Today in history: January 16

January 16 in Indianapolis hockey history
Birthdays
Ken Kilrea: Capitals winger for parts of four different seasons between 1939-44. In 78 games with the Caps, he had 29 goals and 64 assists. He split each of those years with the Detroit Red Wings, and he also took the 1942-43 season off as it was in the midst of WWII. He had nine points to help lead the Caps to the 1942 Turner Cup championship. His brother Hec also played for the Caps. He continued to play in the AHL through 1949. He also had 39 points in 88 NHL games with the Red Wings, all concurrently with his tenure with the Caps. A native of Ottawa, he was born in 1919, and passed away in 1990.
Pat McReavy: Caps center for one game in 1941-42. He was dealt to Detroit from Boston and suited up for a single game with the Caps, and 34 with the Red Wings that year. After WWII service, he played two more years with the AHL St. Louis Flyers through 1947. He also had 15 points in 55 NHL games with Detroit and Boston. He won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 1939 and 1941. A native of Owen Sound, Ont., he was born in 1918, and passed away in 2001.
John Sorrell: Capitals' coach from 1943-46. He also played the first two seasons as a player-coach, totaling 37 goals and 43 assists in 107 games (and 10 points in 10 playoff games). As a coach, he had a 63-55-28 record in two and a half seasons. He also briefly coached the Chiefs in 1955-56. Sorrell had been an NHL veteran, with 246 points in 490 NHL games from 1930-41 with Detroit and the New York Americans. He won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 1936 and 1937. A native of Chesterville, Ont., he was born in 1906. He passed away in 1984.
Todd Rohloff: Ice defenseman for 17 games from 1997-99. He had two goals and one assist in the regular season, and one of each in six playoff games. He would go on to play 75 NHL games with the Capitals and Blue Jackets before retiring in 2006. A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., he is 38.

Today in history: January 8

January 8 in Indianapolis hockey history

1946: Johnny Sorrell leaves Capitals’ coaching position to become GM. Earl Siebert replaces him for the balance of the season. Sorrell posted 62-55-30 record from 1943-46. Siebert would go 15-7-4 the rest of the year, but the Caps would be eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs.

Birthday
Ray Aho: Ice goaltender in 2000-01, sharing time with Jamie Morris that season. One of several CHL Ice players to hail from Ohio State University, Aho had a 19-13-5 record, a 3.05 GAA and one shutout in 38 games. That was his lone pro season. A native of Allen Park, Mich., he is 36.
 

Today in history: December 25

Christmas day in Indianapolis hockey history

1943: Carl Smith, John Sorrell and Alex Ritson score 1:28 apart in the first period to give the Caps a 3-0 lead in an eventual 6-4 win over the Cleveland Barons. 

Birthday

Steve Wochy: Colorful right wing for the Capitals, playing 87 games for the blue and white between 1944-47. He had 35 goals and 44 assists for the Caps, including a 21-goal season in 1946-47, in which he played 56 games. He played 11 pro seasons between 1944-55, spending nearly all of them in the AHL. He did play 54 games for the Red Wings in 1944-45 and in 1946-47. He had 19 goals and 20 assists in 1944-45, in the tail end of World War II. Although he was known on the ice as Steve Wochy, his given last name was Wojciechowski. A Sault Ste. Marie newspaper caught up with him two years ago. A native of Fort William, Ont., he is 89. 

Today in history: November 4

November 4 in Indianapolis hockey history

1939: The Indianapolis Capitals play the first game in Indianapolis hockey history and beat the Hershey Bears 4-3. The first goal was scored by Joe Carveth (unassisted) at 12:00 of the first period. Byron “Bucko” McDonald had the game-winner, and Jimmy Franks had the win in goal. The game also marks the debut of the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, which would be renamed the Pepsi Coliseum in 1990 and, 72 years later, is still the home of hockey in Indianapolis. 

1943: John Sorrell joins the Capitals as coach in 1943. He had been hired weeks before, and needed to arrange care for his young children, so Carson Cooper coached the first few games. A player/coach, he scored the game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw at Buffalo.

1950: The Capitals break a 9-game winless streak to start the year (0-8-1) by beating the Cleveland Barons 6-1. Gerry Reid would score twice and Fred Glover would have three assists. Two games later, goaltender Bill Brennan would be replaced by 30-year-old veteran “Sugar” Jim Henry, who would lead the Caps to a 38-29-3 record and soon be back in the NHL. 

1956: The Chiefs win their franchise-record seventh straight game, beating the powerful Cincinnati Mohawks 5-2. Marc Boileau scores two goals and adds an assist.