Today in history: June 5-6

The weekend edition of Today in History: Birthdays!

June 5
Alfie Turcotte: One of a handful of Hoosiers to wear the sweater of a local hockey team. Turcotte was a native of Gary, although he grew up in Michigan. He was picked in the first round -- 17th overall -- by the Canadiens in 1983. He played 17 games with the Ice in 1997-98, toward the end of his professional career, totaling five goals and six assists. Between 1983-91, he played 112 NHL games for the Canadiens, Jets and Capitals, although he primarily played in the AHL. He totaled 17 goals and 29 assists in his NHL career. He played in Europe from 1991-95 before returning to the States to play for the Orlando Solar Bears and then split the 1997-98 season between the Ice and European leagues. He is 46.

June 6
Jan Jas: A right wing for the Ice from 1999-2001 -- helping key the 2000 Miron Cup championship. Jas joined the Ice partway through the 1999-2000 season and immediately propelled them, scoring 26 goals and adding 21 assists in just 45 games. He often paired with his brother Peter and winger Blaz Emersic on a line. In total, he played 90 games for the Ice, tallying 38 goals and 28 assists. He also had three goals and seven assists in 15 postseason games in 2000. He played in Austria in 2001-02, but returned to the United States and played seven of the next eight years in the Atlantic Coast, Central and United/International Hockey Leagues. He tallied a second professional 20-goal season with Roanoke Valley of the UHL in 2005-06. He retired from playing at the end of the 2009 season and now serves as the coach of Indiana University's club hockey team.  A native of Presov, Slovakia, he is 33.