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.

March 15, 1969

The Hockey News March 15, 1969

<div class="byline">BY PAT CURRAN</div><p>MONTREAL. Que.&mdash;</p><p>Broken bones have been so much a part of Gilles Tremblay&rsquo;s hockey career that he thanks his lucky star whenever he completes a season without serious injury. And in eight previous years, he has managed to play the full NHL schedule only three times without suffering a fractured leg, broken ankle, head injury or something else in the heat of the game.</p><p>It came to a point where the brittle Canadiens&rsquo; winger gladly switched jerseys from No. 21 to Boom Boom Geoffrion&rsquo;s old No. 5 in hopes of breaking the injury jinx that made him miss over 100 games since he broke into the league in 1960-61.</p><p>It&rsquo;s no wonder then that Tremblay can hardly believe his latest stroke of hard luck &mdash; chronic bronchitis that really started bothering him in December to keep him out of 20 games and could finish his play for the rest of the season and the plavoffs.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01724/2993491-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="553" height="554"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GILLES TREMBLAY &hellip; Misfortune Strikes Again</b></figcaption></div><p>After two stays in hospital without being cured, Tremblay was sent to Arizona last week in the hope that rest in a dry, sunny climate would be the remedy for his respiratory problem.</p><p>The decision was made when the 30-year-old forward had a relapse following a couple of skating drills last week just as the club was counting on him to return to action.</p><p>Tremblay had started this season with high hopes after his second best record with the Canadiens last year when he scored 23 goals and had 28 assists. But just when he appeared to be coming up to stride, the respiratory ailment started following the team&rsquo;s first trip West in October.</p><p>&ldquo;I was getting tired much too soon and after only a few turns on the ice I had to come off,&rdquo; Gilles recalled. &ldquo;At first I thought maybe I wasn&rsquo;t in top condition and was a few pounds overweight. But the longer I played the worse it got. When I went home I could hardly treathe.&rdquo;</p><p>Tremblay kept on playing through November and appeared to be coming around for his share of points &mdash; he has had 10 goals and 15 assists in 44 games. Then he caught the flu during a cold spell around Christmas time and wound up in hospital.</p><p>He missed a dozen games before being reactivated by Canadiens, played a few strong games but then went to the sidelines again, back into hospital. His latest return comprised only a few games, including his last start Feb. 11 against Los Angeles.</p><p>Exhaustive tests were made on Tremblay in hospital.</p><p>&ldquo;You name it, I had it. They had me doing everything. They found that a virus had settled in and that it was not going to be easy to get rid of it. The doctor said the worse thing for a man with what I have is exercise and cold and dampness.&rdquo;</p><p>Gilles thought about his past injuries.</p><p>&ldquo;With a broken leg you know you have to stay out a certain length of time. When it mends you get back into shape and you can play again. But this thing, one day you are feeling alright and the next day &mdash; big trouble again.</p><p>&ldquo;I would go a lot farther than Arizona if I thought I could be completely cured,&rdquo; added Gilles, dejectedly.</p><p>In going West the Montreal winger could take heart in a precedent set by Paul Henderson when the Toronto winger was with Detroit two years ago. Hampered by bronchial trouble, Henderson spent some time in Arizona; returned and played wearing a surgical mask until he was healthy again.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0015-01

IN THIS ISSUE

Habs Lose Winger Plagued By Misfortune

<h2><b>LEADING SCORERS</b></h2><p><b>(Including games of Sun. Mar. 2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01484/2993741-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="575" height="541"></div><h2><b>GOALKEEPERS RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02430/2993734-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="587" height="437"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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AHL Point Race

<h2><b>SUN. FEB. 16</b></h2><p><b>OKLAHOMA CITY 1 At OMAHA 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02231/2994253-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="591" height="584"></div><p><b>MEMPHIS 3 At FORT WORTH 0</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03191/2994246-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="587" height="409"></div><h2><b>TUES. FEB. 18</b></h2><p><b>AMARILLO 2 at FORT WORTH 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-04146/2994239-1-eng-US/f0020-042.jpg" title="f0020-04" width="594" height="583"></div><h2><b>WED. FEB. 19</b></h2><p><b>KANSAS CITY 8 at MEMPHIS 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0580/2994232-1-eng-US/f0020-052.jpg" title="f0020-05" width="592" height="676"></div><p><b>OKLAHOMA CITY 3 at DALLAS 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0662/2994225-1-eng-US/f0020-062.jpg" title="f0020-06" width="585" height="74"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0752/2994218-1-eng-US/f0020-072.jpg" title="f0020-07" width="591" height="433"></div><p><b>TULSA 4 At HOUSTON 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0845/2994211-1-eng-US/f0020-082.jpg" title="f0020-08" width="592" height="608"></div><h2><b>FRI. FEB. 21</b></h2><p><b>AMARILLO 1 At OKLAHOMA CITY 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0931/2994204-1-eng-US/f0020-092.jpg" title="f0020-09" width="594" height="655"></div><p><b>DALLAS 3 At OMAHA 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1026/2994197-1-eng-US/f0020-102.jpg" title="f0020-10" width="599" height="434"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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CHL League Summaries

<h2><b>NATIONAL LEAGUE</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>HICAGO &mdash; <b>Ray McKay,</b> defenseman, recalled from Dallas of CHL. <b>Matt Ravlich,</b> defenseman, sent to Dallas. <b>Jean-Paul Leblanc,</b> forward, returned to Dallas.</p><p>OAKLAND &mdash; <b>Charlie Hodge,</b> goalkeeper, assigned to Vancouver of WHL.</p><p>PHILADELPHIA &mdash; <b>Ed Stankiewicz,</b> forward, assigned to Quebec of AHL.</p><p>MINNESOTA &mdash; <b>Gary Dineen,</b> forward, returned to Memphis of CHL.</p><p>ST. LOUIS &mdash; <b>Billy Plager,</b> defenseman, returned to Kansas City of CHL. <b>Terry Gray,</b> forward, recalled from Kansas Citv.</p><p>NEW YORK &mdash; <b>Guy Trottier,</b> forward, and <b>Bob Blackburn,</b> defenseman, recalled from Buffalo of AHL.</p><p>DETROIT &mdash; <b>Gerry Hart,</b> forward, returned to Baltimore of AHL.</p><p>BOSTON &mdash; <b>Tom Webster,</b> forward, returned to Oklahoma Citv of CHL.</p><h2><b>WESTERN LEAGUE</b></h2><p>DENVER &mdash; <b>Brian Harper,</b> forward, secured from Cleveland of AHL.</p><h2><b>CENTRAL LEAGUE</b></h2><p>TULSA &mdash; <b>Bob Cook,</b> forward, secured from Rochester of AHL.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Movements of Players

<div class="byline">BY DAN MOULTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01715/2992203-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Super ster BOBBY HULL shows off famed curved stick to MRS. TOMMY IVAN, wife of Hawks&rsquo; GM.</b></figcaption></div><p>CHICAGO, Ill. &mdash;</p><p>This could be Bobby Hull&rsquo;s greatest season &hellip; and his most unhappy one.</p><p>He&rsquo;s ateady attained the 50-goal mark for the fourth time in his incredible career; he may not pass ex-teammate Phil Esposito in the scoring race but he&rsquo;s sure to surpass the point record of 97 which he and Stan Mikita held until Esposito cracked it recently; and he&rsquo;s making more money that any player in the game.</p><p>But none of those things will mean much if the Hawks fail to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for only the second time in Bobby&rsquo;s 12-year career &hellip; and it&rsquo;s all but certain they will.</p><p>&ldquo;All I&rsquo;m worrying about is trying to help win games,&rdquo; said Bobby. &ldquo;If I can score and help fine. But if my goals don&rsquo;t help bring victory they don&rsquo;t mean much to me in a season like this.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had my day as far as records are concerned.&rdquo;</p><p>Bobby has no idea how many goals he&rsquo;d have by now if he hadn&rsquo;t been hampered for six weeks at midseason with a broken jaw, which forced him to play with his jaws wired shut.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty hard to say,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;Actually for the first few weeks after the jaws were wired, I went pretty well, didn&rsquo;t slow down a bit, in fact.</p><p>&ldquo;But in the last weeks, I know I didn&rsquo;t have much going for me in the last half of games. That probably cost me six or even eight goals.&rdquo;</p><p>Bobby insists he&rsquo;s changed his style of play in the last four or five seasons to accomodate, the encroachment of the years. He&rsquo;s 30 and says he&rsquo;s lost some strength and resiliancy.</p><p>&ldquo;Eight or 10 years ago I could take the puck behind our net, beat two or three guys in our zone and go all the way several times a game,&rdquo; Bobby recalled.</p><p>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t say exactly when I started to ease up but I know I&rsquo;ve been handing the puck off a lot more often lately.&rdquo;</p><p>As far as the Hawks chances of making the playoits are concerned, if they manage some how to sneak in Hull will be the man most directly responsible.</p><p>Of the Hawks&rsquo; first 30 victories, Bobby had produced the winning goal 14 times. And when the winning goal didn&rsquo;t come off Bobby&rsquo;s hooked stick chances are that his driving leadership on the ice provided the inspiration on the tally, at least.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Hull Says 50 Goals Are Meaningless If Hawks Miss Playoffs

f0002-02

WHERE THE NHL TEAMS ARE

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-05273/2992314-1-eng-US/f0002-052.jpg" title="f0002-05" width="253" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GERRY DESJARDINS &hellip; Goaler</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-06179/2992307-1-eng-US/f0002-062.jpg" title="f0002-06" width="248" height="428"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>TED GREEN &hellip; Defense</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-07104/2992300-1-eng-US/f0002-072.jpg" title="f0002-07" width="277" height="412"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>AL ARBOUR &hellip; Defense</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-0864/2992293-1-eng-US/f0002-082.jpg" title="f0002-08" width="263" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JEAN BEUVEAU &hellip; Center</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-0940/2992286-1-eng-US/f0002-092.jpg" title="f0002-09" width="254" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>YVAN COURNOYER &hellip; R. Wing</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-1026/2992279-1-eng-US/f0002-102.jpg" title="f0002-10" width="244" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DENNIS HULL &hellip; L. Wing</b></figcaption></div><p>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;</p><p>Who is the National Hockey League&rsquo;s best netminder? And is Bobby Orr really the greatest defenseman of them all? Would you pick Jean Beliveau over Phil Esposito?</p><p>You, the fans can answer these and many other questions that surround the picking of All-Star teams by getting in on THE HOCKEY NEWS&rsquo; 22nd annual All-Star poll, which ends this week.</p><p>This is the last chance to select your All-Star teams and compare it with the official teams that will be made public after the close of the regular season.</p><p>This is the third and final week we have published All-Star team ballots. Results will be compiled and the teams you the fans selected will appear in the THE HOCKEY NEWS issue dated March 29.</p><p>Merely clip the ballot shown on this page, read the voting regulations carefully and then fill in your selection. It&rsquo;s simple and it can be fun.</p><p>As has been the custom in the past, you are requested to pick a first and second NHL all-star team, printing the name of the player carefully on the ballot. Remember, you are also afforded a chance to cast a vote for the league&rsquo;s outstanding rookie and Most Valuable Player to his team. It&rsquo;s all contained in your ballot.</p><p>So right now, while it&rsquo;s still fresh in your mind, fill out the ballot on this page and mail it right away to All-Star Editor, THE HOCKEY NEWS, Room 212, 1434 St. Catherine St. W., Montreal 107, Quebec, Canada.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0002-05

Fans Get Last Chance To Vote In Hockey News All-Star Poll

<p><b>1&mdash;Anyone is eligible to cast ballots for the National Hockey League All-Star Team, but each reader may submit ONLY ONE ENTRY, naming first and second team, as well as MVP and Outstanding Rookie.</b></p><p><b>2&mdash;The ballots will run for three weeks. Final ballot will appear in the issue dated March 15, 1969.</b></p><p><b>3&mdash;Use blanks published in THE HOCKEY NEWS, or reasonable facsimile or tracings of same if you do not wish to deface your copy. Be sure to fill in your own name and address.</b></p><p><b>4&mdash;Ballots must be mailed &mdash; to All-Star Editor, THE HOCKEY NEWS, Room 212, 1434 St. Catherine St. W., Montreal, Que. Can.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Here Are The Voting Regulations

