FINAL OCTOBER 1997 TOP TEN

1.  Patrick Houda           56
    Mike Pieters            56
3.  Corby Gilmore           35
    Jani Lehti              35
5.  Lou Ford                30
6.  Gary Balentine          20
7.  M.M. Armstrong          19
8.  Norm Szcyrek            18
9.  Greg Weston             15
10. Paul Branchaud          12
    John Santore            12

• GOALTENDER TRIVIA YEAR FOUR WEEK ONE (Answers due 10pm MDT October 3, 1997):
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: In Game Seven of the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, Florida's Tom Fitzgerald fired a 58-foot slapshot that ended up being the game-winner. The goaltender yielding the goal may have felt a sense of deja vu, as he was in the winning net a few years earlier as a teammate beat the Rangers' Mike Richter on a similar shot. Who was the goaltender?
  CORRECT ANSWER: It was the Penguins' Tom Barrasso who yielded Fitzgerald's long goal, sending the Panthers to the Cup Final. To his (and Wregget's) credit, I don't think the Pens would have gotten past Washington if it weren't for the play of their goaltenders.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: After being thwarted twice in his quest to be a starting goaltender (by Rogie Vachon and Ken Dryden), this goaltender made his mark in the N.H.L. primarily due to expansion. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Phil Myre was stuck behind first Rogie Vachon, and then Ken Dryden, before the expansion Atlanta Flames took him in the draft. He then played nearly six years for the Flames, and retired in 1983.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: Although he is one of the top goaltending coaches today, this goaltender had a disappointing career as a player, seeing action in only ninety-eight major league regular-season games. Who is he?
  CORRECT ANSWER: Jacques Caron, goaltender coach of the New Jersey Devils, is the man with 98 major-league games experience. Don't forget his 26 in the World Hockey Association!

• GOALTENDER TRIVIA YEAR FOUR WEEK TWO (Answers due 10pm MDT 10/10/97):
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: Among goaltenders who played in an NHL game last season, this (NHL) team can claim the greatest number as either current members or alumni. Name the team.
  CORRECT ANSWER: The Boston Bruins are the league leaders in this rather odd category, with ten (alphabetically, they are: Scott Bailey, Mike Bales, Craig Billington, Jon Casey, Jim Carey, Tim Cheveldae, Andy Moog, Bill Ranford, Paxton Schafer, and Rob Tallas). Colorado/Quebec was second with nine. Interestingly enough, the source I had for this (Denver Post) listed the New Jersey Devils as the correct answer - they were tied for third with eight.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: In the 1993 expansion draft, this goaltender was selected by two different teams; eventually he played for neither. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: This would be the lovable, huggable Glenn Healy, who had one wild couple of days: On June 24, 1993, he was selected by the Mighty Ducks in the first phase of the expansion draft; the next day, he was selected by the Lightning. That afternoon, the Lightning traded him to the Rangers for a third-round choice. At least he got a Cup ring out of it.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: This goaltender starred for the Swedish National Team before coming to the World Hockey Association's New England Whalers. In the off-season, he would race high-speed motorboats in European regattas. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: The famous Christer Abrahamsson, who played with his twin brother Thommy on the great Whalers teams of the late seventies.

• GOALTENDER TRIVIA YEAR FOUR WEEK THREE (Answers due 10pm MDT 10/17/97):
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: Among goaltenders with at least 100 NHL games played, this man is the active leader (and it's not even close) in career winning percentage. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER:Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings is the active leader in winning percentage, with a 77.2% clip as of the season's start. Next four: Brodeur (67.4%), Moog (67.3%), Roy (65.3%), Vernon (65.1%)

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: Last week, the Avalanche's Patrick Roy recorded a shutout on his 32nd birthday. Name the last goaltender to record an NHL shutout on their birthday.
  CORRECT ANSWER: On his 33rd birthday (Feb. 24, 1996), Detroit's Mike Vernon shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: On Saturday, Wayne Gretzky recorded his fiftieth career NHL hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks and goaltender Kirk McLean. Against which netminder did the Great One record his first career NHL hat trick?
  CORRECT ANSWER: Two goaltenders share the honour of giving up Gretzky's first NHL hat trick. (Fortunately, I didn't have to decide partial credit, because both of the people who knew one goalie also knew the other). On February 1, 1980, the Jets' Pierre Hamel yielded the first two Gretzky goals, and Markus Mattsson was in the net for the third.

• GOALTENDER TRIVIA YEAR FOUR WEEK FOUR (Answers due 10pm MDT 10/24/97):
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: As you all know, Pittsburgh's Tom Barrasso became the most recent member of the 300-win club yesterday afternoon. Before Tom, who was the last goaltender to achieve 300 wins?
  CORRECT ANSWER: Detroit's Mike Vernon was the last goaltender, prior to Barrasso, to win 300 N.H.L. games. Most of you probably remember this game; it was the infamous "brawl" game between the Wings and Avalanche (3/26/97).

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: Less of you may know that Barrasso is a left-handed goaltender. Before Tom, who was the last leftie goaltender to achieve 300 wins?
  CORRECT ANSWER: The Oilers' Grant Fuhr was the last lefty to win 300 N.H.L. games, on November 30, 1995 against the Jets.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: The New York Islanders are 18-7-1 in home openers, including three shutouts, the last being this year's shutout of Toronto. Before this season, name the other Islander goaltender(s) to record home-opener shutouts.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Chico Resch (1975 vs. Kings) and Billy Smith (1982 vs. Penguins) are the only other Islanders goaltenders to record home opener shutouts. Patrick Houda points out that both games featured Islander hat tricks; Bryan Trottier in 1975 (his first) and Butch Goring in 1982.

• GOALTENDER TRIVIA YEAR FOUR WEEK FIVE (Answers due 10pm MDT 10/31/97):
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: Name the goaltender who yielded the first goal (chronologically) of the 1997-98 season.
  CORRECT ANSWER: On October 1, at 1:33 of the first period, defenseman Kevin Hatcher beat Kings goaltender Stephane Fiset for the first goal of the 1997-98 N.H.L. season.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: When his coach accused him of having a "beer belly", this goaltender responded by saying "He should know better than that - He knows I only drink Scotch." Name this goaltender.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Gump Worsley was the man who was criticized by coach Phil Watson for his weight problem. It should be noted that Turk Broda was involved in a similar incident.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: On January 4, 1976, the Soviet Wings were defeated soundly by the Buffalo Sabres, by a score of 12 to 6. At the time, this was the worst loss ever by a USSR squad in international play. Name the goaltenders of record in the contest.
  CORRECT ANSWER: The Sabres' goaltender in this clash was Gerry Desjardins. The Soviet Wings used Aleksandr Sidelnikov, who was replaced after yielding five goals in twenty-five minutes. His backup, Aleksandr Krylikov, gave up two goals in four minutes, and Sidelnikov was re-inserted.

  BONUS QUESTION: With 26, this goaltender holds the all-time California Seals team record for penalty minutes in one season by a goaltender. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Gary "The Cobra" Simmons recorded 26 penalty minutes for the Seals in 1974-75.