Gil Mayer Gilles Mayer ( born August 24 , 1930 in Ottawa , Ontario ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender . Mayer stood 5 ' 6 " tall , and weighed 128lbs . American Hockey League . Mayer played with the Hull Volants of the Ottawa City Junior League in 1944 - 45 and 1945 - 46 . After a season in Lake Placid , he was joined the Barrie Flyers for 1947 - 48 and 1948 - 49 . They lost the 1948 - 49 Eastern Canada Memorial Cup Playoffs final series 5 - 4 to the Montreal Junior Royals for the George Richardson Memorial Trophy . In October 1949 he was tied with Terry Sawchuk of the Indianapolis Capitals , each with one American Hockey League shutout . In the 1951 - 1952 season Mayer wore # 1 for the Pittsburgh Hornets . Mayer was selected to the AHL all - star team for the 1953 - 1954 season . The same year he won a league title , a $ 300 bonus , and captured goalie honors with a 3 . 25 goals against average . He allowed 146 goals in 52 games . Early in the second period of Pittsburgh ' s game against the Syracuse Warriors , on February 6 , 1952 , Mayer was cut by a puck which struck his face . His nose hemorrhaged but he returned to the ice after thirty minutes . The Warriors triumphed 4 - 2 in a contest in which Mayer made several stellar saves . The deciding goal , in front of a crowd of 1 , 534 at Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse , New York , was quite lucky . Kelly Burnett " made a baseball swing at a high - flying hard - hit puck and knocked it 18 feet , still in the air , past goalie Gil Mayer . " Mayer shut out the Springfield Indians on March 22 , 1955 in the first round of the AHL playoffs . The Hornets benefited from goals by Bob Hassard and Jack Caffery . He was traded to the Hershey Bears on July 5 , 1956 . The Bears also obtained from Pittsburgh defenceman Jack Price , centre Willie Marshall , centre Bob Hassard , and forward Bobby Solinger . As goalie of the Cleveland Barons he sustained a broken jaw and missed three weeks of competition in 1959 . He was hit by a slapshot during practice which required four sutures . He was replaced by Don Rigazio , a goalie for the 1956 Olympics USA Team . In 1959 Mayer became the first goalie in the AHL to wear a Goalie mask . He was joined in 1960 by Gerry McNeil of the Quebec Aces . Trainer Les Binkley replaced Mayer after he was hit behind the ear with a puck in a Barons ' loss to the Buffalo Bisons on October 30 , 1960 . Binkley ceded all three Bisons ' goals , playing all the way after the fifth minute . NHL . He played his first NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings on December 1 , 1949 , after being called up from the Hornets . Toronto ' s regular goalie , Turk Broda , was suspended for weighing 197 pounds . He had a weight limit of 190 pounds . Broda , 35 , was the oldest active NHL goalie at the time . Mayer had a natural weight of 128 pounds but tipped the scales at 166 pounds wearing all of his equipment . " The 38 pounds of steel , wood , leather and wool costs $ 300 and requires 30 minutes for dressing and removal . " On October 21 , 1954 , Mayer was brought up from Pittsburgh to substitute for injured Toronto goalie Harry Lumley . " As a replacement Mayer was all that could be asked and he was given practically faultless support by his fast - skating mates . " The Leafs surprised a Montreal crowd of 14 , 004 by defeating the Montreal Canadiens , 3 - 1 , in a game which featured the 200th goal of Harry Watson . During a Toronto losing streak Mayer conceded a late first period goal to Ed Litzenberger of the Chicago Black Hawks on February 5 , 1956 . The shot from along the boards hit Mayer ' s pads and dribbled into the far corner of the net . It proved to be the winning tally in a 3 - 2 victory and the fourth loss in a row for the Maple Leafs . Career statistics . NHL totals : Toronto Maple Leafs ( 1949 " - " 1950 ) ( G ) 1 ( GA ) 2 ( GAA ) 2 . 00 ( Svs ) 0 . 00 ( 1953 " - " 1954 ) ( G ) 1 ( GA ) 0 ( GAA ) 0 . 00 ( Svs ) 0 . 00 ( 1954 " - " 1955 ) ( G ) 1 ( GA ) 0 ( GAA ) 0 . 00 ( Svs ) 0 . 00 ( 1955 " - " 1956 ) ( G ) 6 ( GA ) 19 ( GAA ) 3 . 17 ( Svs ) 0 . 00