forcing the Senators to agree to wear white sweaters to avoid any on ice confusion.

Ottawa Senators 1922-23
The Ottawa Senators in their black, red and white sweaters

Seattle Metropolitans 1916-17
The Seattle Metropolitans similar green, red and white sweaters

With their sweater clash now resolved, the Senators captured Game 1 on March 22nd when Jack Darragh scored the game winning goal to give Ottawa a hard fought 3-2 win.

Game 2 on March 24th also went the way of the Senators as goaltender Clint Benedict held the challengers from Seattle off the scoreboard with less than ideal ice conditions creating issues, but not enough to prevent Ottawa from scoring three times for the victory, with Darragh again getting credit for the game winning goal.

Three days later the Metropolitans fought back to make the series 2-1, but with the Senators still holding the advantage.

With milder temperatures in the capital compromising the quality of the ice at The Arena in Ottawa, which did not have the capability of producing artificial ice, officials conferred and a decision was reached to move the series to Arena Gardens in Toronto which was capable of producing it's own ice.

Seattle exploited the faster ice conditions for Game 4 on March 30 to even the series with a 5-2 win to force a deciding Game 5, which was held on this date in 1920. Darragh was the star of the night, as his hat trick, which once again included the game winning goal, powered the Senators to a 6-1 win to clinch the series 3 games to 2, returning the Stanley Cup to Ottawa where it has spent so much time during the century's first decade. Darragh finished the series second on goals scored with five, with three of them being game winning goals.

Ottawa Senators 1920
The 1920 Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Senators

The championship would begin the final era of Senators domination, as they would win the cup following season (191) and again in 1923 and 1927 for the fourth time in seven years before entering a period of financial decline which would see the club relocate to St. Louis by 1934.

Today's featured jersey is a 1919-20 Ottawa Senators Jack Darragh jersey in the familiar Senators barberpole style worn throughout their history.

After much searching, we were unable to locate any photos of the Senators from the 1920 Stanley Cup Finals wearing the white jerseys worn to avoid confusion with the Seattle Metropolitans similarly striped sweaters.

Darragh joined the Senators prior to them even becoming members of the NHL and would play 13 seasons with the club, winning Stanley Cups in 1911, 1920, 1921 and 1923. He had actually retired following their championship in 1921, but returned for after a season away from the team to play two more seasons, which included the championship in 1923. He finished his career with 194 goals in 250 games during his career and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Ottawa Senators 19-20 jersey

Today's video selection documents the early years of the Ottawa Senators and their Stanley Cup success with a focus on the arenas and their locations around Ottawa.



Frédérique Constant, Introduces Four New Watch Collections



Peter Stas introduces new timepiece at Baselworld.

BASEL, Switzerland - Frédérique Constant used the opening day of Baselworld March 24 to officially introduce four new collections, each for a particular market. The Swiss watch brand’s compound of a pair of two-story showrooms in the back of Hall 1.0 served as the backdrop for the announcement. Peter Stas, the Swiss watch brand's managing

Frédérique Constant, Introduces Four New Watch Collections



Peter Stas introduces new timepiece at Baselworld.

BASEL, Switzerland - Frédérique Constant used the opening day of Baselworld March 24 to officially introduce four new collections, each for a particular market. The Swiss watch brand’s compound of a pair of two-story showrooms in the back of Hall 1.0 served as the backdrop for the announcement. Peter Stas, the Swiss watch brand's managing

Signet 2011 Sales Up 5%



Mike Barnes, Signet CEO
Signet Jewelers Ltd., the world’s largest specialty retail jeweler, said Wednesday that same store sales rose 6.7 percent for fiscal 2011, ended Jan. 29. Total sales for the year rose 5 percent to $3.4 billion.
Income before taxes for the year increased 30.3 percent to $300.4 million. Adjusted income before taxes rose 51 percent to $347.9 million.
The Bermuda-based,

Signet 2011 Sales Up 5%



Mike Barnes, Signet CEO
Signet Jewelers Ltd., the world’s largest specialty retail jeweler, said Wednesday that same store sales rose 6.7 percent for fiscal 2011, ended Jan. 29. Total sales for the year rose 5 percent to $3.4 billion.
Income before taxes for the year increased 30.3 percent to $300.4 million. Adjusted income before taxes rose 51 percent to $347.9 million.
The Bermuda-based,

unplanned post.

