Kelly Hrudey: Goaltender to the stars

Goaltender Kelly Hrudey in the 1980s,
in action with the New York Islanders.
Source: www.goaliesarchive.com/islanders/hrudey.html
(May be subject to copyright)

“Having Kelly Hrudey in goal is like playing with the net empty” – sign hanging behind the net in the Lethbridge Sportsplex in the 1980s.

He is one of the best broadcasters and analysts in hockey, but back in the 1980s Kelly Hrudey made his name as a goaltender starring first in junior hockey then taking his game to the pros where he played some of the legends of the game.

Tiger by the tail
I first encountered Kelly Hrudey when he was playing goal for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. Their biggest rival at the time was the Lethbridge Broncos.

When the two teams got together – it was war.

They met in the 1980-1981 playoffs, and the Sportsplex just rocked for the East Division quarter-final. The Broncos would triumph, taking the series 4-1.

However, Hrudey played well in a losing effort, after turning in a solid regular season.

It was the end of three solid seasons with the Tigers. In 1978-1979, his rookie season, he had a tough year, appearing in 57 games, winning 12, losing 34, and tying seven with a 6.17 goals against average and no shut outs. In 1979-1980, he again appeared in 57 games, winning 25, losing 23, and tying four with a 4.17 goals against average and one shut out. In his final year, 1980-1981, he appeared in 55 games, winning 32, losing 19 and tying one, with a goals against average of 3.97 and four shut outs.

He had been taken 38th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. The Islanders were deep at goal with Glenn "Chico" Resch, Billy Smith and Roland Melanson, so there was no way he would make the team then. Instead, he joined their farm team, the Indianapolis Checkers, at the end of the 1980-1981 season for two playoff games. The next season he would join the Checkers full time staying right through to the 1983-1984 season.

Hrudey also joined the Islanders in the 1983-1984 season for 12 games, winning seven and losing two.

The next year, he would join the parent club full time where he stayed until the 1988-1989 season.

New York marathon
Instead of a fistance race, this New York marathon was a contest of endurance. It was Game 7 of the 1987 Patrick Division semi-final that went from the thrills of a sudden-death final game, to a contest to the death. Later dubbed the “Easter Epic” it was one of the longest games in NHL playoff history.

And Kelly Hrudey was in net for the winning team. He stopped 73 of 75 shots in a game that went until 2 a.m., lasting six hours and 18 minutes. Pat LaFontaine of the Islanders finally won it, with a goal after 68 minutes and 47 seconds of overtime.

Hrudey was also the third string goaltender for Team Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup, behind Grant Fuhr and Ron Hextall. However, he did not appear in a game. Canada won that tournament with a thrilling 6-5 win in the third and deciding game of the final against the Soviet Union.

Goaltender to the stars
There was never a bigger seismic shift in the National Hockey League than the trade/sale of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings before the 1988-1989 season.

Instantly, the Kings went from NHL also ran to a legitimate contender.

Beyond acquiring Gretzky, the Kings re-tooled all aspects of their team.

That included bolstering their goaltending by trading for Kelly Hrudey, 50 games into the season. He would play 16 games for the Kings, winning 10, losing four, and tying two. He would play with the Kings right through to 1996 then played his final two seasons in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks, retiring at the end of the 1997-1998 season. The highlight was backstopping the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993 where they lost in five games to the Montreal Canadiens.

Parting thoughts
Kelly Hrudey was in the spotlight again this past August 11 because, after 33 years, someone broke the record he set in the “Easter Epic” for most saves. Joonas Korpisalo, of the Columbus Blue Jackets, stopped 85 shots in a first-round playoff game against Tampa Bay that also took five overtime periods, before the Lightning won.

Hrudey’s reaction was why I like him so much. Instead of grudgingly congratulating the new record holder, Hrudey was genuinely happy the record was broken. He was just beaming, talking about how he had waited so long for this day. He hoped the new record holder would stop 100 shots, and that both goaltenders would break his record.

He was just all class, someone who not only loves the game, but enjoys watching good hockey, excellent players, and outstanding performances.

How can you not like that.