<div class="byline">BY GLENN REDMANN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01719/2992383-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg" title="f0003-01" width="434" height="370"></div><p>TWIN CITIES, Minn.&mdash;</p><p>Friend Spence Conley of the Oakland Tribune has dutifully reported for his THE HOCKEY NEWS readers that Seals&rsquo; two forwards Norm Ferguson and Mike Laughton are bonafide candidates for the coveted Calder Memorial Trophy.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02597/2992376-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="279" height="428"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Danny Grant</b></figcaption></div><p>Likewise, Bill Libby of Los Angeles and Norman MacLean of New York have informed the public that the Kings and Rangers, too, have players deserving of Calder consideration.</p><p>The Calder, of course, is the National Hockey League&rsquo;s annual award &ldquo;to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the NHL.&rdquo;</p><p>In the case of L.A., Libby&rsquo;s man happens to be Gerry Desjardins, easily the best first-year goalkeeper in the league despite a goals-against average which has gone over 3 per game.</p><p>MacLean&rsquo;s nominees? None other than Walt Tkaczuk, a fine centerman, and Brad Park, who unquestionably ranks as the East Division&rsquo;s top rookie defenseman.</p><p>Ferguson, Laughton, Desjardins, Tkaczuk and Park. Yes sir, that&rsquo;s a fine crop of rookies.</p><p>But out here in Minnesota, where big league hockey has caught on like nobody&rsquo;s business, there&rsquo;s another freshman NHLer who North Stars fans believe to rank ahead of all the rest.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-03397/2992369-1-eng-US/f0003-032.jpg" title="f0003-03" width="1823" height="1621"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Here&rsquo;s North Stars&rsquo; highly-regarded rookie hopeful DANNY GRANT attempting to score on his former teammates the Montreal Canadiens in a recent NHL game. Grant is threatening rookie scoring record of 30 this season.</b></figcaption></div><p>We&rsquo;re suppose to be impartial &mdash; writers, that is.</p><p>But as in the case of Conley, Libby and MacLean, we feel it our duty to enter the name of Danny Grant in the Calder sweepstakes.</p><p>We do so, with a certain amount of conviction, because at this writing the 5-foot-10, 185-pound former Montreal chattel has 27 goals and 26 assists.</p><p>These totals top those of 1968 Calder winner Derek Sanderson of Boston, and, mind you, were compiled with just under a month of the campaign yet to unfold as the North Stars fight to gain a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs.</p><p>Grant, who as a Canadien spare last season came within four games of playing the 26 which would have made him ineligible for this year&rsquo;s Calder, would like to win it.</p><p>&ldquo;What a great honor it would be,&rdquo; Danny said recently, &ldquo;to have your name on a list with players like Sanderson, Bobby Orr (the 1967 winner) and all the others.&rdquo;</p><p>His face lit up, because among &ldquo;all the others&rdquo; are such Hall of Famers as Dave (Sweeney) Schriner (the third Calder winner in 1935), Syl Apps (1937) and Frankie Brimsek (1939) not to mention such household hockey names as Terry Sawchuk (1951), Boom Boom Geoffrion (1952), Gump Worsley (1953), Glenn Hall (1956), Frank Mahovlich (1958), Dave Keon (1961), Bobby Rousseau (1962) and Jacques Laperriere (1964).</p><p>Needless to say, not everyone in the NHL writing fraternity may be as impressed with Grant as this agent.</p><p>And this can be important, because the Calder is decided by a vote of NHL Writers Association members in each franchise location.</p><p>Recently, a visiting member of the press wanted to know why, if Grant was such a hot candidate for the Calder, his coach and general manager, Wren Blair, hadn&rsquo;t come publicly with a statement saying just that.</p><p>A fair question, inasmuch as Wren had done this without success last season for little Andre Boudrias, whose 53 points (on 18 goals and 35 assists) actually topped Sanderson&rsquo;s total by four.</p><p>Our only explanation, and one that has been fostered by the North Stars&rsquo; astute public relations director, Dick Dillman, is this:</p><p>Blair has three other players who qualify for the Calder &mdash; defenseman Lou Nanne and centermen Danny O&rsquo;Shea and Walt McKechnie &mdash; and Wren simply doesn&rsquo;t want to show partiality.</p><p>So, in brief, there you have it. Danny Grant, bonafide Calder Trophy candidate. Two hat tricks &mdash; against Detroit Nov. 9 and Toronto Feb. 23 &mdash; the most by a rookie this season, voted to the West Division All Star team and, perhaps most important of all, an unselfish performer who always passes off if there&rsquo;s the slightest chance of a teammate having a better opportunity than he to put the puck in the net.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0003-01

North Stars Tout Danny Grant For Calder Cup Rookie Award

<p>TWIN CITIES, Minn.&mdash;</p><p>STAR-LITES: Going into a March 11 game against Boston, Grant needed one goal to break the modern era record of 30 in a season by a rookie, set by Bernie Geoffrion with Canadiens in 1951-52. The all-time record for a rookie is 34, held by Nels Stewart of the old Montreal Maroons since 1925-26&hellip; The fifth sellout in seven games at the Sports Center March 1 pushed season home attendance to 394,823, an average of 12,716 per for 31 dates.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Grant Only Goal Away From Boomer’s Record

<p><b>OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY</b></p><p>Founded October 1st, 1947</p><p><b>Published weekly except monthly June through September by Ken-Will Publishing Co. Ltd. 1434 St. Catherine Street West Montreal 3, Canada.</b></p><p><b>Kenneth W. McKenzie</b> President and Publisher</p><p><b>William Z. Stevenson</b> Managing Director</p><p><b>Yearly Subscription Rates: $5.00 in Canada $6.00 in the U.S.A, and $8.00 in Foreign Countries.</b></p><p>Postage paid atRouses Point, N.Y.</p><p>Authorized as second class mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa and for payment of postage in cash.</p><p>Printed in Canada<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

The Hockey News

<p>MONTREAL, Que.&mdash;</p><p>Who is the most underrated player in the National Hockey League&rsquo;s According to the circuit&rsquo;s coaches, he is Norm Ullman of the Toronto Maple Leafs, by a thin margin over Ted Green of the Boston Bruins.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01781/2992462-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="245" height="450"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Norm Ullman</b></figcaption></div><p>The mentors were polled and the full results, including the first ten most underrated performers in the majors, appear in the April issue of HOCKEY PICTORIAL magazine, which will be on the newstands this month.</p><p>The 33-year-old Ullman has been in the National League for 14 seasons now. He played 12 seasons for Detroit Red Wings before being traded to Toronto for Frank Mahovlich last season in one of the biggest deals in NHL history.</p><p>Ullman has scored 20 or more goals for 12 straight seasons now and 30 or more goals for four of the last five seasons. He had a high of 42. which led the league, two seasons ago. but had 30 with Detroit and five more after being traded to Toronto just last season, and may top that this season.</p><p>In his career, he will finish this season with more that 350 goals, 500 assists and 1,000 points, which puts him in the top ten in NHL history in all three categories.</p><p>In addition. Ullman always has been regarded as an outstanding two-way hockey player, who not only can shoot goals and set them up. but works on defense and is one of the greatest forecheckers ever.</p><p>He has been overshadowed throughout his career by such teammates as the great Gordie Howe with the Wings and such rival centers as Stan Mikita of Chicago, who has been first-team all-star six of the last seven years; Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard of Montreal, and Phil Esposito ot Boston, who probably will be first all-star center this year.</p><p>Ullman has gotten little publicity in proportion to his production. Yet the 5-10, 185-pounder from Provost, Alberta, is well regarded by coaches and players. Toronto&rsquo;s manager and coach Punch Imlach has said, startlingly. &ldquo;Ullman is the best center, the best all-around player I&rsquo;ve had at Toronto.&rdquo;</p><p>Sid Abel of Detroit concedes he hated to let Ullman go, but felt he had to make moves to stimulate his slumping team last season and felt Mahovlich might propel Wings into the playoffs. He did not, but he is having a great season this season, and the Wings have improved. The Ullman-Mahovlich deal appears to be a rare one which helped both teams.</p><p>Rival coaches certainly respect Ullman, as attesting his No. 1 rating in the HOCKEY PICTORIAL poll. They also respect another long-time neglected Detroit center, Alex Delvecchio, who also ranked in the top ten most underrated players in the magazine&rsquo;s listings. It is an oddity that one team, Detroit, should have had two such splendid centers for so long with either getting so little public attention and so few laurels.</p><p>However, it was Ted Green of Boston who ranked second to Ullman and narrowly missed beating him out as the leading man in the most-neglected fraternity.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0004-01

NHL Coaches Pick Ullman As Most Underrated Player

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02732/2992521-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="376" height="438"></div><p>&bull; <b>THE INSIDE STORY</b> on the dynamic owners of the St. Louis Blues and how they made the team into one of the most successful franchises in the National Hockey League in less than two years is the Bonus Feature in the March issue of HOCKEY PICTORIAL. This is really a great story that takes you behind the scenes in the formative stages of gaining the franchise and how it is built up to one of sport&rsquo;s most prosperous properties. Geoffrey Fisher, the author. did an oustanding job &hellip; and the story is accompanied by some exclusive photos of the men behind the St. Louis success story &hellip; The Su Casa, well-known Mexican restaurant in Chicago, recently threw a party to honor Bobby Hull and his many hat tricks. Decorations were different hats for every one of the Golden Jet&rsquo;s 24 three-goal games &hellip; Someone asked Emile Francis the other day if he was going to rest goalie Ed Giocomin. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re down to the short strokes now.&rdquo; said the New York manager-coach. &ldquo;Eddie can rest in July and August.&rdquo; Offered Giacomin: &ldquo;I&rsquo;d be insulted if they bypass me at this point of the season. I&rsquo;ll rest when I&rsquo;m 50 years old. not now&rdquo; &hellip; St. Louis Blues are assured of drawing over 100.000 fans more this year than the club did a year ago including the playoffs &hellip; Dan Meyer, the enthusiastic owner of the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles who will enter the Western Hockey League next season, had the finest promotional mailing piece prepared in advance of the opening game next October, to ever pass through this desk. In fact it was so clever that it was awarded a prize by the direct mail people</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03634/2992514-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="264" height="435"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Ed Giacomin</b></figcaption></div><p>&bull; <b>ALL OF YOU</b> hockey fans who follow the NHL closely are urged to send in your votes for the 22nd annual HOCKEY NEWS All-Star team. There is always a lot of fun for vou well-informed puck fans in making out your selections and in past years this team picked by the fans is always as good or even better than the official team picked a little later in the season. Most years THE HOCKEY NEWS All-Star team is the forerunner of the official team &hellip; Detroit&rsquo;s great center, Alex Delvecchio. a two-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy, thinks it should be thrown out. &ldquo;A lot of managers and coaches in the league don&rsquo;t want any Lady Byngers on their team.&rdquo; Alex pointed out. &ldquo;Why the very name Lady is against its&rdquo; &hellip; Pat Stapleton. Chicago&rsquo;s hard-working defenseman had some scar tissue removed that had been impairing the sight of his right eye recently. &ldquo;It was just like somebody had turned on the light,&rdquo; he said after the surgery &hellip; According to Emile Francis there are four &ldquo;untouchables&rdquo; on the Rangers. They are Ed Giacomin. Vic Hadfield, Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04540/2992507-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="253" height="417"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Alex Delvecchio</b></figcaption></div><p>&bull; <b>SAN DIEGO&rsquo;S</b> Gordie Sinclair is a real phenom. He is just about as small as a defenseman could possibly be in pro hockey, yet he&rsquo;s played over 1.000 games in the Western Hockey League and is one of the best performers in the league year in and year out &hellip; Jon Washington, public relations director of the Los Angeles Kings, is the only native Californian in the National Hockey League. Jon is from Santa Barbara. 100 miles north of LA &hellip; 3.600 hockey sticks were sold in Greater St. Louis on a recent weekend through a three-store chain. One store sold 500 sticks alone on a single afternoon. This is remarkable when it&rsquo;s considered that hockey was virtually unknown before the arrival of the Blues. It was reported that one St. Louis sports store sold more hockey sticks than baseball bats last April when the Blues were in the playoffs &hellip; The San Diego Gulls expect to have their one millionth fan pass through the turnstiles soon &hellip; The Gulls have had six crowds in excess of 12.000 this season &hellip; Montreal&rsquo;s Claude Ruel and Toronto&rsquo;s Punch Imlach are having a battle of words. The Habs&rsquo; coach has never forgotten a pre-season quote credited to Imlach that the Canadiens would finish last and Ruel wouldn&rsquo;t last behind the bench. &ldquo;I won&rsquo;t cry when the Leafs miss the playoffs.&rdquo; said Ruel after a recent win over Toronto. &ldquo;He might cry himself if he finishes second and meets us in the playoffs &hellip; says Imlach.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-05434/2992500-1-eng-US/f0004-052.jpg" title="f0004-05" width="253" height="427"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jon Washington</b></figcaption></div><p>&bull; <b>MINNESOTA NORTH STARS</b> have passed the 400.000 mark in attendance. Cesare Maniago is the most active goalie in the Western Division and second only to New York&rsquo;s Ed Giacomin in total minutes olaved &hellip; Danny Grant of the North Stars is zooming in on two records for a rookie in the NHL. He should top Boom Boom Geoffrion&rsquo;s mark of 30 goals with Canadiens in 1951-52 and is also threatening Gus Bodnar&rsquo;s total of 62 points with Toronto in 1943-44 &hellip; Since Jean Ratelle is well down in the scoring compared to other centres. Phil Esposito. Stan Mikita. Jean Beliveau and Alex Delvecchio, the New York centre is unlikely to get all-star recognition. However the Rangers and their fans are high on Ratelle&rsquo;s consistent hard work to earn the writers&rsquo; votes for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The trophy was set up last year by the NHL Writers&rsquo; Association and intially won by Montreal`s Claude Provost &hellip; Shel Fullerton, long-time HOCKEY NEWS correspondent from Cleveland and one of hockey&rsquo;s best statisticians is ailing &hellip; Cleveland Barons have prepared and are selling to the hockey public big, colorful posters which are being acclaimed by hockey officials everywhere.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-06348/2992493-1-eng-US/f0004-062.jpg" title="f0004-06" width="278" height="443"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jean Ratelle</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0004-02