I've been such a busy bee this week planning my best friend's bridal shower that I didn't get time to plan a post for today, so enjoy these virtual teddy graham cupcakes and know that I will do better next time. Scout's honor! Speaking of scouts, how many girl scout cookies have you eaten this season? I think my count is somewhere in the 40's...

1972-73 Los Angeles Kings Butch Goring Jersey

Drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft, Butch Goring split his first two seasons between the Kings and their minor league affiliate, the Springfield Kings of the AHL. During his first season with Los Angeles Goring scored 13 goals and 36 points in 59 games and a whopping 8 penalty minutes, setting the tone for the remainder of his career.

In 1971-72, Goring became a full-time NHLer, playing 74 games exclusively with Los Angeles. He registered exactly 50 points that season and a mere 2 penalty minutes.

Goring Kings

He bettered his point totals in 1972-73 when he set new personal bests with 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points and, on this date in 1973 in the Kings final game of the season, Goring scored a goal and an assist, but more notably, he was whistled for his only penalty of the entire season midway through the game!

1973-74 saw Goring better his point total by 2 with 61 and again received but one penalty the whole season, his third consecutive season with but a single penalty.

Over the course of the next five seasons Goring would remain a model of consistency, playing in 398 out of a possible 400 games while setting new personal highs in points three times, finally topping out at 87 in 1978-79, a season in which Goring would "goon it up" with a career high 16 penalty minutes, one of only three times in 17 seasons he would reach double digits in minutes served in the penalty box.

Prior to setting his career point and penalty minute highs in 1979, Goring established a career best mark with 37 goals scored in 1977-78, a season in which he would also win the Masterton Trophy as well as a long overdue Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play after being bypassed his previous six full seasons by players who had as many as 18 minutes in a season. Goring equalled a then career low with just 2 penalty minutes, the fourth time to date he would be whistled for just a single penalty during a season in which he played a minimum of 67 games.

Goring would play 69 games of the 1979-80 season with the Kings before being traded to the New York Islanders in March. He competed in the final 12 regular season games for New York and was regarded as a key element which put the Islanders over the top, as the club had made it as far as the playoff semifinals four times in the previous five seasons without having ever made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

With Goring on board, the Islanders not only qualified for the finals for the first time ever, they successfully defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2 to capture the first of four consecutive Stanley Cups of the Islanders dynasty. The 21 playoff games Goring played during the 1980 playoffs compared to the 30 Goring had appeared in during his previous 10 seasons in Los Angeles and his 19 points during that playoff season eclipsed the 18 he had in all his years in Los Angeles combined.

Goring Stanley Cup

The Islanders success following the acquisition of Goring is perhaps the one trade which began the current tradition of contending clubs looking to add key pieces to their roster in preparation for the playoffs that created the frenzy which the NHL trade deadline has now become.

During the final 12 regular season contests for New York, Goring received one penalty, which brought his career total in xx seasons up to 68, one more than the NHL single game record of 67 set by former Kings' teammate Randy Holt one year earlier.

In 1980-81, Goring played 78 games for the Islanders, scoring 60 points and competing the season without a single penalty for the only time in his career. Shockingly, Goring was passed over for the Lady Byng Trophy once more.

During the postseason, Goring scored 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points in 18 games. While he came in fourth in playoff scoring for the Islanders, 15 points behind team leader Mike Bossy, Goring's tireless efforts and stellar two-way play were recognized with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Islanders repeated as Stanley Cup champions, perhaps making up for the injustice of not receiving his much deserved Lady Byng Trophy.

Goring Islanders

Goring's role would switch more towards the defensive side over the remainder of his time in the NHL, as his point totals would drop from the 60-80 point range to the 30-45 range, but he remained an integral part of the Islanders, as they still had two more Stanley Cups to capture in 1982 and 1983.

He would play one more full season with the Islanders in 1983-84, which included a fifth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to see their dynasty come to and end with the rise of Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of their own.

Goring's final NHL season began with 29 games with New York before he was released by the Islanders and picked up by the Boston Bruins, with whom he was a very effective player, scoring 34 points in 39 games, an average he had not achieved since his first season on Long Island.

