The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.

December 28, 1968

The Hockey News December 28, 1968

For Something Different, Informative In Hockey Reading See T.V. Sections, Thumbnail Sketches In HOCKEY ANNUALHOCKEY NEWS Makes An Ideal Gift At Christmas. Give A Subscription To Dad Or Brother<h2>THURS. DEC. 5 FORT WORTH 2 at HOUSTON 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Fort Worth, Neikamp &hellip; 4:312&mdash;Fort Worth, Gates (Perkins, Walters) &hellip; 3:553&mdash;Houston, Roberts (Bordeleau, Hicke) &hellip; 4:474&mdash;Houston, Grierson (Lavender) &hellip; 6:58Penalties &mdash; McCann 1:00, Lavender 7:27, 11:00.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Houston, MacNeil (Bordeleau, Hicke) &hellip; 9:106&mdash;Houston, Drouin (Caron, Curtis) &hellip; 14:05Penalties &mdash; Grierson and Falkenberg 7:55.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Houston, Caron (Drouin) &hellip; 18:56Penalty &mdash; Gibbon 13:39.Saves: Myre 34, Edwards 20.<h2>SAT. DEC. 7 OMAHA 4 at MEMPHIS 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Memphis, McKenzie (Dineen) &hellip; 7:42Penalties &mdash; Hunt 2:10, Egers 13:32, Widing and Jopling 18:44.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Omaha, Parizeau (Lafreniere) &hellip; 9:163&mdash;Memphis, Chernoff (Meissner, Senior) &hellip; 12:404&mdash;Omaha, Haley (Stankiewicz, Lafreniere) &hellip; 16:13Penalties &mdash; McKenzie :52, Senior 7:16, Barber 19:54.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Omaha, Parizeau &hellip; 1:236&mdash;Omaha, Widing (Fairbairn) &hellip; 13:27Penalties &mdash; Stankiewicz 10:35, Seguin 14:42.Saves: Caley 27, Rivard 33.<h2>OKLAHOMA CITY 3 at TULSA 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Tulsa, Brown (Johnson, Evans) &hellip; 11:402&mdash;Tulsa, Marsh Robert (Evans) &hellip; 18:20Penalties &mdash; Wilkins (minor, major) and Johnson (major) 331, Elwell 5:54, Lonsberry (major), Harrison (major), Reeson (major, minor) and Murray 6:13, Allen 9:15, Erickson 16:19, Smith 18:31.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Oklahoma City, Erickson (Lorentz, Woodley) &hellip; 7:504&mdash;Oklahoma City, Elwell (Sellwood) &hellip; 10505&mdash;Oklahoma City, Harrison (Woodley, Lonsberry) &hellip; 11:566&mdash;Oklahoma City, Lorentz (Erickson) &hellip; 16:44Penalties &mdash; Murray 7:50, Allen 14:01.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No Scoring.Penalties &mdash; Lonsberry 4:33, Tremblay, Evans 12:38.Saves: Gillow 26, Reeson 34.<h2>SUN. DEC. 8 HOUSTON 2 at AMARILLO 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Amarillo, Jankowski (Swain, Legace) &hellip; 4:362&mdash;Houston, Grierson (Eilett, Lavender) &hellip; 14:50Penalties &mdash; Lanyon 1:38, Grierson 2:43, Barrie 3:46, Bordeleau 4:01, Legace 5:37, Roberts 8:06,Hicke 16:24, Drouin 16:36, MacNeil (major), Lapointe (major), Legace (major) and Simpson (major) 19:51.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Amarillo, Lecaine (Adduono, Lanyon) &hellip; 1:474&mdash;Amarillo, Billows (Swain) &hellip; 9:015&mdash;Houston, Caron (Drouin) &hellip; 14:25Penalties &mdash; Pritchard and Snell 2:16, Lecaine 14:36, Gaudette 16:37, Lapointe 17:58.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Amarillo, Adduono (Mattiassi, Jankowski) &hellip; 0:54Penalties &mdash; Curtis and Drouin (major) 7:19, Lanyon 8:56.Saves: Myre 39, Edwards 29.<h2>TULSA 5 at KANSAS CITY 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;KansasCity, Guilbault (Fortin, Cardin) &hellip; 1:452&mdash;Tulsa, Marsh (Byers, Murray) &hellip; 4:003&mdash;Tulsa, Johnson (Roberts) &hellip; 10:374&mdash;Kansas City, Guilbault (Cardin, Heaney) &hellip; 16:39Penalties &mdash; Nelson, Dennis 1:35, Lemire 6:18, Gray 8:46, Veneruzzo 10:15, Murray, Gray 14:03,Nelson 16:29, Roberts, DeDiana 17:02.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Tulsa, Elwell (Harbaruk, Swenson) &hellip; 11:426&mdash;Kansas City, Faranski (Gray, Dennis) &hellip; 13:177&mdash;Tulsa, Harbaruk (Swenson) &hellip; 15:438&mdash;Kansas City, Kannegeisser &hellip; 19:45Penalties &mdash; Evans :24, Nelson 4:49, Obendorf 6:11, Veneruzzo 8:41, Aubry (two minors), DeDiana,(two minors), Byers, Cardin 18:33.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>9&mdash;Kansas City, Veneruzzo (Fortin) &hellip; 7:3110&mdash;Kansas City, Faranski (Gray, Fortin) &hellip; 10:2711&mdash;Kansas City, Guilbault (DeDiana, Cardin) &hellip; 16:3312&mdash;Tulsa, Hinse (Bazay, Johnson) &hellip; 13.28Penalties &mdash; Roberts 5.27, Johnson, Cardin 13.28Saves: Aubry 35, Edwards 32.<h2>OKLAHOMA CITY 6 at OMAHA 1</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;OklahomaCity, Atkinson (Harrison, Lonsberry) &hellip; 142&mdash;Oklahoma City, Lesuk (Toothill, Hodgson) &hellip; 17.413&mdash;Oklahoma City, Lonsberry (Smith, Lorentz) &hellip; 18.324&mdash;Oklahoma City, Smith (Harrison) &hellip; 19:30Penalties &mdash; Lafreniere 4:26, Harrison 9:21, Kannegenser 18:19.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Oklahoma City, Toothill (Hodgson, Smith) &hellip; 4.016&mdash;Omaha, Stankiewicz (Widing) &hellip; 19:51Penalties &mdash; Harrison :57, Pembroke 10:41, Harrison 13:11, Woodley 19:36<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Oklahoma City, Lorentz (Webster, Erickson) &hellip; 11:09Penalties &mdash; Smith and Boehm 6:23, Toothill 8:44, Smith and Egers 15:27, Allen 15:53Saves: Caley 28, Gillow 23. &#9632;

IN THIS ISSUE

CHL Summaries

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0007-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01736/2890957-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">JIM DOREY &hellip; Toronto Maple Leafs</figcaption></div>The arrival of rugged young Jim Dorey on the Toronto hockey scene this season has reminded Maple Leaf fans of the old days when a fellow named &lsquo;Red&rsquo; Horner was dishing up the rough stuff and body checks in a manner similar to Dorey. The 21-year-old hard rock, only two years out of junior hockey&rsquo; is piling up the penalty minutes just like Horner did in his time. The old Leaf &lsquo;Badman&rsquo; led the NHL in penalties for eight straight years. His high of 167 minutes is being challenged by young Dorey, who had 93 minutes in Toronto&rsquo;s first 27 games. But Dorey is also a versatile defenseman who can handle the puck well. Confidence is one thing he doesn&rsquo;t lack. Now if he can only get the referees off his back he will have it made. One thing is certain. Jim Dorey will get a few extra votes for rookie-of-the-year honors. &#9632;

f0007-01

MEET THE ROOKIES

(Including games of thurs Dec. 19)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-10310/2891485-1-eng-US/f0013-102.jpg" title="f0013-10" width="563" height="3191"></div> &#9632;

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NHL SCORING RACE

<div class="byline">BY JOHN WHITE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01465/2892034-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="277" height="386"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack McCartan</figcaption></div>SAN DIEGO, Calif. &mdash;In mid-December, it was beginning to look like wild and down-to-the-wire battle among three teams for the Western Hockey League&rsquo;s regular season championship.The Vancouver Canucks, loaded with talent and feared since the start of the campaign, were starting to click. The Portland Buckaroos had lost only once in 14 consecutive games.And the San Diego Gulls, leaders since the start of the season?It was the Gulls who were making it a three-team battle by suddenly losing after proving virtually unbeatable for two months.San Diego, on the morning of December 7th, had won 18, tied 5 and lost only 5. And the Gulls had lost only one of their last 16 games.Now December 7th is a date infamous in American history because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And this was the date for the start of some bombing of the San Diego Gulls, too.That might the Vancouver Canucks handed the Gulls their first home-ice defeat of the season, 7-4. The next night the Canucks repeated, 4-1. Then Phoenix came to San Diego and was whipped, 6-1.So the Gulls hit the road for clashes in Vancouver, Portland and Seattle and started the trip with one of the most astounding road records in Western League history &mdash; 10 victories, 3 defeats, 1 tie.&ldquo;December will be our toughest month,&rdquo; said Coach Mac McNab, &ldquo;and this trip will be an interesting test for us.&rdquo;And the end of the trip, McNab might have used a different word. The Gulls were tripped 6-3 in Vancouver, 4-1 in Portland and 4-3 in Seattle.So it was five defeats in six games for a club that had lost only five times in its first 24 games.The major reason for the turnabout was clear.The defense, both at the blue line and in the nets, had been the toughest in the league for 22 games, just 58 goals against for a 2.64 average game.In their next eight games, the Gulls yielded 34 goals for an average of 4.25 a contest.The loss of defenseman Dennis Huculak with a shoulder separation at the start of the slump certainly didn&rsquo;t help.There was begining to be the suspicion in some quarters that San Diego&rsquo;s early-season success was a bit unreal because of scheduling that had pitted the Gulls against the last-place Denver Spurs nine times in the first one-third of the season.The Gulls still hadn&rsquo;t lost to the Spurs &mdash; eight victories and a tie.Coach McNab just smiled wryly at this theory.&ldquo;I notice,&rdquo; he said to the ceiling, &ldquo;That Phoenix recently went into Denver and lost three in a row, 5 to 2, 5 to 2 and 5 to 0.&rdquo;He could have added that powerful Vancouver couldn&rsquo;t win in Denver in the Canucks first three appearances.The Gulls had played five games in Denver and had won all five.Besides, there were sound reasons for believing the Gulls would shake their five-losses-in-six-games slump.First, that road record in mid-December of 10-6-1 was still the best in the Western Hockey League.&ldquo;Jack McCartan deserves a great deal of credit for this,&rdquo; said McNab without challenge. The one-time U.S. Olympic Games hero had posted a solid 2.70 goals-against average in his first nine tests on the road where most goalies suffer.The other big reason was San Diego&rsquo;s always-explosive offensive. In mid-December, the Gulls still were far and away the highest-scoring team in the league.Most of the publicity had gone to Willie O&rsquo;Ree and justifiably so. O&rsquo;Ree, off the to fastest start of his professional career, was one&rsquo; point out of the Western League scoring lead in mid-December with 42 points, including 18 goals, in 30 games.O&rsquo;Ree&rsquo;s linemates, center Alex Faulkner and winger Bruce Carmichael, also ranked in the top 10 in scoring. Faulkner, off to his best Western League start with 37 points, was fifth in the WHL race. And old reliable Carmichael had scored 14 goals in 30 games and seemed certain to hit or pass the 30-mark for the second straight season.Not so publicized, however, was the play of center Warren Hynes and the effect on his wingers, Fred Hilts and John MacMillan.Hynes, with 42 points in 30 games, was one point out of the NHL scoring lead with 30 assists was challenging Seattle&rsquo;s Guylo Fielder, the leader in playmaking in 11 of the last 12 seasons.All this from a fellow who five years ago &ldquo;retired&rdquo; from professional hockey!As a result, Hilts was sniping along with 19 goals in 30 games. No one was wildly suprised. Hilts, after all, scored 80 goals in the last two seasons with San Diego. &#9632;

f0018-01

Canucks, Buckaroos Catch Up With Gulls

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>LOS ANGELES, Calif. &mdash;Just as the up-and-down Los Angeles Kings were concluding an &ldquo;up&rdquo; cycle, rumors broke out anew that they will lose their coach, Red Kelly, to the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is an old story, first reported late last season. It is possible.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01692/2890581-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg" title="f0002-01" width="269" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike Walton</figcaption></div>Kelly has done well in less than two seasons as coach. He is completing a two-year contract. He wound up his playing career in Toronto, is popular there, lives there, and he and his wife, Andra, prefer it to Los Angeles.He has shown patience and won the respect of the youngest team in the league, and Toronto is rebuilding with young team. His technical ability might be more sternly tested in Toronto and he might be under more pressure in that city.Although successful, even this season while rebuilding, Punch Imlach is not secure in Toronto. Reportedly, the Leafs refused him a release to take over the building of a future major league franchise in Vancouver last season, but recently they gave him a &ldquo;vote of confidence.&rdquo;C. Stafford Smythe of the Leafs has indicated he might want Imlach to remain as manager, but give up his coaching post. Imlach has indicated he wants both or none.While Kelly played successfully under Imlach, he has admitted &ldquo;our ideas of coaching are different.&rdquo; Imlach is much more heavy-handed and drives his men harder. Possibly Kelly would not coach under Imlach&rsquo;s management.The latest rumor, as reported by Walt Marlow of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, had a new twist &mdash; that Toronto would offer center Mike Walton: to the Kings for Kelly now and Kelly would finish this season as player for the Leafs before taking over as coach next season.Walton is just turning 24 and scored 30 goals for Leafs last season before falling into Imlach&rsquo;s &ldquo;doughouse.&rdquo; It might be hard for Jack Kent Cooke, the Kings&rsquo; owner, to turn down a player like this, even for a coach. But L.A. would be the most likely candidates to move in as mid-season replacement. If he went after this season, the field would be wide open. Even Imlach would be a possibility. Imlach still might go to Vancouver, although Joe Crozier has taken over there. How ever, the next NHL franchise, promised Vancouver, may not materilize for a long time.The Kings won four straight for the second time this season to conclude their &ldquo;up&rdquo;cycle. Kelly does not change goalies during a winning streak, so Wayne Rutledge went the route in this streak, as Gerry Desjardins had in the previous one. Rutledge had not played in five games and had played in only two of 14 games previous. Now, he is 5-7-0 for the season, while Desjardins is 6-6-2.After first refusing to report, Lowell MacDonald has now gone to Springfield&hellip; Bill Flett, who has had slow season, scored the third&rdquo; hat-rick&rdquo; of his NHL career, all against Detroit. Since Eddie Joyal scored three goals and two goals in the two previous games and Real Lemieux one in the next game, this gave this line nine goals in four games.The Kings drew 116,697 fans to their first 14 homes games, an average of 8,335 per game. They were averaging 9,390 for visits by Eastern Division teams, 6,929 for visits by fellow expansionists&hellip; Jon Washington is doing a fine job with publicity and stats&hellip; Mario Machado, who was the CBS-TV soccer &ldquo;game of the week&rdquo; color-man, is now the Kings&rsquo; P.A. announcer.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-02652/2890574-1-eng-US/f0002-022.jpg" title="f0002-02" width="1177" height="1667"><figcaption class="caption-body">RED KELLY&hellip;Is He Going Back To Leafs?</figcaption></div><h2>HOLIDAY DEADLINE</h2>The editors OF THE HOCKEY NEWS wish to remind their readers that because of the holiday season and the necessity of having earlier than usual deadlines for printing, we were unable to include the weekend games of December 20-22 in this issue. All scores, summaries and standings covering this period will be carried in our next issue. To One and all a:HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 1969 &#9632;

f0002-01

Kelly Reported Headed Back To Maple Leafs As ‘69 Coach

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-03540/2890612-1-eng-US/f0002-032.jpg"></div>(Standings on Friday, Dec. 20)<h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Tues. Dec. 17Oakland 3 at Minnesota 2Pittsburgh 2 at Philadelphia 8Wed. Dec. 18Los Angeles 2 at Montreal 2Oakland 2 at Toronto 5Chicago 3 at New York 1Thurs. Dec. 19Los Angeles 4 at Boston 6Chicago 2 at Detroit 0Minnesota 5 at Philadelphia 5<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20St. Louis at OaklandSat. Dec. 21Boston at MontrealDetroit at TorontoNew York at St. LouisPhiladelphia at Los AngelesMinnesota at PittsburghSun. Dec. 22Montreal at BostonToronto at DetroitMinnesota at New YorkPittsburgh at ChicagoPhiladelphia at OaklandWed. Dec. 25Toronto at ChicagoNew York at PhiladelphiaOakland at BostonDetroit at PittsburghSt. Louis at MinnesotaThurs. Dec. 26Toronto at MontrealOakland at New YorkPittsburgh at St. LouisMinnesota at Los AngelesFri. Dec. 27Philadelphia at DetroitSat. Dec. 28New York at MontrealLos Angeles at TorontoBoston at St. LouisChicago at Minnesota (afternoon)Oakland at Pittsburgh &#9632;

f0002-03

THE NHL SCENE

<div class="byline">By GEOFFREY FISHER</div>ST. LOUIS, Mo.&mdash;It won&rsquo;t show in the headlines and it may not even be reflected in the fine print of the statistics, but the charge of the St. Louis Blues through the minefields of the National Hockey League has been spurred vigorously by the all-around performance of Ron Schock.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01694/2890650-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg" title="f0003-01" width="267" height="433"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron Shock</figcaption></div>Schock, blond, crew-cut, soft-spoken centerman, with the profile of a Hollywood movie idol and the structure of an All-America athlete, has come on fast as one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL&rsquo;s Western Division.Says Scotty Bowman, coach and general manager of the Blues, &ldquo;Schock has really shown me what a capable major league player he can be. I admit I had a lot of questions in my mind about him after the poor season he had last year and it even cost him money in his contract this year.&rdquo;But after sizzling training camp, Bowman readily admits that Schock has developed into a very effective forechecking center.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s getting better all the time,&rdquo; says Bowman.Schock was a bonus player who got $10,000 for signing with the Boston Bruins in 1964. Lynn Patrick, now managing director of the Blues, was the Bruins&rsquo; executive who signed him that year when Ron was just 20 years old.Bothered by a series of injuries while with the Bruins, Schock never could get going at full speed. In the first expansion league draft in June, 1967, the Blues grabbed him.Those injuries included a serious lameness in the left thigh from calcium deposit that hampered Schock through the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons. He divided his time those two years between Boston, where he played 46 games, and San Francisco of the Western Hockey League, where he played 43 games. Back with the Bruins in the 1966-67 season, Schock notched 10 goals and 20 assists before breaking his right hand late in the season.&ldquo;We drafted Ron,&rdquo; declares Bowman, &ldquo;because we knew he had been an outstanding player before the series of injuries and we saw no reason why he couldn&rsquo;t be real good for us.&rdquo;Schock&rsquo;s first year performance with the Blues was no less disappointing to him than it was to the management.&ldquo;I just couldn&rsquo;t seem to find myself. I used to be a good goal scorer in amateur hockey (he collected 35 goals and 35 assists with Niagara Falls in 1963-64) but I just couldn&rsquo;t seem to get the puck in the net when I got to Boston.&rdquo;He still wasn&rsquo;t getting that vulcanized wafer past the goaltenders very often as the Blues skated and shot their way to a spectacular capture of the new Western Division&rsquo;s first playoff crown. But one he did rip into the webbing ranks with the most important goals scored by any player in the National Hockey League&rsquo;s first season of expansion. It came at the 2:50 mark of the second sudden death overtime in the seventh and deciding game of the Western Division&rsquo;s final playoff between St. Louis and Minnesota.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02575/2890643-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="1769" height="1277"><figcaption class="caption-body">LOOK WHO&rsquo;S WEARING A MASK!Hockey observers never thought they would actually see the day that veteran GLENN HALL, one of the NHL&rsquo;s most durable goalkeepers would get around to putting on a face mask. But here&rsquo;s Hall joining the swing to the face protectors.</figcaption></div>With the game locked at 1-1, Schock busted loose at the Minnesota blue line, took a pass from Gerry Melnyk, and whistled bullet past Goalie Cesare Maniago to win the game and send the Blues into the finals of the Stanley Cup against Montreal.&ldquo;That was the biggest goal I ever scored,&rdquo; says Schock, &ldquo;and I keep wondering why I can&rsquo;t do it more often.On a recent trip, which included a game at Montreal, Schock sought out Dickie Moore, former great scoring ace of the Canadiens and the player whose devastating marksmanship led the Blues to the playoff title in their freshman season.&ldquo;I asked Dickie what I was doing wrong around the net,&rdquo; said Schock. &ldquo;He told me that I was being too careful, that I should shoot more quickly and more often. He said that I was hesitating just a second too long. He told me that he always got the shot away fast and sometimes didn&rsquo;t even look to see where it was going.&rdquo;Schock, a resident of Terrace Bay, Ont., who was 25 years old December 19, thinks Moore might have the right idea.&ldquo;Sometimes a player worries too much about the little things, when to shoot, when to pass, what kind of stick to use and all the things that tend to tighten him up.&rdquo; Assistant trainer forgot to pack his sticks when the Blues were on a road trip and Ron borrowed one from Terry Crisp. He scored two goals.For years he was never on the ice without a protective helmet and his father, Ernie Schock, who coached young hockey players and ran a league in Terrace Bay, which is in the north country on the tip of Lake Superior, insisted that he always wear the headgear. Then suddenly, in a moment of decision during the critical Minnesota playoff series, Ron discarded the helmet.&ldquo;I just decided it was bothering me the sweat would collect and run into my eyes&rdquo; he says.From the moment he pitched the helmet, Shock seemed to become a more aggressive player. He has become strong checker and a relentless digger in the corners where they separate the men from the boys. As of late December he was fourth among Blues&rsquo; scorers with four goals and 15 assists. &#9632;

