NHL Goalie Mask Turns 50

Direct from NHL Online comes their one-hour special "50 Years Behind the Mask" taking an in-depth look at the history of the hockey goalie mask. Dan Pollard hosts a special first aired Sunday, November 1st, the 50th Anniversary of the first time a goalie wore a mask in a NHL game. It was 50 years ago to the day, when Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante placed the mask over his face and skated on the ice. During the game, while playing without a mask, he was hit with a puck and need the mask to continue to play in net. This documentary talks in far more detail about the night Jacques Plante daringly dashed onto the ice wearing his now famous mask.

Today the goalie mask saves injuries and more than likely lives. This one-hour special highlights different masks through the years and get different goalie's opinions of the mask, each from different eras. Each goalie digs deep to reflect on what their masks meant to them. Ken Dryden, known for his Pretzel Mask, has an interview via satellite and Kevin Weekes interviews goaltending legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bower from inside the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Goalie masks remain to be a fascination with the fans of the NHL. I too truly enjoy everytime announcers describe the reasons behind the intricate details of a goaltender's design. One feature of the program I enjoy is that as they return-from commercial breaks they show slideshows of various goalies over the years. They also look into the creation process of today's masks and how their customized paint jobs are designed and finalized. Hockey fans and sports fans alike will enjoy "50 Years Behind the Mask."