The following season Goring was named the Bruins head coach, a position he held for all of the 1985-86 season and 13 games of 1986-87 before being relieved of his duties. Unusually, after losing his position as the Bruins coach, Goring returned to the ice as a player with the Nova Scotia Oilers of the AHL!

His stint with the Oilers lasted ten games and brought an end to his playing days. His final NHL totals were 1,107 games played, 375 goals and 513 assists for 888 points and 102 total penalty minutes over 16 seasons, a number which compares to the single season record of 472 by Dave Schultz and Tiger Williams career record of 3,996.

Despite his notable lack of penalty minutes, Goring is best remembered for wearing the same Snaps brand helmet since he was 12 years old, famous for it's small size and lack of gloss while with the New York Islanders.

Goring Islanders helmet

Goring actually had a pair of the helmets, one for at home and one for the road. They went through several color alterations as Goring moved from the Kings to the Islanders and later the Bruins and eventually the Nova Scotia to close out his career.

When Goring was traded from the Kings to New York, the Islanders equipment man didn't have the right color blue paint available and had to improvise while on the road to get Goring in line with the rest of the team, as his road helmet was currently painted Kings' purple while the other was painted gold. The solution was to cover one of the helmets with blue tape, giving the headgear it's distinctive flat appearance, as if it had been flocked.

"It looked pretty good, you couldn't tell the difference." Goring said. "The tape was light enough so it was no big deal, it did the job."

"I didn't wear it for the protection. It was almost why do you wear gloves, why do you wear pads? For me, it was like I didn't know any other way to play hockey other than with my helmet. I grew up in an era where helmets were mandatory as a kid and it just didn't make any sense to take it off because it wasn't anything cumbersome that I needed to get rid of."

"Hockey players are like any other athletes, they get attached to certain things and they had good success and the helmet for me and I actually had a couple of items I kept for a long period of time but I think it is just a comfort zone more than anything else," Goring recalled.

Today's featured jersey is a 1972-73 Los Angeles Kings Butch Goring jersey as worn the season Goring received his only penalty of the year halfway through the final game of the season.

The Kings began play in 1967 with gold jerseys with single color purple numbers, which became two color numbers in 1969-70 with the addition of white outlines, which was also added to the front crest at the same time. Names on the back of the gold jerseys would arrive in 1970-71. The following season the purple stripe on the gold jerseys would move down to the very bottom of the jersey, which would eliminate the gold stripe which previously existed beneath it. The Kings jerseys would exist in this configuration until being replaced after the 1979-80 season.

Los Angeles Kings 72-73 jersey

Los Angeles Kings 72-73 jersey

Today's video selection is the Islander celebrating their 1981 championship, which includes the presentation of the Conn Smythe Trophy to Butch Goring.



Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Gemfields Emerald Auction Fetches $9.9 Million


Prices for lower-quality rough emeralds nearly tripled during the past year, according to Gemfields Plc., which recently held an auction of the precious gem from its Kagem mine in Zambia. The mining giant’s auction of low quality emeralds from its wholly owned on March 10-14 in Jaipur, India, (where it owns a cutting and polishing facility) took in 77 cents per carat, a 148 percent increase from

Gemfields Emerald Auction Fetches $9.9 Million


Prices for lower-quality rough emeralds nearly tripled during the past year, according to Gemfields Plc., which recently held an auction of the precious gem from its Kagem mine in Zambia. The mining giant’s auction of low quality emeralds from its wholly owned on March 10-14 in Jaipur, India, (where it owns a cutting and polishing facility) took in 77 cents per carat, a 148 percent increase from

Target Signs on to the ‘No Dirty Gold’ Campaign


Target, the third-largest retail chain in the U.S., has pledged to shun gold from irresponsible mining and seek cleaner sources of gold and precious metals.

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. becomes the 73rd signer of "Golden Rules," a set of social, human rights, and environmental criteria for more responsible mining of precious metals from the No Dirty Gold campaign. Target ranks No. 10 among

Target Signs on to the ‘No Dirty Gold’ Campaign


Target, the third-largest retail chain in the U.S., has pledged to shun gold from irresponsible mining and seek cleaner sources of gold and precious metals.