f0003-01

Bowman Gives Schock Full Marks For Defensive Play In Club Surge

The King&rsquo;s Own Story as told to Brian McFarlaneFrancis &ldquo;King&rdquo; Clancy recalls highlights of his fabulous hockey career &mdash; from play with the Ottawa Senators in 1932, a star with the Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; and today as the Leaf&rsquo;s colourful assistant coach.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-03383/2890681-1-eng-US/f0003-032.jpg" title="f0003-03" width="584" height="572"></div>What reviewers are saying about CLANCY:&ldquo;He&rsquo;s an hilarious storyteller and this book is peppered with anecdotes.&rdquo; &mdash; Charles McGregor, Sports Editor, TORONTO TELEGRAM&ldquo;A great endorsation for hockey as a career &hellip; the story and anecdotes of one of the most wonderful men in Canada &hellip; there&rsquo;s dozen of Chuckles coming from the greatest Irishman in Canada &hellip; really from the oldest hockey personality still active at the NHL level.&rdquo; &mdash; Stan Obodiac, MAPLE LEAF GARDENS PROGRAM$5.95McGRAW HILL, CANADA &#9632;

f0003-03

CLANCY

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01756/2890743-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg"></div><h2>Fans Will Come Back When Penguins Improve</h2>Hockey News Editor:As an ardent Pittsburgh hockey fan, I&rsquo;m sick and tired of reading articles about &ldquo;Penguins to move&rdquo; or &ldquo;Red Sullivan should be fired&rdquo;. The Penguins are not drawing fans because of their shoddy play, especially at home. If you compare attendance figures with Philly or L.A., you will see that they don&rsquo;t draw when they&rsquo;re not winning either. Even St. Louis had attendance problems before they were playing competitive hockey last year. Last winter the Pens drew 4 straight over 10,000 Saturday crowds. That was when they were in the playoff race. If they make a move upward, I&rsquo;m sure tickets will be hard to come by after the first of the year.As for Red Sullivan. I don&rsquo;t think he is to blame for the Pittsburgh problems. Veterans like Ken Schinkel, Noel Price, and Keith McCreary are letting him down. They have never played to their potential while wearing a Pittsburgh uniform. Fans have lately been screaming for replacements from Amarillo. But since it is the first year for our farm club, we can&rsquo;t hope for too much help from a yet unorganized setup.Pittsburgh Is a good hockey town. The fans have shown they will come to the games. If the Pens better their record, crowds like the opening nite 11,000 will be back. The Pens have shown they can draw, but they haven&rsquo;t shown they can play NHL hockey.TOM ROONEY,Pittsburgh, Pa.<h2>In Defense of Punch A Most Decent Coach</h2>Hockey News Editor:Don&rsquo;t take seriously the news sent you, from Toronto, in your December 7th. issue, that the Leaf brass is desenchanted with Punch Imlach.News sources sent you, had him fired at first, then he was just temporary the coach! In a meeting with top Leaf officials last week, Punch was given an unanimous vote of confidence, to continue as coach, and manager, indefinitely. Why shouldn&rsquo;t they? Punch has led the Leafs to four Stanley Cup World Championships in the last eight years, while none of the other present coaches, have even won once.In the last week Leafs have played and won three, and that with seven rookies on the team, beside a crop of injuries.Then a Tim Koppeser, of Waterloo, Ont. wonders if Punch has overstayed his welcome in Toronto, says he won&rsquo;t be back next year as he is no longer a decent coach? If Punch isn&rsquo;t a decent coach, with his record of four Stanley Cups, what category does that leave the other coaches in?Last year was the first time that Punch has ever been out of the playoffs with any team he has coached, and only the ghird time Leafs have been out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in forty years.This person, or that, says Walton will be transferred, but this, I&rsquo;m thinking, is wishfull thinking, as Walton is a Leaf, and I&rsquo;m sure that is the way Punch wants it to be, and Mike also.JOHN NIMMOToronto, Ont.<h2>Let&rsquo;s Revolutionize NHL Playoff System</h2>Hockey News Editor:I feel the Stanley Cup play-offs could be improved by making these changes:Let&rsquo;s have only three teams in each division qualify for the play-offs.The first-place teams would be idle, while the 2nd and 3rd place clubs would meet in a best 2 of 3 series, with the winners facing the 1st place teams in their respective divisions in a best 3 of 5 series.The two survivors, one from each division, would then play a best 4 of 7 series for the Stanley Cup. I believe such a set up would be short as well as fair.NORM OWCZARZAKHazel Park, Mich.EAST-WEST SCORBOARD:<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-06346/2890736-1-eng-US/f0004-062.jpg" title="f0004-06" width="1264" height="220"></div> &#9632;

f0004-01

FAN FORUM

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02707/2890795-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="331" height="446"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03609/2890788-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="246" height="424"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ted Hampson</figcaption></div>&bull; FOUR OF the 12 NHL clubs do not have a captain this season. Instead of appointing one leader, which has been the practice for years, and backing him up with three alternate captains, these clubs go along with four alternates instead, although Chicago Black Hawks have named only three alternates, and no captain to suceed Pierre Pilote. The Chicago alternate captains are Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Pat Stapleton&hellip; The Boston Bruins list four alternates but no captain on their roster. The foursome being Ted Green, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk and Ed Westfall&hellip; Los Angeles Kings have Bob Wall, Dale Rolfe, Ed Joyal and Bill White wearing the letter &lsquo;A&rdquo; on their jersey fronts&hellip; Minnesota North Stars use four alternate skippers and they are Elmer Vasko, Mike McMahon, Ray Cullen and Wayne Connelly Veteran Alex Delvecchio is captain of Detroit, while Gary Bergman and Dean Prentice are the alternates Jean Beliveau is the long-time captain of the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. Claude Provost and Henri Richard, another pair of veterans, are alternates to Beliveau Bob Nevin captains New York, assisted by Harry Howell, Rod Gilbert and Don Marshall&hellip; Ted Hampson is captain of Oakland&rsquo;s surprising Seals. Alternate captains on the Fred Glover-coached club are Gerry Odrowski and Bert Marshall&hellip; Defenseman Ed Van Impe is captain of the Philadelphia Flyers. Allan Stanley, Dick Cherry and Jean-Guy Gendron are the Philadelphia alternates Earl Ingarfield captains the Pittsburgh Penguins, with Leo Boivin and Bob Woytowich serving as alternates&hellip; The red-hot Blues of St. Louis are captained by Al Arbour with Jim Roberts and Red Berenson acting as alternates George Armstrong is back again as captain of Toronto. Ron Ellis, Tim Horton and Dave Keon are alternates Pierre Pilote admits he copied the style of a number of NHL defensemen before he broke into the league in 1955. &ldquo;I watched the way they handled the puck.&rdquo; He stated.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04525/2890781-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="257" height="425"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron Cantera</figcaption></div>&bull; INTEREST HAS never been higher in world hockey competition than for the 1969 World Championships this March in Stockholm, Sweden &hellip; All of the talk about Russia meeting a team of NHL All-Stars in the not too distant future has hypoed interest &hellip; Gordie Drillon, former NHL star, is now a member of the New Brunswick Recreation Department &hellip; Minnesota North Stars continue to pack them in, rivalling St. Louis Blues, as the best drawing team in the Western Division. After 12 home games, they drew a total of 151,919 fans for an average of 12,659 per game &hellip; Detroit&rsquo;s Ron Cantera, one of hockey&rsquo;s top statisticians advises that the Red Wings are nearing their 7,000th goal since the club entered the National League in 1926. Ron is the fellow who keeps coming up with the hockey tidbits about Gordie Howe&rsquo;s numerous records etc &hellip; Although Gump Worsley was advised by doctors to take a month&rsquo;s rest from his goalkeeping chores with Canadiens in an effort to remedy his shattered nerves and aerophovia, the Gumper just can&rsquo;t stay away from the games. He has been a spectator at every Montreal home game since his enforced rest. Punch Imlach isn&rsquo;t exactly in love with Montreal&rsquo;s hardrock John Ferguson, but readily appreciates his value to the Canadiens: &ldquo;They would be a different club without him,&rdquo; says the Toronto GM-Coach. &ldquo;No one will take liberties as long as Fergy is on the ice&rdquo; &hellip; Tom Reno is the new publicity director of the Central Hockey League. A native of Kansas City, Tom will operate out of that thriving hockey center and will be in charge of all CHL publicity and statistics &hellip; Conn Schmidt, Milt&rsquo;s son, is starring for the Brown University hockey team. He is a center, like his Dad, and in Brown&rsquo;s recent breath-taking 5-4 vicory over Boston University, he set up both the tying and winning goals.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-05428/2890774-1-eng-US/f0004-052.jpg" title="f0004-05" width="248" height="428"><figcaption class="caption-body">George Arsmtrong</figcaption></div>&bull; WHEN BILL FLETT of Los Angeles scored three goals in Detroit the other night he was using a Louisville Slugger stick. It was the first &ldquo;Hat Trick&rdquo; recorded in the NHL by a player using Louisville Slugger hockey stick&hellip; In their next 14 games, Los Angeles plays against Eastern Division clubs nine times&hellip; Bobby Orr received an 80-second standing ovation from the Boston fans the night he scored three goals against Chicago. He also picked up two assists in the same game for the most brilliant night yet in his fabulous career&hellip; Hershey Bears have had more than their share of injuries in recent weeks&hellip; David Molson, president of the Canadiens, has accepted the position of honoray chairman for Minor Hockey Week. He has donated the use of the Forum to help raise $250,000 for the Quebec Minor Hockey Association&hellip; Terry Gerus, who started as an office boy, has taken over as Punch Imlach&rsquo;s right-hand man in place of John Anderson&hellip; George Armstrong received a fine ovation from Toronto fans when he scored on his first shift after cutting short his retirement&hellip; Roger Naples in Section 118 of the Boston Garden should be contacted regarding an excursion the Garden gattery gods well be making to New York on March 25&hellip; Bobby Orr received a letter from a Boston fan that went: &ldquo;Dear. Mr. Orr. The Bruins are a great team and I think you&rsquo;re a great guy. Would you please send me five dollars?&rdquo; &hellip; After Bobby replied to the letter stating that he made it a policy not to send money to fans, the same fan wrote back: &ldquo;Dear Bobby. I still think the Bruins are a great team; but as for you, you&rsquo;re lacking Christmas spirit!&hellip; A HAPPY, and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR to EVERYONE. &#9632;

f0004-02

PASSING THE PUCK

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-01708/2890833-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="256" height="417"><figcaption class="caption-body">Sid Abel</figcaption></div>DETROIT, Mich. &mdash;Sid Abel wasn&rsquo;t a sailor during his military stint but, with club owner Bruce Norris&rsquo; blessing, he&rsquo;s adapting an old navy war cry to get the Red Wings into playoff position: &ldquo;Damn money, full speed ahead!&rdquo;The Red Wings, you see, have obligated themselves to the three goalie system and the salaries of Roger Crozier, Terry Sawchuk and Roy Edwards aren&rsquo;t lightweight.It wasn&rsquo;t exactly by choice that Abel embarked on this course, rather it was a combination of things.Crozier came down with a severe case of Hong Kong flu, Sawchuk had a broken finger and infection set in around the pin that was put in the finger and Edwards was mighty reluctant about coming up to the NHL for a fast cup of coffee and trip back to the Fort Worth farm.Edwards&rsquo; hesitance was understandable. He played well for the Red Wings last season after Crozier abruptly quit the club and went home. Then Edwards was stricken with battle fatigue and help came too late for him and the Wings and they sank to the cellar.Then, late in the summer, Roy was hospitalized with pneumonia. He got a late start in training camp but made up for it and finished with a better goals against average than Crozier.He understood Crozier was No. 1 man but figured he was No. 2 and coach Bill Gadsby said Detroit would carry two experienced goalkeepers. No. 2 was Edwards.But on the eve of the season Sawchuk became available and Abel jumped at the chance to get the old hand; Terry was the best goalie the Wings have, ever had and perhaps the best in the game&rsquo;s history when he was in his prime.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-02624/2890826-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="1175" height="1101"><figcaption class="caption-body">ROY EDWARDS &hellip; Up With Wings To Stay</figcaption></div>At first the Wings said they&rsquo;d go with the three goalies but it was obvious Edwards soon would be headed toward the minors &hellip; and he was.Then Sawchuk got hurt in a practice. And the Wings headed into a stretch of 11 games in 19 games from coast to coast. Crozier was subjected to a rubber shower and then came down with the flu. He didn&rsquo;t eat for three days and when you&rsquo;re only 160 to start with, that doesn&rsquo;t leave much to live on.&ldquo;It took tremendous amount of guts for Roger to play those games while he was sick,&rdquo; said Dr. John Finley, the club physician. The Wings lost the pair, 6-3 in Los Angeles and 6-0 in Oakland, but Gadsby wouldn&rsquo;t fault Crozier. &ldquo;If it hadn&rsquo;t been for him, the scores might&rsquo;ve been in double figures.&rdquo;Enter Edwards. Abel wanted to call him up after Sawchuk&rsquo;s injury but he was driving his family from their home in Hamilton, Ont., to Fort Worth, some 1,500 miles. Then, when he got there, Edwards supposedly had sore back. But he played the next night. When Abel heard that he was unhappy and got on the line to Fort Worth coach Fern Flaman.&ldquo;I told him the big club was the important one and we needed Edwards,&rdquo; Abel said.Edwards, after getting in from the long drive and seeing his family for the first time since before training camp, couldn&rsquo;t put it off and had to report to the club in Los Angeles.But he figured he wasn&rsquo;t going to stay long, not with Crozier and Sawchuk still ahead of him, and asked Abel when he&rsquo;d be going back. Abel didn&rsquo;t like Roy&rsquo;s attitude. And Crozier, very ill, played.Finley examined Crozier when the club returned to Detroit and ordered him to bed and the Wings had no choice but to play Edwards&rsquo; the reluctant goalie.He backstopped 3-1 and 5-2 victories over Oakland and Minnesota to snap the two game losing streak.&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got to give 100 percent when you&rsquo;re in there,&rdquo; Reluctant Roy said quietly. But he still wanted to go back to Fort Worth, especially with the holidays coming.Abel settled it after the second victory. He told Roy to go back to Texas&hellip; but to gather up his family and bring it back to Detroit and plan on staying with the Wings the rest of the season.How will Gadsby handle three goalies? &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll go with the hot one,&rdquo; he said. &#9632;

f0005-01

Wings Taking No Chances, Employ 3-Goaler System

DETROIT, Mich. &mdash;Pat Donnelly, native Detroiter who played some in the OHA Junior A for Hamilton and Kitchener, was in the Red Wing camp in Port Huron and had a trial with Johnstown this fall, got a closeup look at NHL play when he answered an emergency call to be the Wings&rsquo; backup goalie in a game against Oakland.League rules require a team to have two goalies dressed and Edwards, the backup man, became No. 1 when Crozier was deemed too sick to play or even sit in as backup man. Farm director Jim Skinner called Donnelly at home an hour before game time &mdash; &ldquo;I was watching a football game on TV&rdquo; &mdash; and he rushed to Olympia.&ldquo;It happened too fast to be nervous,&rdquo; said Donnelly who will register at the University of Detroit in January.It wasn&rsquo;t coincidence that Detroit broke its two game losing streak when captain Alex Delvecchio returned to the lineup after missing four games with bruised ribs &hellip; Alex scored a goal in each game and assisted on one, his 600th career assist making him only the third man in NHL history to reach that mark &hellip; Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau preceded him.Howe hit another of his almost weekly milestones &hellip; his 1500th regular season game &hellip; he celebrated with goal. &#9632;

Wings Call Backup Goaler From Living Room TV Chair

<div class="byline">BY ED CONRAD</div>PHILADELPHIA, Pa.&mdash;&ldquo;Perhaps,&rdquo; someone said to Flyers&rsquo; coach Keith Allen, &ldquo;your club is floundering because you&rsquo;ve got too many rookies on it.&rdquo;&ldquo;No, that&rsquo;s not it,&rdquo; countered Allen. &ldquo;There have been a lot of teams before us with more first-year men than we&rsquo;ve got and they did a lot better than we&rsquo;re doing.&rdquo;Keith was referring to the Flyers&rsquo; lenghty winless streak of 11 games in a row which had sent the club reeling to the Western Division cellar. It is a far cry from a year ago at the time when they were in first place and went on to the regular-season championship.The Flyers had shaken up their roster since last year and at one time or another have had eight players on the club who are considered rookies this season. A few were up with the club year ago.Half of the club&rsquo;s 16 skaters are in that category &mdash; excluding goalies Bernie Parent and Doug Favell. They include forwards Jimmy Johnson, Rosaire Paiement, Andre Lacroix, Simon Nolet, Dick Sarrazin and Earl Heiskala, and defensemen Larry Hale and Dick Cherry.&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t blame the rookies for the way we&rsquo;ve been playing,&rdquo; reasoned Allen. &ldquo;Heck, I&rsquo;d say two of our best players on the entire club are rookies &mdash; Johnson and Hale. They&rsquo;re certainly carrying their load and even Sarrazin, whom we called up a few weeks ago, has been playing very well.(Sarrazin&rsquo;s two goals and Johnson&rsquo;s one helped the Flyers end their winless streak with a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers.)&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the guys we felt so sure about, the guys we had no worries about, who have let us down. Not all of them, mind you. But most of them.&rdquo;The Flyers&rsquo; defense &mdash; anchored by Parent &mdash; has played respectable hockey but the offense has been the sore spot with only 47 goals in 27 games. That averages out to 1.74 goals per game, below even that of the Chicago Black Hawks&rsquo; NHL record of 1.90 set back in 1952-53.During the Flyers&rsquo; 11-game winless streak, they had been shut out five times and had scored only 12 goals. Ties with Detroit and St. Louis were the only points picked up in the standings.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-01785/2890895-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="545" height="568"><figcaption class="caption-body">JIM JOHNSON&hellip; Carrying His Weight</figcaption></div>&ldquo;You say it&rsquo;s been amazing the way we&rsquo;ve been going,&rdquo; said Allen, in response to comment. &ldquo;I have better description. I&rsquo;d say the way we&rsquo;ve been going has been sickening.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-02641/2890888-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="527" height="531"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY DORNHOEFER&hellip; Still Sidelined</figcaption></div>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just been a frustrating year. There are no questions but that we&rsquo;re not playing anywhere near the type of hockey we are capable of playing. We&rsquo;re just not getting a consistent effort from enough of our players.&ldquo;Most of the time it seems that we have only seven or eight guys who are playing. The rest aren&rsquo;t. At least it looks that way to me.&ldquo;You get this type of performance and you&rsquo;re just not going to win hockey games. I don&rsquo;t know, but last year we didn&rsquo;t seem to get more good opportunities than we&rsquo;re getting this year. But last year we were able to capitalize on our chances. This year we&rsquo;re not doing it.&rdquo;&ldquo;We keep changing our lines around because we&rsquo;ve got to do something. We just can&rsquo;t sit around on our hands.&rdquo;Nobody knows better than Keith, or perhaps general manager Bud Poile, about the Flyers, inability to score goals.&rdquo;&ldquo;Offensively, we&rsquo;ve been just terrible,&rdquo; said Keith. &ldquo;Defensively, however, we haven&rsquo;t been that bad. Sure, we&rsquo;ve had a few bad games &mdash; every club has a few of them &mdash; but, generally speaking, our defense has held up rather well (allowing fewer than three goals per game).&ldquo;In a slump like this, though, it&rsquo;s not just one thing that causes it,&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always a combination of factors. I don&rsquo;t like to make excuses but, being honest about it, we&rsquo;ve had more than our share of injuries so far this season.&ldquo;Cripes, Gary Dornhoefer (broken ankle) is still out and Joe Watson, Leon Rochefort and Rosev Paiement have just come back. Just as soon as they return, Pat Hannigan, (recalled from Buffalo) gets sidelined for four weeks.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s almost like a juggling act out there. Why, up in New York I understand they&rsquo;ve been moaning about losing Rod Gilbert. Why, we&rsquo;ve had all our right wingers get hurt at around the same time.&ldquo;I guess the only thing we can do is to hang in there as best we can, despite the circumstances,&rdquo; concluded Keith. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to forget about the past and keep looking to a brighter future.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0006-01

