Don Barrie’s Top 60 Petes of first 60 years
On Nov. 8, the Petes will play Niagara IceDogs on the 60th anniversary of their inaugural game. I was at that first game in 1956 and have been a regular attendee at games ever since.
I have seen a number of great Petes hockey players over the years. The following list is the sixty players that left the most favourable impression with me for their play with the Petes and in many cases their successes later in the NHL. Obviously, this list is subjective and I have surely missed some who should be listed but this is my best shot at it.
1. Steve Yzerman, 2. Chris Pronger, 3. Bob Gainey, 4. Wayne Connelly, 5. Larry Murphy, 6. Mick Redmond, 7. Eric Staal, 8. Rick MacLeish, 9. Craig Ramsay, 10. Steve Larmer.
11. Barc Plager, 12. Dan Grant, 13. Doug Jarvis, 14. Mike Ricci, 15. Bob Errey, 16. Claude Larose, 17. Andre Lacroix, 18. Tom Fergus, 19. Ron Plumb, 20. Colin Campbell.
21. Luke Richardson, 22. Zack Bogosian, 23. Randy Burridge, 24. Keith Acton, 25. Cameron Mann, 26. Jamie Langenbrunner, 27. Jody Hull, 28. Keith Crowder, 29. Terry Carkner, 30. Greg Millen.
31. Lukas Krajicek, 32. John Garrett, 33. Matt Puempel, 34. Bill Gardner, 35. Jim Roberts, 36. Tie Domi, 37. Kris King, 38. Kay Whitmore, 39. Bryan Watson, 40. Steve Downie.
41. Irv Spencer, 42. Jordan Staal, 43. Ron Tugnutt, 44. Zack Kassian, 45. Jassen Cullimore, 46. Doug Gibson, 47. Jason Dawe, 48. Nick Ritchie, 49. Doug Evans, 50. Kurtis Foster.
51. Ryan Spooner, 52. Slater Koekkoek, 53. Geordie Kinnear, 54. Mike Harding, 55. Tony Cassolato, 56. Daniel Ryder, 57. Andrew D’Agostini, 58. Stan Jonathan, 59. Jason Williams, 60. Jim Mahon.
Also over the years there have been many incidents that have stuck with me. These are not necessarily all great hockey moments, but are memorable to me.
1. Cameron Mann’s goal late in the game to beat Brandon at the 1996 Memorial Cup semi-final game here in Peterborough.
2. The eventual deciding goal that rebounded off the end glass and hit goalie Mike Veisor on the back and into the net at the 1972 Memorial Cup final in Ottawa.
3. When George Montague threw the stick rack onto the ice after coach Scott Bowman told him to serve a bench penalty.
4. The night Steve Durbano dove into the Petes bench challenging the entire team.
5. When Oshawa’s coach Bill Laforge instituted a pre-game brawl in Oshawa.
6. The penalty shot call by referee Jim Lever in the OHA final in a packed Maple Leaf Gardens, the resulting goal giving the Marlies’ the title.
7. The game an effigy of former Petes goalie John Tanner was lowered from the roof on his return with London.
8. Mike Martone’s Game 7 overtime goal in Guelph to give the 1996 Petes the OHL title.
9. The night the Petes’ Barc Plager and his brother Bob, with Guelph, continued an on-ice fight into the west hallway of the Memorial Centre.
10. When a busload of the late Jim Mahon’s fans from his hometown of Windsor, all wearing replica TPT Petes sweaters with Jim’s number 11, came to honour him at a Petes’ game.
11. Bob Attwell’s goal in overtime to give the Petes their only Memorial Cup victory.
12. When Chris Pronger fired the puck into the Soo bench after coach Ted Nolan had chirped him.
13. The Memorial Cup final game when the fans of Regina turned vicious on the Petes.
14. The night coach Roger Neilson had defenceman Ron Stackhouse play goal on a penalty shot.
15. The playoff game the Generals scored with 2.9 seconds remaining to force overtime and then scored to eliminate the Petes.