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. becomes the 73rd signer of "Golden Rules," a set of social, human rights, and environmental criteria for more responsible mining of precious metals from the No Dirty Gold campaign. Target ranks No. 10 among

GIA to Hold Classes in Botswana


The Gemological Institute of America will offer Diamond Grading Lab classes in Gaborone, Botswana, in April and September 2011. The classes will offer a practical, hands-on approach to learning, and are designed to help Botswana increase local employment and enhance career development within its diamond production industry.The classes teach students to grade diamonds in the D-Z color range,

GIA to Hold Classes in Botswana


The Gemological Institute of America will offer Diamond Grading Lab classes in Gaborone, Botswana, in April and September 2011. The classes will offer a practical, hands-on approach to learning, and are designed to help Botswana increase local employment and enhance career development within its diamond production industry.The classes teach students to grade diamonds in the D-Z color range,

Paula Garces is the New Face of Donna Distefano Jewelry



Paula Garces wearing Donna Distefano "Banquet" earrings and "Belle Epoque" necklace in 18k gold with Japanese Akoya pearls. Distefano said the photo pays homage to Elizabeth Taylor.

Actress and producer Paula Garces will appear in the 2011-2012 fall and winter advertising campaign of Donna Distefano Ltd.

Garces is best-known for her role as Maria, the romantic love interest in the Harold and

Paula Garces is the New Face of Donna Distefano Jewelry



Paula Garces wearing Donna Distefano "Banquet" earrings and "Belle Epoque" necklace in 18k gold with Japanese Akoya pearls. Distefano said the photo pays homage to Elizabeth Taylor.

Actress and producer Paula Garces will appear in the 2011-2012 fall and winter advertising campaign of Donna Distefano Ltd.

Garces is best-known for her role as Maria, the romantic love interest in the Harold and

Consumer Confidence Index Down 8.6% in March


The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in February, declined in March. The Index now stands at 63.4 (1985=100), down from 72 in February. The Present Situation Index improved to 36.9 from 33.8. The Expectations Index decreased to 81.1 from 97.5 last month.“The sharp decline in confidence was prompted by a sharp decline in expectations,” said Lynn Franco, director of

Consumer Confidence Index Down 8.6% in March


The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in February, declined in March. The Index now stands at 63.4 (1985=100), down from 72 in February. The Present Situation Index improved to 36.9 from 33.8. The Expectations Index decreased to 81.1 from 97.5 last month.“The sharp decline in confidence was prompted by a sharp decline in expectations,” said Lynn Franco, director of

Random images I like today

1924-25 Victoria Cougars Jersey

The Victoria Cougars were formed in 1918 as the "Aristocrats" as a member of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) and changed their name to the "Cougars" in 1922.

Their first season in the three team PCHA saw them finish last with a 7-13 record behind the Vancouver Millionaires and the Seattle Metropolitans. They were led in scoring by Ed Oatman's 11 goals and Charlie Tobin's 10.

1919-20 saw more of the same, with the 10-12 Aristocrats in third place with Tom Dunderdale doing the bulk of the scoring with 25 goals in the 22 game season.

Another third place came in 1920-21 from a 10-13-1 mark. Frank Fredrickson led the PCHA in scoring with 20 goals and 12 assists for 32 points in 21 games.

The 1921-22 season saw the league standings decided by the narrowest of margins, with Seattle finishing first with a record of 12-11-1, the Millionares followed at 12-12-0 and the Aristocrats once more brought up the rear at 11-12-1. Fredrickson one more led the club with 25 points from 15 goals and 10 assists.

For the 1922-23 season, the franchise adopted the new moniker of the "Cougars" and it paid immediate dividends, as the club finally climbed out of last place for the first time. A 16-14-0 record was enough to beat the Metropolitans and qualify for the playoffs. Vancouver, newly renamed the Maroons, defeated the Cougars in a two-game total-goal series 3-0 and 2-3. Fredrickson again led the league in scoring with 39 goals and 55 points, 15 more than his next closest pursuer, in the 30 game schedule.

The final season for the PCHA saw the Cougars once more finish third with a record of 11-18-1. Fredrickson again led the club with 19 goals and 28 points in 30 games.

Changes were in store for the 1924-25 season, as the Cougars moved to the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), now in it's fourth season, along with the Vancouver Maroons. The Metropolitans had folded and the Cougars were awarded four players off their roster prior to the season and they selected goaltender Hap Holmes, Gordon Fraser, Jack Walker and Frank Foyston. While the Cougars finished third yet again, the WCHL was now a six team league, and the Cougars 32 points in the standings left them just behind the Calgary Tigers 34 and Saskatoon Sheiks 33. The prolific Fredrickson was the team leader in points for the fifth consecutive season with 22 goals and 30 points in 28 games.

