Lyle Dwight Carter (born April 29, 1945) is a Canadian former professional hockey goalie. He played 15 games in the National Hockey League with the California Golden Seals during the 1971–72 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1967 to 1975, was spent in various minor leagues. He was also an all-Canadian softball player.

Lyle Carter
Born (1945-04-29) April 29, 1945 (age 79)
Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb)
PositionGoaltender
CaughtLeft
Played forCalifornia Golden Seals
Playing career1967–1975

Playing career

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Born in Truro, Nova Scotia and raised in Brookfield, Carter began playing professional hockey in 1967–68, appearing in one game for the Toledo Blades in the IHL and two more with the Cleveland Barons. The following season, he played 72 regular games and a further 15 playoff games for the Clinton Comets of the Eastern Hockey League. The following he spent split between the Comets and the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL, appearing in 5 games for each team.

A member of the IHL's Muskegon Mohawks in 1970–1, Carter won the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable and most sportsmanlike as well as the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the goaltender with the best goals against average, as he posted a 2.43 GA and 6 shutouts in 51 games. He also appeared in one game for the Voyageurs, allowing 5 goals in two periods.

Carter played for four teams in 1971–2, seeing his first and only NHL action. He played in 15 games that season for the California Golden Seals, allowing 50 goals in 721 minutes played for a 4.16 GAA. He won 4 of 11 games, not bad for a team that won just 21 of 78 games for the season. He also played 9 games for the WHL's Salt Lake Golden Eagles, 6 for the AHL's Baltimore Clippers, and 5 play-off games for the CHL's Oklahoma City Blazers.

Carter played exclusively for Salt Lake in 1972–3, posting 16–13–6 for a win-lose-tie record in 35 games and recording a 3.58 GA, 0.894 save percentage, and one shutout. The season he posted very solid numbers for the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL, a 2.97 GA, 0.911 SV% and one shutout in 37 games. He also appeared in 10 playoff games for the Nighthawks. Carter's final year in pro hockey was 1974–5, when he appeared in 4 games for the Greensboro Generals of the SHL and 32 games with the AHL's Syracuse Eagles, where his numbers were not as good, a 5.11 GA in 32 games.

Carter was also an all-Canadian third baseman on four occasions as his club, the Brookfield Elks, advanced to the Canadian Softball Championships. He was a ten time Mainland Fastball League batting champion in Nova Scotia. He was elected to the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 1984.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1962–63Brampton 7-UpsMTJHL116405204.88
1962–63Windsor Maple LeafsNSSHL127207706.24
1963–64Buchans MinersNfld-Sr20155012006903.4511656605905.36
1964–65New Glasgow RangersNSSHL45270017203.76
1965–66Orillia Pepsi ColasOHA-Sr
1966–67Gander FlyersNfld-Sr4026121235015203.8810556204304.16
1966–67Conception Bay CeeBeesNfld-Sr20179302.28
1967–68Cleveland BaronsAHL21201206.00
1967–68Toledo BladesIHL110060404.00
1968–69Clinton CometsEHL724418104320169132.3515879004002.67
1969–70Montreal VoyageursAHL5154803.12
1969–70Clinton CometsEHL53001132.20
1970–71Montreal VoyageursAHL101040507.50
1970–71Muskegon MohawksIHL5030154295812062.446243602003.33
1971–72California Golden SealsNHL154707215004.16.861
1971–72Salt Lake Golden EaglesWHL94325382602.89
1971–72Oklahoma City BlazersCHL5232791803.87
1972–73Salt Lake Golden EaglesWHL3517144200912013.58.894220120703.50
1973–74New Haven NighthawksAHL3717116203410112.97.91110466363303.11
1974–75Syracuse EaglesAHL325201156113305.11.871
1974–75Greensboro GeneralsSHL42161704.72.882
NHL totals154707215004.16.861

References

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