Opening Night at the Seattle Center Coliseum

On September 30, 1964 the Totems played their first-ever game in the new Seattle Center Coliseum by hosting the Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs for an exhibition match. The game was attended by 8,601 fans including many of Seattle's social set who followed the tradition of hockey fans in Toronto and Montreal by dressing up for the game. Even Toronto coach George "Punch" Imlach got into the act by donning a top hat and tails for the evening. The game itself wasn't exactly a barn burner. The Leafs were playing their 13th game of the exhibition season and the Totems were playing their first. With goals by George Armstrong, Ron Ellis, Frank Mahovlich, Ron Stewart, Billy Harris and Andy Bathgate the Leafs defeated the Totems 7 to 1. Gerry "Grump" Leonard scored the lone Seattle goal.

No opera? No gallery opening? No Milton Katims and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra? No problem: Seattle socialites - in their furs, ties, and tails - came out to root for the Totems when the team moved into the modern, space-age Seattle Center Coliseum in the 1964-65 season.	"Fancy Dans in the Stands Who Whoop it Up Like Yokels" - Seattle Magazine, November 1964. Photos by Bob Peterson.
Toronto Maple Leafs' coach, Punch Imlach, dons top hat and tails to celebrate the opening of the Coliseum.	Scoring Summary FIRST PERIOD: Scoring - 1. Toronto, Armstrong (Keon, Brewer) 8:56; 2. Seattle, Leonard (Brisson, Dineen) 13:17; 3. Toronto, Ellis (Bathgate, Mahovlich) 14:42;. Penalties - Ellis :17, Stanley 12:50, Burgess 17:46. SECOND PERIOD: Scoring - 4. Toronto, Mahovlich (Baun) 8:19; 5. Toronto, Harris (unassisted) 8:40; 6. Toronto, Stewart (unassisted) 10:52. Penalties - Ward 8:53, Pulford 11:11, Mantha 13:13, Shack 17:10. THIRD PERIOD: Scoring - 7. Toronto, Bathgate (Ellis, Stanley) 1:08; 8. Toronto, Mahovlich (unassisted) 9:06. Penalties - Pappin 5:48, Sinclair 8:01, Shack 11:33. Saves: Sawchuk 11, Bower 7; McLeod 19, Gray 17. Attendance: 8,601.
Totem Bob Barlow gets off a slapshot as Maple Leaf Ron Stewart tries to block.	Gala Sports Spectacular: Program from the Totems' inaugural game in the Coliseum.

"The Stanley Cup winners seemed to have more than the legal limit of six men on the ice at all times. There were so many loose Leafs in Totem territory, the two Totem goalies, Jimmy McLeod and Bob Gray must have turned cross-eyed."
- Hy Zimmerman, Seattle Times (10/1/64).