Jacques Plante, the hero of world hockey, has been honoured by Google for his contributions to the growth of the sport.

Born in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Jacques Plante, also known as Jake Jake, Snake is a French Canadian hockey player who was in love with hockey at an early age. 

On this day in 1954, Jacques Plante was promoted to the Montreal Canadiens from the Minor Tournaments, and Plante soon became the starting goalie, helping the Canadiens reach one of the most remarkable races in the history of the sport.

A founder of modern goalkeeper, Plante introduced a free-roaming style, frequently slipping behind the net to help his defenders manage the ball.

But it was an unfortunate occurrence that inspired his greatest contribution to the sport. 

He was beaten in the face for three minutes against the New York Rangers in November 1959. After being stitched up, Plante returned to wear the fiberglass mask he used in practice. 

The first time I wore a mask, the boys told me I’d be scared of people, Jacques Plante joked again. 

If I walk the road I’m on, my face will soon look worse than a mask. 

Ignoring his coach’s objections, Plante kept masking for the rest of his NHL career-becoming the first goaltender to wear a protective mask on a daily basis during the matches. Other goals quickly followed suit.

The first NHL goalie ever to win five straight Stanley Cups, Plante won the NHL Vezina Cup-winning NHL’s best goaltender-seven times in his career. 

In 1978, three years after his retirement, Plante was taken to the Hockey Arena. 

His legacy survives in his book On Goaltending, which broke his invention in depth, leaving a profound influence on the game that Jacques Plante cherished.