Allen Says Failure Of Regulars, Poor Offense Keeping Flyers Down

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.&mdash;It appears that Larry Zeidel and the Flyers have parted company.Zeidel, a 40-year-old defenseman, has been placed on irrevocable waivers for refusing to report to the Fivers&rsquo; farm club in Quebec City.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-03478/2890926-1-eng-US/f0006-032.jpg" title="f0006-03" width="249" height="424"><figcaption class="caption-body">Larry Zeidel</figcaption></div>&ldquo;I wanted Larry to go down to the Aces to get himself back in shape,&rdquo; explained GM Bud Poile of the move. &ldquo;We meant it only as a temporary thing (without a cut in pay) but he has refused to go.Zeidel, who had played in seven games this season, was a member of Flyers, Western Division Champion-ship team a year ago.The Flyers have indicated that, if no other club picks up Zeidel, they will place him on suspension. &#9632;

f0006-03

Zeidel, Flyers Still At Odds

<div class="byline">BY LOU PRATO</div>&mdash;PITTSBURGH, Pa.Playing at home is supposed to give a team an advantage but not so with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Although the Penguins have surged back into contention in the National Hockey League&rsquo;s Western Division they&rsquo;ve performed like chronic losers before the home crowd.By mid December, the Penguins had won just two games at the Civic Arena, while losing nine and tying three others. Meanwhile, away from Pittsburgh they more than held their own with a 4-7-3 record, and three of the defeats were by a mere point.&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t explain our failure at home,&rdquo; says Coach Red Sullivan. &ldquo;Some people talk about a jinx. Well, I don&rsquo;t buy that. When you&rsquo;re a professional hockey player it shouldn&rsquo;t matter whether you play at home or away. It shouldn&rsquo;t bother you.&rdquo;Pittsburgh&rsquo;s inability to win at home is defintely not a left over from last season. Then, the Penguins had a 15-12-10 record at home while they had a 12-22-3 mark on the road.There are some wags in Pittsburgh&rsquo;s who suggest that the Penguins are simply doing their best to maintain a city tradition that started on the football field this fall. Pittsburgh&rsquo;s National Football League representative, the Steelers, won just one game out of seven on home grounds this past season and the city&rsquo;s major college, the University of Pittsburgh, grabbed just one victory in five home games.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-02652/2890988-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="543" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body">NOEL PRICE&hellip; Target of Fans.</figcaption></div>Several Penguins players and club officials have blamed the team&rsquo;s home ice misfortune on the noisy, sometimes overly-critical Pittsburgh fans.&ldquo;In other cities,&rdquo; says General Manager Jack Riley, &ldquo;the fans are behind their club. Here, they sit on their hands. They&rsquo;re like a jury, waiting for you to make a mistake.&rdquo;But in defense of the fans, it must be noted that often their brutal remarks are aimed at the officials and not at the Penguins. However, the fans have made a whipping boy out defenseman Noel Price.In fact, the harassement became so vigorous that for a few games Sullivan would not allow Price to take his normal ice time. &ldquo;They destroyed his confidence,&rdquo; Sullivan explained.Yet, if the fans are destroying the confidence of players, there is no doubt that the Penguins also are destroying the confidence of fans with their losing performances at home. And though the fans may be overly-critical at times, it is simply that they want a winner.Perhaps, there is a jinx at work. Stung by recent criticism by Penguin officials, some 6,000 fans turned out at the Civic Arena in mid December to cheer the Penguins against the Los Angeles Kings. At the time the Kings were in second place in the West, but the Penguins were just four points behind.In the early part of the game the crowd cheered every move the Penguins made. They even cheered Noel Price. Several banners hung from the rafters, including two which read: &ldquo;Home, Sweet, Home. We Love the Penguins&rdquo; and &ldquo;Fans, Back the Pens.&rdquo; The fans seemed intent on showing their true feelings.So, what happened? The Penguins played one of their best games of the year, which was good. But the Kings played better, which was bad, and won 2-1. It was quite natural that a chorus of boos accompanied the Penguins when they left the ice.&ldquo;Maybe we&rsquo;re trying too hard at home,&rdquo; says veteran defenseman Leo Boivin in trying to find an explanation for the home ice failure. &ldquo;On the road it doesn&rsquo;t matter if you ice the puck all night but at home we try to open up a little bit. And maybe we open up too much.&rdquo;Coach Sullivan heartily agrees, too. &ldquo;Maybe they tighten up but I don&rsquo;t know why,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no pressure on them. I know I&rsquo;m not talking about the fans. The crowd shouldn&rsquo;t bother you if you&rsquo;re a professional and maybe a lot of my guys are using this as a crutch.&rdquo;If that&rsquo;s true, it&rsquo;s a crutch which will probably keep the Penguins from going any higher in the NHL pennant race. &#9632;

f0007-02

Lambs At Home, Tigers On Road Penguins’ Play Puzzles Sully

<div class="byline">&#x2014; By Bill Lib</div><h2>Referees Get Injured, Too, Says Buffey</h2>&bull; The only time Vern Buffey blew a refereeing assignment he got stuck with a sick car in a snowstorm and arrived too late and too angry to work. After working a game in Calgary, then attending a New Year&rsquo;s Eve party in Banff another night, no one was in condition to drive him to the airport the next morning and he wound up having to charter a flight for a New Year&rsquo;s Day game in Edmonton. An $18 commercial trip cost him $90. Who pays in such cases? The ref pays. It is his job to keep his schedule.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-01771/2891019-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="552" height="890"><figcaption class="caption-body">VERN BUFFEY&hellip; you learn to keep your cool</figcaption></div>After working Saturday night game in St. Louis two years ago, he boarded a plane Sunday morning for a flight to Chicago and a game there that night. The plane wouldn&rsquo;t start. When it did and reached Chicago, bad weather had closed the airport. They circled two hours, then landed in Cincinnati. The only charter planes willing and available to go in were big ones. Buffey found four persons to share one for $40 each but an engine went sour and the plane landed in Indianapolis. No more charters were available. Finally, commercial service resumed. Buffey jumped on a flight and arrived 20 minutes before game-time. Again, Buffey paid.This is Vern&rsquo;s 20th year as a hockey referee and his 10th in the majors and he has missed maybe 50 games with injuries. He has had 50 stitches worth of cuts on his head and face. He had bum elbow and two bum knees. The elbow was operated on and bone chips removed. The knees should be operated on. In the first period of the first game this season, he tore a hamstring muscle and was out two weeks. He has torn groin muscles five times.Torn groin muscles are among the most painful of injuries. You turn in your sleep and wake up screaming. In the morning it is agony to get out of bed. A doctor in Toronto treats these with injections of novacaine. Buffey calls him Dr. Needle. The needle is a big one. The groin muscle is a tough one. The doctor has to use both hands to push it in. &ldquo;I start to sweat just thinking about it,&rdquo; Buffey shudders.Buffey was born and raised in Toronto. He played junior and senior hockey as a goaltender and now thinks he might have made it as a pro, but didn&rsquo;t think so then and quit while still a teen-ager to complete studies in and go to work in commercial art. For no good reason that he knows, it was suggested he try refereeing. He applied to the Toronto Hockey League, and was assigned immediately. He used to work four games a night for $5.After three years in the Western League, Buffey graduated to the NHL in 1959. John Ashley came in the same year. Art Skov moved up from working lines that year. Bill Friday came in the next year. They are the senior refs in the majors. Of them, Buffey has the most games under his belt. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t call every game the same,&rdquo; he admits. &ldquo;You let each game find its own level, in each game, you find a pattern. If it&rsquo;s a game of fouls you call it tight. If it&rsquo;s not, you let it go. You don&rsquo;t slow a slow game further by whistling unimportant infractions. If you called every foul, there wouldn&rsquo;t be enough players left on ice to play the game. To be a good referee, good judgment is vital.&rdquo;Vern once got into a fight with a fan in a corridor in the minors. He once got so mad at fans in Chicago he bit clear through his pipe. But he has learned to control his temper which is not easy, he says, in cities like Boston, where the fans cruelly call for blood. Unlike the old days, the referees now are protected on their walk from the ice to the dressing room everywhere in the NHL except in Oakland, where there are not many fans. Usually when fans meet him away from the scene of the action, they treat him as a celebrity, Buffey points out.Buffey has had things thrown at him, has been spit at, has been cursed of course. He says he has exchanged heated words with players, coaches and managers on and off the ice, but has managed to avoid physical contact with them. &ldquo;Some are chronic beefers. Some are more boistrous than others,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Sometimes they can point out call I blew but then I remind them of some players who maybe missed an open net or hit the pipe. We&rsquo;re all human,&rdquo; he grins. As passion diminishes, good humor takes over. One coach once asked Buffey to shake his head. &ldquo;I want to see if your eyes move,&rdquo; the coach said.<h2>Not Playing Favorites Wins Him Respect</h2>&bull; Buffey is one of the most respected of refs, possibly, he suggests, because he avoids any possibility of playing favorites. &ldquo;I never read newspaper accounts of games, he explains. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not like some of these kid refs who want to see their names in the paper. I don&rsquo;t want to know who&rsquo;s going good or bad. I want to treat every player and every team alike.&rdquo;Working 70 games a year, he has travelled a half-million miles. He used to travel around 40,000 miles a season. With expansion he now travels around 65,000 miles. Although they would otherwise be his friends in idle moments he avoids all personal contact with players and coaches. He does not always get to be with linesmen. A dapper soul, he makes friends easily but is alone much of the time. &ldquo;You learn to live with it, he sights.He is usually home two or three nights the first part of every week. Home is house he rents in Scarborough during the season and a cottage he owns in the lake district near Peterborough off-seasons.Vern&rsquo;s wife is not a hockey fan, so she is seldom at games to hear him abused and he does not have to bring the games home, which is the way he wants it He has had oilers and is interested in a good front-office job with a league or club. The high travelling schedule, the bad knees, the unrelenting pressure and the unrelieved loneliness depress him sometimes. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d never want to leave hockey, but I&rsquo;m almost ready to retire as an active referee. The wear and tear of the years adds up,&rdquo; he grins wistfully, thinking about Dr. Needle and the next time groin muscle is torn.He has come long way from four games for $5 night when the only future guaranteed him was poke in the puss from some irate pop some night. &#9632;

f0008-01

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">BY GLENN REDMANN</div>TWIN CITIES, Minn.&mdash;John Muckier&rsquo;s search for a No. 3 line may finally have ended.The Minnesota North Stars coach has made no bones about the need for such a unit if his team is to make any serious overatures toward one of the coveted playoff spots in the NHL&rsquo;s West Division.On Dec. 14 at Met Sports Center in nearby Bloomington, Muckier unveiled a third line comprised of centerman Andre Boudrias between wingers Parker MacDonald on the left side and Bill Collins on the right.The New York Rangers, who hadn&rsquo;t lost in six previous starts against Minnesota, provided the competition.But with the No. 3 line accounting for two goals within a 20-second span mid-way in the second period, the North Stars broke a 0-0 tie and went on to a 4-1 victory to the delight of a 14,423 sellout.&ldquo;They were really working well out there,&rdquo; said a thoroughly happy Muckier. &ldquo;If they can keep it up, I think we&rsquo;ll finally be able to say that we&rsquo;ve got three good lines.&rdquo;MacDonald the 35-year-old Nova Scotian who had been sent to coach Memphis of the Central League when Muckier succeeded Wren Blair behind the North Stars&rsquo; bench, put a nifty deke on the unprotected Ed Giacomin for the 1-0 tally.Collins, used mostly in checking situations and as Bouerias&rsquo; partner up fron on the penalty-killing team, followed with a rebound shot that broke a 24-game goal-less streak for him.Boudrias&rsquo; whose 53 points on 18 goals and 35 assists were high in the NHL last season for a rookie assisted on both goals to double his season total.Yes, that&rsquo;s right. Boud had only two goals and no assists going into the middle third of the campaign, but perhaps MacDonald and Collins will be the tonic the former Montreal chattel needs to get playing back to his 1967-68 form.&ldquo;It just seems good to be playing center on a regular line again,&rdquo; said Andre, who earlier had put some time in at left wing on the &ldquo;merry-go-round&rdquo; No. 3 line.The New York game was Boud&rsquo;s fourth straight as pivot of the third line which earlier had seen the likes of Brian Smith and Joey Johnston being tried on the left side and snakebitten Bill Goldsworthy on the right.Goldsworthy, who scored eight goals and helped set up seven others in 15 playoff games last season, was fined $500 and demoted to Memphis just before the big Ranger victory. He had three goals and one assist at the time of his departure, but said with confidence, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be back, you can bet on it.&rdquo;General Manager Wren Blair, on the recommendation of Muckier, also took some money from defenseman Mike McMahon and Boudrias for &ldquo;indifferent play&rdquo;, but the unannounced sums (believed to be $500) will be returned to the two players if they remain with the parent club all season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02681/2891050-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="528" height="557"><figcaption class="caption-body">PARKER MacDONALD&hellip; Tonic For Stars</figcaption></div>Muckler had no complaints about his other two lines.The Danny O&rsquo;Shea-Danny Grant-Claude Larose unit was highly effective with a combined total of 27 goals in 24 games until first Grant, then Larose and finally O&rsquo;Shea all had to miss games due to injuries.Grant and Larose the former Canadien castoffs, both had groin pulls while O&rsquo;Shea the hustling former Canadian Olympic star, injured his back in a losing battle with a goal post while scoring his fifth goal in a 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh here Dec. 11.The Ray Cullen, J.P. Parise, Wayne Connelly line put in the other two goals against the Rangers and, at this writing, had 25 to their credit.STAR-LITES: The 20-second back-to-back goals by Parker MacDonald and Bill Collins against the Rangers Dec. 14 broke by six seconds the former club record for two fastest goals set on Dec. 10, 1967 by Wayne Connelly and the late Bill Masterton&hellip; The fourth sellout crowd of the season at the Sports Center increased home attendance to 176,430 for 14 dates&hellip; That&rsquo;s an average of 12,621 per game which is close to 1,500 more than last season&rsquo;s log at a similar stage&hellip; &#9632;

f0008-02

Veteran MacDonald Back From CHL Coaching Job To Give North Stars Lift

<div class="byline">BY SPENCE CONLEY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01750/2891088-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="253" height="427"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY SMITH</figcaption></div>OAKLAND, Calif.&mdash;Until the Philadelphia Fivers rolled into the Coliseum Arena on Dec. 6, all Oakland Seal goalie Gary Smith had been doing was win &mdash; not impressively, but often.Seal GM Frank Seike was happy that big Smitty was doing the job, but deeply concerned about the quality of his performance.He believed the 24-year-old National Hockey League sophomore was capable of better play so made a public issue of it, not so much Smith but the Seal goaltending picture in general.And when Seike was finished he laid it on the line: Smith and Charlie Hodge were fighting for one job, the other slot belonged to 20-&gt; ear-old rookie Chris Worthy.Now Smitty, a handsome 6-4, 225-pounder, found that pretty tough to swallow, after all, by Dec. 6 the Seals had six wins and five ties in 24 games, and he had five of those wins and two of the ties to his credit.And when he took to the nets to face the Flyers, he was fairly well steaming. Sixty minutes later he had blanked Philadelphia, 4-0, and given the Seals their (and his) first shutout of the season, jumped them temporarily into second place in the West Division, and their first home win over a West opponent.Smitty was clearly the best player on the ice as he blocked 24 shots, several of them ticketed for the strings.Glover was delighted, both by the fact that Smith had turned in a top game and that he was suddenly an angry goalkeeper.&ldquo;I hope he stays mad,&rdquo; said Glover, &ldquo;He was more alert than in any other game which he&rsquo;s played. If getting him mad is the way to make him play better, then that&rsquo;s the way it&rsquo;ll be. It&rsquo;s nice to see an angry hockey player once in while.&rdquo;Not only did Smitty&rsquo;s shutout extend the Seals undefeated string to four games &mdash; their longest of the year &mdash; but it proved a number of things, specifically to Seike that until somebody else can take the job away from him, Gary Smith is the club&rsquo;s club&rsquo;s No. 1 goaltender.And here, specifically, is what Selke said:&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think he (Smith) is playing as well as he can. I&rsquo;n not rapping him, he has been great at times, but like a few other of our players, I&rsquo;m not totally satisfied with him.&ldquo;He has the ability and the potential to be among the top goalkeepers in the league. Take a look at his average. Right now (pre-Flyers) it&rsquo;s 3.27 per game, but it ought to be 2.65 or less. Part of the reason, of course, is that the team has come up with some sloppy defensive games in front of him, but he can play better than he&rsquo;s shown.&rdquo;Smitty didn&rsquo;t waste time in showing that he can play better.With Smith gaining his confidence the Seals have unified and advanced steadily in the West Division standings.Admittedly happy with the goal situation. Glover attributes a few other things to the recent success.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02687/2891081-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="2391" height="997"><figcaption class="caption-body">Here&rsquo;s Seals&rsquo; high scorer BILLY HICKE (9) being sat upon by Bruins&rsquo; DALLAS SMITH while BOBBY ORR (4) retrieves puck in recent NHL action. Hicke has been ice leader for Oakland club this season.</figcaption></div>Glover has preached all along that &ldquo;if you take care of your own end of the rink, the other will take care of itself.&ldquo;If you are taking care of your own end. your won&rsquo;t get many goals scored against you. But if you get frustrated, it costs goals, and carrys over to frustrate the offense.&ldquo;It may be that now the club is starting to realize that making smart passes coming out of our end, moving with authority, is the way our game is played.&ldquo;In the games we&rsquo;ve played well &mdash; even though we&rsquo;ve lost a couple &mdash; that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s happened. We skated and passed and moved with authority. But in the games we&rsquo;ve played poorly, that&rsquo;s been the problem,&rdquo; he pointed out.Since the Seals have been maneuvering better inside their own blueline that&rsquo;ve only lost one game in six from Philly (Nov. 23) to Philly (Dec. 6). The game they did lose was a 3-2 thriller to the Rangers in New York and it could have gone either way.So the Seals in general and Smith in particular have a good thing going. Glover thinks its going to carry the Seals right into the Stanley Cup playoffs. &#9632;

f0009-01

Seals’ Goalie Meets Criticism With Shutout

OAKLAND, Calif. &mdash;What has happened to Charlie Hodge?As for Hodge Selke said this:&ldquo;He isn&rsquo;t playing because his work both in the games and the practices indicates that he is not ready to be No. 1. He had a great training camp, but for some reason, when the season opened he went into a slump and he can&rsquo;t shake it. He&rsquo;s been a little unsure of himself, but lately he&rsquo;s demonstrated he may be snapping out of it, said Selke. &ldquo;If his work improves in practice and we feel that he can be No. 1 then he&rsquo;ll get the job back. But not until then,&rdquo; added the Seals GM. &#9632;

