NOVEMBER 1996 FINAL TOP TEN

1.  Paul Branchaud      38
2.  Jonathan Braniff    35
3.  John Santore        31
4.  Marc Arsenault      30
5.  Mike Pieters        27
    Gene Dupras         27
7.  Mark Benvenga       25
    Ronald Salahub      25
9.  Liam Maguire        21
10. Cameron Thin        20

• November 25, 1996:
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: It's considered common "goaltender trivia" knowledge that Glenn Hall holds the all-time record for consecutive games played, with 502 regular season games. Which goaltender succeeded "Mr. Goalie" in game #503?
  CORRECT ANSWER: It was Dennis DeJordy who replaced "Mr. Goalie" in what would have been game number five-oh-three. Dennis and Glenn later (1967) shared the Vezina Trophy.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: This Olympic gold-medal winning goaltender made his N.H.L. debut in a 33 save, 3-1 victory over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. After this glorious beginning, he only played 11 more N.H.L. games in his short career. Who was he?
  CORRECT ANSWER: Jack McCartan, goaltender for the gold-medal winning 1960 United States Olympic team, was the answer here. Most Olympic goalies seem to be doomed to this fate.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: Two weeks ago, we found that Darren Pang held the record for the shortest career by a goaltender on the All-Rookie Team. Carrying that theme a bit further, name the (retired) goaltender who holds the record for the shortest (in terms of regular season games played) career by a Vezina trophy-winning goaltender.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Johnny Mowers, who won the Vezina during the Second World War (1943) with the Red Wings, is the "winner" in this category, with a mere 152 career games played. Pelle Lindbergh is second with 157 games played.

• November 18, 1996:
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: Name center Ron Francis' cousin.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Ron Francis' cousin is the amazing goaltender, former Cincinnati Stinger/St. Louis Blue/Hartford Whaler/Washington Capital Mike Liut. One of my all-time favourites.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: In the mid-1980's, the Montreal Canadiens, led by Claude Lemieux and Shayne Corson, regularly shot a puck into their opponents' net following the pregame skate. This practice came to a head in the 1987 Conference Finals, when it led to a pregame brawl. Which goaltender tossed his stick at Corson's shot immediately preceeding this brawl?
  CORRECT ANSWER: This Olympic gold-medal winning goaltender made his N.H.L. debut in a 33 save, 3-1 victory over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. After this glorious beginning, he only played 11 more N.H.L. games in his short career. Who was he?

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: Canuck Mike Fountain stopped all forty shots thrown at him last week, successfully landing a shutout in his N.H.L. debut. Name the last goaltender to record a shutout in his first appearance.
  CORRECT ANSWER: On this one, you have to go all the way back to November 1, 1985, when Daren Puppa and the Buffalo Sabres shut out the Edmonton Oilers 2-0. Valerie Hammerl adds that this was the last time ANY Sabres goaltender has shut out the Oilers, under any circumstance. Furthermore, Steve Shikaze presented me with a list of all nineteen goaltenders who have performed this feat; look for more on this at a later date!

• November 11, 1996:
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: As many of you well know, Grant Fuhr of the Oilers holds the single-season record for points scored by a goaltender, with fourteen. However, every one of Grant's points was registered on an assist. Can you name for me the goaltender who holds the single-season record for points in a season, amongst goaltenders who scored at least one goal during the year?
  CORRECT ANSWER: Ron Hextall, in 1987-88, had a total of seven points, one of which was scored on a goal. I don't usually ask questions where the "obvious" answer is the correct one, but I did this time.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: Name the first goaltender to yield a player's 500th career N.H.L. goal.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Glenn Hall yielded Maurice "Rocket" Richard's 500th career N.H.L. goal, on October 19, 1957.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: Not including Corey Hirsch (last year's winner), there have been a total of thirteen goaltenders selected to the N.H.L.'s All-Rookie team since its inception in 1982-83. Name the one who, at the beginning of this season, has played in the fewest career N.H.L. games.
  CORRECT ANSWER: ESPN's Darren Pang is the all-time "leader" in this dubious category, with 81 career games played. Second is Steve Penney (91), and Jim Carey (99), although Jim's still alive and kicking.

• November 4, 1996:
  TWO-POINT QUESTION: Although this journeyman goaltender has just six N.H.L. shutouts to his name (I should talk - I'd kill for six N.H.L. shutouts :-), the past two have come on October 28th. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: It is current Avalanche (and former Bruin) Craig Billington who has earned two of his six career shutouts on October 28th.

  THREE-POINT QUESTION: When he arrived at his first training camp, Chris Nilan was already wearing his #30, so he was given the number 32. Name him.
  CORRECT ANSWER: The goaltender who was forced out of his #30 was then-Canadian Patrick Roy, who later switched to his more customary #33 before his first game.

  FIVE-POINT QUESTION: Last Saturday night, Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy stopped every shot they saw, completing the second N.H.L. double shutout in just under a month. Before this season, name the last two goaltenders to completed a double shutout in the N.H.L.
  CORRECT ANSWER: Before this season, the last two goaltenders who shared a double shutout were John Vanbiesbrouck (44 saves) and Mike Richter (23 saves), on February 28, 1995.