PASSING THE PUCK

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-07" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-07260/2992552-1-eng-US/f0004-072.jpg"></div><p>(Statistics include Games of Sunday March 9)<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0004-07

EASI-WEST SCOREBOARD:

<div class="byline">BY LOU PRATO</div><p>PITTSBURGH. Pa.&mdash;</p><p>Joe Daley knew all the time he could make it as a goalie in the National Hockey League. But not until recently was he able to prove it.</p><p>And if the Pittsburgh Penguins finally make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs, they 11 owe a great deal of credit to Daley.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-01728/2992583-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="282" height="425"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Joe Daley</b></figcaption></div><p>The 25-year-old Daley has been one of the prime reasons behind the resurgence of the Pittsburgh Penguins in late February and early March. His play in the net has been spectacular, at times, and most of it has occurred against the veteran teams in the Eastern Division.</p><p>It&rsquo;s not that the Penguins officials have not thought highly of Daley. He was the team&rsquo;s top goalie draftee in the 1967 expansion draft when a Detroit farm hand. And in the Pittsburgh press brochure there is this written prophecy:</p><p>&ldquo;In Pittsburgh&rsquo;s long range plans, Joe Daley appears headed for the job as the No. 1 goalie &hellip; He has been nursed along very carefully, both by the Red Wings and now with the Penguins.&rdquo;</p><p>But until this season, Daley had never played in an NHL game, despite his reputation. And even an impressive debut last November against Chicago didn&rsquo;t earn him many starting assignments.</p><p>Then in late February, with the Penguins sliding deeper into last place, Daley got his major opportunity. Les Binkley, the team&rsquo;s top goalie, came down with the flu. Daley was sent to the nets against Boston, then in first place&hellip;</p><p>The result was a 3-0 win for Pittsburgh and the Penguins first shutout of the season.</p><p>&ldquo;That was the greatest thrill of my life,&rdquo; Daley said after that game. &ldquo;I know I was lucky and I know how much the other guys helped. But I really felt good.&rdquo;</p><p>But the Boston win was just the start of Daley&rsquo;s good fortune. He was at goal in wins over Detroit and Chicago and a tie with Toronto and it is now Coach Red Sullivan&rsquo;s plan to alternate Daley with Binkley the rest of the season.</p><p>&ldquo;I guss they had to get confidence in me,&rdquo; Daley said. &ldquo;I always had the desire to play even when sitting on the bench and I knew I could do it if given a chance. But now I really feel good. I know I can do it and so do they.&rdquo;</p><p>This doesn&rsquo;t mean that Daley is the team&rsquo;s number one goalie, however. Yet, neither he nor Binkley care.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve wanted to alternate from the start,&rdquo; Daley said. &ldquo;At the first of the year, Red said I&rsquo;d get in only 12 or 13 games and Les didn&rsquo;t like that. We both felt it would be better to alternate since a goalie would then be fresh.</p><p>&ldquo;Looik at St. Louis. They&rsquo;re naturally rested and they give it all they got. That&rsquo;s why the goalies are so good.&rdquo;</p><p>Binkley agreed and he too referred specifically to Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante at St. Louis.</p><p>&ldquo;You need a break nowadays,&rdquo; Binkley said. &ldquo;The season is long and there&rsquo;s a lot of travelling. Look, sometimes we play Wednesday and Thursday, travel Friday and then play Saturday and Sunday. That&rsquo;s too hard for one guy to play all four games.&rdquo;</p><p>As far as Sullivan is concerned, alternating Binkley and Daley will not only help the team but also Daley&rsquo;s personal improvement.</p><p>&ldquo;Those two guys get along so well together it&rsquo;s amazing,&rdquo; Sullivan said. &ldquo;They help each other. You&rsquo;d think they&rsquo;re, be some jealousy byt there&rsquo;s not.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0005-01

Penguins Counting On Daley To Be No. 1 In Future

<h2><b>Esposito Shouldn&rsquo;t Be Shown Favoritism</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>R</span>ecently, Phil Esposito was suspended for two games for molesting a referee. Last season, a player in the Central League was suspended for a month for molesting a referee. Doesn&rsquo;t this seem a little strange?</p><p>A person can easily deduce that the reason he was given a light suspension is because he was the leading scorer with a chance to break the scoring record. Just because he is a star, though, should he be given special treatment?</p><p>If this policy continues, a major problem will result: every superstar of the league will be allowed to molest an official any-time he pleases.</p><p>JOHN BOLTON, Dallas, Tex.</p><h2><b>Red Berenson Not King Of The West&rsquo;</b></h2><p>As ardent fans and followers of the NHL, we would like to voice our disapproval to a comment made in the February 15 issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS. The comment appeared in an article by Geoffrey Fisher. Mr. Fisher referred to Red Berenson as &ldquo;King of Western Division forwards&rdquo;. In our opinion there are at least five forwards equal to, if not superior to, the Red Baron. These five include Claude Larose and Danny Grant of Minnesota, Eddie Joyal and Bill Flett of Los Angeles, and Billy Hicke of Oakland.</p><p>Chicago Black Hawk coach, Billy Reay, recently called Claude Larose of the North Stars the best right wing, and then changed if to the best player in the West Division. We feel that Billy Reay is closer to and is therefore more of an authority on hockey than is Fisher.</p><p>In conclusion, we would like to voice our agreement with a comment made by Gary Dornhoefer of the Philadelphia Flyers. In the February first issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS Dornhoefer said, &ldquo;The Blues think they&rsquo;re a bunch of All-Stars.</p><p>RANDY SATRE and MIKE MARTIN, Minneapolis, Minn.</p><h2><b>Ruel Not To Blame For Habs&rsquo; Position</b></h2><p>Just note to those fans who think Claude Ruel is the reason Canadiens are not running away with the league.</p><p>If they checked the record, they would find that Montreal is ahead of last year&rsquo;s pace for the comparable number of games, and this without the services of their top defensive ace Harper for most of the season, both first string goalkeepers for a fair stretch, and numerous other injuries the likes of which would have left most other teams reeling. In fact, in early season losses to Boston, the Habs were minus both goalies, not to mention fellows like Gilles Tremblay, Richard and Duff.</p><p>Fear not frail hearts for when the season ends that familiar cry &ldquo;Les Canadiens Sont L&agrave;&rdquo; will ring out once more.</p><p>GEORGE O&rsquo;LEARY, Ottawa, Ont.</p><h2><b>Gabsby, Abel Deserve Credit For Wings Rise</b></h2><p>The Detroit Red Wings as of the moment are in 3rd place in the East where of course they will remain. Last season Detroit couldn&rsquo;t come up with those important wins but with the addition of The Big M, Gary Unger, Stemmer, Wayne Connelly they are managing to do sodhis year and this means 3rd place or better for Detroit.</p><p>Since 1969 Detroit have scored 79 goals while letting in 53, they have collected 33 pts. 2 less than Montreal since 1969. I give all this credit to Bill Gabsby and Sid Abel and I&rsquo;m sure this combination can give Montreal and Boston a good run for their money (for the Stanley Cup) and the 4th place team well of course be Chicago.</p><p>HAROLD HARDIMAN, Belleoram, Nfld.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Fan Forum

<p>NEW YORK, N.Y. &mdash;</p><p>Rangers play Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Montreal, Chicago, Boston and Toronto on the road and Montreal, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston and Toronto at home in the stretch. The season ends with a home-and-home engagement with the Maple Leafs on March 29 and 30 and these games may be the ones which will decide who plays for Lord Stanley&rsquo;s pewter Cup &hellip; Dennis Hextall is doing fine job as Goyette&rsquo;s replacement and Bob Blackburn is filling in for Howell as the fifth defenseman. Don Simmons played part of the Boston game, after going to Buffalo to play a bit and get sharp for the stretch drive &hellip; netminder Eddie Giacomin has six shutouts &hellip; New York is Unbeaten in 13 straight MSG games, 11 wins and two ties &hellip; In the last 18 games, Rangers have 22 power play goals &hellip; Feb. 26 against Chi. the Blueshirts peppered Dennis DeJordy with 54 shots against 25 for the Hawks &hellip; Rod Gilbert, the King of the East Side wowed a large crowd at Johnny Johnston&rsquo;s restaurant on Sunday March 3 when he answered questions, signed autographs and was the star of the weekly 11:00 AM &mdash; 1:00PM Father &mdash; Son brunch &hellip; Allan Eisinger&rsquo;s Skateland Hockey School is accepting applications for next summer&rsquo;s clinics now. Ranger star Gilbert, Giacomin, Fleming and Francis will be the instructors.</p><p>&mdash;MACLEAN<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Windup Double With Leafs May Decide Rangers’ Fate

<div class="byline">BY NORMAN MacLEAN</div><p>NEW YORK. N.Y. &mdash;</p><p>Arnie Brown went for a stretch of 106 games without scoring over a season and a half, Larry Jeffrey had a drought which lasted 96 games and Ron Stewart could hardly walk when the Rangers returned from their mid February trip to the West Coast.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-01810/2992638-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="264" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Arnie Brown</b></figcaption></div><p>Nonetheless, these three performers, who usually get very little ink, have been key men in the bitter battle which the Rangers are waging for a National Hockey League playoff spot.</p><p>Brown, the five foot eleven inch, 185 pound defenseman from Apsley, Ontario never scored more than two goals in four full NHL seasons previously. This year he has seven, including two big tallies against the Chicago Black Hawks on February 26. Since all games amongst the four contenders for the last two NHL Eastern playoff spots must be rated as key contests, Brownie was truly coming through when the money was on the line.</p><p>&ldquo;I have been working on my shot all season, trying to get it off a bit quicker and I guess I have had a bil of puck luck,&rdquo; says Arnie.</p><p>Brownie switched from a straight stick to a curved one in training camp, but found that he could not control the puck defensively with the hooked blade so he switched back to a modified hook.</p><p>Arnie is truly the bridge between the old and the new Rangers. He was part of the big Andy Bathgate deal of February 1964 when New York ripped apart its losing, but high priced stars and went with youth. At 27, Brownie has reached young veteran status and has his best years ahead of him.</p><p>Walter Tkaczuk, the rookie center, who also has his future before him, found the star light shinning on him in the same contest when he got four assists, the same number that rookie defender Brad Park had notched earlier in the season against Pittsburgh.</p><p>One Ranger performer who is hardly a callow youth, since this is his 17th NHL season is the 36 year old right wing, Ron Stewart, often called &ldquo;Bobby Hull&rsquo;s shadow.&rdquo; Unlike Bryan Watson and Claude Provost who use illegal tactics to contain the Golden Jet; Stewart just plays hockey with Hull and even complains &ldquo;They always have Hull watching me out there, 1 don&rsquo;t understand it.&rdquo;</p><p>This tongue in cheek statement is usually accompanied by a neat bit of skating and forechecking. In the February 26 contest Stewart held Hull to three shots on goal, one of which went in. Against St. Louis in a 2-1 win on March 2, Ron was named the number one star of the game, after he notched the opening tally while killing a penalty. This marked the second time that New York and Stewart had scored while shorthanded this season. Later in the same game, Dave Balon also got another goal while New York had a man in the sin bin.</p><p>&ldquo;This is the first time in my entire career in organized hockey that I can remember my club getting two goals while the other team was a man up,&rdquo; noted an amazed Emile Francis, the resident genius of Rangerville.</p><p>&ldquo;Our penalty killers sure did a job in that game,&rdquo; said Francis. &ldquo;We had them keying on Doug Harvey in the Blues end of the ice. It worked as we prevented the Dougger from setting up his smooth passes. For my money Larry Jeffrey did as well as did Stewie and Balon who got the goals.&rdquo;</p><p>Jeffrey, the unsung Ranger hero, who has a lonely only goal, has been outstanding lately with his zealous penalty killing. With Jeffrey, Stewart, Bob Nevin and Donnie Marshall as well as Reg Fleming and Walt Tkaczuk all available as time killers, New York has the best defense against the power play in the NHL. And Jeffrey is a key man. He usually starts off killing the time and goes as hard as he can for about a minute, knowing that he will be replaced by a fresh man. Larry&rsquo;s aggressive forechecking can drive enemy forwards to distraction, particularly since it often occurs deep in the opposition&rsquo;s zone.</p><p>The work of Stewart and Jeffrey will be particularly important in the upcoming clashes with Chicago and Detroit on March 5 and 6. These games will be history when you read this, but they are tryly crucial battles in the playoff fight.</p><p>The Ranger&rsquo;s chances are complicated by the continued absence of such tried and true performers as Center Phil Goyette (strained knee ligaments), Harry Howell (bad back) and Vic Hadfield (bruised left knee, courtesy of Boston&rsquo;s Ted Green).</p><p>Hadfield did not miss a game, if dressing counts, but his place on the Jean Ratelie line was taken by Donnie Marshall in the March 2 St. Louis game, after Vic suffered the injury in the 8-5 pasting New York took from Boston on March 1.</p><p>Hadfield was leading the Rangers in scoring with 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points, two better than both Rod Gilbert and Ratelle, his linemates. This emergence of Vic as a true star had to gladden the hearts of all true Ranger afficiandos as Hadfield was almost walking wounded from January of 1968 through the end of last season. Vic severely separated his left shoulder in a crash against the boards of Chicago Stadium and never was right after that.</p><p>&ldquo;He was in such bad shape in the summer that he couldn&rsquo;t play golf and had to go on workmen&rsquo;s compensation,&rdquo; revealed Francis. &ldquo;We were considering a summer operation, but Dr. Kazuo Yanagisawa couselled against it.&rdquo;</p><p>Hadfield, an off-season golf pro in Ontario, had to spend most of the hot months last year stretching and restretching his arm so that the ligaments and tensile muscles in the shoulder would again reach normal length &mdash; and enable him to use his shoulder in normal fashion.</p><p>&ldquo;He was almost a cripple in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, but he still played a hard nosed two way game,&rdquo; notes Francis.</p><p>Vic is a solid hard rock whose name usually comes up when an opponent talks trade with the Rangers. Everyone wants Vic, but New York has him after drafting the six foot, 180 pounder from Chicago in June of 1961.</p><p>&ldquo;Most of my success has come since a Black Hawk helped me out,&rdquo; says the smiling Hadfield, who is the Rangers most successful practical joker, &ldquo;Bobby Hull lent me one of his curved sticks and since I have used it I have become a pretty good goal scorer.&rdquo;</p><p>Hadfield went from a mediocre wing with a high of 18 goals to one whose booming slap shots curved, dipped and bore through goal tenders like Hull&rsquo;s. It is to be hoped that he recovers in time to be the valuable asset he can be in the vital stretch games ahead for New York.</p><p>The Rangers recalled Guy Trottier from Buffalo to replace the injured Hadfield. It was the second time Trottier has been up with the NHL club this season.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0006-01

