Cateye goalie mask full#
Cateye goalie mask professional#

Although Plante faced some laughter, the face-hugging fiberglass goaltender mask soon became the standard by late 1969, only a few NHL goaltenders went without one. When he introduced the mask into the NHL, many questioned his dedication and bravery in response, Plante made an analogy to a person, which he described as skydiving without a parachute, which he considered a gesture of stupidity rather than bravery. Plante donned the mask the next night, and for the remainder of his career. In preparation for the playoffs, Plante was asked by Blake to remove it for a game on March 8, a 3–0 loss. Montreal won the game 3–1 and continued on an 18-game unbeaten streak, which went through November. After being stitched up, Plante gave Blake an ultimatum, refusing to go back out onto the ice without the mask, to which Blake obliged, not wanting to forfeit the game, since NHL teams did not have back-up goaltenders at the time. Plante had previously worn his mask in practice, but head coach Toe Blake refused to allow him to wear it in a game, fearing it would inhibit his vision. On November 1, 1959, in the first period of a game between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) at Madison Square Garden, Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante was struck in the face by a shot from Andy Bathgate. It was not until 1959 that a goaltender wore a mask full-time.

Jacques Plante's original fiberglass mask, first used on November 1, 1959 He later moved to the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association and played without a mask until his retirement in 1977.

The last goaltender to play without a mask was Andy Brown, who played his last NHL game in 1974.

Cateye goalie mask professional#

Since the invention of the fiberglass ice hockey mask, professional goaltenders no longer play without a mask, considering it is now a mandatory piece of equipment.

Cateye goalie mask full#

Today, the full fiberglass mask with the birdcage facial protector (known as a 'combo mask') is the more popular option, because it is safer and offers better visibility. This mask later evolved into a helmet-cage combination, and single piece full fiberglass mask. Plante's mask was a piece of fiberglass that was contoured to his face. Jacques Plante was the first ice hockey goaltender to create and use a practical mask in 1959. This article deals chiefly with masks designed for ice hockey goaltenders. Some recent changes have also occurred in bandy though not without controversy. In some cases the facemask must meet safety specifications designed for use in a specific sport such as ringette. In ice hockey it is sometimes simply referred to as a hockey mask. This article deals chiefly with the goal masks used in ice hockey. Some sports requiring their use include ice hockey, lacrosse, inline hockey, field hockey, rink hockey, ringette, bandy, rinkball, broomball, and floorball. Vent holes are positioned to facilitate rapid air ventilation and heat dispersal for cooler play.Braden Holtby wears a goaltender mask, protecting his head from an incoming shot on goal from Bryan Rust.Ī goaltender mask, commonly referred to as a goalie mask, is a mask worn by goaltenders in a variety of sports to protect the head and face from injury from the ball or puck, as they constantly face incoming shots on goal. The chin cup features a quick change Velcro adjustment to allow the goaltender more options on fitting. Full skull plate harness with heavy duty elastic straps and buckles provides complete adjustment. All attachment hardware is manufactured in stainless steel for strength and durability to increase longevity. The stainless steel will not rust and provides added durability. Cages are all constructed from high grade stainless steel with a low luster finish to reduce glare and blend into the ice surface to increase visibility. The cage design has been optimized to provide true vision sight lines and positions the cage bars to achieve maximum forward and peripheral vision. Dual density vinyl nitrile VN padding provides exceptional protection, comfort and fit. Full inner shell padding with no gaps in impact areas gives complete coverage and meets all new certification rules. The flared lower chin provides added rigidity and allows the goaltender to close off the area between the neck and chest for greater protection coverage. The shell shape has been carefully contoured and molded to reduced flat spots in the design to reduce impacts in critical areas and provide lighter weight and higher strength. The 7700 SB goal mask is engineered to provide increased performance with greater visibility and sight lines.