Hodge Must Work to Get Off Oakland Bench Says Selke

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-01767/2891157-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="292" height="380"></div>GORDIE HOWE HAS BIOGRAPHY in the book-stalls in Canada and the United States. It well could be titled: &ldquo;NHL Record Book&rdquo; but it isn&rsquo;t. It&rsquo;s simply &ldquo;Gordie Howe &mdash; Number 9.&rdquo;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s moving pretty good,&rdquo; Howe said. &ldquo;They had a big advance order for it. But they&rsquo;ve made some errors in it &mdash; like getting my daughter Cathy&rsquo;s birthdate wrong and they had me fishing in the middle of the Detroit River when it was somewhere else.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-02665/2891150-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="239" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gordie Howe</figcaption></div>Minor things perhaps to some people but Howe is a perfectionist. He&rsquo;s also phenomenal when you look at his achievements. Recently he banged in his milestone 700th goal, played in his 1,500th NHL game and racked up his 900th career assist.He&rsquo;s incredible, really. His widow&rsquo;s peak sticks out like Pike&rsquo;s Peak. He&rsquo;d need a whole can of Shinola to cover the gray hairs. He&rsquo;s 40 years old and still playing with the enthusiasm of a kid and the determination you find only in the really great ones.<h2>He plays as if he could go on for 10 more years.</h2>&ldquo;Maybe we&rsquo;ll have a sequel to the biography,&rdquo; Howe grinned.The way he&rsquo;s going, it could be series.&ldquo;The thing that amazes me,&rdquo; coach Bill Gadsby said, &ldquo;is that Gordie is skating so well &mdash; almost as strong as ever.&rdquo;<h2>Raise Puts Him Near $80,000</h2>HOWE AND GADSBY BROKE into the National Hockey League the same year but Gadsby retired after 20 seasons. His legs were gone. His mind told them where to go but they wouldn&rsquo;t get there fast enough. Meanwhile, Howe goes on &mdash; he&rsquo;s in his 23rd season.He said the last contract he signed likely would be it. He renegotiated with club owner Bruce Norris after big figures were bandied about following the signings of Boston&rsquo;s Bobby Orr and Chicago&rsquo;s Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita.Howe was in the second year of a two-year pact that paid him something around $45,000 year. The increase Norris gave him was so large that Norris handled the deal &mdash; general manager Sid Abel, calling it &ldquo;a real doozy,&rdquo; said the money was too high for him to work with.An educated guess would be that Howe finally is in the bracket he shouldn&rsquo;ve been in years ago, that he&rsquo;s getting close to $80,000 this season and again next year.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to have 10 more years,&rdquo; Howe said almost wistfully. &ldquo;Expansion really has raised salaries. A fella who got $18,000 before expansion could get $25,000 to $30,000 with an expansion team.&rdquo;And players on the old clubs argued for &mdash; and began getting &mdash; comparable hikes.Howe said that back in his early years &mdash; how can you call them his prime when he scored 39 goals last season? &mdash; a rise of $3,000 to $5,000 a year was spectacular.<h2>Mum&rsquo;s the Word on Salaries</h2>&ldquo;EXPANSION AND THE NATIONAL television contract have opened it up but I doubt hockey salaries ever will reach the size of football and basketball salaries. There just aren&rsquo;t enough seats in hockey rinks and the game hasn&rsquo;t caught on on television the way football and baseball have,&rdquo; Howe said.Howe doesn&rsquo;t talk about his own salary other than in a general way &mdash; that he&rsquo;s well satisfied with it. He figures that is his own business. &ldquo;All the years that Ted Lindsay and I played together and roomed together we never knew how much money the other was making.&rdquo;Whatever it has been, it hasn&rsquo;t been commensurate with Howe&rsquo;s value to his team and the game as compared to the fancy salaries paid lesser athletes in baseball and football.His employers and his fans always have received more than their money&rsquo;s worth from Howe. A recent game was typical of him &mdash; he rode roughshod over Boston&rsquo;s Boy Wonder, Bobby Orr, who is a budding Howe himself, knocking Orr down and giving him the patented Howe glove-in-the-face treatment that Toronto&rsquo;s King Clancy calls &ldquo;the wiper.&rdquo;That night he set up three goals, going right out after Boston tied the score 5-5 in the third period &mdash; &ldquo;I was disgusted, a three-goal lead and then bing-bing-bing&rdquo; &mdash; to bull his way around in the Bruin zone, get the puck and hit Frank Mahovlich with a perfect pass for the winning goal.Howe&rsquo;s biography is premature. The story is far from finished.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03551/2891143-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="1773" height="1090"><figcaption class="caption-body">CANADIAN KIDS PLAY IN CALIFORNIAHere are the Prescott, Ont., Pee Wee All-Stars who are spending the Christmas holidays in the rarified air of California while playing an exhibition tour. The youngsters, decked out in gay new sweaters courtesy of Prescott businessmen, played in San Diego and were guests of the San Diego Minor Hockey Association. Front row, left to right, are RICK MCALLISTER, BRENT SHAW, DOUG HAYES, JIMMY COLLISON, FRANK MCAULEY, JOHN SIMPSON, captain, JESS LECLAIR and DARTE MILLER. Second row, LEN PORTEOUS, trip organizer, STEVEN WYATT, PETER SAWDEN, BLAIN SHAVER, PETER LAPENSE, RICKEY WALLACE, RODNEY SKINKIE, BOBBY BEATTIE. Back now, EVAN LECLAIR, coach, IVAN MILLER, coach, LES McALLISTER, coach.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0010-01

Jack Berry Howe’s Biography A Bit Premature

MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;There may be mixed feelings in the National Hockey League as to when and how to play the Russians but one thing appears certain &mdash; a confrontation with the much heralded Soviets is rapidly growing nearer.NHL President Clarence Campbell thinks the event will materialize within two years.&ldquo;I would have to say a game between the NHL and Russians is getting closer all the time,&rdquo; commented Campbell.Most hockey men agree that if the NHL is to oppose the Russians and risk their hockey superiority, the team should be composed of all-stars. That&rsquo;s Campbell&rsquo;s feelings and also Red Kelly, the coach of the Los Angeles Kings. Kelly was adamant about one thing.&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s not send an expansion team against them because on some nights an expansion team doesn&rsquo;t really play that well,&rdquo; he added.Kelly insists the NHL should send its best players to oppose the Russians. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s have our top players ready for them,&rdquo; shot back Kelly.Punch Imlach, the manager-coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs said he can&rsquo;t wait to see those Russians coming over the blueline with their heads down and one of those beefy NHL rearguards about to line him up. &ldquo;It should be quite a sight,&rdquo; grinned Imlach.Campbell said the idea of a Russian-NHL game had not been discussed at the NHL governors&rsquo; meeting in New York. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association had expressed a wish to the NHL to get them off the hook in providing a national team to face the European squads.Campbell said the Russians just might be accommodated &ldquo;in the next two years.&rdquo;The NHL chief executive didn&rsquo;t know what the Russians had in mind as to the duration of such a series or whether it would be a one-game stand. However, he assumed the Soviets would want at least a home-and-home series with one game in North America and the other presumably in Moscow.Russia&rsquo;s national hockey leaders have been busily issuing challenges to NHL teams through the news agency Tass.The Russians have reigned as world hockey champions for the past six years and have won the gold medal in the past two Olympics. &#9632;

Campbell Expects NHL To Be Set For Russians Within Next Two Years

BOSTON, Mass.&mdash;Goalie Ed Johnston has been fitted with new mask that gives extra protection around the temple area and over the ears where he was hit with a puck in pre-game practice against Detroit on Oct. 31&hellip; This is the injury that hospitalized him for 18 days&hellip; Eddie has been working out for over a week and has participated in three squad scrimmages showing no evidence of puck shyness&hellip; In another week he is expected to be available for at least backup duty behind Gerry Cheevers&hellip;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-02698/2891212-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="266" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ed Johnston</figcaption></div>There is a great difference in fan reaction to the scoring of individual players&hellip; In the 10-5 victory of Chicago. Bobby Orr scored three goals and at least 50 hats were flung on to the ice&hellip; The following night Phil Esposito scored three against Pittsburgh. Only two broken down hats were flipped from the stands&hellip; Yet this performance gave Esposito 20 goals for the season. &#9632;

f0011-02

Bruins’ Johnston Fitted With New Type Face Mask

<div class="byline">BY TOM MONAHAN</div>BOSTON, Mass. &mdash;Depth in talent is the goal of every sports team wether it be amateur or professional. The coaches, general managers and owners all strive for this.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01758/2891243-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="253" height="436"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tommy Williams</figcaption></div>There is the knowledge that depenfence on one man at position is not sufficient in these days of expanded schedules and extensive travel.One of the major assets the Bruins had going for them as the National Hockey League started this year was the thought that there was sufficient depth to take care of any situation.Now the Bruins management is about to discover if the initial estimate of the Bruins major league talent coupled with what their minor leaguers was showing was an honest estimate.The Bruins have lost Tommy Williams, the versatile forward for the remainder of the season with an operation on his left knee for torn ligaments.Eddie Shack, the controversial left wing is out for at least 10 days with torn muscle in his right shoulder.Both of these injuries came at a time when the Bruins were rolling and challenging Montreal for the top spot in the Eastern Division.In five games the B&rsquo;s had scored 25 goals. They had moved within two points of the defending Stanley Cup Canadiens.This pace hardly can be expected to continue. But it is indicative of what the Bruins might do on offense with everyone healthy.Now they will have to substitute and improvise to maintain the level if they hope to makes the playoffs.The injuries to both Shack an Williams bring to mind the plight of New York with Rod Gilbert out for at least six weeks with a broken ankle and Orland Kurtenbach lost for the season with a spinal fusion operation.The Rangers have gone into a tailspin as a result.By comparison, now, the Bruins will be able to judge the value and merit of other individuals.The injuries to Shack and Williams are not the first the Bruins have suffered this season.They lost Teddy Green and Johnny McKenzie early. They lost veteran goalie Eddie Johnston and defenseman Gary Doak.They still have been able to hold their heads far above water.They have been bothered by a flu bug and heavy colds but still have been able to play above the level that brought them playoff spot a year ago for the first time in nine seasons.&ldquo;We expect to have Doak back any day now.&rdquo; Said Sinden. &ldquo;And the way John-Iston has been working in practice has been very encouraging.&ldquo;As for the loss of Williams and Shack, I can&rsquo;t say that we aren&rsquo;t going to be handicapped.&ldquo;Tommy was starting to come back to his form of last year and Eddie had been doing a good job,&rdquo; said Sinden.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll just have to wait developments to see what these injuries mean. Injuries are part of the game. Every team gets them.&rdquo;How a team survives injuries of this nature is important in a character analysis of the whole structure, however.This is the test the Bruins now face in the coming weeks. &#9632;

f0011-01

Bruins’ Player Depth Faces Big Test As Injuries Mount

<div class="byline">BY DAN MOULTON</div>CHICAGO, Ill.&mdash;His plus-minus figures mean more right now than his goals-assists totals to Hawks&rsquo; center Pit Martin.This, of course is because Pit&rsquo;s plus-minus figures currently represent better gauge of his value to the Hawks than do his scoring totals which at this writing were 5-15.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01737/2891274-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="273" height="449"><figcaption class="caption-body">Pit Martin</figcaption></div>None of this does much to silence the critics of the Hawks trade two years ago in which Pit came to Chicago from the Boston Bruins and high-scoring Phil Esposito left his spot as center for Bobby Hull to take up life with the Bruins.But the fact that Martin has been turning in solid two-way performances since he recovered from a series of leg and ankle injuries late last year has made it easier for Hawk Manager Tommy Ivan and Coach Billy Reay to withstand the frequent criticism over the deal.A player&rsquo;s plus-minus figures are based on the number of times he&rsquo;s on the ice when a goal is scored. If he&rsquo;s on for more goals by his team than by the opposition, his figures show a plus, the size of the number being determined by the ratio of goals for and against.Last year, in which Pit scored 16 goals and 19 assists, his plus figure was a most respectable nine. This year&rsquo;s figure is considerably lower right now but it must be realized that the Hawks currently have the highest goals against totals in the league and have been plagued by netminding problems.&ldquo;Pit&rsquo;s a great defensive center&rdquo;, says coach Billy Reay. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s quick, a good skater and works awfully hard in the other team&rsquo;s ice. It must be murder for other team&rsquo;s puck-carriers to go against him in their own end.&rdquo;The defensive play hasn&rsquo;t done much to earn Pit notice among fans or in the press, but Reay has made it a point to let his 5-8, 160-pound middle man know that his efforts aren&rsquo;t going unnoticed.After a recent victory over St. Louis, Billy took Pit aside in the dressing room and told him:&ldquo;I know you don&rsquo;t have too much to show for it, but you turned in one great hockey game tonight&rdquo;.Pit enjoys scoring goals as much as much any other average, healthy hockey player and he doesn&rsquo;t pass up many chances to get a crack at the opposition net. But he takes his role as fore-checker seriously and plans to keep digging in the other team&rsquo;s zone.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really concentrating on fore-checking&rdquo;, said Pit recently, as he surveyed several fresh facial scars in the mirror of the Hawks&rsquo; shower room. (This year, Pit&rsquo;s legs are holding up but his face is taking beating)&ldquo;It might not show up on the scoring sheet but it helps the team. Besides, those plus-minus figures can provide a lot of personal satisfaction. And they don&rsquo;t hurt during contract talks, either.&rdquo;The value of fore-checking doesn&rsquo;t lie merely in the number of opportunities you create for your team by stealing the puck in the opposition&rsquo;s end, according to Martin.&ldquo;If you can delay the other team&rsquo;s puck carrier in his ice, you can disrupt the entire attack,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;The other forwards are at center ice and they begin to wonder if they should stay there and wait for passes or go back and try to help get the puck out of trouble, or what.&ldquo;Then, too, our defensemen can stay up further and pick off passes. There&rsquo;s really no good substitute on defense for solid fore-checking&rdquo;.Happy as he is with the work Martin has been doing, Reay feels the quick little French-Canadian should have more goals and feels that he will start popping pucks pretty soon.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been awfully unlucky around the nets,&rdquo; said Reay. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s run into hot goalkeeping several times when he&rsquo;s worked himself in for good shots.&rdquo;The apparent lack of production hasn&rsquo;t had any affect of Pit&rsquo;s linemates, however. At this writing, right wing Jim Pappin had 17 goals and left wing Dennis Hull 14. &#9632;

f0012-01

PIT MARTIN’S DEFENSE PLUSES MAKE HAWKS SMILE

Up until this week, this was a lost season for goaltender Denis DeJordy.Dejordy, who shared the Vezina Trophy with Glenn Hall as recently as the 1966-67 season, reached a personal career low shortly after the start of the current campaign.With this goals-against average skyrocketing to the 3.70 mark, he was sent to Dallas of the Central Hockey League by the parent Chicago Black Hawks with whom he had starred for several years. Dave Dryden was elevated to Dejordy&rsquo;s first-string spot and Jack Norris was brought up from Dallas as standby netminder.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-02639/2891305-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="270" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Denis DeJordy</figcaption></div>This arrangement, however, failed to stem the heavy flow of rubber that entered the Chicago cage. In fact at the 28-game mark, the Hawks had yielded 97 goals, more than any club in either division.Hence the return of DeJordy. Recalled to Chicago at the beginning of last week after regaining his confidence at Dallas, DeJordy stood first, the New York Rangers and then the Detroit Red Wings on their respective ears. He shutout the Wings 2-0 with a 33-save performance fast on the heels of fine 34-stop effort in his first comeback start in New York, a 3-1 Hawks&rsquo; victory.At this rate, the Hawks will receive the top-notch goalkeeping necessary to crash the NHL playoff circle &mdash; a feat that seemed bleak indeed before DeJordy came back on the scene.El Producto and THE HOCKEY NEWS are pleased to salute the player-of-the-week in the East:Denis DeJordy &hellip; Chicago &#9632;

f0012-02

NHL Player Of The Week — IN THE EAST

For a while there, it looked like Philadelphia Flyers would slip from a Western Division pennant championship to a last-place finish all within the space of one year.And while it still may happen, the Flyers are at least finally beginning to show signs of life offensively. By far the worst-scoring team in the NHL with 47 goals in its first 27 games, Philadelphia erupted for 13 tallies in two outings last week.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-03506/2891336-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="251" height="411"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andre Lacroix</figcaption></div>And leading the Flyers&rsquo; rejuvenated snipers was Andre Lacroix, who led the American Hockey League in scoring last campaign when he was brought up in mid-season to join the parent NHL team.Lacroix, a source of disappointment to coach Keith Allen with two meagre goals in his first 27 games this year, broke out of his prolonged slump last week. He scored a pair as the Flyers surprisingly erupted for an 8-2 trouncing of Pittsburgh Penguins. Two nights later he fired home the equalizer 33 seconds before the final bell to enable Philadelphia to salvage 5-5 tie with Minnesota North Stars.If Lacroix and his mates can continue their resurgence to pot, em with any degree of regularity, the Flyers should be in the thick of the scuffling tor their second straight Western Division title.El Producto and THE HOCKEY NEWS are pleased to salute the player-of-the-week in the West:Andre Lacroix&hellip;Philadelphia &#9632;

f0012-03

NHL Player Of The Week — IN THE WEST

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-05472/2891430-1-eng-US/f0013-052.jpg" title="f0013-05" width="548" height="585"><figcaption class="caption-body">WAYNE CONNELLY&hellip;Two-Goal Game</figcaption></div><h2>TUES. DEC. 17 PITTSBURGH 2 at PHILADELPHIA 8</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Philadelphia, Kennedy (Hale, Sarrazin) &hellip; 4:032&mdash;Philadelphia, Lacroix (Sarrazin, Gendron) &hellip; 17:193&mdash;Philadelphia, Selby (Stanley, Paiement) &hellip; 18:144&mdash;Pittsburgh, McCreary (Burnt, McCallum) &hellip; 19:55Penalties &mdash; Kennedy 9:42, Miszuk 15:22, Van Impe 17:51, McCallum 18:10.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Philadelphia, Selby (Sarrazin) &hellip; 6:34Penalties &mdash; McCreary 6:17, Kennedy 11:35.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Philadelphia, Sarrazin (Selby, Johnson) &hellip; 6:137&mdash;Philadelphia, Sarrazin (Johnson) &hellip; 9:378&mdash;Philadelphia, Rochefort (Stanley, Halo) &hellip; 13:449&mdash;Philadelphia, Lacroix (Nolet, Gendron) &hellip; 16:1310&mdash;Pittsburgh, McCreary (Burns, Andrea) &hellip; 19:22Penalties &mdash; Miszuk, Angotti 2:10, Gendron 11:54, Kennedy 18:21.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01725/2891423-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="569" height="103"></div>Attendance: 6,986<h2>OAKLAND 3 at MINNESOTA 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Oakland, Hicke (Lacombe, Hampson) &hellip; 17:59Penalty &mdash; Larose 16:37.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Minnesota, Larose (Cullen, Parise) &hellip; 8:123&mdash;Oakland, Szura &hellip; 8:294&mdash;Minnesota, Grant (McCord, Larose) &hellip; 11:02Penalty &mdash; Parise 18:52.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Oakland, Hicke (Jarrett, Laughton) &hellip; 10:04Penalty None.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02676/2891416-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="572" height="100"></div>Attendance: 10,730<h2>WED. DEC. 8 LOS ANGELES 2 at MONTREAL 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalty &mdash; Savard 18:25.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Los Angeles, Anderson (Robinson) &hellip; 3:102&mdash;Los Angeles, Cohan (Lemieux) &hellip; 5:453&mdash;Montreal, Duff (Rousseau, Richard) &hellip; 8:29Penalties &mdash; H. Hughes 8:23, Flett 8:44, Irvine, J.C. Tremblay 13:23, Rolfe 19:09.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Montreal, Cournoyor (Savard, Laperriere) &hellip; 16:35Penalty &mdash; Peter 10:18.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-03627/2891409-1-eng-US/f0013-032.jpg" title="f0013-03" width="564" height="107"></div>Attendance: 15,527.<h2>OAKLAND 2 at TORONTO 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Oakland, Jarrett (Roberts, Laughton) &hellip; 2:35Penalties &mdash; Marshall 4:53, Polyk 8:08, Pilote 12:00, Roberts 18:00.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Toronto, Pelyk (Keon, Oliver) &hellip; 3:323&mdash;Toronto, Dorey (Oliver) &hellip; 14:124&mdash;Oakland, Laughton (Hicko) &hellip; 17:50Penalties &mdash; Meehan 10:29, Quinn 14:02.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Toronto, Smith (Horton, Henderson) &hellip; 8:106&mdash;Toronto, Pulford 8:577&mdash;Toronto, Armstrong (Dorey) &hellip; 18:48Penalties &mdash; Dorey 3:10, Hampson 14:29.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-04575/2891402-1-eng-US/f0013-042.jpg" title="f0013-04" width="564" height="107"></div>Attendance: 16,336.<h2>CHICAGO 3 at NEW YORK 1</h2>1&mdash;Chicago, Pappin (D. Hull, Martin) &hellip; 12:48Penalties &mdash; Young 6:34, Jarrett 9:42.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;New York, Nevin (Goyette, Brown) &hellip; 1:323&mdash;Chicago, Pappin (D. Hull, R. Hull) &hellip; 4:41Penalty &mdash; Fleming 2:17.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Chicago, D. Hull (Mikita) &hellip; 19:09Penalty &mdash; Seiling 5:30.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-06402/2891395-1-eng-US/f0013-062.jpg" title="f0013-06" width="565" height="99"></div>Attendance: 17,250<h2>THURS. DEC. 19 LOS ANGELES 4 at BOSTON 6</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Boston, Murphay (Hodge, Esposito) &hellip;10:042&mdash;Boston, Sanderson (Westfall, Orr) &hellip; 13:263&mdash;Los Angeles, H. Hughes &hellip; 16:154&mdash;Los Angeles, Joyal &hellip; 18:47Penalties: Sather 12:55, Green 14:32.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Boston, Murphy (Esposito, Smith) &hellip; 1:316&mdash;Boston, Bucyk (Orr, McKenzie) &hellip; 3:447&mdash;Los Angeles, Menard (Irvine, H. Hughes) &hellip; 15:40Penalties: Rolfe 2:30, White 12:12, Green 14:58.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Los Angeles, White &hellip; 0:439&mdash;Boston, Westfall (Cashman, Sanderson) &hellip; 14:0510&mdash;Boston, Bucyk (Stanfield, Smith) &hellip; 15:28Penalties None.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-07372/2891388-1-eng-US/f0013-072.jpg" title="f0013-07" width="576" height="102"></div>Attendance: 13,615.<h2>CHICAGO 2 at DETROIT 0</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties: Baun 11:26, Howe 15:14, Jarrett 18:05.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties: R. Hull, Mahovlich 5:48, R. Hull, Harris majors 10:47, Stapleton, Howe 10:47, Marotte 13:35.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Chicago, Mohns &hellip; 0:282&mdash;Chicago, Schmautz (D. Hull) &hellip; 10:51Penalties: Marotte 4:59, MacGregor 6:53, Douglas 8:52.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-08349/2891381-1-eng-US/f0013-082.jpg" title="f0013-08" width="577" height="102"></div>Attendance: 13,184.<h2>MINNESOTA 5 at PHILADELPHIA 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Minnesota, Connelly (McCord, Cullen) &hellip; 2:292&mdash;Philadelphia, Gendron (Nolet, Hale) &hellip; 3:553&mdash;Minnesota, Connelly (Vasko, Cullen) &hellip; 6:354&mdash;Minnesota, Parise (Connelly, Cullen) &hellip; 13:415&mdash;Minnesota, Larose (Hillman, Grant) &hellip; 14:446&mdash;Philadelphia, Van Impe (Nolet, Gendron) &hellip; 16:49Penalties: McCord 7:20, Van Impe 12:39.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Philadelphia, Johnson (Selby, Walton) &hellip; 12:57Penalties: O&rsquo;Shea 9:55, 5:46.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Minnesota, McKechnie (McDonald, Hillman) &hellip; 7:559&mdash;Philadelphia, Rochefort (Hale, Johnson) &hellip; 12:5610&mdash;Philadelphia, Lacroix (Gendron, Stanley) &hellip; 19:27Penalties: None.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-09332/2891374-1-eng-US/f0013-092.jpg" title="f0013-09" width="572" height="104"></div>Attendance: 8,394<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-11285/2891367-1-eng-US/f0013-112.jpg" title="f0013-11" width="529" height="1929"><figcaption class="caption-body">BERNIE PARENT&hellip; Bach On Beam</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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National Hockey League Summaries