Trio Sparks Rangers In Stretch Playoff Drive

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div><p>DETROIT, Mich. &mdash;</p><p>There&rsquo;s no &ldquo;Home Sweet Home&rdquo; plaque hanging in Red Wing coach Bill Gadsby&rsquo;s office nor one of those daintily embroidered &ldquo;Home Is Where the Heart Is&rdquo; doilies on the sofa in general manager Sid Abel&rsquo;s office at Olympia.</p><p>And that&rsquo;s a wonder.</p><p>If the Red Wings could play their remaining games at home they&rsquo;d be a shoo-in to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in three years.</p><p>Matter of fact, the Wings are threatening to fracture their home ice victory high of 25 first set in 1950-51 and then matched in 1954-55 and 1964-65, all championship years, incidentally. And all 35-home game years.</p><p>There are three additional home games this year, a total of 38. With four left the Wings showed a 22-6-6 won-lost-tied mark at Olympia and the home rink can&rsquo;t be much more friendly than that.</p><p>No one has thrived more at Olympia than Frank Mahovlich. The Big M, who heard some boos and catcalls during his nights at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, has saved his best hockey for the home folks in Detroit.</p><p>Of his first 42 goals, Mahovlich scored 32 of them at Olympia.</p><p>All four of Mahovlich&rsquo;s hat trick games, three goal efforts against Boston, Minnesota and Los Angeles and a four-goaler against Oakland, were accomplished at Olympia.</p><p>Gordie Howe, Pete Stemkowski and Garry Unger registered hat trick games at home.</p><p>And, again, it makes Olympia a great place to live. But right now the Red Wings are on the road and they haven&rsquo;t been roaring successes on enemy ice.</p><p>The final 16 days of the season, beginning with the Ides of March which was so fateful for Julius Caesar, find the Wings on the road for five of their last seven games. And that could be as fatal as the 15th of March was for Caesar.</p><p>Gadsby hoped that the club would have something of a cushion to work with during this critical stretch &hellip; and he also hoped the team would improve on the road. Two games pointed to reason for some optimism.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01758/2992693-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="559" height="561"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>FRANK MAHOVLICH &hellip; Sizzles at Home.</b></figcaption></div><p>First, the Wings finally won a game in Minnesota, on their fifth try in two seasons and final trip there this year. It had become the team&rsquo;s jinx rink. It was a very big victory because the Wings had played terribly in their previous road start, a 7-2 loss at Montreal in which the Canadiens scored five times in the first period with three of the goals in a 40-second span.</p><p>Second, the Wings doubled up after the Minnesota victory, atoning for their licking at Montreal by beating the Canadiens at Olympia, 42, with a pair of Mahovlich goals leading the way.</p><p>&ldquo;This might&rsquo;ve been the biggest weekend of the season for us,&rdquo; Gadsby said happily after the two victories.</p><p>Of major concern still is the fact that Toronto has games in hand on Detroit and will have at least one in hand until March 26, the final Wednesday of the season.</p><p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve still got to win them, though,&rdquo; Gadsby said.</p><p>Of the four challengers for the final two playoff spots, Chicago has the best closing schedule. Starting March 9 the Black Hawks had seven games at home and three on the road. Toronto had seven on the road and only four at home.</p><p>New York has five at home and five on the road and eight of the 10 are against Eastern Division foes which have been tough on the Rangers. And then there&rsquo;s Detroit with eight games, six on the cruel, cruel road.</p><p>&ldquo;The only thing you can be sure of,&rdquo; Gadsby said, &ldquo;is that this thing is going to go right down to the wire.&rdquo;</p><p>And what a final weekend &mdash; home and home series between Boston and Montreal, Toronto and New York, Detroit and Chicago.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0007-01

Wings Home Ice Demons, Threaten Olympia Mark

<p><b>MRS. CAROLYN ANGEL,</b> schoolteacher, Santa Monica, Calif:</p><p>&ldquo;Cowboy Bill Flett of the Kings. Because he&rsquo;s such a groovy looking individual. He&rsquo;s dark and rugged and he has long sideburns and a very &ldquo;mod&rdquo; look. He&rsquo;s a good hockey player. He was one of the best rookies in the league last year. He plays for the home team. And he looks like someone I&rsquo;d like to know, if my husband, Eddie, would let me.&rdquo;</p><p><b>LOWELL STEELE, finan</b>cier, Los Angeles:</p><p>&ldquo;Bill White, the Kings&rsquo; defenseman, because he&rsquo;s so consistently good. He&rsquo;s not the kind of player fans usually notice because he&rsquo;s not flashy, but he&rsquo;s always in his position, he&rsquo;s always reaching out with his long arms and his stick to foil his adversaries, it&rsquo;s almost impossible to go around him, he moves the puck out of his end well, and when the time is right, he carries it and shoots very accurately. You see the home players most, so a fan tends to prefer one of them, and here White is a good one to prefer.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CHARLES WELLS,</b> chemical engineer, Toronto, Ont.</p><p>&ldquo;Gordie Howe, the grand old man of the Detroit Red Wings, beyond question. You know he&rsquo;s not getting any younger now after 23 years in the NHL but have you noticed that he hasn&rsquo;t lost his zest for playing, scoring goals and he can still throw that ominious elbow effectively at an opponent. Let&rsquo;s take our hats off to Gordie, there&rsquo;ll never be another player like him no matter how long this game goes on.&rdquo;</p><p><b>GEORGE HOWELLS,</b> branch manager, Montreal, Que.</p><p>&ldquo;Dave Keon of Toronto is the one player who impresses me most on the ice. I like the style of hockey he plays. He skates and checks well and is a busy little man out there. He&rsquo;s a lot like Richard, an all-round performer who can work the power play or kill penalties. He&rsquo;s not a specialist like many of the super stars. He&rsquo;s just&rsquo; a good, honest hockey player in my book.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

THE FANS’ CORNER

<p>DETROIT. Mich. &mdash;</p><p>The turnstiles are clicking at Olympia at a near-record rate thanks to the Red Wings&rsquo; strong second half push toward a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs.</p><p>Through 34 home games the Wings drew 437,023 fans for an average of 12,854 in a building that lists its seating capacity as 13,208.</p><p>Since the four remaining games were with Eastern Division rivals New York, Boston, Toronto and Chicago and were sold out shortly after tickets went on sale, the Wings were assured of a season total of 489,855.</p><p>Standing room sales could send the total to the neighborhood of 495,000.</p><p>The Wings had only two games that drew less than 10,000 fans, the first with New York way back on Oct. 17 during the football season, the other on Jan. 9 with Los Angeles. They drew 9.618 and 9,896.</p><p>The club season record is 480,795 and that&rsquo;ll be smashed. It was set in 1966-67, the last year of the 35-home game season.</p><p>Also established this season was the Olympia one game high of 15,347 for a game with Toronto and then it was tied for a game with Montreal.</p><p><b>BERRY.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Strong Finish By Wings Lifts Crowds To 437,023

<div class="byline">BY ED CONRAD</div><p>PHILADELPHIA, Pa &mdash;</p><p>The Flyers have their garbage collector back and Billy Sutherland, who has returned to their lineup, just hopes he&rsquo;s able to help them collect a playoff payoff.</p><p>&ldquo;They say it&rsquo;s not how you score goals,&rdquo; kidded Suds, &ldquo;but how many.&rdquo;</p><p>Sutherland, who has a knack for scoring &ldquo;garbage&rdquo; goals, returned to the Flyers in a three-for-two trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a deal which sent Sutherland and two 22-year-old prospects &mdash; Mike Byers and Gerry Meehan &mdash; to Philadelphia in return for Brit Selby and Forbes Kennedy.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-01796/2992772-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="251" height="387"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Bill Sutherland</b></figcaption></div><p>Sutherland, a 34-year-old left wing, had been lost to the Leafs in the draft last June after scoring 20 goals for the Flyers last season, one of only two players to do so. Kennedy and Meehan are centers while Selby and Byers are wings.</p><p>&ldquo;Suds will help us,&rdquo; said coach Keith Allen confidently. He can score and he&rsquo;s also an excellent penalty killer.&rdquo;</p><p>Sutherland, who was used sparingly with the Maple Leafs this season, had scored seven goals and five assists. His first three goals had come against the Flyers.</p><p>&ldquo;I took the news of the trade with mixed emotions,&rdquo; confessed Suds, who was tossing and turning in bed when he heard it on the radio. &ldquo;I enjoyed playing in Toronto but I also enjoyed playing in Philly. Believe me, if I had to leave Toronto and go somewhere else my first choice would have been Philly.</p><p>&ldquo;I just hope I can help the Flyers make the playoffs. I figure I&rsquo;ll get the opportunity to help them, too, because I feel sure I&rsquo;ll get a lot more ice time than I did with the Leafs. All I&rsquo;ve ever asked is that I get the opportunity to play.&rdquo;</p><p>The Flyers, who had just deadlocked Oakland for their 18th tie of the season, were desperately fighting for fourth place and the final playoff berth in the Western Division.</p><p>&ldquo;Sutherland can put the puck in the net and that&rsquo;s what we need right now,&rdquo; said general manager Bud Poile. &ldquo;We have to score more goals. We made some mistakes last year and losing Sutherland was the biggest.&rdquo;</p><p>Allen shared the same sentiment, although he admitted he hated to give up a talented player like Selby.</p><p>Brit had been the NHL&rsquo;s rookie of the year with the Leafs in 1965-66, then was drafted as the Flyers&rsquo; third skater in the expansion draft. He had scored 15 goals last season and had 10 this year.</p><p>&ldquo;We just hated to give up Selby,&rdquo; said Allen. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a fine young player and a real class guy. But when you make trades, you&rsquo;ve got to give up something. Sometimes you&rsquo;ve got to give up players you don&rsquo;t want to lose. Selby was one of those kind of guys. He did a good job for us even though he has been having trouble scoring goals.&rdquo;</p><p>Selby was glad in a sense to be returning to Toronto, his hometown, but nevertheless he was sad to make the move.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m disappointed because 1 liked it in Philly,&rdquo; said Brit. &ldquo;But in this business you have to go where they send you. I guess I&rsquo;m fortunate being sent back to my home town, but I enjoyed playing for the Flyers.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just sorry that I didn&rsquo;t live up to my potential. I tried, but things just didn&rsquo;t go as well as I would have liked. I just hope the Flyers do well from here on out.&rdquo;</p><p>The other Flyer sent to Toronto is Kennedy, who had been the league&rsquo;s penalty leader by a wide margin (195 minutes) until running into trouble with the club. Allen and Kennedy had exchanged heated words at 5 o&rsquo;clock one morning in Montreal Airport following a four-hour flight after a defeat in St. Louis. The Flyers&rsquo; coach, in turn, suspended his veteran center for &ldquo;insubordination.&rdquo;</p><p>Following his suspension, Kennedy returned to Philadelphia for the first of two meetings with general manager Bud Poile, at which he refused to report to the Flyers&rsquo; AHL farm club in Quebec.</p><p>&ldquo;Forbes played pretty well last season,&rdquo; said Keith. &ldquo;But 1 don&rsquo;t think he played as well this year. He tries hard, that&rsquo;s for sure. He&rsquo;s a rugged individualist who comes to play and plays it the hard way.&rdquo;</p><p>A trade between the Flyers and Maple Leafs was predicted for several weeks before it actually took place. However, the names changed rapidly.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-01

