Jim, I finished off my hockey career by cross checking a guy across the nose.
I was playing junior hockey, the next step would have been one division up, then a farm team or the NHL if I were to be so lucky.
I was the Captain of that team, my assistant was Dirk Graham who happened to end his career as captain of the Chicago Black Hawks. Good guy he was and deserved more than what he got.
I was playing defense, had the puck and was just about to pass it forward when some A Hole on the other team took his stick and gave me a good shot between the legs.
Of course, none of the fans saw this, they just saw me cross check the guy across his nose and make a bit of blood happen on the ice.
Yeah, so cans work if you take one straight on, not from underneath.
Anyway, that was the last time I played a game of hockey. I went out with a bang but pretty sure the guy that did that to me never used his stick on another players package ever again.
But I remember the early days of the NHL. One goalie, Gump Worsely and any of the other goalies never wore a mask. Man, that must have been brutal.