<h2>MONTREAL</h2>Goal, Esposito, Wakely. Defense, Laperriere, J.G Tremblay, Harris, Hillman, Savard, Forwards, Beliveau, G. Tremblay, Backstrom, Duff, Cournoyer, Provost, Rousseau, Richard, Ferguson, Redmond, Lemaire.<h2>TORONTO</h2>Goal, Gamble, Bower. Defense, Pilote, Pronovost, Horton, Pelyk, Dorey, Ley. Forwards, Ellis, Ullman, Oliver, Keon, Mickey, Walton, F. Smith, Henderson, Pulford, Armstrong.<h2>CHICAGO</h2>Goal, Dryden, Norris. Defense Marotte, Young, Reid, Ravlich, Stapleton. Forwards, Orban, Martin, Pappin, B. Hull, D. Hull, Mohns, Nesterenko, C. Maki, Wharram, Schmautz.<h2>NEW YORK</h2>Goal, Giacomin, Simmons. Defense, Howell, Brown, Parit, Neilson, Seiling. Forwards, Rivers, Nevin, Fleming, Jeffrey, Hadfield, Stewart, Baton, Ratelie, Goyette, Marshall, Tkaczuk.<h2>DETROIT</h2>Goal, Crozier, Sawchuk. Defense, Baun, Douglas, Popiel, Bergman, Harris. Forwards, Unger, Howe, Delvecchio, F. Mahevlich, MacGregor, Libett, Lawson, Stemkowski, Leclerc, Prentice.<h2>BOSTON</h2>Goal, Cheevers, Johnston. Defense, Orr, Green, Westfall, Smith, Doak, Awrey. Forwards, Esposito, Hodge, Bucyk, Williams, Sather, Sanderson, Stanfield, McKenzie, Shack, Murphy.<h2>PHILADELPHIA</h2>Goal, Paront, Favoll. Defense, Van Impe, Watson, Miszuk, Stanley, Hale, Cherry, Forwards, Lacroix, Rochefort, Selby, Gendron, Nolet, Sarrazin. Peters, Paiement, Blackburn, Johnson, Kennedy.<h2>OAKLAND</h2>Goal, Hodge, Smith, Worthy, Defense, Roberts, Vadnais, Lacombe, Watson, Marshall, Odrowski. Forwards, Laughton Ehmon, Hicke, Hampson, Jarrett, Swarbrick, Dillabough, Ferguson, Szura, Perry.<h2>PITTSBURGH</h2>Goal, Binkley, Daley. Denfese, Boivin, Speer, Price, McCallum, Woytowich. Forwards, Angotti, Fonteyne, Burns, Ingarfield, Ubriaco, Schinkel, Dea, Harris, Boyer, Pronovost, McCreary.<h2>ST-LOUIS</h2>Goal, Hall, iPlante. Defense, Arbour, Bob Plager, Roberts, Barclay Plager, Talbot, Picard. Forwards, Berenson, St. Marseille, Schock, Sabourin, Ecclestone, McCreary, Cameron, Koenan, McDonald, Henry.<h2>MINNESOTA</h2>Goal, Maniago, Bauman. Defense, W. Hillman, McKenzie, Vasko, McCord, Forwards, O&rsquo;Shea, Goldsworthy, Marcetta, Cullen, Parise, Connelly, Boudrias, Johnston, Larose, Collins, Grant.<h2>LOS ANGELES</h2>Goal, Rutledge, Desjardins. Defense, Wall, Amadio, Rolfe, B. Hughes, Cahan, White. Forwards, Krake, Peters, R. Lemieux, H. Hughes, Irvin, Joyal, Flett, Robinson, Anderson. &#9632;

NHL TEAM LINEUPS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-01725/2891530-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="320" height="417"></div>GREAT INNOVATORS OFTEN ARE SUBJECT to criticism, sometimes possibly unjust. Some are scoffed at as eccentrics. Jacques Plante is no exception. Hockey people ridiculed him when he introduced the face mask to the NHL. Yet today goalie who doesn&rsquo;t wear mask is rarity.Now M&rsquo;sieur Plante wants an improvement made in the face mask. He&rsquo;d like to have some sort of padded attachment that would protect the sides of a goalie&rsquo;s head. Just as in the case of the face mask, which was prompted by a severe facial injury he suffered, Jacques started thinking about his latest innovation after being cut for 15 stitches by a shot recently.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02614/2891523-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="272" height="402"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jacques Plante</figcaption></div>&ldquo;Youngsters are waring a sort of padded helmet that could be the basis for what NHL goalies need,&rdquo; Plante told me in St. Louis. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re working on it and should come up with something good.&rdquo;&ldquo;Youngsters are wearing a sort of padded helmet that could be the basis for what NHL goalies need,&rdquo; Plante told me in St. Louis. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re working on it and should come up with something good.&rdquo;THE ONETIME GREAT MONTREAL CANADIENS glory era, who later starred with New York Rangers before retiring, came back this season and has had phenomenal success with the St. Louiis Blues.Never one to duck puck or an issue, the wiry French-Canadian has stirred up another controversy by declaring that curved sticks, if not banned, certainly should be modified.&ldquo;If they aren&rsquo;t&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;somebody is going to get killed. With these curved sticks, you get shot coming at you that is like knuckleball or slider in baseball. They dip and dive. You don&rsquo;t know where they&rsquo;re going and neither does the shooter.&rdquo;Legal limit for a curved stick is an inch and a half. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to see it cut down to one inch next year and to a half inch the following year,&rdquo; Plante told me. It will be interesting to see what transpires in Jacques Plante&rsquo;s latest crusade. He has a habit of getting his points across.WHEN YOU&rsquo;VE BEEN AROUND the hockey beat for more years than you care to remember, you sort of take for granted most of the jargon of the trade&hellip; That&rsquo;s why so amazed at the number of people who ask &ldquo;What is hat-trick?&rdquo; when somebody scores three goals and the term pops up in a story&hellip; Hockey borrowed the phrase from cricket. In the old days of cricket a bowler who succeeded in taking three consecutive wickets with three consecutive thrown balls was considered to have acccomplished such a remarkable feat that he was honored by being presented with a hat&hellip; and thus the term &ldquo;hat-trick&rdquo; came into being &hellip; it actually and factually means three in a row but when hockey purloined the phrase it became the popular term for any three-goal performance by a player in a game, although thre are still some purists around who insist that a real hat-trick in hockey means the scoring of three consecutive goals&hellip; fortunately, these objectionists were shouted down.NOTEWORTHY &hellip; Sid Salomon Jr., owner of the St. Louis Blues, almost wound up in Havana recently &hellip; He was scheduled to fly from St. Louis to Miami on the TWA plane that was hi-jacked and flown to Cuba &hellip; Almost at the last moment he changed his plans and flew to Chicago and on to see the Blues play &hellip; Gordie Howe predicts Bobbv Hull will get 50 goals again this seaSON &ldquo;and probably more&rdquo; &hellip; Quote from &ldquo;Tip Toe&rdquo; singer Tiny Tim: &ldquo;When I&rsquo;m on stage, I make believe I&rsquo;m Punch Imlach. I&rsquo;m thinking like Mr. Imlach on how to get the best out of my material. When I&rsquo;m working on a new song, I&rsquo;m just like Mr. Imlach bringing in a player from Rochester. If it doesn&rsquo;t work in big rink, back it goes.&rdquo; &hellip; Sudden Thought: What a potential combo! Tiny Tim accompanied by Punch Imlach on the violin.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03476/2891516-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="241" height="425"><figcaption class="caption-body">Sid Salomon Jr.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Footloose with ED FITKIN

<div class="byline">BY PAT CURRAN</div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;It&rsquo;s almost a month since Tony Esposito made his debut in the NHL, taking over the Montreal net after Rogatien Vachon suffered an eye injury in the second period at Oakland. He had little chance on the first shot that beat him but appeared woefully weak when Bill Hicke flipped a backhander into the high corner over his right elbow. It wound up as the winning goal in the Seals&rsquo; 5-4 upset.The rap was launched that the 25-year-old ex-college netminder is a long way from major league calibre.The criticism increased when he didn&rsquo;t budge on brother Phil&rsquo;s second goal at Boston, again when he was beaten on easy shots by Chicago and Toronto and louder still after home-ice struggle with St. Louis.Until then, Coach Claude Ruel staunchly defended Esposito for &ldquo;giving me his best.&rdquo; However the young Habs&rsquo; pilot had to agree after the close call from the Blues that the goalie was weak on at least two goals in the 5-4 game.&ldquo;With goaltending like that, the other team needs only one or two breaks and they win the game,&rdquo; said Ruel who thought seriously of switching for the next game against Philadelphia.Instead, he stuck with Esposito one more time and was rewarded by Tony&rsquo;d first NHL shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Flyers.The result gave Esposito a record of three wins and two ties since he replaced Vachon &mdash; out with a fractured hand &mdash; and left Ruel and club management with happy question.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04346/2891561-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="541" height="571"><figcaption class="caption-body">TONY ESPOSITO&hellip;Got The Message</figcaption></div>Maybe Esposito is a few steps away from being a true National League netminder but how can you fault a guy who comes in cold and carries the team unbeaten for five games?There is no way as long as the coach, players and fans don&rsquo;t succumb to heart failure watching the unorthodox right-hander blow the soft ones and stop the hard ones.One team-mate high on the young goalie is John Ferguson.&ldquo;Tony is a fighter, not a shot gets by him that he doesn&rsquo;t get sore at himself,&rdquo; says Fergy. &ldquo;One minute he&rsquo;s shooting the puck down the ice in disgust and the next minute he&rsquo;s making great save.&rdquo;Ferguson got the goal &mdash; his fourth in as many game&mdash;that helped Esposito claim the victory over Philadelphia. While the goalie drew only 25 shots from the inept Flyers, he made the key saves in the second and third periods.&ldquo;Things sure change,&rdquo; said Tony, enjoying congratulations after his zero and apparently thinking of bad goals in earlier games.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a friend of mine back in Sault Ste. Marie who mounts these things,&rdquo; he fondled the souvenir puck. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good thing to have around when you get old and you&rsquo;ve got time to think and remember.&rdquo;It was his sixth shutout in pro hockey, having had five last season for Vancouver in the Western League.Esposito&rsquo;s stay in goal for the Eastern Division leaders was to depend on Montreal&rsquo;s later games, against Los Angeles and a crucial series against Boston and his brother Phil.Rogatien Vachon wasn&rsquo;t due back for another fortnight while he still wore a cast on his fracturedright hand.Gump Worsley had commenced skating again, and indication that the veteran goalie was pondering a return to action from his self-retirement. The Gumper quit Canadiens in the midst of a plane trip to the West Coast, Nov. 26. He was suffering from aerophobia and shattered nerves and was ordered to rest a month by team doctors. &#9632;

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Ruel Critical Of Esposito But Rookie Comes Through

<h2>NATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>CHICAGO &mdash; Denis DeJordy, goalkeeper, recalled from Dallas of CHL. Jack Norris, goalkeeper, returned to Dallas.DETROIT &mdash; Don McLeod, goalkeeper, assigned to Springfield of AHL on loan. John Voss, goalkeeper recalled from Fort Worth of CHL.TORONTO &mdash; Ricky Ley, defenseman. sent to Tulsa of CHL.NEW YORK &mdash; Byran Hextall, forward, and Brad Park, defenseman, recalled from Buffalo of AHL. Wayne Rivers, forward, and Allan Hamilton, defenseman. sent to Buffalo.BOSTON &mdash; Colin McCormick, goalkeeper, returned to Hershey of AHL.ST. LOUIS &mdash; Roger Picard, forward, recalled from Denver of WHL and sent to Buffalo of AHL. Robbie Irons, goalkeeper, assigned to Kansas City of CHL. Gary Edwards, goalkeeper, recalled from Kansas City.MINNESOTA &mdash; Milan Marcetta, forward, transferred from Phoenix of WHL to Memphis of CHL as acting player-coach. Mike Chernoff, forward, recalled from Memphis.LOS ANGELES &mdash; It was erroneously reported Jimmy Anderson, forward, was recalled from Springfield of AHL. He is still playing with Springfield.<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>BUFFALO &mdash; Randy Legge, defenseman, returned to Omaha of CHL.SPRINGFIELD &mdash; Jacques Lemieux, defenseman secured from Denver of WHL.CLEVELAND &mdash; Carl Wetzel, goalkeeper, secured on loan from Memphis of CHL. Murray Flegel, defenseman. obtained from Houston of CHL in return for Don Fedun, defenseman. Lou Nanne, defenseman. secured from Minnesota of NHL.<h2>WESTERN LEAGUE</h2>SAN DIEGO &mdash; Biran Gibbons, defenseman, added to roster.VANCOUVER &mdash; Ken Block, defenseman, sent to Rochester of of AHL.SEATTLE &mdash; Tom lannone, forward, optioned to Dayton of IHL.<h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE</h2>OKLAHOMA CITY &mdash; John Adams, goalkeeper returned to Dayton of IHL. Kirk Haggarty, forward, sent to Nashville of EHL.<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>MUSKEGON &mdash; Gordon Tucker, forward, loaned by Montreal of NHL.PORT HURON &mdash; Milan Zvactha, forward, joined team &lsquo;from Czechoslovakian National Team.DAYTON &mdash; Gerry Moore and Frank Golembrosky, forwards. placed on waivers.DES MOINES &mdash; Bob Howard, defenseman, quit club and placed on suspended list.<h2>EASTERN LEAGUE</h2>SYRACUSE &mdash; Tom Lavender, forward, left team.LONG ISLAND &mdash; Ray Melnyk, forward, rejoined club. Bill Weatherbie, forward, released.HERSHEY &mdash; Roy Pugh, forward, picked up on waivers from Muskegon of IHL.GREENSBORO &mdash; Billy Armour, foreward, droed. &#9632;

Movements of Players

<div class="byline">By NORMAN MacLEAN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01699/2891616-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="244" height="440"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bernard Geoffrion</figcaption></div>NEW YORK, N.Y.&mdash;With the New York Rangers in the throes of a serious slump, rookie coach Bernard &ldquo;Boom Boom&rdquo; Geoffrion is faced with the first major crisis of his coaching career.The Boomer, whose team was hurt by the loss of its Number One forward, Rod Gilbert on December 7, has now gone six straight contests without a win, capped off by a double weekend loss to Minnesota and Philadelphia on December 14 and 15. Since both of these teams are the Expansion white meat on which New York used to feast, Rangerville is indeed in deep shock.What Geoffrion can do with a Ranger team, which suddenly after zooming into first place on December 4, lost its touch, is a moot point. The subsequent loss of Gilbert has left the team with only one really effective offensive line. This is the Phil Goyette, Donnie Marshall and Bob Nevin trio. Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield have played with both Wayne Rivers and Reg Fleming in place of Gilbert. Neither is, or can be expected to be another Rodrigue.The usually reliable Eddie Giacomin has not played as well as usual, during the losing skein which includes five losses and a single tie (with Boston 2-2 on December 11). And the defense has seen Geoffrion play shakewell as he tries to fit the clever, hard playing Brad Park, in some where. In fact, mainly due to injuries, Rod Seiling has been getting less ice time than Park in recent encounters. Allan Hamilton, the one time white hope of the Ranger system, was sent to Buffalo on twenty four hour recall.Amazingly, the Rangers appear to have lost that all important drive and determination so necessary in the National Hockey League. However, most teams in the loop have problems and the spread, point wise, from second to last is very tight, so that a quick righting of the good ship Ranger will catapult New York back into the race for the top. Whether this can be done without Gilbert is a moot point, also.One weakness which had developed because of Gilbert&rsquo;s injury, a fracture of a bone in his ankle, is the lack of an adequate Ranger point man. Vic Hadfield does a commendable job with his booming slap shot, but his work in the corner is then missed. Geoffrion was asked if he himself had any intention of returning to the NHL wars if for no other duty than to man the point, but his answer was a direct &ldquo;no.&rdquo; It is believed that the Boomer&rsquo;s recovery from his bout with ulcer surgery in April was sufficient for normal civilian life, but not good enough to call for a return to the vigors of the NHL.BLUE CHIPS &mdash; New York is still three points ahead of last year&rsquo;s pace with a record of 16-12-1 and 33 points compared to 1967-68&rsquo;s 13-12-4 and 30 points &hellip; Emile Francis, the Ranger General Manager scouted Omaha and Buffalo recently and may make certain recommendations to Geoffrion upon his return from the hinterlands. &#9632;

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Boomer Facing First Major Coaching Crisis As Rangers Hit Slump

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02629/2891647-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="271" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Gadsby</figcaption></div>NEW YORK, N.Y.&mdash;The New York Rangers Red Aings game of December 8 was held up for about five minutes when Referee Art Skov stopped play and retired to the dressing room to measure the curvature of Vic Hadfield&rsquo;s stick.&ldquo;I acted upon a request by one of the Detroit Alternate Captains, Gary Bergman, who was relaying Coach Bill Gadsby&rsquo;s request,&rdquo; said Skov.Gadsby was disturbed when Hadfield&rsquo;s long range bombs seemed to have the effect of making goalie Roger Crozier duck as they whizzed past his head on several occasions during the game. Vic, since he adopted Bobby Hull&rsquo;s curved stick late in the 1966-67 season, has become one of the hardest shooters in the NHL. With Rod Gilbert out with an injury, Coach Bernie Geoffrion has Hadfield playing the point on the New York power play and this has given Hadfield more opportunity to blast away.Hadfield&rsquo;s hook was found to be legal by a quarter inch and thus the lacrosse shaped claw will continue to be seen in NHL rinks. The rule book states that a curvature of not more than one half inch radius is permitted at the bottom of the blade. Apparently Hadfield&rsquo;s claw fell well within this regulation. &#9632;

f0015-02

Gadsby Challenges Curve In Vic Hadfield’s Stick

BUFFALO, N.Y. &mdash;Jim (Sailor) Herberts, a colorful figure in the National Hockey League 40 years ago, died here recently at 71 following a lengthy battle against throat cancer.Born in Cayuga, Ont., and raised in Collingwood, Ont., Herberts turned pro with the Boston Bruins in 1924 and scored 17 goals as a right-winger in his rookie season.The next winter he was the third-highest scorer with 26 goals and 5 assists, his best year, and trailed Nels Stewart and Cy Denneny.He socred 15 goals for Toronto in 1928, and was sold to Detroit, where he played for three seasons. He finished his pro career with the Windsor Bulldogs in the old International League.Herberts, who acquired his nickname as a result of spending the summer months as a deck hand on steamers in the Great Lakes, was known as a character around the NHL who oftened turned up late for important games.He lived in Buffalo for the last 25 years of his life and was life-long bachelor. &#9632;

