Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction February 2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2018
In 1972 founders of a company named Hockey Diversified Inc. envisioned that each puck shot into the net to produce an official goal scored in an NHL hockey game would develop a degree of intrinsic collector value for hockey fans everywhere. The founders took this idea to the NHL and procured the rights to all such NHL pucks during regular season and playoff games for a period of five years. Pucks shot into the net for a goal were collected by the referees, given to the time keepers to label and then shipped to Hockey Diversified to further label with scoring details. The pucks were then marketed to the public by Hockey Diversified Inc. Unfortunately this idea was ahead of its time and pucks sold poorly. The program lasted only two seasons, 1972-1973 and 1973-74. Hockey Diversified Inc. dissolved shortly thereafter. Classic Auctions is honored to have been chosen by an original founder of Hockey Diversified to sell, at upcoming auctions, residual, unsold pucks from that “NHL Registered Goal Puck” collection.
During the two years of the NHL Goal Puck Program, Hockey Diversified Inc. received the 9 goal pucks from the 1973 NHL All-Star Game and the 10 goal pucks from the 1974 NHL All-Star Game. Because of market conditions, these goal pucks were never processed to completion for sale. Only 19 such pucks exist and will be available for auction.
Offered in this auction are all nine goal pucks from this historic 1973 NHL All-Star Game, the first played in Madison Square Garden. The goal pucks were not processed to completion by Hockey Diversified Inc. and are offered as initially labelled once received from the NHL. Each goal puck was individually numbered 1 through 9 in chronological order relative to scoring events and statistics provided by the NHL.
This particular puck was used by Pittsburgh Penguins winger Greg Polis of the West Division All-Stars to score the 1st goal of the contest against goalie Gilles Villemure at 0:55 of the 2nd period, assisted by Lowell MacDonald and HOFer Bobby Clarke. A second goal would also be netted by Polis in the third, with the Alberta native named the 1973 NHL All-Star Game MVP. This was the 3rd and last All-Star game for Polis and this was his 1st All-Star goal. Career All-Star Game Totals - GP-3, G-2, A-0. The Rubberized Rangers logo remains clean, with some staining to the NHL label. There is also a pair of large chunks taken out of the puck on each side.
On January 30th 1973, the 26th NHL All-Star Game was played in Madison Square Garden. The rivalry between East and West was palpable. After a tight and scoreless first period, the game opened up early in the 2nd and produced a fast-paced, high-scoring gentleman’s game with only four penalties called. In the end, the East Division All-Stars prevailed defeating the West Division All-Stars 5-4. Bobby Schmautz scored the game-winning goal for the East at 13:59 of the 3rd period. Greg Polis scored 2 goals for the West and was named the game’s MVP.
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