Friday
Dec122008
Doubling Down On Thirds
Friday · Dec 12 · 2008 | 8:41 PM PSTHere's a first for the 2008-09 season. Two teams are wearing their third jerseys in the same game. I expected this from at least Stars and Leafs at some point during the year.
Tonight the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs both wore their alternate sweaters at HSBC Arena. The Leafs pulled out the 2-1 victory. Here's a picture from the game.
They look good on the ice together. Here's hoping to more of it as the season progresses.
Reader Comments (17)
The real first star of this game was Ian White's Mustache.
so that means the record for third jerseys includes a win AND a loss
I have a feeling this might happen again on New Years day when Buffalo plays in Toronto because the Sabres are scheduled to wear the thirds that game as well.
I was excited when I saw this. I had been wondering if it happens or maybe that there was some funky third jersey rule against it. I'm glad it can happen and I hope it will happen again.
While I'm on the subject of wondering, would it be impossible that both teams in a game wore a "dark" jersey as long as they contrasted? I mean, if the Flyers wore their third and played some team who was wearing a black of blue jersey, wouldn't that contrast enough? It would be a very cool game to watch.
Just adding to what Ian said, if you look at basketball, the Lakers wear a yellow home jersey. Therefore, almost always, unless they wear their white 3rd jersey, a mixture of deep colours are used, which I think could also happen in the NHL. As long as it's clear enough that you're team doesn't look a thing like their's on the ice, I think it would work well. A Flyers game like this would work well against any other third jersey.
I saw this the other night, and I was wondering about another thing, too. I noticed during the Blackhawks-Avalanche game and I think it was the Hurricanes-Flyers game, that the away team was wearing the dark jersey. Now, I'm a big proponent of the home team wearing white, I don't like the fact that the fans are forced to see the same jerseys every night, so I was excited when I saw these games. But who chose to do that? Does Chicago have to call in advance to see if that's something Colorado would approve of?
I liked seeing two thirds in one game. When I saw the highlights I said "Hey, Two Thirds!" The only thing that kind of upsets me about it is that Buffalo's third is navy and not royal blue, would've made the game look more like a vintage game.
Here's an idea the NHL should consider. Wear Dark Jerseys at home for the first half of the season, then when January or the All Star Break rolls around wear white jerseys at home. Then the dark jerseys come back for the post season. That way a team like Toronto could have a white third jersey and not have to force the away team to pack both home and away equipment on a road trip.
Leafers, about the Lakers' third jersey:
After Chick Hearn (TV voice of the Lakers for what seemed like forever) passed away in 2002 (??), Jeanie Buss, daughter of the team owner Jerry Buss, introduced the white jersey in his honor. Now, they wear the white jersey every home Sunday game and every holiday game.
They are the only team I know that has a specific, set pattern as to when they wear a third jersey.
Unfortunately, I don't think we'd see both teams in an NHL game wear a dark jersey. Just last week, in college football, UCLA and USC planned to both wear their dark jersey to commemorate the time in which they both played their home games at the Coliseum. However, there is a rule in NCAAF where if the road team does not wear an appropriately colored jersey (wearing a dark jersey when the home team is wearing dark/wearing a white jersey when the home team is wearing white), the violating team receives a penalty for "failure to wear proper equipment". The penalty in NCAAF for that infraction is the loss of a timeout after the opening kickoff (as an act of good sportsmanship, UCLA called a timeout to offset USC's loss of one). UCLA's and USC's head coaches discussed this during August, but knew that even with such an agreement, the rule would still be enforced.
In other words, I can only imagine that there would be some sort of rule against it in the NHL. It would be nice to have seen the Senators and Maple Leafs wear red and blue (respectively) for the Battle of Ontario. That would just be really nice to view. But I don't think we'll see the day.
Aaaah.... what a relief to see 2 normal looking jerseys in the same game! It's 1970 all over again! Let's do more NHL.
Agreed - they look great together. The only thing worse than the slug itself was the hideous, seemingly random striping and panels.
The Hurricanes wore their 3rd at the Garden against the Rangers. I was there. It was awesome to see the Rangers wear white at home for a change while seeing one of the new 3rd jerseys.
Yes Joe, I concur that it was refreshing to see the Rangers in white at home, just like it was while growing up! As much as I hate the new Reebok Edge busy jerseys, I must say the Canes 3rd's are a lot nicer than their regular ones with the 'toilet flush'.
Lets put all home teams back in white for a while. Who started this change anyway?
Last season, I know that Darcy Regier was asking the league's permission to do a trial basis with the white jerseys at home.
Hopefully in 2010/2011, when the Sabres go to using the current third jersey as their new home jersey that the white version of this third jersey is worn at home. A lot.
"Lets put all home teams back in white for a while. Who started this change anyway?"
Logistics was the reason -- "since teams tended to wear their alternate jerseys at home, that meant some teams had to travel with both their dark and their white uniform sets. That meant twice as many jerseys, socks and helmets to lug around. And with airport security the way it is now, that made for a ponderous situation. So to make things easier for travel, the dark uniforms are now the home uniforms in the NHL." - NHLUniforms.com
Hey Chris can we give the third jersey blogs a rest? I only come to this site once a week now because it has gotten so boring ... hopefully it can return to its former glory...
Yeah, I'm with you on that Shawn. The 3rd's got the attention they deserved, now it's just beating a dead horse. I asked Chris in an email if we could start discussing the uni's of each team, starting from each division. Spend about a week on each club. That would be quite interesting..... if it hasn't been done yet!
While it seems we're still on this 3rd jersey kick.... Watching my Rangers vs. LA, the Kings are wearing their Raider.... I mean, 3rd jerseys tonight. Just when I thought the franchise wouldn't and couldn't invent an uglier concept!