The 2009 Montreal Centennial Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/24/2009
Up for auction is an incredible Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens GAME
USED Forum Net Custom Framed *5 CUPS* LTD 16x20 Edition.This is an
incredible 16x20 photograph of Jacques Plante which has been custom
matted and framed along with a full large piece of GAME USED net
directly from the nets used in the Montreal Forum!ONLY 100 of these
magnificent pieces have been produced in honor of the Canadiens 100th
Anniversary.This is a true piece of Montreal Canadiens history, and a
must have for fan of le bleu, blanc et rouge!If not the best goalie of
all time, Jacques Plante was certainly the most important - the man
who introduced the art of modern goaltending to the NHL and whose
influence is seen every night a game is played. "Jake the Snake" was
born in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, and from the time he started
playing, his destiny was to play for the Montreal Canadiens. After a
usual four-year apprenticeship with the Montreal Royals in Quebec
senior hockey and two years with the Buffalo Bisons, Plante quickly
emerged as Montreal's goalie of the future. He played a few games for
the Habs in 1952-53 and 1953-54, and in his first full season began an
incredible run of five consecutive Stanley Cup wins and five
consecutive Vezina Trophy wins, records that have yet to be equaled.
Throughout his career he was plagued with recurring asthma and after
missing 13 games due to a sinusitis operation, Plante began wearing a
mask in practices in 1956. Coach Toe Blake endorsed the move
cautiously because it kept his goalie healthy and happy, but he warned
Plante that a mask wasn't permitted during games. However, during a
Montreal versus New York game the night of November 2, 1959, Plante
was hit in the face by a shot. He went off to the dressing room for
stitches and when he returned he was wearing a mask. Blake was livid,
but he had no other goalie to call upon and Plante refused to return
to the goal unless he kept the mask. Blake agreed on condition that
Plante discard the mask when the cut had healed. In the ensuing days
Plante refused, and as the team continued to win, Blake became less
obstinate. The Montreal record stretched into an 18-game unbeaten
streak with Plante protected and the mask was in the NHL for good.
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