Buffalo Norsemen
Encyclopedia
The Buffalo Norsemen played in the old North American Hockey League (NAHL) during the 1975–76 season, playing their home games in North Tonawanda, New York
, a suburb of Buffalo 12 miles to the north, at the Tonawanda Sports Center, a now-defunct ice rink that currently houses an indoor soccer field.
An incident at a Norsemen playoff game that season was portrayed in the movie Slap Shot
. A regular season game in the film between the Charlestown Chiefs and the Peterboro Patriots is based on a real game between the Norsemen and the Johnstown Jets
, the team that the Charlestown Chiefs were based on, during the NAHL playoffs. In the film, the Hanson Brothers
start a brawl with the Bulldogs during the pre-game skate. The real-life incident occurred in Johnstown with the Jets leading the playoff series 3 games to 2. Steve, Jeff and Jack Carlson, three brothers who Slapshot's Hanson brothers were based on, started a brawl with the Norsemen during the pre-game skate in retaliation for Norsemen fans bigoted actions towards an African-American player on the Johnstown roster at the previous three games in the series, which had been played in North Tonawanda. In an ugly incident, a number of Norsemen fans had hurled racial epithets at the player, and some held up derogatory signs, including one stating that blacks should be playing basketball, not hockey. After the brawl in Johnstown had been broken up by the officials, the Norsemen players and coaches returned to the dressing room and refused to come out to start the game. According to the Johnstown Jets' Dave Hanson, who the Slap Shot character of Dave "Killer" Carlson was based on, "they (the Norsemen) skated off the ice and went into the locker room and refused to come out to play the game, and we won the game and the series by forfeit."
In an ironic twist of fate, in 1978 the NHL's Buffalo Sabres drafted a black player, Tony McKegney
, who became the first black player to make a major impact in the NHL. McKegney, who was quite popular with Sabres fans, played his home games in front of many of the same fans who had attended Buffalo Norsemen games.
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North Tonawanda, New York
North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 31,568 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after Tonawanda Creek, its south border...
, a suburb of Buffalo 12 miles to the north, at the Tonawanda Sports Center, a now-defunct ice rink that currently houses an indoor soccer field.
An incident at a Norsemen playoff game that season was portrayed in the movie Slap Shot
Slap Shot (film)
Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
. A regular season game in the film between the Charlestown Chiefs and the Peterboro Patriots is based on a real game between the Norsemen and the Johnstown Jets
Johnstown Jets
The Johnstown Jets were a professional ice hockey team from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Jets were founded in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1950–51 season, playing at the newly constructed Cambria County War Memorial Arena...
, the team that the Charlestown Chiefs were based on, during the NAHL playoffs. In the film, the Hanson Brothers
Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers are fictional characters in the 1977 movie Slap Shot. The characters are based on three brothers who were actual hockey players; two of them starred in the film.The movie, which stars Paul Newman, was written by Nancy Dowd...
start a brawl with the Bulldogs during the pre-game skate. The real-life incident occurred in Johnstown with the Jets leading the playoff series 3 games to 2. Steve, Jeff and Jack Carlson, three brothers who Slapshot's Hanson brothers were based on, started a brawl with the Norsemen during the pre-game skate in retaliation for Norsemen fans bigoted actions towards an African-American player on the Johnstown roster at the previous three games in the series, which had been played in North Tonawanda. In an ugly incident, a number of Norsemen fans had hurled racial epithets at the player, and some held up derogatory signs, including one stating that blacks should be playing basketball, not hockey. After the brawl in Johnstown had been broken up by the officials, the Norsemen players and coaches returned to the dressing room and refused to come out to start the game. According to the Johnstown Jets' Dave Hanson, who the Slap Shot character of Dave "Killer" Carlson was based on, "they (the Norsemen) skated off the ice and went into the locker room and refused to come out to play the game, and we won the game and the series by forfeit."
In an ironic twist of fate, in 1978 the NHL's Buffalo Sabres drafted a black player, Tony McKegney
Tony McKegney
Anthony Syiid McKegney is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1978–79 until 1990–91.-Career:...
, who became the first black player to make a major impact in the NHL. McKegney, who was quite popular with Sabres fans, played his home games in front of many of the same fans who had attended Buffalo Norsemen games.
NHL alumni
The following Buffalo Norsemen players also played in the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
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Willie Marshall William "The Whip" Marshall is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Marshall played his entire National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would play in the NHL over the course of four seasons. Marshall is also the highest scorer in the American Hockey League and has played... Bryan McSheffrey Bryan Gerald McSheffrey is a former professional ice hockey forward. He was drafted in the second round, 19th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. He played in the National Hockey League with the Canucks and Buffalo Sabres.In his NHL career, McSheffrey appeared in 90... Lou Nistico Louis Charles Nistico is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 3 games in the National Hockey League and 186 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Toros, and Birmingham Bulls.- References :... |
Claude Noel Claude Noël is a former Canadian ice hockey player and the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. Prior to joining Winnipeg, he was head coach of the Manitoba Moose of the AHL... Pat Rupp Patrick Lloyd Rupp was best known as a goaltender in the US ice hockey team in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics.... Ron Snell Ronald Wayne Snell is a Canadian ice hockey player. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round, fourteenth overall, in the 1968 NHL Amateur Draft. He played seven games in the NHL, all for the Pittsburgh Penguins, during the 68-69 and 69-70 seasons.-External links:*... |
Jim Stanfield James Boviard Stanfield was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Born in Dixie, Ontario, he played in 7 NHL games for the Los Angeles Kings in parts of three seasons.-External links:... Dave Tataryn David Nathan Tataryn is a retired professional ice hockey player who played two games in the National Hockey League and 25 in the World Hockey Association. He played with the New York Rangers and Toronto Toros.... Guy Trottier Guy Trottier is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 115 games in the National Hockey League and 174 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Ottawa Nationals, Toronto Toros, Michigan Stags, and Baltimore Blades... |