Victoria Cougars team

The Cougars defeated the Shieks in their opening round two game series by a 6-4 total before upsetting the Tigers in the WCHL Finals in another two-game total-goal series by a combined score of 3-1 to earn the right to challenge the defending Stanley Cup winners and NHL champion Montreal Canadiens.

1925 Stanley Cup program

The finals were a best of five series and all games were played in British Columbia in keeping with the annual rotation of games between the east and the west. The Cougars took Game 1 with a score of 5-2 and put themselves in a position to capture the cup with a 3-1 win in Game 2 with Walker scoring a pair of goals in each game. Montreal fought back with a 4-2 win on March 27th and the Cougars became the last team from outside the NHL to win the Stanley Cup with a dominant 6-1 win in Game 4 on this date in 1925, led by a pair of goals by Fredrickson to take the series 3 games to 1. The game winning goal was scored by Gizzy Hart and Walker led the Cougars with 4 goals in the series as the Cougars outscored Montreal 16-8.

Their roster included Hall of Famers Fredrickson (inducted 1958), Foyston (1958), Walker (1960) and goaltender Holmes (1972) and they were coached by the legendary Lester Patrick (1947), who also owned the club. Additionally, Fredrickson and defenseman Harold Halderson were previously members of the Winnipeg Falcons who won the first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey.

1925 Victoria Cougarsm

The following season the WCHL was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the defending champion Cougars finished in their traditional third place yet again with a 15-11-4 mark. Fredrickson dominated the scoring with 24 points in 30 games to lead the team fir the sixth consecutive season. The Cougars again won the league playoffs to earn the right to face the NHL champion Montreal Maroons for the right to defend the cup, which the Maroons won 3 games to 1.

That would be the end of the Cougars in Victoria though, as the WHL disbanded after the season, leaving the Cougars without a league. The rights to most of their players were purchased by the new Detroit NHL franchise, which used the Cougars name as a tribute to the former club of the majority of their roster. Eventually that team would rename itself the Falcons and later the Red Wings.

Today's featured jersey is a 1924-25 Victoria Cougars jersey. This original Cougars jersey can be seen in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and has it's own page in The Hockey News Greatest Jerseys of All-Time Collector's Edition.

1925 Victoria Cougars jersey

Here is behind the scenes footage of the Hockey News Greatest Jerseys of All-Time photo shoot, which includes today's featured Victoria Cougars jersey.

The Greatest Jerseys of All Time collector's edition is a must-have for any jersey collector or hockey fan alike.


Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Your Take On Things

Your take on something is your personal opinion on a given subject, whether that opinion is based on facts or on sentiment.

Example: "My take on health care is that everyone should have access to it for a reasonable price."

One might reply that this is easier said than done.

Texture Tuesday: March 29, 2011

Marc Jacobs bow top:Jimmy Choo clutch:Sparkle and Fade pleated skirt:Raffia pumps:

1987-88 Minnesota North Stars Jon Casey Jersey

Born on this date in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 1962, goaltender Jon Casey played college hockey for the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux from 1980-81 until 1983-84, which included an appearance at the World Junior Tournament in 1982 for the United States and two NCAA national championships in 1980 and 1982.

1981-82 UND Sioux
Casey, front left, celebrates the 1982 NCAA national championship

Following his college career, the undrafted Casey would sign a free agent contract with the Minnesota North Stars in time for him to see action in two games at the conclusion of the 1983-84 season, which included his first NHL victory.

He spent the following season honing his craft with the Baltimore Skipjacks of the AHL, going 30-11-4 in 46 games. The following season was split between the Springfield Indians (9 games) and North Stars (26 games), with whom he went 11-11-1.

1986-87 saw Casey again spend the entire season in the minors, with both the Indians and the Indianapolis Checkers, where he spent the majority of his time. While he made 14 appearances with Minnesota in 1987-88, most of his action came with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL with whom he went 24-13-5.