Ex-NHL Player, Jim Herberts, Dies In Buffalo

ASK YOUR DEALER ABOUT LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS (FORMERLY WALLY) (Hockey sticks distributed in the U.S. through the Hillerich & Brodsby Co.)ASK YOUR DEALER ABOUT LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS (FORMERLY WALLY) (Hockey sticks distributed in the U.S. through the Hillerich & Bradsby Co.)<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01546/2891702-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="594" height="366"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. Dec. 17Providence 4 at Quebec 3Thurs. Dec. 19Providence 1 at Quebec 5<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20Buffalo at BaltimoreSat. Dec. 21Quebec at ClevelandBaltimore at HersheyRochester at SpringfieldSun. Dec. 22Cleveland at BuffaloBaltimore at ProvidenceQuebec at RochesterWed. Dec. 25Cleveland at HersheySpringfield at ProvidenceBuffalo at Rochester &#9632;

f0016-01

How They Stand

<div class="byline">BY HANS TANNER</div>ROCHESTER, N.Y. &mdash;Followers of the Rochester Americans have had little to cheer about this season, but they ran root for one young man to put his name into the American Hockey League record book.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02469/2891740-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="241" height="435"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brian Kilrea</figcaption></div>Ron Ward, honored by THE HOCKEY NEWS as the Minor League Player of the Year for his accomplishments with Tulsa of the Central Hockey League last season, is that young man.The records currently eyed by the 24-year-old center are for most goals and most points by rookie.Wally Hergesheimer set the goal mark when he scored 42 for Cleveland in 1950-51. With 15 goals in the first 23 games, the talended Ward obviously is in fine position to top that figure, providing he stays healthy and out of the clutches of Joe Crozier in Vancouver.The point record for a rookie in the AHL is 97 and was set by Rochester&rsquo;s Billy Hicke in 1958-59 when he put together 41 goals and 56 assists in 69 games. Ron will have to step up his point pace a bit if he is to run at that record.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03369/2891733-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="544" height="562"><figcaption class="caption-body">ROD WARD&hellip; Sizzling Scorer</figcaption></div>While Ward is doing very well at center, the Amerks&rsquo; two veteran American League centers are off to dismal starts. Bronco Horvath and Brian Kilrea, both noted for their puck-handling and passing skills, combined for just five goals and 17 assists in the club&rsquo;s first 23 games.But they are not alone in the &ldquo;off&rdquo; department. In fact, except for Ward, player-coach Dick Gamble, Red Armstrong and Tom McCarthy, not another Amerk had reached even the half dozen mark in goals over the first 23 games. &#9632;

f0016-02

Ward Tracking Two AHL Records

<h2>SAT. DEC. 14 ROCHESTER 2 at HERSHEY 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Rochester, Gamble (Armstrong, Ward) &hellip; 13:402&mdash;Hershey, Hamilton (Debrody, Harvey) &hellip; 15:42Penalties &mdash; McKenney 4:51, Cook 15:00, Mosdell 17:43.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Rochester, McKenney (Watson) &hellip; 12:594&mdash;Hershey, Leitor (Ashbee) &hellip; 16:27Penalties &mdash; Hamilton 2:30, McNabb 6:11, Armstrong 19:31.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties &mdash; Wood 11:52, Barber 18:12.Shots by:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04294/2891813-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="554" height="100"></div>Attendance, 4,545<h2>PROVIDENCE 3 at SPRINGFIELD 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Providence, McKenney (Gauthier) &hellip; 11:39Penalties &mdash; Clearwater, Labossier 1:41<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Providence, Creighton (Gauthier) &hellip; 1:543&mdash;Providence, Kachur (Muloin) &hellip; 2:114&mdash;Springfield, Campbell (Labossiere, Turlik) &hellip; 4:465&mdash;Springfield, Turlik (Labossiere, Campbell) &hellip; 5:13Penalty &mdash; Gauthier 8:45.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Springfield, Dufour (Labossiere, Murray) &hellip; 19:25Penalties &mdash; Rothwell 7:16, Murray 16:13.Shots by:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05222/2891806-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="551" height="105"></div>Attendance 3,633.<h2>QUEBEC 0 at CLEVELAND 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Cleveland, Berry (Mikol, Glover) &hellip; 7:262&mdash;Cleveland, Comeau (Brenneman, Glover) &hellip; 7:38Penalties &mdash; Heiskala 0:52, 14:58, Fleigel 10:50<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Cleveland, Glover (Schultz, Comeau) &hellip; 14:274&mdash;Cleveland, Hoekstra (Glover, Fleigel) &hellip; 19:10Penalty &mdash; Glover 7:59.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties &mdash; McEwan, Monohan 17:07Shots by:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-06175/2891799-1-eng-US/f0016-062.jpg" title="f0016-06" width="546" height="109"></div>Attendance 2,040<h2>SUN. DEC. 15 HERSHEY 2 at SPRINGFIELD 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Springfield, Campbell (Turlick, Lemieux) &hellip; 1:45Penalties &mdash; Croteau 6:07, McInally 16:11<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Sprignfield, Johnston &hellip; 6:553&mdash;Springfield, Turlik (Labossiere, Tisler) &hellip; 12:29Penalties &mdash; Labossiere, Mahoney 8:15, McNabb 11:16, Labossiere 15:48, Keller, Corrigan (majors)19:56<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Hershey, Gilbertson (Bailey, Keller) &hellip; 18:405&mdash;Hershey, Gilbertson (Leiter, Mahoney) &hellip; 19:14Penalties &mdash; Murray 1:19, Bailey 10:34Shots by:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-07162/2891792-1-eng-US/f0016-072.jpg" title="f0016-07" width="542" height="104"></div>Attendance 3,094<h2>BALTIMORE 3 at BUFFALO 3</h2>1&mdash;Buffalo, Jones (Picard, Attwell) &hellip; 4:20Penalties &mdash; Cunningham 3:21, Mortson 8:11, Ahs 11:20, Mortson, Trottier 15:34<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Buffalo, Trottier (Ingram, Hestall) &hellip; 5:113&mdash;Baltimore, Cossette (Morrison, Marshall) &hellip; 15:154&mdash;Baltimore, Cossette (Marshall, MacGregor) &hellip; 19:51Penalties &mdash; Mortson 3:50, 9:20, Blackburn 9:02, Jones 10:58<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Baltimre, Bartlett (Hicks, Mortson) &hellip; 9:186&mdash;Buffalo, Hornung (Ouesllette, Knibbs) &hellip; 13:22Penalties &mdash; Watson 2:07, Arbour 4:41, Watson (double minor), Mortson, Hicks, Ingram, Jones (majors), Picard 17:34Shots by:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-08146/2891785-1-eng-US/f0016-082.jpg" title="f0016-08" width="547" height="104"></div>Attendance 6,291<h2>CLEVELAND 1 at ROCHESTER 9</h2>1&mdash;Rochester, Armstrong (Gamble, Cherry) &hellip; 0:362&mdash;Rochester, McKenny (McCarthy) &hellip; 3:243&mdash;Cleveland, Vanderburg (Sentes, Needham) &hellip; 11:554&mdash;Rochester, Gamble (Armstrong, McCarthy) &hellip; 15:21Penalties &mdash; Monohan 0:19, Sillers 7:09, Mosdell 10:27, Flegel 15:14.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Rochester, Ward (Labrosse, Armstrong) &hellip; 1:09Penalties &mdash; None<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Rochester, McCarthy (McKenny) &hellip; 5:137&mdash;Rochester, Champagne (Duff, Sillers) &hellip; 9:068&mdash;Rochester, Watson (McCarthy) &hellip; 10:489&mdash;Rochester, Ward (Labrosse, Gamble) &hellip; 13:2310&mdash;Rochester, Watson (McKenny) &hellip; 17:02Penalties &mdash; None.Shots by: Cleveland 20, Rochester 35Attendance 3,423<h2>TUES DEC. 17 PROVIDENCE 4 at QUEBEC 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Providence, Gauthier (Mallette) &hellip; 2:252&mdash;Quebec, Drolet (McEwan, Edestrand) &hellip; 9:433&mdash;Providence, Mallettef (Kachur) &hellip; 11:164&mdash;Quebec, Dufour (MacSweyn) &hellip; 17:25Penalties &mdash; Mallette 2:34, Clearwater 13:08.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Providence, Mallette (Keller, Muloin) &hellip; 2:30Penalties &mdash; McEwan 0:29, Taylor 13:13.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Quebec, Morrisson (Bernier, McKillop) &hellip; 6:087&mdash;Providence, Kachur (Malette, Macks) &hellip; 12:07Penalties &mdash; Dufour 6:33, Bernier, Leduc (majors) 14:02, Meissner 19:27, Edestrand, Leduc, (double minors) 19:59.Shots against.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-09125/2891778-1-eng-US/f0016-092.jpg" title="f0016-09" width="569" height="108"></div>Attendance: 3,153.<h2>THURS. DEC. 19 PROVIDENCE 1 At QUEBEC 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No Scoring.Penalties &mdash; Sleaver 4:01, Locas 19:41.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Quebec, Drolet (McKillop, Morrison) &hellip; 7:12Penalty &mdash; Ball 7:48.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Quebec, Drolet (Dufour, Ball) &hellip; 0:163&mdash;Quebec, Drolet (McKillop, Edestrand) &hellip; 7:244&mdash;Quebec, Drolet (Ball, Cates) &hellip; 10:245&mdash;Quebec, Rivard (Edestrand, Pelletier) &hellip; 11:336&mdash;Providence, Gagne (McKenney, Locas) &hellip; 12:42Penalties &mdash; Cates 13:20, Morrison 18:10.Shots against:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-10105/2891771-1-eng-US/f0016-102.jpg" title="f0016-10" width="559" height="106"></div>Attendance: 2,875. &#9632;

f0016-04

American League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY SHEL FULLERTON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01459/2891858-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="566" height="1186"><figcaption class="caption-body">CARL WETZEL&hellip; Auspicious Return</figcaption></div>CLEVELAND, O. &mdash;What Cleveland Barons&rsquo; Coach Jackie Gordon would like best of all as his club heads into new year is for Ernie Wakely to return nets and stay put.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04263/2891851-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="278" height="453"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Needham</figcaption></div>Lacking that, during spells when Wakely is required to don Montreal Canadians&rsquo; regalia, Gordon has hopes that his Barons will continue to come up with spare goalies who deliver as effectively as Norman (Rocky) Farr and Carl Wetzel have done.After turning in three scintillating performances two victories and a tie in which he registered one shutout and permitted only three goals, Farr had to be returned to Denver.Thirty-year-old Wetzel came in from to Memphis to replace him, taking up right where Farr left off in tacking a 4-0 shutout on Quebec to run the Barons&rsquo; undefeated streak to eight games.It is asking too much to have spare goalies continue to deliver the goods in this fashion yet, pending the permanent return of Wakely, that is exactly what the Barons need as they continue to narrow the gap between themselves and the front-running Buffalo Bisons.With all due credit to the netminders, a good case almost must be made for the Cleveland defense that has permitted only 10 goals during the eight-game undefeated span.Arrival on the scene of Murray Flegel and Lou Nanne, the coming of age of Pierre Bouchard and the improved play of Captain Bill Needham have solidified the Baron defense. Noticeable, too, is the improved back-checking of the forwards, possibly because they have been doubling their efforts in an attempt to protect goalies of which they knew little.Bouchard, ever since he returned to action following an injury, has made rapid strides. He is playing more boldly and more confidently than he did earlier in the season, when he was getting his first taste of pro hockey.As Bouchard&rsquo;s running mate, Nanne also has played a consistent brand of hockey, as has Flegel as he teamed with Needham. Their performances have made it possible for Gordon to farm out Don Fedun for more seasoning, keeping Stan Fuller as the fifth defenseman.Temporarily, at least, Gordon has been able to keep his forward lines intact, Gary Monahan centering for Bob Berry and Jim Mikol, Rey Comeau for John Brenneman and Howie Glover and Cecil Hoekstra for Wayne Schultz and Rick Sentes, with Brian Harper and John Vanderburg in reserve.Berry, Glover and Mikol are running head-to-head for the Barons&rsquo; scoring lead.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-05216/2891844-1-eng-US/f0017-052.jpg" title="f0017-05" width="561" height="562"><figcaption class="caption-body">ROGER PICARD&hellip; Man On The Move</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0017-01

Carl Wetzel Bags Shutout In Debut With Ice Barons

<h2>leading scorers</h2>(Including Games of Sun. Dec. 15)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02407/2891896-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="585" height="802"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03336/2891889-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="591" height="267"></div>Moil minutes in penalties &mdash; Connie Madigan &mdash; Portland 75. &#9632;

f0017-02

WHL Point Race

<div class="byline">BY CHARLEY BARTON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-06181/2891927-1-eng-US/f0017-062.jpg" title="f0017-06" width="267" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron Ingram</figcaption></div>BUFFALO, N.Y. &mdash;The Buffalo Bisons have a full working agreement with the New York Rangers, but the St. Louis Blues are also making a solid contribution to the Herd&rsquo;s good showing this season.When the Blues assigned right-winger Roger Picard here, he became the third St. Louis &mdash; owned player currently with the Bisons. The others are defenseman Larry Hornung and right-winger Norm Beaudin.Beaudin came to the Bisons during the training-camp period, and Hornung missed the first four games after starting with the Kansas City Blues of the Central Hockey League.Picard started this season with Denver of the Western League, and was recalled for a stay with St. Louis before coming here.Picard, 34, turned pro a year ago following a lengthy and starry career in the Canadian senior leagues. He helped Drummondville win a Canadian title before signing a pro contract.Last winter, the 6-foot, 200-pounder scored 15 goals and collected 28 assists with Kansas City, and had 2 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with St. Louis.ALONG THE BOARDS &mdash; Capt. Ron Ingram rejoined the Buffalo defense corps after missing seven games with a bruised right knee &hellip; Defenseman Bob Blackburn sustained a broken small bone in his right hand, but wasn&rsquo;t expected to, miss any games &hellip; A plush new reception lounge for the Bisons&rsquo; directors and other VIP&rsquo;s was nearing completion in Memorial Auditorium &hellip; New sunken and enclosed players&rsquo; benches and penalty benches were also in line for early completion &hellip; Randy Legge was returned to Omaha when defenseman Allan Hamilton was sent here by the Rangers, who decided to retain Brad Park permanently. &#9632;

f0017-06

St. Louis Aids Bisons Optioning Roger Picard

<div class="byline">BY GEORGE DUFFY</div>PROVIDENCE, R. I. &mdash;The Rhode Island Reds have been in the hockey business for A long while - 43 years to be exact and over 1200 players have passed through the portals of this old rink.At the moment, 62 players who once played in Providence are members of teams in the National, American, Western, Central and International Leagues.If Dave Creighton, general manager, coach and player of the Reds, could dip into the ranks of the R.I. Reds&rsquo; Alumni for talent, he would have quite a team.For goaltenders, Creighton would have former Reds Bruce Gamble, Ed Giacomin, Charlie Hodge, Gump Worsley, Don Simmons and Johnny Bower.Camille Henry, who once scored 50 goals in a single season with the Reds, would head the Alumni forwards along with fellows like Eddie Shack, Ed Westfall, Ron Murphy, Guy Gendron.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-07159/2891972-1-eng-US/f0017-072.jpg" title="f0017-07" width="558" height="557"><figcaption class="caption-body">ED GIACOMIN</figcaption></div>Orland Kurtenbach, Ted Hampson, Brian Perry, Parker MacDonald, Ab McDonald and Bill McCreary.Defensively, Creighton could suit up Providence grads Allan Stanley, Noel Picard, Matt Ravlich and Larry Hillman.Of course, any hockey team has to have &ldquo;brass&rdquo; and former Providence players Milt Schmidt of the Boston Bruins and Terry Reardon of the Baltimore Clippers would fill that bill.How about a trainer? Well, Tommy Woodcock, who trains the St. Louis Flyers, would fill that bill. He got his start in the business under George Army, the veteran R.I. Reds&rsquo; trainer.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-08128/2891965-1-eng-US/f0017-082.jpg" title="f0017-08" width="557" height="560"><figcaption class="caption-body">CAMILLE HENRY</figcaption></div>At the moment, this is an alphabetcal list of former Providence players still active:Ron Attwell (Buffalo), Bob Barber (Hershey), Jim Bartlett (Baltimore), Moe Bartoli (Columbus). Bob Blackburn (Buffalo), Butch Bouchard (Columbus), Serge Boudreault (Columbus), Bob Brinkworth (Baltimore), Bruce Carmichael (San Diego), Wally Chevrier (Baltimore), Mike Corbett (Springfield), Ray Cyr (Des Moines), Guy Gendron (Philadelphia), Jeannot Gilbert (Hershey),&rsquo; Aldo Guidolin (Baltimore), Gary Hall (Omaha), Ted Hampson (Oakland), John Hanna (Seattle), Camille Henry (St. Louis), Warren Hynes (San Diego), Larry Hillman (Montreal) Bob Kabel (Phoenix), Lou Kazowski (Toledo), Orland Kurtenbach (New York), Roger Lafreniere (Omaha), Larry Leach (Portland), Parker MacDonald (Minnesota), Ed MacQueen (Baltimore), Con Madigan (Portland), Willie Marshall (Baltimore), Tom McCarthy (Rochester), Bill McCreary (St. Louis), Ab McDonald (St. Louis), Larry McNabb (Hershey), Max Mestinsek (Kansas City), Jim Mikol (Cleveland), Ron Murphy (Boston), Gerry Ouellette (Buffalo), Ed Panagabko (San Diego), Mel Pearson (Portland), Brian Perry (Oakland), Noel Picard (St. Louis), Jim Powers (Seattle), Matt Ravlich (Chicago), Gordie Redahl (Denver), John Rodger (Denver), Len Ronson (San Diego), Doug Senior (Cleveland), Eddie Shack (Boston), Allan Stanley (Philadelphia), Gordon Vejprava (Denver), Ed Westfall (Boston), Johnny Bower (Toronto), Bruce Gamble (Toronto), Ed Giacomin (New York), Charlie Hodge (Oakland), Bobby Perreault (Rochester), Gump Worsley (Montreal) and Don Simmons (New York).<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-09115/2891958-1-eng-US/f0017-092.jpg" title="f0017-09" width="550" height="563"><figcaption class="caption-body">EDDIE SHACK</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0017-07

