RI HOCKEY LEGACY

​Can You Spare a Goalie?

Picture
​Back in the day professional hockey teams did not have a back-up goalie on their rosters. They carried “house goalies” in which the home team was responsible for making sure a decent puck stopper was in the building for each game. At a time when teams were required to only carry one netminder, these standby goalies didn’t dress for the game but would leave their arena seats and head to the dressing room if either team’s netminder went down. The game was delayed until he could get his gear on and take warm-up shots. Some would also be the team's practice goalie. In November 1955, 20-year-old schoolboy George Dermksian (Central High and Bridgton Academy) went into the Pittsburgh Hornets nets after Hornets Goalie Gil Mayer was hit in the nose by a shot by the Providence Reds Jimmy Bartlett in the second minute of the third period with the Reds leading 4-1. Dermksian didn't surrender a goal as the Reds prevailed 6-1. This would not be the only time Dermksian rescued Mayer. Two seasons later, in February 1958, Mayer now playing for the Hershey Bears, sprained his right ankle in the first period. Dermksian was summoned from the stands and came up with a performance that was hailed by the crowd of 5679. He guarded the net for all but five minutes and 22 seconds giving up four goals and making 26 saves as Hershey topped the Providence Reds 6-5.
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  • Home
  • Schoolboy
    • 1900s
    • 1910s
    • 1920s
    • 1930s
    • 1940s
    • 1950s
    • 1960s
    • 1970s
    • 1980s
    • 1990s
    • New England Championships
    • All-State >
      • All-State Teams
      • All-State Photos
    • Journal Honor Roll
    • Divisions
  • Schoolboy Stories I
    • Opening Night
    • Schoolboy Polo to Hockey
    • Battle of School Leagues
    • Flying Frenchmen
    • Flying Green Thunderbolt
    • Packed House
    • All Stars at the Garden
    • Big Night for Cougar
    • One, Two, Three Punch
    • Mighty Blue Wave
    • Maroon Between the Pipes
    • Premèire Femelle
    • Arlington Here We Come
  • Schoolboy Stories II
    • New England OT Thrillers
    • Doubleheader at the Park
    • Bay State Battle
    • California Dreamin'
    • Bienvenue a R.I. Montréal
    • Third Time's A Charm
    • The Kids Called Her Coach
    • Dueling Opinions
    • And The Winner Is ...
    • Eight Ways to Sunday
    • Not One But Two!
  • Sr Amateur Teams
    • Providence Hockey Club
    • Richard J. Dennis Post
    • Canadian Club of Rhode Island
    • East Side Hockey Club
    • Providence Club
    • Flying Frenchmen of Woonsocket
    • Rhode Island Marquettes
    • Club Marquette of Woonsocket
    • Sandager Club
    • Dunnes of Cranston
    • P & Q of Woonsocket
    • Providence Chicks
    • Eastern Olympics
    • Cranston Hockey Club
  • Se Amateur Leagues
    • Industrial Hockey League
    • Blackstone Valley Amateur Hockey League
    • Rhode Island Amateur Hockey League
    • Rhode Island Amateur Hockey Association
    • Inter-City Amateur Hockey League
    • CYO Senior Hockey League
    • Rhode Island Senior Hockey League
    • Rhode Island Amateur Hockey Assoc.
    • Rhode Island Amateur Hockey League
    • Old Colony Hockey League
    • Massachusetts Hockey League
  • RI Scarlets
    • RI Amateur Hockey Club
    • RI Scarlets 1930s
    • RI Scarlets 1940s
    • RI Scarlets 1950s
    • RI Scarlets 1960s
  • Did You Know? I
    • Hooray For Hollywood
    • Maryland, My Maryland
    • Across the Pond
    • Goodbye Detroit Hello Prague
    • Fisticuffs in Stockholm
    • The Diamond to the Blueline
    • Little Rhody on the Reds
    • First Dominicans on Ice
    • Brown Finally Plays Harvard
    • Amateurs at the Auditorium
    • Can You Spare a Goalie?
    • In The Army Now
    • Mademoiselles Play Too
  • Did You Know? II
    • East Side Skating Club
    • USA versus RI
    • Down East Hockey
    • Olympic Tune-up
    • Title Quest
    • Anthony's Skating Rink
    • Scout's Honor
    • Putting on the Stripes
    • The Under Card
    • The Great Outdoors
    • Kid to the Rescue
    • The Pride of Chambly Basin
    • The Sharpshooter
  • Junior Hockey
    • Providence Jr Hockey League
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    • Jr AHA
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  • All-American
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  • Sr. A.A.U./A.H.A.
  • Origins
  • RI In The Pros
    • NHL
    • AHL
    • IHL
    • EHL
    • CHL
  • Dick Ernst Articles
  • Contact