[irbefan4life]

Never had a game-used day like this before. Usually, one comes in the mail at a time, but today was a lucky day since two relics of history arrived in my collection. Before I bore you with this, let's get started with the first piece.

I picked this one up during the recent Classic Auctions auction. This jersey is a 2003-04 Set 3 White jersey used by Sebastien Charpentier in his final ever NHL game. Now, let''s back up before I hear the crickets chirping again!

Sebastien Charpentier was originally drafted 93rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He played in the American Hockey League for several years before finally making his NHL debut in 2001-02, appearing in two total games that year. The next year, he backed up Kolzig as he appeared in 17 games, recording a decent 5-7-1 record with a 0.906% save average.

2003-04 proved to be his final year in the NHL. He was plagued by a leg injury which caused him to miss nearly fifty games, and his record suffered when he did return. In 7 games, he earned himself a 0-6-0 record with a 3.71 GAA and a 0.875% save average. In his career, he appeared in 26 total games, getting progressively weaker as his career went on.

The jersey that I now own was used on the first day that Washington switched to the set three jerseys on March 13, 2004. Charpentier and the Capitals faced the Atlanta Thrashers and suffered a 5-2 loss. Charpentier stopped 23 of 27 shots in that game, the last one of his NHL career.

Front:



Front crest:



Back:



The next one is a little bit more exciting to me.

We all know Jim Carey, the goaltender who came out of nowhere to become a Vezina trophy winner with the Capitals in 1995-96 before fading away into obscurity within three seasons of that.

There was one other goalie who appeared at the same time who mase a pretty big wave before vanishing off the face of the Earth. This player was Blaine Lacher. Lacher played university hockey for three years before being signed by the Bruins as a free agent in 1994. He made his NHL debut in 1994-95 and made some real waves. This unknown goaltender went from University starter to become an NHL star. He appeared in 35 games that year, impressing the masses with his 19-11-2 record with four shutouts, a 2.41 GAA, and a 0.902 save average. He led the Bruins to the playoffs with his amazing play, but was defeated in five games by the Devils in the first round. The next year, Lacher fell apart. With the coaching change in Boston, confidence was not given to the goaltender by the new coach, Steve Kasper. In the 1995-96 season, Lacher displayed this lack of confidence by pulling together a dismal 3-5-2 record in 12 games, with a 3.94 GAA, and a 0.845 save average. He would go on to play one more season in hockey with the IHL before retiring and vanishing from the world of hockey. He is currently a tire-builder for Goodyear in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

This jersey was worn by him in games 3 and 4 of the 1994-95 playoffs, against the New Jersey Devils. It also happened to be worn in his first and only ever NHL playoff win.

When it popped up, and after doing my research, I couldn't let the jersey go to another home, especially since some online forum members were asking for a card company to acquire some Lacher and Carey memorabilia to chop up for an upcoming product. Jim Carey stuff has not popped up on my radar, but this one is safe from the chopping block and part of my goaltending museum forever.

Now for the pictures:

Front:



Front crest:



Shoulder patch:



Skate cut on right sleeve:



Hem stamp on the jersey:



Back:



Back name plate and number:

---

Bottom left on the rear (blood?):



Back of right sleeve with definite blood stains (note that it is the same sleeve pictured before with a skate cut on it)



And some photos of Lacher wearing the jersey that I screen captured from game four with the Devils:



Thanks for reading and looking! Please leave some comments to show how much you loved it, or not.

[stastny26avs]

Congrats on the great mail day! Great items and as always a great story. Keep it up!

[jowlsisacanucksfan]

Nice stuff! I remember them both and yeah Lacher and Carey were just huge surprises and then later disappeared never to be seen again. Great stuff for sure

[swjrp10]

Gorgeous jerseys bro! Congrats

[snobles]

As I said on the other site, just two amazing additions.

[irbefan4life]

Thanks for all of the comments everyone!

I am happy to say that I have a piece of history in the Lacher safe from card company scissors'.

[arrowsg30]

That Lacher piece was awesome. As someone in Boston, Bruins fans were pumped about Lacher, considering the lack of good tending since Moog. I don't think I've ever seen someone fall as hard and fast as he did. Very disappointing. Although his departure ultimately gave way to may childhood idol and still focal point of my collection, Bill Ranford.

[stadium sports cards]

Very nice... congrats from SSC