Sullivan Rates Pittsburgh’s Binkley One Of Three Best Goalies In NHL

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - It may be considered a sacrilege to some but Pittsburgh Penguins coach Red S u11i van swears his ’ rookie goalie; Les Binkley, is one of the three best in the National Hockey League today. “I know of only one man who has the edge on Binkley,” says Sullivan, “and that’s (Johnny) Bower (of Toronto). “There are one or two others who are Bink’s equal and there are several who get more publicity. “But there is no one outside of Bower who has more ability as a goaltender than Binkley.” Now Sullivan’s pronouncement Is bound to get arguments from New York to Los Angeles. In the Western Division alone, there are five goalies who on any given day could rank as the best in the section. Certainly the veterans Terry Sawchuk In…

National Hockey League Summaries

Wings Stay In Fight With Good Road Record

FORT WORTH. Tex.- It’s great to be back after playing 10 games in 15 days but my boys were able to play. 500 hockey and I can’t really complain, ’’said Fern Flaman of the Fort Worth Wings still engaged in a tussle with the Oklahoma City Blazers for first place in the Southern Division of the Central Professional Hockey League. A stock show and rodeo sent the Wings to the road. After 48 games, the Wings had coralled 57 points, one less than the Blazers who had a game in hand. Looking at his club, Flaman said, “The return of Warren Godfrey has given us more solidity on defence. He is a veteran with that National League experience behind him and doesn’t make many mistakes. He is a defenseman all right but he…

Defense Seen Key To Kings’ Playoff Hopes

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – If the Los Angeles Kings are going to hang on to squeeze into the playoffs in the one-third of the season that remains at this writing, their defensemen are going to have to play up to their potential. Only Detroit has given up more goals than L.A. in the NHL this season. Only a few of the Kings’ forwards backcheck strongly enough to permit the Kings’ defensemen to move up to meet opposition rushes at the blue-line. Only a few of the Kings’ forwards help out the Kings’ defensemen on defense. There are no hitters on the entire team, not even on the rearguard. The Kings’ defensemen, scrambling to do the job on skill and without physical strength, are getting trapped out of position as the opposition hammers hard-to-handle shots…