Former NHL and WHA goalie passes away
The Buffalo Sabres mourn the loss of former goaltender Dave Dryden, who passed away Tuesday at 81.
Dryden joined the Sabres during the team's inaugural season in 1970-71. He went on to play 122 games over four seasons with the organization, including the first two playoff contests in franchise history against the Montreal Canadiens in 1973.
Dryden made history in a Sabres uniform against the Canadiens on March 20, 1971, when he and his younger brother - Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden - became the first set of brothers to oppose each other in goal in an NHL game.
Each Dryden gave up two goals as Montreal won, 5-2. Dave Dryden, who was six years older than Ken, started the game but Montreal opted to go with veteran Rogie Vachon, so Buffalo coach Punch Imlach pulled Dave Dryden two minutes into the game.
When Vachon was injured, Ken Dryden took over the Montreal net. So Imlach put Dave Dryden back on the ice for Buffalo. The brothers met again on Oct. 28, 1972, in a 3-3 tie at the Forum.
He is widely credited as the designer of the modern day goaltending mask consisting of a fiberglass mask combined with a cage, after most masked goalies in the '60s and '70s wore full fiberglass against their faces.
Dryden played 203 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Chicago, and Buffalo and 242 games in the WHA.
Dryden is survived by his wife Sandra, children Greg and Debbie, and six grandchildren as well as his two siblings and their families.
