One of the advantages of being 75 is that my memory does go back a long  way. 
Unfortunately, I often forget where I left it. I do know that I was playing  
high school hockey 1947-1950 in the Boston area and was a goaltender. I recall 
a  number of games where a kitchen strainer was thrown on the ice (probably 
an  indication of my play). Back then strainers were a common kitchen 
implement.and  were readily available.
 
One of my classmates was caught throwing a strainer (now called a sieve) on  
the ice and was severely reprimanded. The practice stopped but it seems that a 
 derisive cheer of "leaky" or "leaker" came into vogue but only when the 
opposing  goaltender let an easy shot leak in. 
 
I know that it is anecdotal, but it isn't much of a jump to go from "leaky  
to "leaking like a sieve" to "sieve."
 
Maybe "sieve" or its roots goes back a long, long way.
 
Bob Saunders
Northeastern Staff
 
 



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