Return Of Sutherland Good Move Says Allen, Laments Losing Selby

<div class="byline">&#x2014; By Bill Libby</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02706/2992810-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="296" height="398"></div><h2><b><i>The Old Men And The Ice</i></b></h2><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HESE PEOPLE WERE</b> new to hockey the last couple of years and they hadn&rsquo;t seen him before, but they knew he was 100 years old, or thereabouts, so they weren&rsquo;t surprised that Doug Harvey played like an old man. &ldquo;He can hardly move,&rdquo; one of them said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not even trying,&rdquo; another said. &ldquo;I guess he&rsquo;s just picking up his salary,&rdquo; the third daid. What they didn&rsquo;t notice was that none of the good young legs got past him, and he controlled the puck in his end and moved it out well and made perfect passes. All his career he&rsquo;s played like he couldn&rsquo;t care less, so it&rsquo;s no surprise that he still does, but the fact is, however he does it, he couldn&rsquo;t do much more.</p><p>We couldn&rsquo;t help remembering what Toe Blake said recently: &lsquo;Who&rsquo;d have ever thought, seven, eight years ago, when he left Montreal, he&rsquo;d still be playing today? But, when he played against Montreal the other night, I&rsquo;ll tell you, he wasn&rsquo;t the worst player on the ice.&rdquo; And he wasn&rsquo;t, of course. He&rsquo;s 44 now, one of the oldest men ever to play major league sports, and this, one of the fastest, roughest games. Five years out of the NHL before the end of last season, he&rsquo;s back now, and still good enough to belong. Maybe the greatest defenseman ever. Ten times a first all-star. Still starry.</p><p>Scotty Bowman of St. Louis uses him as he does all of his old men &mdash; carefully. &ldquo;We use three defense teams, so I only play about a third of the games,&rdquo; Harvey says &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not pushed too hard in practice. We&rsquo;re given extra time off. We even got a trip to Florida with the wives, which was wonderful.&rdquo; On the Blues, he plays in front of two great goalies &mdash; his old teammate, Jacques Plante, and his old rival, Glenn Hall. &ldquo;No, I never thought I&rsquo;d be playing in front of both of them on the same team,&rdquo; Harvey admits wistfully. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a funny game this.&rdquo;</p><p>He has been a successful coach, both in the NHL, and in the minors, and he&rsquo;s an assistant coach with the Blues, but he is just as happy to be a player. &ldquo;I run a few practices,&rdquo; Doug said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t do much coaching. Mainly, I&rsquo;m just with the guys, which I like.&rdquo; He sighed. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lonely job, coaching.&rdquo; He said he does not know how much longer he&rsquo;ll play. &ldquo;I take &lsquo;em a game at a time, a year at a time now. I enjoy it. I never expected to bounce back up to the bigs at my age. You never know what&rsquo;s ahead of you. As long as they feel I&rsquo;m doing a job, I guess I&rsquo;ll hang around.&rdquo;</p><p>A man who likes an evening out, he began to laugh, thinking of a private joke. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like they always say,&rdquo; he chuckled, &ldquo;you live the good life, you look after the old body, and you can last a long time.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03584/2992803-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="540" height="860"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DOUG HARVEY &hellip; Play If He&rsquo;s Wanted</b></figcaption></div><p>The long season is nearing an end for the old men like Harvey and Marcel Pronovost, who is 38 and has been hurting a bit in recent years and doesn&rsquo;t play some days now while young hireling like Jim Dorey and Mike Pely do, which makes him sad. He sits in civvies in the stands and says, &ldquo;If I play next season it will be my 20th year.&rdquo;</p><h2><b><i>Hockey &lsquo;Cops&rsquo; Still Needed</i></b></h2><p><b>THE LONG SEASON</b> is nearing an end for the old men like Harvey and Leo Boivin and Marcel Pronovost. Boivin is 36 now and he has been in the NHL since he was 19. He was with Toronto for three years and Boston for 12 years and Detroit for a year or so and Pittsburgh for a year or so and then this mid-season he was sent to Minnesota He has been passed around like a coat that doesn&rsquo;t quite fit and he is winding up a castoff hanging on to expansion teams, but he&rsquo;s not bitter. &ldquo;You take it as it comes,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;They tell me to go somewhere, I go, I do my best. I still look forward to the games. I still enjoy hockey.&rdquo;</p><p>He is a dark, burly man. His face is spider-webbed with scars and stitches. He was one of the toughest players and best fist-fighters and the best body-checker of recent years. He is the last of his line. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a faster game today, more wide open, so there&rsquo;s no place for body-checkers,&rdquo; he shrugs. &ldquo;You miss a check, you lose your man and maybe a goal, so not many men have the guts to try. It&rsquo;s a lost art and it&rsquo;s sort of sad because it was a colorful and important part of the game.</p><p>&ldquo;They still need cops, to keep the fancy-dans honest, but I don&rsquo;t fight much any more. You get older, you don&rsquo;t go looking for trouble, you just do your job,&rdquo; he grinned.</p><p>He was one of the few crowd-pleasers in Pittsburgh and Red Sullivan said he hated to see him go, but he didn&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;d play another year and he had to go for youth. In Minnesota, Wren Blair said he&rsquo;d going with youth, but he couldn&rsquo;t pass up a solid old pro like Boivin. In Minnesota, Boivin is playing for Blair like he hasn&rsquo;t given up yet. He sat on a stool in a dressing room and said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had a lot of putting a uniform on and taking it off. You do it for the dough, sure, but you got to enjoy it or you don&rsquo;t keep doing it as long as some of us do. I can&rsquo;t do some of the things I used to do, but I still feel I can, do a job. As long as my health stayed good and as long as someone wanted me, I guess I&rsquo;d go on. If this is the end, there isn&rsquo;t much I can do about it except to hope not.&rdquo;</p><p>Pronovost is 38 and if he can play another year it&rsquo;ll be 20 years in the big time for him. He was with Detroit for 15 years and now he&rsquo;s been with Toronto for four years and now he was sitting up in the stands while rookie kids played and his tough, battered face seemed sad. &ldquo;At my age, it&rsquo;s hard to stay sharp when you don&rsquo;t play enough&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The thing with an old guy like me is keeping my spirit up. I&rsquo;ve been around a long time and I&rsquo;ve seen it all and I&rsquo;ve done it all and it&rsquo;s easy to start coasting. I keep lying to myself that the next game, the next play is the most important of my life. I got to do it. I got to psych myself up. I want to stay in hockey. I mean, the travel&rsquo;s soft, the hours are short, the pay&rsquo;s long; what else am I going to do that&rsquo;s as good?&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;I love the game. I enjoy the challenges every season and every game present. It is getting a little tougher. I don&rsquo;t feel the bumps and bruises. I never did,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I tore knee ligaments 4hree years ago and I&rsquo;m just beginning to feel good again. All these years I never had a bum leg until then and it was murder for awhile. When the vvheels go, you&rsquo;re shot.&rdquo; He looked out at Jim Dorey and Mike Pelyk and Rick Ley, kids of 20 or so, on the ice for the Leafs. &ldquo;Their wheels are like new,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;What I wouldn&rsquo;t give to have new wheels like that.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-02

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">by SPENCE CONLEY</div><p>OAKLAND, Calif. &mdash;</p><p>The Oakland Seals were in the process of clobbering Toronto, 4-1 in Maple Leaf Gardens and way up in the grey seats a bunch of people were chanting &ldquo;Go, Seals, Go!&rdquo; and when the noise had quieted down a little one voice boomed out with considerable conviction:&ldquo;Break up the Seals.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01773/2992841-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="265" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Fred Glover</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;That guy&rsquo;s got to be kidding,&rdquo; frowned Seal general manager Frank Selke, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a long way to go before that happens.&rdquo;</p><p>But whether Frank Selke wants to admit it or not, the Seals are a first-rate hockey club with speed, depth and muscle, capable of belting the best in the game.</p><p>It&rsquo;s all part of a new image and you&rsquo;ll just have to pardon the Seals if it resembles the scarred, glowering features of coach Fred Glover. But that&rsquo;s like it is, baby.</p><p>Helped along by a couple of trades and Glover&rsquo;s own ability to infect his squad with the same kind of hustle and determination which were his personal trademarks in the American Hockey League, the Seals have gained respectability and admiration.</p><p>And were it not for a sluggish start and some early goaltending problems, the Seals might even be breathing down the backs of St. Louis, the run-away leaders in the West Division.</p><p>It all goes back to mid-November when Glover and Selke agreed that the time had come to give the gate to Billy Harris, the smooth, but disappointingly unproductive ex-Toronto pivot. Helped by Seal executive vicepresident Bill Torrey, the club dealt Harris to Pittsburgh for Bob Dillabough.</p><p>Now that seemed a harmless enough deal, but when he got the chance, Dilly switched on the afterburners in both his desire and ability and has proven a key asset in the Seal offensive and penalty-killing departments.</p><p>In the meantime, the Oaklanders were having trouble at center ice, and continued to press for another deal. It came Jan. 30.</p><p>Again it was with Pittsburgh. This time the Seals dealt off George Swarbrick, a tough right wing, and penalty-killer utilityman, Bryan Watson and minor league defenseman Tracy Pratt.</p><p>In return they got veteran center Earl Ingarfield, bouncy left wing Gene Ubriaco and defenseman Dick Mattiussi.</p><p>All of a sudden the Seals were a hockey club. But all of a sudden they also ran into severe injury problems for the first time this season.</p><p>Gary Jarrett, the all-star left wing who has scored 19 goals in his best-ever season in the NHL, was injured in the eye by a deflected shot during practice.</p><p>Bert Marshall, the steady defensive stickout, suffered a rib separation during a Toronto game, and Bill Hicke, the club&rsquo;s leading scorer took a hard shot on his right instep and dislocated a bone and crushed a couple of blood vessels.</p><p>Things looked pretty grim.</p><p>But Glover began pulling the strings and here&rsquo;s what happened,.</p><p>First off, Brian Perry, a 23-year-old draftee from Providence who had been having his troubles, was called on to take Jarrett&rsquo;s place. Mattiussi, who had only seen action in a dozen or so games with Pittsburgh, filled in for Marshall, and Ingarfield, normally a center, moved over to right wing in Hicke&rsquo;s place.</p><p>In 14 games through Feb. 17 in which Perry appeared for Jarrett, the young left winger scored three goals and assisted on 14 others.</p><p>In six games for Hicke, Cool Earl scored three and assisted on five.</p><p>And through the injury period, the team only lost once in eight games and even got off a recordbreaking five-game undefeated streak. They tied Boston twice, or rather Boston had to tie the Seals twice, beat Toronto twice, belted Montreal to win the annual six-games series 3-2-1, beat New York for the first time ever, and tied Pittsburgh.</p><p>The string finally came to an end Sunday (Feb. 16) in Philadelphia when the Flyers won their first game against Oakland this season, 3-2, and their first since Feb. 14, 1968.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-01

Rise Of Seals Seen Tribute To Astute Handling By Glover

<p>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;</p><p>There isn&rsquo;t a more staunch hockey fan around than the noted recording star Tiny Tim and he unquestionably proved it last week.</p><p>With the assistance of the publisher of THE HOCKEY NEWS, Ken McKenzie, the well-known American entertainer was able to listen to a telephone-radio hookup of the Toronto-Montreal game played here March 8.</p><p>Tiny Tim dialed McKenzie&rsquo;s Montreal home and the latter placed the telephone receiver against his radio speaker and Tiny Tim was able to hear the game direct without interruption.</p><p>In a telegram to the News&rsquo; executive this week Tiny Tim expressed his appreciation.</p><p>Said the famed television personality, &ldquo;it was a thrill to be able to hear my beloved Leafs via your radio. Many thanks.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Tiny Tim Thanks News Publisher

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0009-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-03573/2992896-1-eng-US/f0009-032.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02698/2992903-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="196" height="201"></div><p><b>(Standings On Tuesday, Mar. 11)</b></p><h2><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h2><p><b>Mon. Mar. 3</b></p><p>Minnesota 1 at Chicago 6</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 5</b></p><p>Los Angeles 4 at Toronto 6</p><p>New York 4 at Chicago 4</p><p>Detroit 2 at Boston 2</p><p>St. Louis 2 at Pittsburgh 4</p><p>Ookland 2 at Minnesota 5</p><p><b>Thurs. Mar. 6</b></p><p>Toronto 3 at Montreal 5</p><p>New York 4 at Detroit 1</p><p>Los Angeles 1 at Philadelphia 5</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Los Angeles 3 at Montreal 3</p><p>Philadelphia 2 at Toronto 2</p><p>New York 5 at Pittsburgh 3</p><p>Boston 4 at Detroit 7</p><p>Oakland 2 at St. Louis 5</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Montreal 2 at New York 2</p><p>Los Angeles 2 at Boston 7</p><p>Oakland 3 at Philadelphia 5</p><p>St. Louis 2 at Minnesota 2</p><h2><b>GAMES TO COME</b></h2><p><b>Tues. Mar. 11</b></p><p>Montreal at St. Louis</p><p>Boston at Minnesota</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 12</b></p><p>Toronto at Los Angeles</p><p>Pittsburgh at New York</p><p>Oakland at Chicago</p><p><b>Thurs. Mar. 13</b></p><p>Minnesota at Montreal</p><p>Toronto at Oakland</p><p>Boston at Philadelphia</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>Chicago at Montreal</p><p>Boston at Toronto</p><p>Detroit at St. Louis</p><p>Philadelphia at Minnesota</p><p>Pittsburgh at Los Angeles<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-03