The departure of Don Beaupre to Washington opened up a roster spot for Casey in Minnesota in 1988-89, who assumed the starting role with 55 games played, a total which increased to 61 the following year during which he set a career high with 31 victories. Following the NHL season, Casey made his only appearance at the World Championships, going 4-2 in six games.

The 1990-91 season saw Casey finish the season with 55 appearances and a 21-20-11 record, but come to life with a 14-7 mark in the playoffs as the North Stars made an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals after a posting a losing 27-39-14 record as a team during the regular season.

Casey North Stars

After two more seasons in Minnesota, making 52 then 60 appearances as well as playing in the 1993 NHL All-Star Game, Casey was traded to the Boston Bruins for the 1993-94 season where he was once more the starting goaltender with 57 appearances.

Casey Bruins

After his only season with the Bruins, Casey returned to the midwest by signing a free agent deal with the St. Louis Blues for 1994-95 to back up incumbent Curtis Joseph. After appearing in 19 games for St. Louis that season, Casey was limited to just 9 games in 1995-96 as he spent the majority of his time with the Peoria Rivermen of the IHL playing in 43 games.

Casey Blues

His final NHL season saw him play 15 games for the Blues as well as 4 with the Worcester IceCats of the AHL. Casey would play one final season of professional hockey with the IHL's Kansas City Blades in 1997-98 prior to retiring in December of 1997 after 24 games with the Blades.

Casey's final NHL totals are 425 games played, 170 wins, 157 losses and 55 ties. He also posted 16 shutouts and a career goals against average of 3.21.

Today's featured jersey is a 1987-88 Minnesota North Stars Jon Casey jersey which features the "JM" patch worn in honor of John Mariucci, "The Godfather of American Hockey". Mariucci played for the University of Minnesota, five seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks, when American players in the NHL was a rarity, and then spent four more seasons playing in the various minor leagues of the day before retiring and entering the world of coaching.

Mariucci coached the University of Minnesota for 12 seasons with another spent as the coach of the US Olympic team, earning a silver medal in 1956. He would also coach Team USA at the 1976 and 1977 World Championships. The home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Mariucci Arena, is named for John and he is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The North Stars adopted this style jersey for the 1978-79 season. This jersey would remain unchanged until 1988-89 with the addition of black to the striping pattern despite the white jerseys having black first added back in 1981, seven years earlier.

Minnesota North Stars 87-88 Casey jersey

Monday, March 28, 2011

love this...

pretty prints! Warehouse:Milly:Miu Miu:Anthropologie:ModCloth:Jessica Simpson:

Our First Spring Beauty

Our patient of the month for March is Teneia! After coming to the decision to have a breast augmentation, Teneia did her research and came to Dr. Walden for it. She wanted a natural look and she looks and feels great! She is so happy with her results, she spoke with LXNY about why she wanted to have the procedure done (video below). Teneia talks about the right reason to have plastic surgery done: she did it for herself. She is a confident and beautiful young woman and we are so happy to have been part of her experience. See what she had to say about it...enjoy!

1989-90 Winnipeg Jets Laurie Boschman Jersey

Following a stellar season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in which he scored 66 goals and 149 points as well as 215 penalty minutes, center Laurie Boschman was drafted 9th overall in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Boschman's first season in Toronto went well enough for an NHL rookie, as he played 80 games and scored 48 points, but year two was derailed by a bought of mononucleosis, from which he returned too quickly and lacked the necessary energy to compete at the NHL level as a result. Worse, he was criticized by the notoriously cantankerous Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard for being too soft as a result of a religious conversion. Despite the "soft" accusations, Boschman racked up 178 penalty minutes in just 53 games that season.

Boschman Maple Leafs

A third abbreviated season in Toronto was cut short by a stomach ulcer before Boschman requested a trade and was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in time for the final 11 games of the 1981-82 season, freeing him from Ballard's criticisms. After playing the majority of the 1982-83 season with the Oilers, Boschman was once again on the trading block due to the depth of the Oilers roster. He landed in Winnipeg with the Jets, a move which would fit him like a glove.

After playing four NHL seasons with a high of 48 points, his first full season with the Jets would see his production immediately increase to 74 points despite playing in just 61 games due to time missed with a separated shoulder. He would also total 234 penalty minutes, making him a true power forward.

