Goaltender mask

Jacques Plante's original fiberglass mask, first used on November 1, 1959

It was not until 1959 that a goaltender wore a mask full-time. On November 1, 1959, in the first period of a game between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) at Madison Square Garden, Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante was struck in the face by a shot from Andy Bathgate.[5] Plante had previously worn his mask in practice, but head coach Toe Blake refused to allow him to wear it in a game, fearing it would inhibit his vision.[6] After being stitched up, Plante gave Blake an ultimatum, refusing to go back out onto the ice without the mask, to which Blake obliged, not wanting to forfeit the game, since NHL teams did not have back-up goaltenders at the time. Montreal won the game 3–1 and continued on an 18-game unbeaten streak, which went through November.[7]

In preparation for the playoffs, Plante was asked by Blake to remove it for a game on March 8, a 3–0 loss.[8] Plante donned the mask the next night,[9] and for the remainder of his career. When he introduced the mask into the NHL, many questioned his dedication and bravery; in response, Plante made an analogy to a person, which he described as skydiving without a parachute, which he considered a gesture of stupidity rather than bravery. Although Plante faced some laughter, the face-hugging fiberglass goaltender mask soon became the standard; by late 1969, only a few NHL goaltenders went without one.[1]

Left: 1970s mask made by Fibrosport; right: Friday the 13th character Jason Voorhees wearing the now-iconic goalie mask, molded from a 1970 Jacques Plante Elite FibroSport model 103, and painted in the style of a Detroit Red Wings mask

The face-hugging fiberglass, the type which was worn first by Jacques Plante, is a longtime symbol of ice hockey as typified by the famous painting At the Crease, by Ken Danby. The goaltender mask evolved further from the original face-hugging fiberglass mask designed by Plante. Although this mask does not seem very protective now, at the time it was, based on the style of game that was played.

Gerry Cheevers's use of the face-hugging mask for the Boston Bruins was among the first to be "decorated" in a custom manner; as prompted by then-Bruins trainer John "Frosty" Forristall as a joke, painting a fake stitch on the mask where Cheevers had been struck by an errant puck.[10] Cheevers adopted the "stitch mask" as his own,[11] and went on to set an NHL record (which still stands) of 32-straight wins during the Bruins' 1971–72 season.[12][13]

While this style of mask is no longer used by hockey leagues, it has remained famous because of its use in popular culture. Perhaps the best-known example is the character Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th horror film franchise.[14] Casey Jones from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise also wears a stylized version of the mask, as did D-Roc the Executioner, the late guitarist of the heavy metal band Body Count.[15] Similarly, the members of Hollywood Undead are always seen wearing signature masks based on this design. In the film Heat, the protagonists wear face-hugging hockey masks as part of their disguise during a heist, as do the characters in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, during a mission which is heavily inspired by the heist from the film.

Left: the cage/helmet combo mask, worn by Dominik Hašek; right: A standard (typical) full fiberglass/Kevlar mask, as worn by Martin Gerber

In the 1970s, a helmet-cage combination was popularized by Vladislav Tretiak. Like the original fiberglass design, the helmet-cage combination has been criticized for not providing adequate facial/cranial protection. Dan Cloutier switched from this type of mask to the more popular full fiberglass citing safety reasons upon the advice of the Los Angeles Kings. Dominik Hašek used this type of mask. Rick DiPietro, last with the New York Islanders in 2013, was one of the last NHL goaltenders to use this type of mask.[16] Following Clint Malarchuk's life threatening injury in 1989, more goaltender masks have adopted a plastic extension to guard the neck, usually hanging loose for more maneuverability. On March 4, 2014, Tim Thomas took the ice for the Florida Panthers wearing an old Cooper helmet painted dark blue with a modern Bauer cage and white Itech neck guard attached. During the game, the cage broke from a slapshot and Thomas returned with a red Mage-style helmet with a similar Bauer cage.[17] Goaltenders at lower levels of hockey (such as high-school, college or recreational leagues) who choose to use this design cite reasons such as the plastic helmet used is lighter than the fiberglass or composite materials used in other designs, and that the helmet has a wider opening than a traditional mask for a less claustrophobic feeling and better sight of the puck.

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask with a full fiberglass/birdcage combination goaltender mask

In the late 1970s, a second type of goaltender mask consisting of a fiberglass mask with a wire cage covering a cut-out area in the middle of it was developed by Dave Dryden and Greg Harrison. The fiberglass portion can also be made out of carbon fiber, or a fiberglass and kevlar mix. Gilles Meloche and Chico Resch were among the first NHL adopters of the combo mask, in the early 1980s. More modern versions of this type of mask are designed to better withstand the impact of a hockey puck at higher speeds, and are used at all levels of organized ice hockey. This type of mask is considered safer than the other types, since it disperses the impact of the puck better than the helmet-cage combination, and is the most common type used by goaltenders today. Former goaltender Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins wore a newer style one piece called a Sportmask Mage RS, which is made like the newer fiberglass mask, but resembles the helmet/cage combination. The combo mask was approved for Canadian minor hockey in 1989. Amateur versions have only square or rectangular openings between the bars, as the cats-eye bars are banned in minor hockey.[18]

Canadian Inventor Brian Heaton helped inspire the basis for "cateye" cages in use by goalies today

Brian Heaton, designer of the Cooper Canada HM30 cage and HM40 for forward players, inspired the basis for all cats-eye bars, (a.k.a. "cateye" cages) in use by goaltenders today.[19]

Cats-eye bars are banned in all minor hockey governed by Hockey Canada, unless they feature additional bars to reduce the size of the openings.[20]

A baseball catcher wearing a mask modeled after the goaltender mask.

In recent years, baseball catchers have begun wearing facemasks similar in style to goaltender masks. Charlie O'Brien was the first to use a hockey-style catcher's mask in a Major League Baseball game in 1996 while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.[23]

Goaltender masks are commonly seen being worn by box lacrosse, ringette, rinkball, floorball and field hockey goaltenders at both youth and professional levels.