THE NHL SCENE

<p>LOS ANGELES, Calif.&mdash;</p><p>Red Kelly&rsquo;s wife, Andra, and their four children are as attractive and honest as he is. Though only five, son Con is an excellent example. Though a fine, natural hockey prospect, who should be loyal to the game which feeds him, he thinks hockey is a stupid game and a fellow has to be pretty dumb to play it, so he says it.</p><p>Recently, Andra took him to an ice show. In the show, there was an act with monkeys playing hockey. Con turned to his mother and said, &ldquo;See, what did I tell you: Look who&rsquo;s playing hockey.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Young Kelly Not Hockey Fan

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div><p>LOS ANGELES, Calif. &mdash;</p><p>After 20 years as a major league hockey player, there is no doubt where Red Kelly ranks. In a poll being conducted for a forthcoming issue of Hockey World Magazine he is rated bv veterans as the third best defenseman of all time. Some feel he was the best. He was also a very fine centerman. He was an all-time great Derformer.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-01791/2992934-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="248" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Red Kelly</b></figcaption></div><p>After almost two full seasons now as a major league coach, one hesitates to rate him, but there is growing evidence that He is on his way to becoming one of the best and possibly a great coach.</p><p>More than during his first season, Red now admits that there are some things about coaching that are different than he thought they were as a player. He is changing and improving.</p><p>Kelly is a very good person, a good family man, straight and honest, devoted to his wife Andra and their four children, but dedicated to hockey. He gave up a promising career in politics and has neglected his family to concentrate on coaching, at best a frustating and painful profession.</p><p>Many felt he was too mild-mannered and quiet to be an effective coach, but he has dispelled these notions, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Irish and I have a stubborn streak. I can be tough when I have to,&rdquo; he says. He has demonstrated this.</p><p>He was handed an expansion team which realistically was not as good as the Kings&rsquo; leaders thought it was, but he took it to within a point of a pennant its first season. For a near-perfect player, he showed extraordinary patience in developing imperfect young players.</p><p>&ldquo;I was raised on a farm,&rdquo; he points out. &ldquo;If you are going to get the most out of the earth, you have to work and wait and accept reversals and work and wait some more. I apply that philosophy to coaching. I made up my mind the players I got were not perfect or I wouldn&rsquo;t have gotten them. I made up my mind they&rsquo;d make mistakes and I&rsquo;d have to learn to live with this and try simply to reduce the number of mistakes they repeat.&rdquo;</p><p>However, some of his players continue to repeat the same mistakes. Kelly&rsquo;s critics point out most of the promising young players on his team have not developed this second season, and the team is running far behind last season&rsquo;s pace. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a little disappointed, myself,&rdquo; Kelly concedes. &ldquo;However, many teams are having trouble this second season. The situation with expansion players isn&rsquo;t a settled one as yet.&rdquo;</p><p>Red feels he has special problems in L.A. &ldquo;The established clubs back East play a road game, then go home. They take a couple of hard trips a year. We&rsquo;ve taken 12 real trips already. Sometimes we&rsquo;re away two weeks. And we don&rsquo;t come home to big, loud crowds rooting us on. My biggest challenge as coach here is to keep the players up,&rdquo; he says.</p><p>He has not put together a team &lsquo;that can win its share on the road, nor one with an effective power play. However, he does not have strong and experienced personnel. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m two players away from being able to compete evenly with other clubs,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I need a good point man, which would make all the difference in the world in my power play. And I need a good left winger, who I may have found in Gary Croteau.&rdquo;</p><p>Croteau, a big 22-year-old kid, less than a year out of college, shows signs of being an aggressive forward, which the Kings need badly. He and Billy Inglis, a clever little center, were just called up. Gordon Labossiere, the No. 1 expansion draft choice who was slumping again after a brief surge of scoring, was returned to the minors, possibly for the last time.</p><p>Assuming Croteau is experience away from possible stardom, Red still could use a tough forward. He also could use a tough, steady defenseman. And while starry sophomore Wayne Rutledge may be out for the season with a severe groin injury, Kelly could use a veteran goal-tender to relieve the brilliant, but weary rookie Gerry Desjardins. Some are available, but the Kings have not bought him one, turning down Don Simmons.</p><p>Other trade talk also fell through at the deadline. Other clubs are interested only in players with whom the Kings are reluctant to part, such as the unproductive, but promising Ted Irvine. The Kings are convinced they will not have to make many moves to succeed eventually. Aide Ed Fitkin, who certainly knows hockey, thinks they are only two or three players away. Real good players, of course.</p><p>But they are at least those two or three players away. It seems to us, Kelly has done an outstanding job with the personnel at his command.</p><p>The club&rsquo;s spirit remains good. In one week recently, the Kings came from behind twice to tie Minnesota and Philadelphia, clubs battling for playoff berths, in the last minute of each game. &ldquo;The Dread Thread&rdquo; did it. This is the midget line of Howie Menard, Howie Hughes and Bob Wall, so small some coaches would have hesitated teaming them. Menard got one big goal, Wall the other.</p><p>&ldquo;I have found you have to keep building this particular bunch of guys up,&rdquo; Kelly says. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re players who haven&rsquo;t had long histories of success and they sag when tongue-lashed. You have to tailor your tactics to the guys you have.&rdquo;</p><p>Asked what he thinks the players think of him, Kelly thought a few minutes, then said, &ldquo;I think they think I&rsquo;m honest and that I play square with them. I don&rsquo;t think a coach should ask for more.&rdquo;</p><p>However, Kelly admits it has disturbed him to find out there</p><p>are always players grousing over coaching tactics. &ldquo;As a player, I obeyed without question. However, I see now there are guys who have to blame their own problems on someone else. But I&rsquo;m not afraid to bench stars who aren&rsquo;t putting out, and I think most of the men respect this.&rdquo;</p><p>They do. An informal poll of players indicates considerable respect for Kelly. Even a few who have not done well respect him. Those that don&rsquo;t almost all come from this group, incidentally. An important player said, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s smart, he&rsquo;s fair and he&rsquo;s a gentlemen. You can&rsquo;t ask more of a coach.&rdquo;</p><p>For a long time we thought Kelly was inclined to complain about referees too much, to alibi defeats. He says, &ldquo;I think maybe I was, and I am trying not to do so much of this now. In any event. I always told my players, let&rsquo;s go out and win in spite of the son of a sea cook,&rdquo; which is Red&rsquo;s colorful, descriptive term for refs.</p><p>Kelly doesn&rsquo;t provide the writers too many colorful, descriptive, explosive statements, but he&rsquo;s always available to them, he&rsquo;s level with them, he&rsquo;s not thinskinned and he never complains about criticism. He is a gentleman under pressure, when it counts.</p><p>Few coaches operate independently, With the Kings, Kelly must deal with a verv strong and active owner, Jack Kent Cooke, and a fiery manager, Larry Regan. Red admits that he suffers through these off-the-ice meetings, explaining strategy, defending his men, seeking the men he wants. He does not always get his way. This is the way it is.</p><p>It is not impossible he will try it in Toronto if that position opens up. One assumes the Kings will try to keep him for he seems to be, as King Clancy said he is, &ldquo;Very close to becoming what he will become, a great coach.&rdquo;</p><p>In any event, Kelly says, whatever the pressures, he still sleeps nights and eats good. &ldquo;There is more to life than just this game,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;On the farm, one year a freeze wipes you out, another year something else. But if you keep planting the right way, you will produce results. You must live with reversals and be patient.&rdquo;</p><p>He admits. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lonelier life than I thought it would be. When you&rsquo;re coaching, you&rsquo;re not one of the boys.&rdquo; He and his family are devoted Canadians, who are homesick in Southern California. He regrets being away from his family as much as he must be. He was in camp when his fourth child was born last summer. Andra was alone and it was a difficult birth for her. This is life for people in sports. These are the sacrifices a man makes to coach. And the rewards are few.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-01

Life Different As Hockey Coach But Kelly Devoted To Kings’ Job

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0011-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01781/2993003-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg"></div><p><b>INDIVIDUAL SCORING LEADERS</b></p><p><b>(Including Games of Sun. March 9)</b></p><h2><b>EAST DIVISION</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-02712/2992996-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="604" height="1489"></div><h2><b>WEST DIVISION</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-03595/2992989-1-eng-US/f0011-032.jpg" title="f0011-03" width="604" height="1514"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0011-01

NHL SCORING RACE

<div class="byline">BY TOM MONAHAN</div><p>&mdash;BOSTON. MASS.</p><p>Records are coming to the Bruins by the hatful this season and at this stage, one has caused the biggest stir.</p><p>This came last Sunday night when Phil Esposito became the first player in NHL history to register 100 points.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-04502/2993034-1-eng-US/f0011-042.jpg" title="f0011-04" width="292" height="436"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>John McKenzie</b></figcaption></div><p>A capacity Garden throng ot 14,659 threw everything on the ice but the rafters and delayed the game a full five minutes while they cleared the debris from the ice.</p><p>Naturally Esposito was happy. He tucked the puck into his pocket after the game and admitted this would be another treasure in his Sault Ste Marie household.</p><p>&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; he said,&rdquo; this is a big milestone in my career. I admit there was some pressure since everyone was talking about 100-points. But this was only a little bit of pressure on me as an individual.</p><p>&ldquo;And while this is a thrill and I can regard it as a personal accomplishment, there really is only one thing that matters. That&rsquo;s whether we win or loss and the big moment will come when we win the Stanley Cup.</p><p>&ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter how well I do personally if the team doesn&rsquo;t win.</p><p>&ldquo;If I can get an assist or score a goal and we win that&rsquo;s great. So now I have achieved a first in the National Hockey League. But we still have a bigger job ahead. That&rsquo;s to finish first and to win that old mug.&rdquo;</p><p>While charging to his record, Esposito certainly helped the Bruins to beat Pittsburgh, 4-0, and influenced one Boston hockey writer to crack, &ldquo;Billy Reay really should kick himself for making that trade with the Bruins.</p><p>&ldquo;He gave them Esposito and that was a big mistake. He should have given them Bobby instead.&rdquo;</p><p>While Esposito has been getting the major share of the Boston ink, however, there are some other players on the team who have been doing a pretty fair job.</p><p>One of them is Johnny McKenzie. &lsquo;Little Pieface&rsquo; as he is called by his friends, returned to the lineup after missing eight games and immediately lifted the Bruins to a five-game winning streak.</p><p>&ldquo;Pie is the kind of guy you don&rsquo;t pay much attention to until he isn&rsquo;t on the ice,&rdquo; said one of the Bruins players.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a real hustle guy. He works all the time he is out there. He makes his line go. When he was out of the lineup Fred Stanfield and Johnny Bucyk were having troubles. They slowed down their tempo and weren&rsquo;t so effective.</p><p>&ldquo;Johnny keeps everyone working. They have to work to keep up with him.&rdquo;</p><p>In addition to McKenzie there has been the performances of Bobby Orr and Teddy Green on defense. Orr is on the verge of setting both Bruins and NHL scoring records for a defenseman. Green has been playing super hockey.</p><p>But the Bruins still are not relaxing in their quest for No. 1 spot in the East Division.</p><p>&ldquo;We still have to come down to that final week of the season,&rdquo; says Coach Harry Sinden.</p><p>&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t relax until we have played that last game with Montreal on March 30. Only then can we start thinking in terms of the playoffs.</p><p>&ldquo;This is a long, tough season and all the teams are tough.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0011-04