More Than 1,200 Have Worn Reds’ Uniforms

For The Best In Hockey Reading It&rsquo;s HOCKEY PICTORIAL Hockey&rsquo;s Most Exciting PublicationIt Will Be Merry Christmas If You Put The HOCKEY NEWS On Your Gift List<h2>WESTERN LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02375/2892003-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="578" height="313"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. Dec. 17Denver 2 at Vancouver 6Wed Dec. 18Denver 6 at Portland 3Thurs. Dec. 19San Diego 4 at Phoenix 5<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20Seattle at DenverPortland at VancouverSat. Dec. 21Seattle at DenverVancouver at PortlandSun. Dec. 22Seattle at PhoenixDenver at San DiegoWed. Dec. 25Phoenix at San DiegoSeattle at PortlandThurs. Dec. 26Portland at SeattleFri. Dec 27Son Diego at PhoenixPortland at VancouverSat. Dec. 28Vancouver at DenverSeattle at San Diego &#9632;

f0018-02

<h2>TUES. DEC. 10 VANCOUVER 0 at PHOENIX 1</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties &mdash; Hextall 5:12, Erickson 10:15, Charron (served by Wilcox) 11:54.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties &mdash; Stefaniw 3:43, Pratt 7:21, Gagnon 13:49, Lemieux 13.49, Sly 19:24.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Phoenix, Stefaniw (Lamoureux, Cote) &hellip; 5:33Penalties &mdash; Hextall 9:17, Wilcox 9:17, Polanic 14:30.Saves by, Gardner 21, Charron 32.Attendance: 2,594.<h2>WED. DEC. 11 PHOENIX 1 at SAN DIEGO 6</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;SanDiego, Hynes (Hilts, Sinclair) &hellip; 5:112&mdash;San Diego, Faulkner (O&rsquo;Ree, Carmichael) &hellip; 17:573&mdash;San Diego, Ehrenverth (Hynes, Nicholson) &hellip; 19:24Penalties &mdash; Snell 11:30, Carmichael 12:13.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;San Diego, Carmichael (O&rsquo;Ree, Sinclair) &hellip; 595&mdash;San Diego, Carmichael (Faulkner, O&rsquo;Ree) &hellip; 16:05Penalties &mdash; Polanic 0:50; Polanic 5:11, Shaw 9:18, Evans 9:18, Erickson 10:04.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;San Diego, Hilts (Hynes, MacMillan) &hellip; 1:227&mdash;Phoenix, Snell (Stefaniw, McVie) &hellip; 3:43Penalties &mdash; Eagle 3:24, Polanic 7:18, Hunt (double minor) 7:18, Bench (served by Kabel) 9:55, Dunville 11:26.Saves by Charron 13, Broderick 20, McCartan 28.Attendance: 5,157.<h2>VANCOUVER 2 at DENVER 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Denver, Vejprava &hellip; 12:20Penalties &mdash; Hextall 1:50, Fedun 4:58.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Vancouver, Bathgate (Gofton, Pratt) &hellip; 4:553&mdash;Denver, Martin (B. Carter, Vejprava) &hellip; 13:29Penalty &mdash; None.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Vancouver, Bathgate (Maloney) &hellip; 3:225&mdash;Denver, Carter (Holdaway, Topoll) &hellip; 8:22Penalty &mdash; None.Saves by Gardner 25, Caron 37.Attendance: 1,227.<h2>SEATTLE 1 at PORTLAND 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Seattle, Hanna (Holmes) &hellip; 1:252&mdash;Portland, Johnson (Saunders, Kearns) &hellip; 9:48Penalties &mdash; Larose 6:31, Head (served by Rogers) 9:15, Larose 13:39, Madigan 13:39.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Portland, Hebenton (Saunders, Hay) &hellip; 2:474&mdash;Portland, Leach (Johnson, Pearson) &hellip; 16:515&mdash;Portland, Saunders (Johnson, Jones) &hellip; 19:36Penalties &mdash; Hay 6:05, Michie 13:30, Uirese 17:50, Holmes 19:09.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No Scoring.Penalties &mdash; Holmes 3:47. Schmaltz 3:47. Boileau 11:26, Leach 11:16, Head (served by Rogers) 17:04, Boileau 18:37, Larose 19:06. Saves: Head 25, Kelly 20.Attendance: 5,142.<h2>FRI. DEC. 13 DENVER 3 at PHOENIX 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties &mdash; Mavety 50, Polanic 6:54, Phoenix bench 56, Polanic 11:08, Polanic 17:41, D. Carter 17:41.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Phoenix, Stefaniw &hellip; 0:322&mdash;Phoenix, Erickson (Patterson) &hellip; 4:303&mdash;Denver, Redahl (Mavety) &hellip; 7:30Penalties &mdash; Pronovost 3:52, Pronovost (major, minor) 6:11, Miller (major, minor) 6:11, Goegan 15:50, Foley 17:18.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Phoenix, Stephaniw (Lamoureux, Cote) &hellip; 4:386&mdash;Denver, Martin (Vejprava, Carter) &hellip; 12:277&mdash;Phoenix, Erickson (McVie, Kabel) &hellip; 13968&mdash;Phoenix, Pronovost (Patterson) &hellip; 15:25Penalties &mdash; McVie 4:51, Vejprava 4:27, Wilcox (misconduct) 14:12, Kabel 19:27.Saves, Farr 25, Broderick 34.Attendance: 4,095.<h2>PORTLAND 2 at SEATTLE 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Seattle, Larose &hellip; 15:44Penalties &mdash; Madigan 4:31, Boileau 5:24, Leonard 7:32, Saunders 11:12.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Portland, Schmautz (Van Impe, Johnson) &hellip; 14:34Penalties &mdash; Stratton (misconduct) 11:35, Hanna 13:50, Campbell 17:59.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Portland, Pearson (Goyer, Hay) &hellip; 9:164&mdash;Seattle, Michie (Powers, Fielder) &hellip; 13:14Penalty &mdash; Madigan 11:30.Saves, Kelly 24, Head 22.Attendance: 5,045.<h2>SAN DIEGO 3 at VANCOUVER 6</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Vancouver, Hall (Barlow) &hellip; 0:462&mdash;Vancouver, Gofton (Bathgate, Reaume) &hellip; 15:01Penalties &mdash; O&rsquo;Ree 0:57, Taylor 0:57, Eagle 1:30, Taylor 11:55, Cardiff 19:48, Hall 19:48.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Vancouver, Barlow (Hextall, Hall) &hellip; 9:034&mdash;Vancouver, Gagnon (Gofton, Sly) &hellip; 9:535&mdash;San Diego, Hynes (Hilts, Hunt) &hellip; 14:07Penalties &mdash; Hextall 0:10, Taylor 3:11, Eagle 6:57, Pratt 11:31.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Vancouver, Hextall (Hall, Barlow) &hellip; 10:447&mdash;San Diego, Nicholson (Ehrenverth, Richardson) &hellip; 14:238&mdash;Vancouver, Gofton (Maloney, Bathgate) &hellip; 16:099&mdash;San Diego, Hynes (Hilts, MacMillan) &hellip; 19:08Penalties &mdash; Sinclair 5:21, Barlow 18:49. Saves, Champoux 40, Gardner 24. Attendance: 8,278.<h2>SAT. DEC. 14 SAN DIEGO 1 at PORTLAND 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Portland, Johnson (Bellerive) &hellip; 6:182&mdash;Portland, Messier (Goyer, Hebenton) &hellip; 18:19Penalties &mdash; Madigan (major) 7:10, Carmichael 8:54, Eagle 9:13, Bellerive 9:13.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Portland, Saunders (Goyer) &hellip; 3:214&mdash;San Diego, O&rsquo;Ree (Faulkner, Cardiff) &hellip; 11:19Penalties &mdash; Messier 5:30, Kearns 16:22.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Portland, Johnson (Saunders, Jones) &hellip; 17:04Penalties &mdash; Goyer 2:50, McCartan 2:50, Eagle 2:50, Gibbons 16:12.Saves, McCartan 33, McLeod 25.Attendance: 7,215.<h2>PHOENIX 8 at DENVER 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Denver, Martin (Vejprava, Mavety) &hellip; 16:22Penalties &mdash; Mavety 12:16, Erickson 14:19.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Phoenix, Charlebois (Kabel, Paterson) &hellip; 2:043&mdash;Phoenix, McVie (Pronovost, Paterson) &hellip; 3:204&mdash;Phoenix, Lamoureux (Cole) &hellip; 6:295&mdash;Phoenix, Thiffault (McVie) &hellip; 15:066&mdash;Phoenix, Kabel (Paterson) &hellip; 16:32Penalty &mdash; Rodger 10:11.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Phoenix, Erickson (Thiffault, McVie) &hellip; 2:558&mdash;Phoenix, Lamoureux (Stefaniw) &hellip; 4:359&mdash;Denver, Hoekstra (Redahl, Rodger) &hellip; 12:1810&mdash;Phoenix, McVie (Pronovost, Thiffault) &hellip; 16:51Penalty &mdash; None.Saves, Caron 37, Broderick 35.<h2>SUN. DEC. 15 SAN DIEGO 3 at SEATTLE 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;San Diego, Carmichael (Hunt) &hellip; 18:102&mdash;Seattle, Hanna (Stratton, Kilpatrick) &hellip; 19:10Penalties &mdash; Ward (major) 6:47, Leonard 9:51, MacMillan 10:32.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Seattle, Courcy (Fielder, Michie) &hellip; 10:24Penalties &mdash; Hunt 8:28, Larose 11:27, Richardson 18:49.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Seattle, Hanna (Fielder, Michie) &hellip; 0:385&mdash;San Diego, Hunt 1:046&mdash;San Diego, Hynes (Hilts, Sinclair) &hellip; 8:577&mdash;Seattle, Boileau (Ward, Leonard) &hellip; 9:28Penalty &mdash; Ronson 10:47.Savos, Champoux 23, McCartan 8, Head 28.Attendance: 3,330. &#9632;

Western League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0019-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01444/2892089-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">MICHEL HARVEY &hellip; An unexpected Surprise</figcaption></div>HERSHEY, Pa.&mdash;Late last season Michel Harvey switched from center to left wing. Ever since the veteran Hershey Bears skater has been having a ball with opposing goalies.Through the tailend of the 1967-68 schedule, the 5-11 forward from Alma, Que., rapped in 13 goals to eventually close the season with 21.This time around the likeable Frenchman is leading the American League in every department except ticket selling.As of Dec. 14, Harvey, who stands an excellent chance of earning all-star honors for the first time in nine AHL seasons, was tops in points (36), goals (17) and winning goals (4).&ldquo;I like playing wing much better than center,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Maybe it&rsquo;s because you get more scoring chances. I just feel better at left wing.&rdquo;Like most skaters today, Harvey is using a curved stick.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not curved as much as some of the other guys&rsquo; sticks,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s working okay for me, though.&rdquo;He was at a loss to explain his tremendous getaway this campaign.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just one of those things, I guess. But I never got off to a start like this in my pro career.&rdquo;Harvey is on a line with Gil Gilbert and Chuck Hamilton, which is turning out to be one of the best ever assembled at Hershey, where in past years the Bears have iced some mighty powerful ones.Between the trio they&rsquo;ve notched 100 points in 26 games, almost four a start.Harvey has a log of 17-19-36, Gilbert 11-22-33 and Hamilton 12-19-31.At the moment Gilbert is sidelined with a knee injury suffered Dec. 11 against Providence. Young Bud Debrody took over his spot.With a little luck Harvey could reach the 500-point mark this season. In his AHL career, he&rsquo;s notched 174 goals and 265 assists for 439 points in 558 games. All he needs is 61 points in the final 48 games and at his present point production rate, odds are he&rsquo;ll join the &ldquo;500 Club.Rookie goalie Colin McCormick, who backstopped the Bears to five wins in his first six starts early in the season, has returned from standby duty with the Boston Bruins.And his first start in the nets since rejoining the club is one he won&rsquo;t forget.In the second period of 2-2 tie game against the Rochester Americans Dec. 14, McCormick was knocked unconscious when Jerry Siller&rsquo;s hard shot hit the goalie on the forehead. After trainer Scotty Alexander revived McCormick, the courageous cage cop elected to finish the game, turning in a commendable performance.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a lot of guts,&rdquo; said coach Frank Mathers. &ldquo;He won&rsquo;t even wear a face mask in the warmup drills. He&rsquo;s 28, but I feel he has a great future even though he got a late start. He&rsquo;s learning all the time. &#9632;

f0019-01

Hershey Vet Harvey Tops AHL In Three Departments

<div class="byline">BY CHUCK SANTANIELLO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02386/2892120-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="272" height="444"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jacques Lemieux</figcaption></div>SPRINGFIELD, Mass. &mdash;Some efforts have been made by the parent Kings to bolster the playing forces of the Springfield Kings. This comes as welcome news to the many faithful hockey fans in this area.Goal-tending has needed a boost. Claude Hardy has carried the bulk of the goalie work since the start of the season. Some nights he is tremendous while other times he&rsquo;s not so good. However, he&rsquo;s been under great pressure.His sub, Bob Perani, has been little help, though the lad has not really had much chance to work steadily in the nets. The few times he saw action he was drubbed. Last season, he was a top backstop with Muskegon in the International League.So the Kings brass has arranged for goalie Don McLeod to play here. He is owned by Detroit, was playing with Baltimore Clippers (who have a working agreement with both Detroit and Pittsburgh) and has been leased to the local Kings for season. If it sounds complicated.Don is no stranger to Springfield. Last season, he posted a 5-4-2 record for the Kings to help lead them into the playoffs. Local brass are hoping the same thing happens again. In fact, Mac went over a month here last season before he lost game.With Baltimore, he had little work, will need some sharpening up but should help the goalie situation. Ironically, McLeod was in the goal part of the way when Springfield bombed Baltimore, 10-2, on the Clippers&rsquo;last visit to Springfield.It is likely Perani will be farmed out. Hardy will still get plenty of chances to work in the goal. But we kind of think you&rsquo;ll see more of McLeod in the nets. The fans love him, the players perform keenly when he&rsquo;s out there on the ice.Jacques Lemieux was also sent here from the Denver Spurs of the Western League to help bolster the local defense unit. He helped to perk up the team, which has been sliding back on defense since Paul Popeil was traded by the Los Angeles brass.Finally, Lowell MacDonald decided to report here after refusing for couple weeks. He makes $18,000 per season. He has the ability to put the puck into the nets. Coach John Wilson is hoping for some needed scoring help from Lowell. &#9632;

f0019-02

L.A. Kings Take Steps To Bolster AHL ‘Farm

<div class="byline">BY MATT DENNIS</div>FORTWORTH, Tex. &mdash;Coach Fern Flaman continues to do first-rate coaching job with the Fort Worth Wings showing himself as master strategist in juggling his lineup.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01288/2892151-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="278" height="426"><figcaption class="caption-body">Robbie Irons</figcaption></div>While the parent Detroit Red Wings battle to overcome a bad start and work their way up into playoff contention, they have found it necessary to call on their Central League club for assistance.It is unlikely that Flaman will have goalie Roy Edwards back for a while after his two sparkling efforts against Oakland Seals and Minnesota North Stars giving up three goals in two contests while Roger Crozier and Terry Sawchuck were ailing.Sid Abel, general manager of the Detroit club, said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve decided to go with the three (goalies) of them.&rdquo;&ldquo;Our injury problems forced me into the decision to move Edwards and his family to Detroit permanently from Fort Worth. Sawchuk could be out for another three weeks and Roger (Crozier) was hit hard by the, flu.&rdquo;John Voss had been called from Fort Worth to back up Edwards in the 5-2 win over Minnesota.HOUSTON &mdash; Chris Bordeleau, Ernie Hicke and Al Caron carried the offensive load for the Apollos as they kept three points ahead of third place Fort Worth in the CHL&rsquo;s Southern Division.Bordeleau, Hicke and Caron had combined for 37 goals as the Apollos had produced a 9-2 home record into mid-December.KANSAS CITY &mdash; The Blues pulled three points ahead of Tulsa in the battle for top spot in the circuit&rsquo;s Northern Division and goalie Robbie Irons, sent down from the parent St. Louis Blues, made his debut in a key 7-5 triumph over Tulsa on American Royal Building ice. George Guilbault unloaded &ldquo;hat trick.Gary Veneruzzo topped the Blues&rsquo; point-getters with 11 goals and 13 assists in 23 outings followed by Norm Dennis with 21 points and Phil Obendorf with 20.Claude Cardin and Dennis-were showing playmaking ability with 15 assists apiece with the Blues showing nine wins and six ties in 23 tests.TULSA &mdash; Rick Ley was sent to the Oilers to help out on defence by the parent Toronto Maple Leafs.Danny Johnson, with 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 contests and Len Bazay showing 10 goals and 11 assists, were the leading point-getters for the Oilers in their first 24 contests.Goalie Ray Reeson racked up three shutouts, more than the Oilers had over the entire 1967-68 season.OKLAHOMA CITY &mdash; Goalie Joe Junkin and defenceman Barry Gibbs were called up by the parent NHL Boston Bruins. Junkin had sported a 3.00 goals-against average in four games and Gibbs had a goal and 12 assists in 20 contests before leaving.Jim Lorentz topped the League&rsquo;s point-getting parade with 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 points in 22 contests. He was the loop&rsquo;s top playmaker and Tom Webster, with 19 goals, best in the circuit, and the same number of assists trailed him.With Grant Erickson playing left wing, the trio had amassed 113 points in 22 games.OMAHA &mdash; Juha Widing and Bill Fairbairn were the front-running point-getters for Larry Popein&rsquo;s club with 21 and 20 points, respectively over the first 23 contests.Ray Brunel suffering from a severe charleyhorse had been sidelined for eight games.DALLAS &mdash; Brian McDonald was the leading point-getter for the resurging Black Hawks who took firm possession of fourth spot in the Southern Division standings, four points ahead of the Amarillo Wranglers.McDonald had six goals and 17 assists in his first 20 games.Brian Bradley joined the Hawks from Quebec of the AHL.MEMPHIS &mdash; Milan Marcetta took over the playing-coach duties shortly after he arrived from Minnesota when Parker MacDonald was recalled by the parent North Stars.Gary Dineen, showing form as a playmaker, had three goals and 16 assists over the 22 games as the South Stars were in fourth spot in the Northern Division.AMARILLO &mdash; Rudy Migay&rsquo;s Wranglers fell into fifth place in the Southern Division.Paul Andrea remained their top point-getter with 11 goals and 14 assists in their first 21 games.Michel Jacques sent to Providence of the American League. &#9632;

f0020-01

Detroit Slackens Callups But Wings ‘Lose’ Edwards

<h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Sun. Dec. 22)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02211/2892213-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="586" height="403"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. Dec. 18Kansas City 4 at Oklahoma City 6Houston 5 at Dallas 10Thurs. Dec. 19Kansas City 2 at Houston 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20Dallas at MemphisOklahoma City at Fort WorthTulsa at Kansas CitySat. Dec. 21Dallas at OmahaFort Worth at AmarilloMemphis at HoustonTulsa at Oklahoma CitySun. Dec. 22Houston at TulsaMemphis at Fort WorthOmaha at DallasWed. Dec. 25Amarillo at TulsaFort Worth at Oklahoma CityHouston at MemphisKansas City at OmahaThurs. Dec. 26Dallas at Fort WorthFri. Dec. 27Amarillo at MemphisOmaha at HoustonSat. Dec. 28Amarillo at Kansas CityHouston at DallasMemphis at TulsaOmaha at Fort WorthSun. Dec. 29Dallas at Oklahoma CityMemphis at OmahaTulsa at Amarillo<h2>LEADING SCORERS</h2>(Including Games of Sun. Dec. 8)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03175/2892206-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="587" height="543"></div><h3>LEAGUE LEADERS</h3>Most goals, Tom Webster, Okla. City, 19.Most assists: Jim Lorentz, Okla. City, 30.Leading Goalie: Russ Gillow, Okla. City 1.89 Goals-Against Average.Most shutouts: Russ Gillow, Okla. City, 4. &#9632;

f0020-02

LOOKING AT CHL RACE

KANSAS CITY, Mo. &mdash;Tom Reno of Kansas City has been named director of publicity for the Central Hockey League.Announcement of Reno&rsquo;s appointment was made by Joseph Kane, president of the Central Hockey League, who said that Reno would replace Matt Dennis of Detroit. &ldquo;All publicity and statistics for the CHL will now be released from Kansas City,&rdquo; said Kane.Reno, 36, is also director of public relations for the Kansas City Spurs of the North American Soccer League, a club that established a league attendance record in 1968.Last season, Reno directed the publicity for the Kansas City Blues of the CHL and the team, in its first year of operation, led all league teams in attendance. &#9632;

CHL Appoints Tom Reno New Publicity Director

<h2>EASTERN LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01151/2892303-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="578" height="305"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02112/2892296-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="575" height="253"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. Dec. 17Charlotte at NashvilleNew Haven at SalemWed. Dec. 18Clinton at GreensboroThurs. Dec. 19Nashville at Syracuse<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20Salem at Long IslandClinton at JacksonvilleNashville at New JerseySat. Dec. 21Salem at SyracuseNashville at Long IslandNew Haven at JohnstownJacksonville at GreenboroClinton at CharlotteSun. Dec. 22Nashville at New HavenNew Jersey at JohnstownCharlotte at JacksonvilleGreensboro at SalemWed. Dec. 25Johnstown at SyracuseJacksonville at NashvilleGreensboro at SalemThurs. Dec. 26Johnstown at SyracuseFri. Dec. 27Johnstown vs. ClintonSyracuse at New JerseyCharlotte at GreensboroSat. Dec. 28New Jersey at ClintonJohnstown at Long IslandCharlotte at NashvilleGreensboro at JacksonvilleSun. Dec. 29Long Island at SyracuseClinton at New HavenNew Jersey at JohnstownSalem at Nashville<h2>QUEBEC PROVINCIAL JUNIOR</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0374/2892289-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="610" height="364"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Fri. Dec. 13)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0463/2892282-1-eng-US/f0021-042.jpg" title="f0021-04" width="584" height="609"></div><h2>QUEBEC METRO JUNIOR &lsquo;A&rsquo;</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0556/2892275-1-eng-US/f0021-052.jpg" title="f0021-05" width="576" height="356"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Tues. Dec. 17)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0648/2892268-1-eng-US/f0021-062.jpg" title="f0021-06" width="583" height="609"></div> &#9632;