Boschman Jets

The following season Boschman set a career high with 76 points, which included another career best of 32 goals, one of a record six Jets to score 30 or more goals. After scoring 69 points, along with a career high of 241 penalty minutes, Boschman's offensive production would decline somewhat as his season totals were in the 40's in 1987 and 1988 before 36 in 1989 and 27 in his final season in Winnipeg in 1989-90.

After eight stable years in Winnipeg, Boschman was sent to the New Jersey Devils where he would play for two seasons.

Boschman Devils

He was then left unprotected in the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft by the Devils, and was subsequently selected by the Ottawa Senators, who named him their first captain in team history. Boschman would play 70 games for the Senators that season, which would include his 1,000th NHL game on this date in 1993.

Boschman Senators

While the Senators would rarely win a game during their first season, going 10-70-4 for a meager 24 points, Boschman would appear in 70 games, his 12th consecutive season with 61 games or more. He would retire following his only season with the Senators, but would return for seven games, in which he scored 18 points, with the Fife Flyers of the British Hockey League in 1994-95 before retiring for good.

Today's featured jersey is a 1989-90 Winnipeg Jets Laurie Boschman jersey as worn during his final season in Winnipeg. This jersey has the Goals for Kids patch worn for the first time in 1988-89, although with the different design which incorporated the Jets logo.

This was the only season during which this style jersey, first introduced back in 1979 when the Jets entered the NHL after the demise of the WHA, with this style of Goals for Kids patch, as the following season would see an all new Jets jersey style that had not only a new Goals for Kids patch, but stripes around the arms rather than down the length of the arms.

Winnipeg Jets 89-80 jersey

Bonus Jersey: Today's bonus jersey is a 1992-93 Ottawa Senators Laurie Boschman jersey as worn during the Senators inaugural season in which they wore the Stanley Cup Centennial patch. Boschman was named the Senators original captain that season, one in which he played in his 1,000th NHL game.

Ottawa Senators 92-93 jersey

Today's video segment begins with Boschman having a good scrap with the Rangers Doug Weight.


Here is the most famous goal Boschman didn't score - a disallowed goal in the 1991 playoffs which would have completed a Devils comeback from three goals down while leading 3 games to 2. Pittsburgh went on to win the game and eventually the Stanley Cup.



Sunday, March 27, 2011

Big Time Jersey Flags

While looking for relevant products to link to at the bottom of a recent post we came across something which naturally caught our eyes.

Jersey flags for your home!

Big Time Jerseys

Obviously we here at Third String Goalie thought they were pretty darn cool and really well done with a very nice attention to detail. These were not just some rectangularly bodied pieces of fabric with arms that stuck straight out and a team logo slapped on the front, but accurately shaped and detailed Reebok Edge jersey designs, complete with the rounded shirt-tail silhouette.

Additionally, we were impressed with the detail of the lace up collars, printed texture for the mesh inserts and depictions of the separate fabric panels which make up a real jersey and the lace up collars where appropriate, as well as the accurate logos and colors.

Big Time Jerseys

Each NHL flag measures 64" wide and 44" high, nearly 5 feet wide and 4 feet tall, and includes a custom curved pole, to make sure the jersey hangs with the proper shape, and all the mounting hardware. To further ensure the jersey hangs with the correct shape, thumb screws hold the jersey in place on the pole to prevent it from bunching up on one end.

Big Time Jerseys box

The flags are made of a durable, weather resistant satin polyester material for indoor and outdoor use and are impressively two-sided! You might expect or assume that it would simply be the front of the jersey on both sides of the flag, which may have been the easy way out, but each flag has an accurate depiction of the back of the jersey on one side with accurate number fonts, such as the unique number fonts as the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild and precise lettering for the names, exemplified by the vertically arched lettering of the Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings.

NHL teams are available in three styles, home dark and road white with both the front and back depicted, or the home dark with the front of the jersey on both sides if you prefer.

Big Time Jerseys
Home Dark, Away Light or Double Front options

In addition to all 30 NHL clubs, Big Time Jersey offers flags for NBA jerseys, including some with star player names and numbers, a few popular colleges in both basketball and football with a variety of jersey numbers to pick from, Army, Air Force and Marines themed shirts, as well as a variety of high school options.

By following the links below, you can purchase your own Big Time Jersey flag direct from Big Time Jersey for $89.99 and pledge your allegiance to your favorite NHL team.