On This Date In Chicago Blackhawks History

47- SAM LOPRESTI BLACKHAWKS-j(Picture courtesy from sportsmania101.com)

On this date in Chicago Blackhawks history,

On March 16, 1941 the Chicago Blackhawks introduced a hockey tactic that had never been used before in an NHL game.

In the Blackhawks final regular season game against the New York Rangers the Blackhawks coach Paul Thompson pulled Hawks goalie Sam LoPresti for an extra attacker.  It was the first time it was used during a Hawks game. Since it was the era before YouTube and Sportcenter there are different people associated with  doing this tactic for the first time but it was from this time period that it began.  In today’s game there isn’t a question about the goalie getting pull with the at least one game camera focused on the goalie when the clock hits 2 minutes remaining and a team trailing.

The 1941 Hawks upset the Canadians in the first round of the playoffs before bowing out in the semifinals to the Detroit Red Wings. LoPresti finished the season with a 9-15-3 record.

It’s always fun thinking that before 1939 the extra attacker was not even thought of and now it’s a staple of the game!

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