More great moments in hockey history
When Glen Sather became the first member of the Edmonton Oilers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, it had nothing to do with the way he played the game.
Not that the native of High River, Alberta didn't have a respectable career, mind you. It's just that the Oilers, and everyone else in the game came to realize that Sather's hockey brilliance is far more apparent in a suit than it was on skates.
Sather had a 13-year professional career that included 10 seasons in the NHL with six teams, and one more with the Oilers when they were in the WHA. But when he took over as coach of the team, and then as general manager, he set the organization on a path that has made it one of the most successful in the game's history.
In the 24 years he has been in Edmonton, Sather has been the architect of a club that has won five Stanley Cups and made the playoffs 19 times. He has kept the team competitive and exciting, despite playing in one of the game's smallest and most financially-disadvantaged markets.
Recognized throughout the game as one of the most brilliant administrators around, Sather has had many opportunities over the years to leave for other, richer organizations. He hasn't, demonstrating a rare sense of loyalty and commitment to a team that gave him his first chance to make decisions when it named him coach of the team.
That was on March 3, 1977, and it was one of the memorable events that took place in hockey history during the week of Feb. 28 - March 5.
Historical photos courtesy of Hockeyonline.com
February 28
Ross Brooks aged well in the minors.(Provided to SportsLine) They say good things come to those who wait, a notion that Ross Brooks can certainly attest to. After more than 13 seasons of bouncing around the minor leagues, Brooks was 36 years old and a ROOKIE when he got his name into the record books on this date in 1974. Playing goal for the Boston Bruins, Brooks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 8-1 to earn his 14th consecutive victory, an NHL record at the time. The record proved to be short-lived, however, broken two years later by another Bruins netminder named Gilles Gilbert, who won 17 games in a row.
February 29
Patrik Sundstrom played 10 seasons in the NHL, splitting his time evenly between the Vancouver Canucks and the New Jersey Devils. He was a productive player for both teams, but one of his most memorable games came on this date in 1984 when he scored a goal and added six assists to set a Canucks record for points in a single game. The performance helped Vancouver defeat Pittsburgh 9-5.
March 1
Comedians would love to have a set-up man like Wayne Gretzky.(Allsport) He is the greatest goal scorer in the history of hockey, but most people will remember Wayne Gretzky as being the consummate play-maker. One of the favorite targets for Gretzky passes was always Jari Kurri, and on this date in 1988, the two worked their magic for a goal against the Kings, a team they would both play for later in their careers. The assist was No. 1,050 in Gretzky's career, and it enabled him to surpass Gordie Howe as the all-time leader in that category.
March 2
Phil Esposito was the greatest scorer of his era.(Provided to SportsLine) The Chicago Blackhawks regretted trading Phil Esposito to Boston for years, but probably never more than on this date in 1969. Playing in his second season with the Bruins, Esposito scored a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins for his 100th point of the season, making him the first player in league history to reach that mark. Espo, who ended up with 126 points that season, cracked the century mark five more times in his career.
March 3
Terry Crisp was struck by Lightning in Tampa Bay.(Allsport) Terry Crisp is one of only 13 men to have played on and coached a Stanley Cup winner. Of course, that impressive background doesn't help much when you find yourself behind the bench of an expansion team, as Crisp did between 1992 and 1997 when he coached the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, Crisp did an admirable job and on this date in 1996, he became the first coach in NHL history to win 100 career games with a newly-created team.
March 4
Sam LoPresti could have used some defense(Provided to SportsLine) If any goaltender had a right to sue his teammates for lack of support, it would have been Sam LoPresti on this date in 1941. Playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, faced an NHL-record 83 shots from the Boston Bruins, the team that would go on to win the Stanley Cup that year. LoPresti made 80 saves, but it wasn't enough to keep Chicago from losing 3-2.
March 5
There can be an honest debate about who was the greatest goaltender of all-time, but players who were around for the formation of the NHL always ranked Clint Benedict right up there. Benedict, who played 13 seasons, led the league in goals-against average for five straight years, and won four Stanley Cups. He is also wore the first version of a goalie mask, although he discarded it quickly because it obstructed his view. He holds several records as well, and entered the books on this date in 1921 when he became the first netminder in history to record 10 career shutouts.