Hi everyone.

Hope you had a great week.

More Small Saves Facts

I thought it might be fun to add even more Small Saves facts, as I was asked about his red jersey that he wears. The jersey is a tip of the hat to the colors of my youth hockey days in Watertown, MA. They also pay homage to one of my favorite teams, the Blackhawks.

His hockey bag, which is blue and gold, are those of East Boston, MA. I played there as well.

His pads and gloves are very old school, harkening back to the days of old-time hockey. The gear pays tribute to the goalies from my era… a time when the game was played differently from today. In some comics, Small Saves can be seen sporting new gear. Usually, it’s because the theme of that cartoon may have to do with trying out a new glove or a set of pads. But, like most goalies, he switches back to the gear he feels is most comfortable. That is why he is almost always seen in his trademark vintage equipment.

His mask, however, is a modern mask and is inspired by the early Badger models. The cage has minimal bars, as I want the eyes to be clearly seen to convey the emotion I want to draw.

As for his sticks, I switch from vintage wood-colored models to red or white sticks.. I do this as goalie sticks break and are always being replaced. I do like the red ones, as they match his uniform. Also, when I was very young, my dad bought me my first goalie stick. Come to think of it, he bought my first pads, mask, and so on. He didn’t know much about hockey and thought it would be nice to have my stick match my red jersey. So, he used the whole roll of red tape and taped almost the entire sticks… Here’s a photo of me holding that stick for my youth hockey photo.

Have a great week everyone!

Jay and Small Saves