Today in history: January 17

January 17 in Indianapolis hockey history

1961: Carl Wetzel makes 58 saves, but gives up a penalty shot goal in the final minute and the Chiefs tie Fort Wayne 2-2.

1980: Alex McKendry scores a hat trick against Birmingham’s Reggie Lemelin in a 7-5 Checkers victory, giving the team hat tricks in back-to-back games. 

Birthdays

Joe Cleary: Ice defenseman in 1992-93. He had 10 goals, 17 assists and 110 PIMs in 63 games with the Ice. He also had a goal in three postseason games that year in the series against the Atlanta Knights. The Blackhawks' fifth-round pick in 1998 and a former Boston College captain, Cleary played one more pro season, split between IHL Kansas City and ECHL Charlotte. A native of Boxboro, Mass, he was born in 1970. He passed away in 2009. 

Andrew Taylor: Left wing for the Ice in 2002-03. He had 13 goals and 24 assists in 59 games that season. He also had two goals and three assists in eight postseason games. The Islanders' seventh-round pick in 1995, Taylor broke into pro hockey in 1999 in the ECHL, and played with seven different ECHL and CHL teams through 2004, before playing senior hockey in Ontario. A native of Stratford, Ont., he is 35. 

Mike Zeibaq: Ice defenseman for part of the 2003-04 season. He had four goals and an assist in 38 games. He also played that season with CHL Lubbock and SEHL Knoxville, the second of his two pro seasons. A native of Hauppauge, N.Y., he is 32. 

Mike Embach: Ice winger in 2006-07. He had a goal and six assists in 18 games after coming from the Chicago Steel at the end of the season. He also had two goals and two assists in seven playoff games. Embach went on to a four-year career at Ferris State, and finished the 2010-11 season with the AHL Texas Stars. He is currently playing with the ECHL Chicago Express. A native of Orland Park, Ill., he is 24. 

Stanislav Galiev: Ice winger in 2008-09. He had 29 goals and 35 assists in 60 games to help lead the Ice to a strong season, and then had five goals and four assists in 13 playoff games to help lead the team to the Clark Cup championship. Galiev was a high-scoring forward on the Ice's first -- and so far only -- championship team, but then he went to Canadian Major Junior and won that country's national title, playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs team that won the 2011 Memorial Cup title, so he has now won the top national championship in both the U.S. and Canada. Galiev has tallied at least 60 points in each of his three full junior seasons to date. He was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, and will begin his pro career next season. A native of Moscow, he is 20. 

Today in history: December 19

December 19 in Indianapolis hockey history

1960:  Carl Wetzel makes 65 saves, but the Chiefs still lose 5-3 to the St. Paul Rangers on the road. 

Birthday

Nels Podolsky: The perennial Capital -- "Nellie" played 264 games for the Caps from 1946-51. He tallied 175 points, with 80 goals and 95 assists in those five seasons. He had a 25-goal season in 1947-48, and followed it up with a 26-goal year the following season. He had a goal and four assists to help lead the Capitals to a clean sweep of the 1950 Calder Cup Playoffs. Podolsky played one regular-seaon game and seven playoff games in the NHL for Detroit in 1948-49.  After leaving the Caps in 1951, he continued to play through 1957 -- the last three years for the IHL Troy Bruins. A native of Winnipeg, he is 86.

Today in history: December 12

December 12 in Indianapolis hockey history

1942: Adam Brown has a six-point night, with two goals and four assists in an 8-4 victory over the Washington Lions. Brown's son, Andy, later played goal for the Racers. 

1943: Defenseman Vic Lynn scores twice in an 18-second span to give the Caps a 5-3 victory against Pittsburgh. 

Birthdays

Carl Wetzel: Goaltender for the Chiefs in 1960-61, where he had a 3.88 GAA in 52 starts. He would end up playing in eight playoff games for Fort Wayne that year, also. He was the most valuable goaltender in the 1967 World Championships, representing the United States. Wetzel also played seven NHL games and one WHA game in his career, suiting up for the Red Wings, North Stars and Minnesota Fighting Saints before retiring in 1973. A native of Detroit, he is 73. 

Mike Rucisnki: High-scoring forward for the Ice in 1989-90, helping lead them to a Turner Cup championship. He was second on the team in scoring that year, with 28 goals and 41 assists. He also had 11 points in 13 playoff games to help lead the Ice to a 11-2 postseason record that year and the championship. He had a 107-point season for the Saginaw Hawks the year before. Rucinski, who played three games for the Chicago Blackhawks, retired after his Ice season. A native of Wheeling, Ill., he is 48. 

Nick Bailen: A defenseman who has appeared in more games for the Indiana Ice than anyone. He played from 2005-08, then returned to the team after a year in college for the 2009-10 season. In those four years, he played 221 games, scored 29 goals, dished 56 assists and spent 420 minutes in the penalty box. Bailen also had six playoff points. He is currently a junior at RPI, where he was a First Team All-ECAC player in 2011. A native of Fredonia, N.Y., he is 22.