Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - - Radim Vrbata

 

Radim's first shining moment on NHL ice came in his debut on November 20, 2001, as he tallied two assists.  the very next night, Vrbata scored his first goal while adding two more helpers.

I'm not sure how Pacific gets Shining Moments to come through with the graphic of a deckle edge photo on the front of the card. Seems like a stretch.  Also, his name spelled backward is Midar Atabrv, who is also a hockey player on the Uzbekistan National Hockey Team. 

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Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - - Jeff Carter

Carter skated in his 1000th NHL game on November 16, 2019, and celebrated the milestone by scoring the game-winning goal in Los Angeles' 4-3 home victory over Vegas.

These days, Carter, the London, Ontario native, spends his time being awesome on the Penguins, helming one of the top lines in the absence of Crosby or Malkin or sitting on the third line putting up points. Apparently he was also a New Year's baby.  I didn't know that.

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Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - Paul Gardner

Paul Gardner was a former junior star with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey Association. He was the club's first draft pick in 1976.  As an amateur, he scored 69 goals and assisted on 75 more for 144 points. He finished 3rd in the OHA scoring race for the campaign and was also picked as the team's MVP.

On this date in 1976, Gardener scored his first MHL goal in his league debut with the Colorado Rockies club.  It was a game against the Montreal Canadiens where they skated to a 3-3 tie.

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Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - Jacques Plante

 

Hockey history was changed forever, and for the best, when goaltending legend Jacques Plante introduced the world to a strange new piece of goaltending equipment.  The MASK!  

Plante revolutionized the art of goaltending during his 18-year NHL career.  He won six Vezina Trophies while playing for the Montreal Canadiens, including five straight from 1956 to 1960. He is credited with being the first "active" goaltender, emerging from his crease to stop the puck for his defensemen or to pass it up the rink to his forwards. 

It was just a regular season game on November 1, 1959 against the fledgling New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.  However, it became a historical moment in NHL and hockey history when Plante made the decision to wear the face guard he had only previously wore in practice.  Despite his coach, Toe Blake's, objection to the use of the mask, it was necessary at this point as Plante took an Andy Bathgate backhander in the face.  Bathgate was known to have one of the hardest shots in the league and the puck split Plante wide open, from his mouth to his nose, leaving a trail of blood from the goal crease to the bench as he was helped off the ice. After about 20 minutes and a ton of stitches, Plante returned, donning his mask, and helped the Habs to a 3-1 victory. He wore the mask from that point forward and helped pave the way to others following suit.

After retiring in 1965, Plante returned to the NHL with the St. Louis Blues and won his record seventh Vezina Trophy in 1969. Plante later played for the Leafs and then the Bruins, finally retiring for good at the young age of 46.

Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - Matthew Tkachuk

Elite Prospects describes Matthew Tkachuk as, "A multi-dimensional energy winger who plays a pro-style, adaptive game. Well-versed as a guy who can consistently put up points, but also as an agitator who plays with a little bit of bite and nastiness."  That last part is what makes Matthew a player fans love to hate. 

Tkachuk scored with a second remaining in Overtime in a game against the Nashville Predators on Halloween night, October 31, 2019. Firing home a rebound from the slot with a wrist shot, the Flames secured the W at Bridgestone Arena.

Hockey History As Told By Cardboard - - Jaden Schwartz

 

Schwartz recorded a six game points streak from October 14 -27, 2017 totaling eight points (5-3) as the Blues went 4-1-1 over that stretch.

The Blues at that point earned points in five straight, improving to 8-2-1, the fourth best start to a campaign in franchise history.  At that point in the season, Schwartz ranked 3rd in the NHL with 7 goals, 8 assists in 11 games. This point was an assist on Brayden Schenn's GWG.

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