Today in history: April 12

Looking back on April 12 in Indianapolis hockey history. 

1991: An epic seven-game series between the Ice and Fort Wayne Komets begins on a happy note, as Martin Desjardins scores in OT to give the Ice a 3-2 victory at the Coliseum in front of 5,783 fans. The Ice would be defeated in a seventh-game overtime. 

2000: Jan Jas scores an early goal and Jamie Morris begins an incredible playoff run, as the Ice win a deciding fifth game 7-0 over the Tulsa Oilers to move on to the East Division finals. However, the big story wan a wild third period in which the teams combined for more than 300 penalty minutes and fans with the incredible image of Tulsa's Doug Lawrence spread-eagling himself over the exit door at the Coliseum's west end so he couldn't be removed from the ice after being ejected. The Ice would be whistled for 149 PIMs, the Oilers 163 in the game. The teams would finish with barely enough eligible players to finish the game. 

2010: A dominant performance gives the Ice a 6-1 victory over Cedar Rapids at Pan Am Plaza. Max Cook scores twice and adds an assist for the Ice, who win back-to-back games at their temporary home in downtown to send the division semifinal series to a decisive fifth game, which they would win. The Ice go 4-for-6 on the power play. Nic Dowd has a goal and two assists. 

Birthdays

Al Dewsbury: A perennial Capital, Al played parts of four seasons in Indy from 1946-50, totaling 159 games. The rugged defenseman who stood 6-2, 202 scored 29 goals and 54 assists in those games, his best year coming when he tallied 15 goals and 22 assists in 1950, the Calder Cup championship year. He had seven points in the eight playoff games that year, and then joined the Red Wings for their Stanley Cup run. Born in 1926 in Goderich, Ontario, Al passed away in 2006. 

Dave Hanson: Dave "Killer" Hanson played 81 games for the Checkers from 1982-84 -- his final two seasons in hockey -- totaling 18 goals and 285 PIMs in the Adams Cup-winning 1982-83 season, including a goal and three assists in the playoffs. But that's not Hanson's claim to fame. He was Jack Hanson -- one of the three Hanson Brothers -- in the movie Slap Shot. Dave has written a book, and the guys from the movie have their own website. Dave played 136 games in the NHL and WHA, with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, New England Whalers, Birmingham Bulls and Minnesota North Stars. A native of Cumberland, Wisconsin, he is now 57 and currently resides in Pittsburgh.

Dan Miele: Played 55 games for the Checkers in 1985-86, scoring five goals and totaling 11 assists in his final professional season that included stints at AHL Hershey and IHL Fort Wayne. A native of LaSalle, Quebec, he is 49.

Torey Krug: Defenseman who played with the Indiana Ice in 2008-09, totaling 47 points, in addition to a goal and six assists in the Ice's Clark Cup championship postseason run. He has since gone on to play at Michigan State University, where he recently totaled 28 points in 37 games. A native of Livonia, Michigan, he is 20 today.