Bruins Point For NHL Title After Esnosito’s Century Feat

<div class="byline">BY JIM PROUDFOOT</div><p>TORONTO, Ont. &mdash;</p><p>Maple Leafs st re ng th en ed their lineup considerably, as they entered the final four weeks of the National Hockey League. And they did need help,, as they swung into March, because they were three points short of reaching fourth place and qualifying for the Stanley Cup playdowns.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01762/2993065-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="256" height="436"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Brit Selby</b></figcaption></div><p>The first step was to get Mike Walton back in the lineup, ending his walkout. This was accomplished for Leafs&rsquo; Feb. 26 game against St. Louis Blues, a week after Walton angrily left the team, and the Toronto club proceeded to go unbeaten in its next four matches. Walton scored the vital goal in a 1-1 tie at Philadelphia Feb. 27.</p><p>Then, just before the NHL freeze on trades, Leafs got leftwinger Brit Selby back from Philadelphia Flyers, along with centre Forbes Kennedy, in exchange for Gerry Meehan, Bill Sutherland and Mike Byers.</p><p>Selby of course, was the key man in the swap. He&rsquo;s the checking, industrious left-winger Leafs have been seeking all winter, to work with Bob Pulford on the third line, together with George Armstrong.</p><p>Kennedy is a solid, scrappy utility player who can kill penalties and fit in as an extra centre.</p><p>He and Walton probably will become Leafs&rsquo; spot men &mdash; Walton for offensive situations, Kennedy for defence.</p><p>Selby, of course, started out with Leafs, learning hockey in the Marlboro organization around Toronto and turning professional in 1966. He won the Calder Trophy that first season as the NHL&rsquo;s standout freshman. It wasn&rsquo;t so much his scoring that impressed analysts, though he did get 14 goals; he was a 2-way player and a non-stop skater and, as such, particularly at home under Leafs&rsquo; defensive system.</p><p>He was overweight when he reported to training camp that autumn and Leafs loaned him to Vancouver in the Western League. There, after only a few weeks, he fractured a leg. He was through for the season and because of the uncertainty, manager-coach Punch Imlach was forced to let him go in the 1967 draft by which the NHL stocked six incoming teams.</p><p>Flyers took him and he was the same sort of player last winter that he&rsquo;d been in Toronto. In other words, Imlach was wishing he&rsquo;d gambled on Selby.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a dependable checker, a good skater and knows where the goal is,&rdquo; Imlach said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been trying to get him for a long time, but I&rsquo;d begun to think Philly considered him an untouchable.&rdquo;</p><p>Kennedy, 33, and in his 14th professional season, joins his fourth NHL club &mdash; not including Montreal Canadiens, who developed him as a youngster. He&rsquo;s no prolific goal-scorer but he knows the game and he&rsquo;s tough. He had totalled 195 penalties, most in the NHL, when he was suspended following an argument with coach Keith Allen. That is the reason he was made available to Leafs.</p><p>To get this pair, Imlach gave up two of his better young prospects, Meehan and Byers, plus, in Sutherland a journeyman who&rsquo;d been doing good work for Leafs. They had obtained him from Philadelphia last summer.</p><p>Most folks assumed Walton would be the one player Leafs would be sure to trade. When he quit, he made it very clear he had decided he no longer could play for Imlach. That seemed to ensure his departure, though Imlach made it clear the way was open for Walton to return.</p><p>And when Walton did return it was with a completely new and humble attitude &mdash; one that was certain to improve his relationship with Imlach. He emphasized he was changing his mind because the other players suggested he could help the club by doing so.</p><p>Imlach had said he would welcome Walton back on the club only if his men were 100 per cent in favor. Norm Ullman and Bob Pulford took care of that conducting a poll and talking directly to Walton themselves.</p><p>&ldquo;The pressure was on me by the rest of the fellows to come back,&rdquo; Walton said. He went down to Maple Leaf Gardens a few hours before that St. Louis match Feb. 26 and visited Imlach. They talked over all their differences not just the lack of ice time which was Walton&rsquo;s original complaint.</p><p>Besides the players&rsquo; backing as revealed in that poll, there was pressure from the Gardens hockey committee to get Walton back in harness.</p><p>Reinstated, Walton checked diligently and generally gave the impression he was anxious to be the kind of team man Leafs want and which he hasn&rsquo;t always been. He worked left wing with Pulford and right-winger George Armstrong.</p><p>That&rsquo;s the spot Brit Selby seemed destined for, so it will be interesting to see how long the revision in Walton&rsquo;s outlook lasts.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-01

SELBY INSURANCE’ LEAFS NEED FOR STRETCH DRIVE

<p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>he Rangers just about wrote themselves a playoff ticket this past week with a four-game performance which saw them win twice and tie two others.</b></p><p><b>Taking six out of eight points was the lift the Broadway Blueshirts needed and two players who helped put the winning spark in the club were Jean Ratelie and his sidekick, Rod Gilbert.</b></p><p><b>Ratelie, who hasn&rsquo;t quite lived up to expectations this season, has started his usual late-season drive and the Rangers couldn&rsquo;t be happier.</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-02654/2993096-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="246" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jean Ratelle</b></figcaption></div><p><b>The rangy New York center picked up four goals and three assists in the four games, including a winning goal and a tieing goal. He also helped set up another goal that gave the Blues a tie and in general had a tremendous week.</b></p><p><b>El Producto and THE HOCKEY NEWS are pleased to salute the NHL&rsquo;s player-of-the-week in the East:</b></p><p><b><i>Jean Ratelle&hellip;New York</i></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-02

NHL Player Of The Week — IN THE EAST

<p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span>f Danny Grant of the Minnesota North Stars doesn&rsquo;t win the National Hockey League&rsquo;s rookie award, he won&rsquo;t be far off in the final voting.</b></p><p><b>The hard-skating left winger is threatening two NHL records in his first year as a member of the expansion North Stars. This past week Grant shot two goals-his 28th and 29th of the campaign-to put him within one goal of tieing the record of 30 for a rookie set by Bernard Geoffrion of the Canadiens back in 1951-52.</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-03516/2993127-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="267" height="449"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Danny Grant</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Grant&rsquo;s two goals enabled the Stars to pick up a valuable point in their battle with Philadelphia to gain the fourth and final playoff spot.</b></p><p><b>Another record in Grant&rsquo;s sights is Gus Bodnar&rsquo;s mark of 62 points set in 1943-44 with Toronto. Grant has 57 points and he still has nine games left to play.</b></p><p><b>El Producto and THE HOCKEY NEWS are pleased to salute the NHL&rsquo;s player-of-the-week in the West:</b></p><p><b><i>Danny Grant&hellip;Minnesota</i></b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-03

NHL Player Of The Week — IN THE WEST

<h2><b>MON. MAR. 3</b></h2><p><b>MINNESOTA 1 AT CHICAGO 6</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01750/2993305-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="582" height="650"></div><h2><b>WED. MAR. 5</b></h2><p><b>LOS ANGELES 4 at TORONTO 6</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02692/2993298-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="574" height="818"></div><p><b>DETROIT 2 at BOSTON 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-03639/2993291-1-eng-US/f0013-032.jpg" title="f0013-03" width="588" height="565"></div><p><b>CHICAGO 4 at NEW YORK 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-04585/2993284-1-eng-US/f0013-042.jpg" title="f0013-04" width="584" height="634"></div><p><b>ST. LOUIS 2 at PITTSBURGH 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-05480/2993277-1-eng-US/f0013-052.jpg" title="f0013-05" width="598" height="605"></div><p><b>OAKLAND 2 at MINNESOTA S</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-06410/2993270-1-eng-US/f0013-062.jpg" title="f0013-06" width="570" height="291"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-07380/2993263-1-eng-US/f0013-072.jpg" title="f0013-07" width="593" height="350"></div><h2><b>THURS MAR. 6</b></h2><p><b>NEW YORK 4 at DETROIT 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-08357/2993256-1-eng-US/f0013-082.jpg" title="f0013-08" width="580" height="511"></div><p><b>TORONTO 3 at MONTREAL 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-09340/2993249-1-eng-US/f0013-092.jpg" title="f0013-09" width="590" height="693"></div><p><b>PHILADELPHIAS at LOS ANGELES 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-10318/2993242-1-eng-US/f0013-102.jpg" title="f0013-10" width="580" height="715"></div><h2><b>SAT. MAR. 8</b></h2><p><b>LOS ANGELES 3 at MONTREAL 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-11291/2993235-1-eng-US/f0013-112.jpg" title="f0013-11" width="578" height="610"></div><p><b>BOSTON 4 AT DETROIT 7</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-12255/2993228-1-eng-US/f0013-122.jpg" title="f0013-12" width="580" height="721"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-13221/2993221-1-eng-US/f0013-132.jpg" title="f0013-13" width="571" height="153"></div><p><b>PHILADELPHIA 2 at TORONTO 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-14188/2993214-1-eng-US/f0013-142.jpg" title="f0013-14" width="587" height="461"></div><p><b>NEW YORK 5 at PITTSBURGH 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-15155/2993207-1-eng-US/f0013-152.jpg" title="f0013-15" width="583" height="533"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-16113/2993200-1-eng-US/f0013-162.jpg" title="f0013-16" width="585" height="167"></div><p><b>OAKLAND 2 at ST. LOUIS 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-1792/2993193-1-eng-US/f0013-172.jpg" title="f0013-17" width="586" height="678"></div><h2><b>SUN. MAR. 9</b></h2><p><b>MONTREAL 2 at NEW YORK 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-1878/2993186-1-eng-US/f0013-182.jpg" title="f0013-18" width="587" height="263"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-1961/2993179-1-eng-US/f0013-192.jpg" title="f0013-19" width="575" height="212"></div><p><b>LOS ANGELES 2 at BOSTON 7</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-2041/2993172-1-eng-US/f0013-202.jpg" title="f0013-20" width="575" height="729"></div><p><b>ST. LOUIS 2 at MINNESOTA 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-2132/2993165-1-eng-US/f0013-212.jpg" title="f0013-21" width="577" height="505"></div><p><b>OAKLAND 3 at PHILADELPHIA 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-2225/2993158-1-eng-US/f0013-222.jpg" title="f0013-22" width="579" height="727"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0013-01

National Hockey League Summaries

<h2><b>MONTREAL</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><b><span>G</span>oal, Vachon, Worsley, Defense, Laperriere, J.C. Tremblay, Harris, Hillman, Savard, Harper. Forwards, Beliveau, Bordeleau, Backstrom, Duff, Cournoyer, Provost, Rousseau, Richard, Ferguson, Redmond, Lemaire.</b></p><h2><b>TORONTO</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Gamble, Bower, Defense, pilote, Pronovost, Horton, Pelyk, Quinn, Loy. Forwards, Ellis, ullman, Oliver, Koon, Mickey, Walton, F. Smith, Henderson, Pulford, Armstrong, Kennedy, Selby.</b></p><h2><b>CHICAGO</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Dryden, DeJordy, Defense, Marotte, Young, McMahon, McKey, Stapleton, Jarrett. Forwards, Boudrias, Martin, Pappin, B. Hull, Mohns, Nesterenko, C. Maki, Wharram, Schmautx, Mikita.</b></p><h2><b>NEW YORK</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Giacomin, Simmons, Defense, Hamilton, Howell, Brown, Park, Neilson, Seiling. Forwards, Gilbert, Nevin, Fleming, Jeffrey, Hadfield, Stewart, Balon, Ratelie, Goyette, Marshall. Tkacxuk, Hextali. DETROIT</b></p><p><b>Goal, Crozier, Edwards, Sawchuk. Defense, Baun, Douglas, Popiel, Bergman, Harris. Forwards, Unger, Howe, Delvecchio, F. Mahovlich. MacGregor, Libett, Leclerc, Stemkowski, Monteith, Prentice, Connelly.</b></p><h2><b>BOSTON</b></h2><p><b>Goal. Cheevers, Johnston, Defene, Orr, Green, Westfall, Smith, Awrey, Forwards, Esposito, Hodge, Bucyk, Cashman, Sather, Sanderson, Stanfield, McKeniie, Shack, Murphy, Lorentz, Sanderson.</b></p><h2><b>PHILADELPHIA</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Parent, Favell, Defense, Van Impe, Watson, Miszuk, Stanley, Hale, Cherry. Forwards, Lacroix, Rochefort, Sutherland, Gendron Dornhoefe, Sarrazin. Peters, Blackburn, Johnson, Meehan, Byers.</b></p><h2><b>OAKLAND</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Smith, Worthy. Defense: Roberts, Vadnais, Lacombe, Mattiussi, Marshall, Odrowski, Forwards, Laughton, Ehman, Hicke, Hampson, Jarrett, Ingarfield, Dillabough, Ferguson, Szura, Perry, Ubriaco.</b></p><h2><b>PITTSBURGH</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Binkley, Daley, Defense, Rupp, Pratt, Price, McCallum, Woytcvuch. Forwards, Angotti, Fonteyne, Burns, Watson, Swarbrick, Schinkel, Dea, Harris, Boyer, Pronovost, McCreary, Andrea.</b></p><h2><b>ST. LOUIS</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Hall, Plante. Defense Arbour, Bob Plager, Roberts, Barclay Plager, Talbot, Picard. Forwards, Berenson, St. Marseille, Schock, Sabourin, Ecclestone, McCreary, Cameron, Keenan, McDonald, Henry.</b></p><h2><b>MINNESOTA</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Maniogo, Rivard, Bauman. Defense, W. Hillman, Boivin, Vasko, McCord, Nanne, Reid. Forwards, O&rsquo;Shea, Cullen, Parise, Lawson, Orban, Johnston, Larose, Collins, Grant, Goldsworthy.</b></p><h2><b>LOS ANGELES</b></h2><p><b>Goal, Rutledge, Desjardins. Defense, Wall, Amadio. Rolfe, B. Hughes, Cahan, White. Forwards, Inglis, Porters, R. Lemieux, H. Hughes, Irvine, Joyal, Flett, Croteau, Anderson, MacDonald, Menard.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

