Hi everyone! This week, in honour of the craziness that is this year’s playoffs, what with all the suspensions and idiotic over-the-top physical play, we present you with an article about the Seals’ exhibition game versus Buffalo on October 5, 1969. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, “Hey Steve, you screwed up big this time; Buffalo didn’t even have a NHL team in 1969!”, and to that I say, “You are absolutely right… but the AHL did“, and that is the team the Seals took on that night. This game, while only a pre-season contest, was special because it featured a huge brawl that involved some 200 people, stitches, and lots of bad blood. On a interesting note, one of the Seals’ goalies that night was one Marcel Paille, who never actually played a regular-season game with Oakland or California. This was also the Seals’ second loss to a minor-league team that pre-season, foreshadowing the difficult 1969-70 season the Seals were about to endure after their successful second-place finish the previous year. You can check out the article over here.

In keeping with the combative spirit of this week’s post, you’re going to love the card posted in the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. It features none other than the nephew of former Seal Dennis Hextall: the great Ron Hextall! And he looks pissed… at one of his own teammates. Is he going to snap? Is he going to skate away? You’ll have to check out this card and find out for yourself.

And that’s about it for this week. Don’t forget to cast your votes for who you believe should be inducted into the 2019 Seals Hall of Fame, which you can do by clicking on the name of the person you like over there on the right-hand side of the page. Keep those e-mails coming as well. Always great to hear from fans of the Seals and hockey history. Until next time, stay gold!