f0021-01

Hockey Races

<div class="byline">BY HARVEY POLLACK</div>SYRACUSE, N.Y. &mdash;If the Syracuse Blazers were as successful against the defending champion Clinton Comets, they wouldn&rsquo;t be languishing in the basement of the circuit&rsquo;s Northern Division.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0740/2892334-1-eng-US/f0021-072.jpg" title="f0021-07" width="238" height="398"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ray Crew</figcaption></div>Coach Ray Crew is at a loss to explain his team&rsquo;s success against the Comets, a team which stands an excellent chance of retaining its laurels. But whatever it is, his Blazers seem to exude confidence when they take the ice against the Comets regardless of whether the games are played here or in Clinton.The other night Anton Gale blanked the Comets 1-0. Earlier in the season Syracuse beat Pat Kelly&rsquo;s team 4-3 and 4-2. A year ago it was Syracuse which halted Clinton&rsquo;s lengthy winning streak.To show the unusualness of the situation, the Blazers had only four won all seasonal victories as the season neared Christmas. And three of the conquests came over Clinton.Crew realizes that some teams do have a &ldquo;jinx&rdquo; on another club but he wishes his team could do as well against other rivals. Hope has but he wishes his team could do as well against other rivals. Hope has just about vanished for the Blazers to make the playoffs.Recent injuries haven&rsquo;t helped the cause either as several key performers have been sidelined with major mishaps.SYRACUSE: Tom Lavender quit team to go home to Whitby, Ont. Coach Ray Crew&rsquo;s dislocated shoulder kept him on the sidelines Fraser Rice had a setto with Jersey&rsquo;s Wayne Kitchen. Goalie Anton Gale continues to play brilliantly in a losing cause. Gale was showered with debris last time he played in Clinton. Blazers have scored least and allowed most goals in EHL.CLINTON: Lyle Carter posted his second shut out over Jersey. Earlier the Devils had beaten the Comets for the first time since the 2966 playoffs. John Chapman sidelined with injured thumb. Ian Anderson bothered by bruised hip. Comets already have exceeded total defeats (five) of a year ago. Dave Armstrong and Jack Kane battling for club scoring lead.NASHVILLE: Wayne Clairmont is club&rsquo;s No. 1 scorer at last count. George Forgie is the No. 1 bad man but his hard checks have discouraged many forwards. Flo Pilote hampered by leg injury. Leo Olivier back in action after being sidelined with thumb mishap. Lloyd Hinchberger can&rsquo;t get over six goals his club allowed Greensboro in first 10 minutes of vital loss.LONG ISLAND: Roger Wilson had been doing well in cage subbing for Norm DeFelice. Hal Willis has been having fights rather steadily with the opposition. Les Calder&rsquo;s hat trick helped beat Syracuse in one game and Butch Morris&rsquo; two tallies beat Blazers in another fray. Ray Melnyk rejoined club after playing in western Canada while attending school. He scored 35 goals for Ducks last year. Bill Weatherbie dropped to make room.NEW HAVEN: Marty Desmarais has been steady scorer since being acquired from Long Island. In one game, his two goals beat his old mates. Don Walker received seven stitch eye cut. Goalie Dave Hainsworth had spectacular game against Johnstown. Murray Kuntz and Bruce Reier bothered by shoulder injuries. Blades gave up rights to Sandy McAndrews to get Ed Megaffin from Ft. Wayne. Blades couldn&rsquo;t set up exhibition with Bridgeport Oilers.SALEM: Bobby Taylor out for season with shoulder injury. He underwent surgery to correct a shoulder which popped out at slighest jolt. Rebels beat Washington Chiefs in exhibition, 21-4 as Wayne Caufield and Jim Jago each scored six goals. Newcomer Claude Piche injured leg. Two straight wins over Greenboro elated club.JERSEY: Devils blanked Clinton on coach Marcel Pelletier&rsquo;s 41st brithday. It was club&rsquo;s first shutout in more than a year and was achieved by goalie Bob Taylor. Pelletier had to go into nets at Syracuse when Taylor was ousted for pushing an official. Club has picked up Roy Pugh. Devils have ticket discount deal with supermarkets here.JACKSONVILLE: Harley Hodgson sidelined with separated left shoulder. Rockets allowed Johnstown six goals in last 14 minutes to blow a game that had been tied. Bobby Mullins&rsquo; goal won thriller at Salem. Rockets had six game unbeaten streak. Jack Smith had two melees with Johnstown&rsquo;s Dick Paradise. Ron Willy is leading scorer and Danny Belisle top goal maker.JOHNSTOWN: Jim Coombs&rsquo; second shutout came vs Salem. Ken Gustafson broke nose in practice, being hit by a puck. Johnstown&rsquo;s Jack Dale won fight with New Haven&rsquo;s Billy Orr, removing his shirt in the melee. Bob Taylor got five game tryout with Quebec after finishing Canadian football season. He&rsquo;ll come here if he is not kept. Jets played Czechoslovakia national team here.GREENSBORO: Lack of practice hurt team&rsquo;s performances. Gens scored 3 goals in first 83 seconds vs Nashville. Don Burgess continues as southern scoring leader. Billy Armour dropped when Moe L&rsquo;Abbe came off injured list. Coach Ron Spong defending play of veteran Ron Muir against jeers of some fans.CHARLOTTE: Pete Shearer finding range after getting late start due to injuries. Checkers about even with last year&rsquo;s pace when they were strongest in south at end. Biggest difference has been lack of punch this year. Chuck Goddard posted shutout vs Jersey. Coach Fred Creighton upset over his club&rsquo;s performance in loss to New Haven. &#9632;

f0021-07

Lowly Syracuse Blazers Find ‘Angel’ In Beating Champion Clinton Comets

<h2>NEW YORK METRO LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Mon. Dec. 16)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01168/2892442-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="596" height="273"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02108/2892435-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="596" height="254"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0394/2892428-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="589" height="323"></div><h2>NEW ENGLAD LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 6)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0476/2892421-1-eng-US/f0022-042.jpg" title="f0022-04" width="607" height="303"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0566/2892414-1-eng-US/f0022-052.jpg" title="f0022-05" width="601" height="337"></div><h2>MASSACHUSETTS JUNIOR</h2>(Standings on Mon. Dec. 9)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0650/2892407-1-eng-US/f0022-062.jpg" title="f0022-06" width="598" height="311"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0748/2892400-1-eng-US/f0022-072.jpg" title="f0022-07" width="537" height="316"></div><h2>MICHIGAN JUNIOR LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Mon. Dec. 2)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0842/2892393-1-eng-US/f0022-082.jpg" title="f0022-08" width="600" height="304"></div><h2>BORDER JUNIOR LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Mon. Dec. 2)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0938/2892386-1-eng-US/f0022-092.jpg" title="f0022-09" width="604" height="439"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1031/2892379-1-eng-US/f0022-102.jpg" title="f0022-10" width="613" height="273"></div><h2>SACRAMENTO LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Mon. Nov. 18)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1128/2892372-1-eng-US/f0022-112.jpg" title="f0022-11" width="595" height="308"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1227/2892365-1-eng-US/f0022-122.jpg" title="f0022-12" width="603" height="254"></div> &#9632;

f0022-01

<div class="byline">BY BOB REED</div>DES MOINES, La. &mdash;Last summer at the annual meeting the International League board of governors voted for a sixteam playoff at the finish of the regular season, thus eliminating only one team.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1321/2892487-1-eng-US/f0022-132.jpg" title="f0022-13" width="249" height="442"><figcaption class="caption-body">Rog Bechtold</figcaption></div>And now they have a problem on their hands. Nobody seemed to have a system for staging a playoff of six teams. So they are meeting in Des Moines to solve the problem.To start with, it would appear that three initial series would be necessary, which would force one winner to sit idly by while the others two are coming to a decision. One suggestion offered was seven-game playoff between the first and sixth place clubs, with the remaining four engaging in shorter series. But this would not cessarily solve the problem of one or more teams standing by for indefinite periods of time.A six-team round robin, with two winners emerging from two series involving three clubs each, appeared the probable solution. This was adopted in 1961, the only season of a six-team playoff.The six-team playoff plan has been severely criticized as the season progressed, with the claim that it is absurd to play a long season to eliminate one team. There was some speculation that the governors might reverse themselves and go back to the four-team plan. It was reported that the original vote was five of the seven favoring six teams.DAYTON &mdash; Don Westbrooke bagged his second hat trick in three games since the mysterious bus-shooting incident &hellip; Pat Rupp had his second shutout in a 10-0 rout of the Oak Leafs &hellip; Goalie John Adams returned from Oklahoma City without getting a trial &hellip; Tom lannone joined the Gems from Seattle of the Western League and scored two goals in a 5 5 tie with Muskegon.COLUMBUS &mdash; Serge Boudreault was named Checker captain, replacing Jack Turner, who was appointed assistant Coach &hellip; Rookie Doug Volmar boosted his goals to 27 in 25 games &hellip; Coach Moe Bartoli had a hat trick in 6-1 defeat of Port Huron &hellip; Checker trainer Charlie Sandberg was thrown out by Referee Billy Doyle for some uncomplimentary remarks &hellip; Al White topped the scoring with 40 points.FORT WAYNE &mdash; Playing coach Len Thomson and defenseman Ted Wright were still out with injuries, having missed 12 games each &hellip; Goalie Jim Shaw had 39 stops in a 6-3 loss to Port Huron &hellip; General Manager Ken Ullyot and Port Huron coach Ted Garvin were attempting to make trade.MUSKEGON &mdash; Gordon Tucker, who was injured in Montreal&rsquo;s training camp, joined the Mohawks &hellip; Goalie Bruce Mullett had 57 saves in a 3-1 loss at Toledo &hellip; The Mohawks were the second best offensive team in the league but also the second worst defensively &hellip; The big line of Gary Ford, Bryan McLay and Ken Byrnes had 105 points in 23 games &hellip;PORT HURON &mdash; Rog Bechtold was the second Flag to score a hat trick. The other was Geoff Powis &hellip; Guy James maintained his consecutive game record despite touch of &lsquo;flu &hellip; joining the Flags was Milan Zvactha, a native of Czechoslovakia, where he was a member of the national junior team, who left when the Russians invaded his country &hellip; It was revealed that Gary Harmer, who missed 11 games, did not have an ulcer.DES MOINES &mdash; The 10-0 defeat by Dayton was the Oak Leafs&rsquo; worst ever on home ice &hellip; Phil Headley was replaced in goal by rookie Glen Lindsay when the score reached 4-0 &hellip; But the Leafs came back the next night to beat the leaders, 3-2 &hellip; Defenseman Bob Howard quit the team following a dispute with Howie Milford over a fine.TOLEDO &mdash; Goalie Glenn Ramsay had six one-goal games while still trying for his first shutout &hellip; Three of the Blades &mdash; Ramsay, Ray Germain and Jim Sanko were sporting growths on their faces. Sanko says he will let it grow until the Blades clinch the title &hellip; He is wearing helmet for the first time &hellip; Seven Blades were in double figures in goals and 11 in total points.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1414/2892480-1-eng-US/f0022-142.jpg" title="f0022-14" width="535" height="664"><figcaption class="caption-body">GUY JAMES&hellip; Beats Off &lsquo;Flu</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1512/2892473-1-eng-US/f0022-152.jpg" title="f0022-15" width="534" height="663"><figcaption class="caption-body">LEN THORNSON&hellip; Still Sidelined</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0022-13

Six-Team Playoff Poses Problems, IHL Governors May Revise Format

<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-168/2892518-1-eng-US/f0022-162.jpg" title="f0022-16" width="584" height="362"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. Dec. 17Columbus 6 at Day Des Moines 2Wed. Dec. 18Port Huron 3 at Dayton 6Columbus 3 at Des Moines 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Fri. Dec. 20Dayton at ToledoPort Huron at CokumbusDes Moines at MuskegonSat. Dec. 21Dayton at Fort WaynePort Huron at MuskegonDes Moines at ToledoSun. Dec. 22Toledo at DaytonWed. Dec. 25Port Huron at Des MoinesColumbus at Fort WayneToledo at MuskegonThurs. Dec. 26Port Huron at Des MoinesFri. Dec. 27Fort Wayne at ColumbusMuskegon at ToledoSat. Dec. 28Des Moines at Fort WayneDayton at MuskegonColumbus at Port HuronSun. Dec. 29Columbus at DaytonMuskegon at Port HuronDes Moines at Toledo&mdash; &#9632;

f0022-16

LOOKING AT IHL RACE

<div class="byline">BY CLEM KEALEY</div>OTTAWA, Ont.&mdash;Ottawa 67&rsquo;s second year in the OHA Junior A Hockey League started off just like the first &mdash; terrible.But more than a fortnight ago coach Bill Long ordered the team back on the ice for midnight practise and ever since, 67&rsquo;s have been behaving in a manner that has attracted thousands of new fans to the Civic Centre.67&rsquo;s sunk to their lowest depths on Friday, November 15th, when Toronto Marlies took advantage of their lackadasical attitude to waltz to a 6-3 victory. It was after this loss, which plunged 67&rsquo;s to the OHA cellar, that Long ordered the players right back on the ice for a stiff &frac12; hour skating drill.The players got Long&rsquo;s message loud and clear in those early morning hours and since then they have scrambled back into the thick of the playoff race. Two nights later they defeated Kitchener Rangers 4-3.The following weekend they tied the power-laden Montreal Junior Canadiens 1-1 at the Civic Centre and 48 hours later went to the Forum and defeated the Baby Habs with a polished 6-4 performance &mdash; a feat most other OHA clubs will be hard pressed to equal this season.Next, they came back home and before the largest crowd of the year in the Civic Centre &mdash; 6,891 paid &mdash; 67&rsquo;s trimmed London Knights 4-2. Their four-game unbeaten string ended in Toronto when Marlies shaded them 4-3. But even in that one 67&rsquo;s were an irrpressive lot, outshooting Marlies 28 to 25 only to yield a goal with less than three minutes remaining which prevented a tie.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-01148/2892549-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="557" height="580"><figcaption class="caption-body">DENIS POTVIN&hellip; Young Ice Phenom</figcaption></div>There&rsquo;s more than one reason for Ottawa&rsquo;s ascendance from a disastrous first year to a respectable OHA team but many in the Capital City point to the precocious play of Denis Potvin, on defence, as being an overriding factor.Even in Ottawa&rsquo;s wobbly start to the schedule, Potvin was playing with a flair that belied his 14 years. Denis turned 15 on October 29.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt about it&rdquo; Long said &ldquo;he&rsquo;s the best defenceman on the team right now. I thought it might take him awhile to get his bearings but he&rsquo;s developed faster than I ever imagined.&rdquo;Long, who coached many pro stars of today when he was at Niagara Falls including Boston&rsquo;s Derek Sanderson, claims: &ldquo;Denis has more potential than any hockey player I&rsquo;ve ever coached. Just imagine he still has five years left in junior.&rdquo;Potvin&rsquo;s superb play had a steadying effect on the entire club. His older brother Jean Potvin, has been switched back from forward and paired with Denis on the blueline, and the partnership has been paying dividends since it was first united.Long isn&rsquo;t alone in predicting a lucrative NHL career for Denis Potvin. Team president Howard Darwin says: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the second coming of Bobby Orr.&rdquo; And few disagree with that assessment.St. Louis Blues, who held their training camp at the Civic Centre and played an exhibition game with 67&rsquo;s, also heaped high praise on this sturdy, 5&rsquo;10&rdquo;, 180 lbs. defence star.When Doug Harvey was told after the game that Denis was just 14 years old his reaction was summed up in four frank words: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t believe you.&rdquo;Bob Plager, who tangled briefly with Denis during the game, quipped: &ldquo;I hope I&rsquo;m retired from hockey by the time he comes up.&rdquo;St. Louis coach Scotty Bowman remarked: &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind he&rsquo;ll be great one.&rdquo;This is heady praise indeed for a just turned 15-y ear-old defenceman but it&rsquo;s unlikely to change young Potvin a bit. An honors student in high school, Jean Potvin says of his younger brother: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think the press clippings will spoil him at all. You know he hardly even reads the sports pages when they&rsquo;re writing about him.&rdquo;It is the burley shoulders of young Denis Potvin that Long and Darwin feel will carry the Ottawa team to a playoff berth in their sophomore season. &#9632;

f0023-01

15-Year-old Denis Potvin Stars With Ottawa

<h2>ONTARIO JUNIOR &lsquo;A&rsquo;</h2>(Standings on Fri. Dec. 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02109/2892587-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="620" height="455"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. Dec. 17Toronto 4 at London 4Thurs. Dec. 19Niagara Falls at PeterboroughToronto at Hamilton<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Sun. Dec. 15)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0385/2892580-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="588" height="340"></div> &#9632;

f0023-02

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0469/2892618-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="922" height="1214"></div><h2>SOLUTION IN JANUARY 4 ISSUE</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;Pictured player.8&mdash;1955-56 Lady Byng trophy winner.9&mdash;Initials of one of the Penguins.10&mdash;The(fr.)11&mdash;Billy Dea played in this league two years ago. (init.)12&mdash;An ex-Hawk first name Tod.14&mdash;Francisco.16&mdash;Number of goals scored by Stanley last season.18&mdash;15th and 14th letters of the alphabet.19&mdash;Number worn by Dennis Hull.20&mdash;North Dakota.21&mdash;One of the Habs answers to this.22&mdash;Initials of one of the North Stars.24&mdash;One of the Black Hawks.25&mdash;Nickname of an N.H.L. team26&mdash;Initials of one of the Canadiens.28&mdash;A Ranger forward answers to this.30&mdash;Former All Star right winger.<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;Ex-Oakland defenseman2&mdash;Initials of Edestrand of Quebec Aces.3&mdash;Coach of the Springfield Kings.4&mdash;Ex-N.H.L. coach5&mdash;Initials of one of the Leafs.6&mdash;Initials of Former Ranger Lewicki.7&mdash;First name of one of the Penguins.9&mdash;Initials of a Habs&rsquo; defenseman.11&mdash;A Pittsburgh center.13&mdash;Broken bones do this.15&mdash;First name of one of the North Stars.17&mdash;One of the Cleveland Barons23&mdash;A player will have to give up some if he gets a misconduct penalty.24&mdash;Initials of one of the Ranker.25&mdash;Initials of last year&rsquo;s scoring champ.27&mdash;Initials of Rangers Captain.28&mdash;Initials of 28 across.29&mdash;Each, (abbr.)<h2>Last week&rsquo;s answers</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1. GRANT.3. U.S.A.6 EA.7. COTE.8. OTTAWA.11. R.E.12. BALON.13. FLY.14. R.L.15. PIT.17. I.E.18. LEE.20. ALE21. NOLET.24. G.D.25. R.U.26. ONE.29. FRED.31. OREE.33. STAN.34. B.N.<h3>DOWN</h3>1. GEOFFRION2. RAT ELLE.3. U.O.4. STANFIELD.5. A.E.7. CAL.9. A.B.10. W.A.15. PLAGER.16. TEE.19. BLUES.22. ORR.23. TO.27. NON.28. TEN.29. F.M.30. D.T.32. E.B. &#9632;

f0023-04

Hockey Crossword

<div class="byline">BY PAT CONNOLLY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01159/2892656-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="274" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Wayne Maxner</figcaption></div>HALIFAX, N.S. &mdash;As the Yuletide season approached, the Moncton Beavers were zeroeing in on the Halifax Canadiens and visions of sugar plums danced through the head of coach Turk Broda.At Halifax, General Manager Fred McGillivray was filling his Xmas stocking with trade proposals, mostly involving his truant centre Bobby Whitlock who was reported headed in every direction except Halifax. Whitlock earlier appealed to the Maritime Amateur Hockey Association for his release so that he might join his hometown Charlottetown Islanders. The request was denied and then McGillivray was unable to persuade the player that he should return like the prodigal son. The Halifax G.M. was adamant on one point &hellip; that Whitlock would never be dealt to either Charlottetown or Moncton.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02109/2892649-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="271" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Leo Bossy</figcaption></div>As this edition of THE Canadiens were attempting to HOCKEY NEWS went to press, arrange Bobby&rsquo;s transfer to an OHA club in exchange for an experienced defenseman who would shore up Canadiens&rsquo; porous backline. Kitchener Rangers reportedly made an offer to purchase, but were turned down. Not that Canadiens couldn&rsquo;t use money, but they obviously need bodies rather than bread.Beavers closed to within one point of the leading Canadiens by dumping the Habs 7-3 before 2,000 fans at the Forum, the biggest Halifax crowd in weeks. The previous night, Canadiens had nipped the Islanders 4-2 &hellip; Halifax coach Leo Bossy was ejected from both games following confrontations with Referee Ray Jollimore. On Sunday, the firey Halifax mentor was replaced behind the bench by Wayne Maxner, the incapacitated Boston chattel, a move protested by Broda on the grounds that Maxner was not listed officially and therefore ineligible. The protest was withdrawn following the Moncton win. Al Demchuk, the hard working winger obtained from St. Catharines in the Bobby Sheehan deal, has been suspended by the club and missed both weekend games.On hand to view the league were St. Louis Blues&rsquo; Director of Player Personnel Frank Mario and Chicago ivory hunter Johnny Choyce &hellip; Mario was impressed with the brilliance of 16-year-old Ray Gibbs in the Moncton goal &hellip; The St. John youngster turned aside 49 Halifax shots in posting that 7-3 win. Gibbs is Broda&rsquo;s personal protege and is obviously learning his lessons well at the knee of the old master. Former senior star Fess Anderson was there to watch son Bobby play an outstanding game for Moncton.The Beavers success story is even more impressive with the fact that Broda has done the job with a totally Maritime roster. MAHA prexy Steve MacDonald in Montreal for several days to deal with senior hockey matters. Lachine&rsquo;s Phil Dalgleish and his Maritime &ldquo;B&rdquo; champions Port Hawkesbury Strait Pirates having some organizational problems. &ldquo;Moe&rdquo; Smith&rsquo;s youthful Windsor Royals are beginning to pull away from the pack in the Nova Scotia Metro-Valley &ldquo;B&rdquo; League. Local scouts are keeping close tabs on 16-year-old Jerry Byers of Kentville, who attended the Kitchener training camp and is said to be headed for the Rangers in 1969-70. Halifax Canadiens have tried to attract Byers to the fold but the Kentville youngster has eyes only for Kitchener. &#9632;

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December 28, 1968

CHL Summaries

MEET THE ROOKIES

NHL SCORING RACE

Canucks, Buckaroos Catch Up With Gulls