This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 6

The 1982 Checkers take the lead in the Adams Cup Final, the 2009 Ice score three goals in 44 seconds to take command of the Clark Cup Final, and the 2012 Ice play the final game in the pre-renovation Fairgrounds Coliseum. Also, birthday celebrations for former Ice players Bob Bassen and Cheyne Lazar. 

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: May 2

In today's installment, the 2009 Ice take a big step toward a title, the 2007 Ice take a step toward getting to the league final four, Mike McNeill has a Gordie Howe hat trick in 1990, the 1983 Checkers get to within a game of a championship, and the 1977 Racers are eliminated by the Nordiques. Also, birthdays for former Racer Jim Hargreaves, former Checker Steve Stoyanovich, CHL Ice Ryan Reid and USHL Ice Mike Gurtler and Tristin Llewellyn, as well as a posthumous recognition of ex-Capital "Jud" McAtee. 

Today in history: May 6

2009: The Ice score three goals in a 44 second span of the first period, with Shane Berschbach, Ben Albertson and Max Cook doing the honors. Mike Cichy later adds two goals in a dominant 6-0 victory that puts the team on the cusp of a title, with a 2-1 series lead in the Clark Cup Finals. Brett Bennett makes 20 saves. 

Birthdays

Bob Bassen: Like yesterday's birthday celebrant (and his 1989-90 Ice teammate) Mike Stapleton, Bob was a second-generation Indianapolis hockey player. His father Hank was a goaltender for the short-lived Capitols team in 1963 -- nearly two years before Bob was born. Bassen had played five NHL seasons -- three and change with the Islanders before being traded to the Blackhawks in 1988 -- before coming to the Ice in 1989-90. He spent much of that season in Indy, totaling a 22-32-54 line with 179 PIMs on one of the deepest minor-league rosters this city has seen. He also had 11 playoff points in helping the Ice win the Turner Cup that year. A center, Bassen would be claimed by the St. Louis Blues in the waiver draft the summer after his year in Indianapolis, and he would spend 10 more years in the NHL with the Blues, Nordiques, Stars and Flames. All told, he played 765 NHL games over 15 seasons from 1985-2000, scored 88 goals and had 1,004 PIMs. Today, he lives in suburban Dallas. A native of Calgary, he is 46 today. 

Cheyne Lazar: Winger who played four games and registered one assist with the inaugural CHL Ice squad in 1999-2000. He had scored 17 goals for the San Antonio Iguanas the year before. Those two seasons would comprise the RIT grad's professional career. A native of Montreal, he is 37.