Today in history: December 29

December 29 in Indianapolis hockey history

1956: The Chiefs beat Huntington 9-1, setting a club record for win margin in a game. Pierre Brillant scores, adds two assists. Marc Boileau and Bob Bowness also score twice. 

1981: The Checkers nearly pack the Coliseum, as 7,526 turn out to see a 4-2 victory over the Tulsa Oilers. Kelly Hrudey tends net. It is the third in what would be an eight-game winning streak. 

1998: Sylvain Cloutier scores a hat trick for the Ice, but they fall to Fort Wayne 9-5. 

Birthdays

Mike Ratchford: Center for the Chiefs in 1960-61, playing six games. He had three assists in what would be his final pro season. A native of Sudbury, Ont., he was born in 1933. 

Neil Davey: Defenseman for the Checkers in 1986-87, where he had two goals and 11 assists in 44 games. It was the end of a two-year pro career that was also spent with the AHL Maine Mariners and the IHL Toledo Goaldiggers. A native of Edmonton, he is 46.

Today in history: December 27

December 27 in Indianapolis hockey history

1955: Leo Lamoureaux joins the Chiefs as a 5-11, 195-pound defenseman from Windsor, who had played for the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL. Leo would be named coach one week later. 

1957: The Chiefs beat Louisville 9-7, setting what was then an IHL record for goals by both teams. Pierre Brillant and Marc Boileau each have 2 goals and 1 assist. The Chiefs score six times in the first period. 

Birthdays

Joe Bonvie: Goalie for the Ice for three games in 1994-95. He had a 1-1-0 record and a 6.60 GAA in those games. He played three pro seasons for six different teams in four different leagues -- all of those except his Ice stint at the "AA" level -- as well as some stints in roller hockey. He retired from ice hockey after the 1997 season and from roller hockey two years later. A native of Stephenville, Newfoundland, he is 40. 

Steve L'Ecuyer: Ice defenseman for 38 games in 2003-04, going scoreless. He had 73 PIMs in those 38 games. He played three pro seasons in the CHL, ECHL and the Quebecois LNAH before retiring in 2006. A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., he is 29.

 

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.