NHL TEAM LINEUPS

<div class="byline">with ED FITKIN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-01749/2993374-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="319" height="439"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>O</span>N OUR LAST SAFARI TO TORONTO</b> a couple of weeks ago, rumors were rampant that Maple Leaf Gardens and the Toronto Maple Leafs were up for sale&hellip; Nobody knew anything officially but Columbia Broadcasting System and Medicor were mentioned as organizations said to be interested in buying the controlling shares of Stafford Smythe, Harold Ballard and John Bassett&hellip; Oddly, all three happened to be down south taking a winter breather when we were in Toronto, so we couldn&rsquo;t come up with anything concrete&hellip; The rumors did one thing: Made MLG stock jump up about $10 or $12 for a couple of days&hellip; And you know the old adage &mdash; where there&rsquo;s smoke there&rsquo;s fire&hellip; Perhaps by the time this hits print, there may be more on the subject&hellip; In the meantime, Punch Imlach, the harassed GM-coach of the Maple Leafs has been trying everything to make sure he doesn&rsquo;t find himself etched into the Toronto team&rsquo;s record book as the first coach in Maple Leaf history to miss the playoffs two years in a row &hellip; One thing you can believe: If he doesn&rsquo;t make the playoffs, he&rsquo;ll go down fighting &hellip; He beat the March 2 trade deadline with a player swap with Philadelphia Flyers acquiring Brit Selby a rookie of the year with the Leafs in 1966 before being lost in the expansion draft, and veteran Forbes Kennedy &hellip; He gave the Flyers two bright youngsters, Gerry Meehan and Mike Byers, and Bill Sutherland, who was with Phialdelphia in 1967-68&hellip; &ldquo;Kennedy could be the key,&rdquo; Punch said. &ldquo;And I needed an experienced left winger like Selby. We&rsquo;ll just have to wait and see.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02637/2993367-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="269" height="442"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Forbes Kennedy</b></figcaption></div><p><b>IMLACH SAID HE HAD A REAL BIG DEAL</b> going at the same time, but the other club, which he did not name, backed off at the last moment&hellip; &ldquo;That one would have raised a few eyebrows,&rdquo; he murmured&hellip; Bob Pulford, who has never been palsy-walsy with Punch, earned Imlach&rsquo;s admiration with a recent display of intestinal fortitude&hellip; Pully and Barclay Plager of St. Louis Blues crashed into each other and fell to the ice&hellip; Pulford came out of that tangle with a gaping cut across his forehead and down his cheek&hellip; &ldquo;It had to be a skate cut,&rdquo; Imlach said, &ldquo;it was so bad, so wide, and so deep. It took something like 40 stitches to close, but I&rsquo;ll give the guy credit. He missed only one game, and came back to play terrific hockey against Chicago. He&rsquo;s been one of my best performers in recent games.&rdquo; &hellip; The word around Toronto is that Pulford hit the jackpot again on a recent stock market venture and right now must have enough of the crisp green stuff tucked away to be able to forget about playing hockey&hellip; Jimmy Pappin of the Chicago Black Hawks and Mike Walton of the Leafs are reported to be a couple of others who hit it big in the same lucky strike.</p><p><b>REMEMBER TED KENNEDY?&hellip;</b> The &ldquo;Come on Teeder&rdquo; hero of many a great Maple Leaf victory is interested, or so I am told, in coming back to hockey as a coach&hellip; There never was a more dogged centre in the NHL and Teeder was probably the greatest faceoff man in the game &hellip; Remember Bert Olmstead? &hellip; A lot of people have asked me &ldquo;Where did Olmstead go?&rdquo; since he and the Oakland jseals silently parted company at the end of the 1967-68 NHL campaign &hellip; Recently he arrived in Toronto, at a time when the rumors were flying that Punch Imlach was through, and naturally his mere presence started a whole new flood of speculative waves&hellip; When he was asked if he&rsquo;d be interested in the job, his Toronto friends tell me Bert replied vehemently: &ldquo;No way. Absolutely no way.&rdquo; &hellip; Bert is happy on his farm in the Calgary area&hellip; The next really big honor night in St. Louis will salute the young man whose coaching magic made it all possible: Scotty Bow man&hellip; Jim Vipond, sports editor of the Toronto Globe and Mail, is recuperating in Florida from a recent kidney stone attack&hellip; His book on Gordie Howe has become the all-time best seller in Canadian sports literature&hellip; King Clancy was in Florida recently, too&hellip; Dave Price persuaded him to be the guest speaker at his flourishing Canadian club dinner in the Fort Lauderdale vicinity &hellip; Conn Smythe introduced him, and the King, as he invariably does any audience, wowed the 600 Canucks in attendance with his humourous reminiscences.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03497/2993360-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="265" height="425"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Bert Olmstead</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0014-01

Footloose

<div class="byline">BY GEOFFREY FISHER</div><p>ST. LOUIS, Mo.&mdash;</p><p>If you think the big contest in the Western Division of the National Hockey League is to nail down a playoff spot, take another guess. The real fight is to try to get into the playoffs without finishing third. That&rsquo;s the team that will be facing the St. Louis Blues.</p><p>The playoff pairings will send the team that finishes first against the team that finishes third and the team that finishes second against the fourth place finisher. Drawing the Blues tor your opening assignment would be as welcome as a rattlesnake in your lunch box or another deduction in your pay check.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04364/2993405-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="273" height="431"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Scotty Bowman</b></figcaption></div><p>It would be the same as fighting the boss tor a pay raise and then being scared stiff to show up to collect it.</p><p>Oakland, Minnesota, Philadelphia and Los Angeles can&rsquo;t be blamed for playing musical chairs. When the music stops they don&rsquo;t want to be caught sitting in that third spot. They figure that third chair is about the same as the electric chair.</p><p>The Blues were so far ahead of the rest of the pack that they had to keep in touch by satellite. Their biggest job was fighting the boredom. They were spending most of their idle time at the adding machine totaling up the loot they were going to be weighted down with. The only players being fined by management were those who showed up tardy for their sauna baths.</p><p>In a business of organized mayhem, where the months of February and March are normally as relaxed as a game of Russian roulette, the Blues&rsquo; brass showed as little concern as a Texas oilman playing poker with a two-bit limit.</p><p>For example, the good-natured managing director Lynn Patrick is so relaxed he hasn&rsquo;t lit the wrong end of a filter tip cigaret in over a month. Patrick hasn&rsquo;t enjoyed hockey this much since that night in 1953 when he coached the Boston Bruins to an unexpected triumph over the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup. Patrick acts like a fellow with three or four Beliveau&rsquo;s and a few Gordie Howe&rsquo;s in his farm system.</p><p>The Blues sewed up first place so early that Scotty Bowman cut down to two packs a day &mdash; chewing gum that is.</p><p>The biggest concern of the Sid Salomons is how to get more seats for customers into the ice house. The wav St. Louisans are fighting for tickets, box office manager Bob Dunigan ought to go to lunch in an armored car.</p><p>No one in St. Louis would be surprised if the Salomons called on the city fathers to allow them to flood the 55,000-seat Busch Memorial Stadium so that they could use it for the playoffs. The way the folks feel about the Blues in this town, they would probably fill it too.</p><p>They were out in front so far by the end of February that Bowman started training camp all over again. Up in the Montreal Forum, March 1, Bowman started five defensemen against the Canadiens. The whole front line was named Plager. There was Barclay, Billy and Bob, all three of whom are individually capable of starting a revolution, but together are the equivalent of an armored brigade.</p><p>It was the sort of act one would normally associate with the Ed Sullivan Show and no doubt was designed to put just one more record in the books for the Blues who have been dominating the list of firsts since the NHL decided to expand its empire. The last time three brothers were linked on an NHL team was when Max, Doug and Reg Bentley skated for Chicago&rsquo;s Black Hawks in the late 40&rsquo;s.</p><p>The pugnacious Plager gang was not together long enough to disembody the Canadiens on this occasion but they probably got the message up in Montreal. If they meet the Blues again in the Stanley Cup this time, they&rsquo;ll have to keep their heads up if they expect to keep their heads on. The Blues meanwhile dropped another one to the Canadiens and still had not beaten them after 13 attempts.</p><p>In the St. Louis Arena lobby they have cleared away a spot in the trophy case for the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl that goes to the team that finishes on top in the Western Divison.</p><p>If the Blues can go all the way and grab the Stanley Cup, the Salomons will probably do something special about that. Maybe hang it on the Jefferson National Monument arch 600 feet above the Mississippi River.</p><p>In their short and brilliant history of combat in the big league ice rinks, the Blues have captured their share of trophies and ransom. They harbor the first Western Division playoff trophy, the hockey sticks that Gordon (The Red Baron) Berenson used to shoot six goals against a Philadelphia team that never did recover from the shock, the Conn Smythe Trophy to Glenn Hall for being selected the most valuable player to his team in the playoffs, and a variety of other trinkets.</p><p>The Salomons would probably part with a section of Miami Beach shoreline behind their resort hotel in exchange for the Stanley Cup.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0014-04

Western Teams Busy Jockeying To Avoid Blues In Playoff Play

<p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>OTTON STRINGS &mdash; the hottest new demand item since the turtle. Tuned to the fashion of cool clear hues. Featured here by our two fashion models Jacques Lemaire wears a highl V style #220; Jacques Laperriere a mock turtle style #221. Other styles available come in marl tones and pencil stripes. Make sure to ask for them by name &ldquo;KAMBERN ORIGINALS&rdquo;. Our full spring collection can be seen on display at your leading Men&rsquo;s Wear Store or Department store from coast to coast.</p><p><b>Highland Knitting Mills</b></p><p>Montreal, Canada</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02649/2993460-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="730" height="719"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>PHOTOGRAPHERS OP THE STARS</b> <span class="photo-credit">(PHOTO BY famous studio)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0015-02

“KAMBERN ORIGINALS”

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div><p>HERSHEY, Pa.&mdash;</p><p>Even the Espositos Hulls and Howes can&rsquo;t match the blistering scoring pace of Garnet (Ace) Bailey, 20-year-old Hershey Bears winger, who is going all out to try and win the &ldquo;rookie-of-the year&rdquo; award in the American league&rsquo;s stretch drive for the pennant.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01571/2993522-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="247" height="420"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Garnet Bailey</b></figcaption></div><p>Only a month ago coach Frank Mathers shifted Bailey from right to left wing, placing him on a line with veteran center Gil Gilbert.</p><p>The results have been fantastic. Bailey in a 12-game span, connected for 10 goals and aided in eight more for 18 points, jacking his season total to 47, including 21 goals.</p><p>And during the point run the Bears have made shambles of the Eastern Division race, moving into a 13-point lead over the Baltimore Clippers and drawing to within seven of the Western leading Buffalo Bisons in the chase for the loop&rsquo;s overall crown.</p><p>&ldquo;When I was on the right side I felt ankward,&rdquo; said Bailey, a fiery, hell-for-leather skater, who probably has the hardest shot in the AHL. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t handle the puck off my backhand.&rdquo;</p><p>Bailey, who has pulled 101 in penalties, still isn&rsquo;t satisfied with his play.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got a lot to learn, especially in my play around the nets,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Mathers says the kid from Lloydminster, Sask., has a &ldquo;great future.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;He has the hardest shot of any rookie I&rsquo;ve coached since I&rsquo;ve been here,&rdquo; added Mathers. &ldquo;He is clever with the puck in getting it out of his own zone. He doesn&rsquo;t give it away. But his shot is something. It wouldn&rsquo;t surprise me if it&rsquo;s travelling over 100 miles an hour when he let&rsquo;s it rip.&rdquo;</p><p>Gilbert, the league&rsquo;s top point scorer with 76 after 58 games, claims Bailey&rsquo;s a &ldquo;good one.&rdquo;</p><p>Bailey is a confident player, The only reason he turned pro at such an early age &mdash; 19 &mdash; was &ldquo;there was no more challenge in juniors.&rdquo; In his final junior season at Edmonton, he collected 100 points.</p><p>There&rsquo;s no question he&rsquo;d like to win the rookie prize, a $600 payoff &mdash; $300 from the league and a matching amount from Hershey.</p><p>&ldquo;All I can do is keep knocking on wood and hope for the best,&rdquo; he says.</p><p>Meanwhile, Gilbert and his teammate Michel Harvey are waging quite a neck-and-neck battle for the individual scoring championship. After 58 games, Harvey trailed Gilbert by two points, 76-74. Both are prime candidates for all-star honors, along with several other Hershey skaters.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0016-01

Bears ‘Ace’ Bailey Profits From New Linemates

<h2><b>SAT. MARCH 1</b></h2><p><b>BALTIMORE 4 At HERSHEY 7</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02494/2993672-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="579" height="774"></div><p><b>CLEVELAND 1 At SPRINGFIELD 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03393/2993665-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="585" height="337"></div><h2><b>SUN. MAR 2</b></h2><p><b>SPRINGFIELD 1 at BUFFALO 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04307/2993658-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="584" height="357"></div><p><b>CLEVELAND 1 at PROVIDENCE 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05233/2993651-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="590" height="481"></div><p><b>QUEBEC 1 at ROCHESTER 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-06186/2993644-1-eng-US/f0016-062.jpg" title="f0016-06" width="611" height="183"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-07173/2993637-1-eng-US/f0016-072.jpg" title="f0016-07" width="579" height="217"></div><h2><b>TUES. MAR. 4</b></h2><p><b>BALTIMORE 2 at PROVIDENCE 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-08157/2993630-1-eng-US/f0016-082.jpg" title="f0016-08" width="588" height="521"></div><h2><b>FRI. MAR. 7</b></h2><p><b>PROVIDENCE 1 at BUFFALO 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-09136/2993623-1-eng-US/f0016-092.jpg" title="f0016-09" width="588" height="477"></div><p><b>BALTIMORE 3 at ROCHESTER 1</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-10115/2993616-1-eng-US/f0016-102.jpg" title="f0016-10" width="586" height="427"></div><p><b>HFRSHEY 4 at SPRINGFIELD 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-11101/2993609-1-eng-US/f0016-112.jpg" title="f0016-11" width="588" height="629"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1285/2993602-1-eng-US/f0016-122.jpg" title="f0016-12" width="582" height="103"></div><p><b>CLEVELAND 1 at QUEBEC 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1374/2993595-1-eng-US/f0016-132.jpg" title="f0016-13" width="583" height="533"></div><h2><b>SAT. MAR. 8</b></h2><p><b>PROVIDENCE 5 at SPRINGFIELD 5</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1468/2993588-1-eng-US/f0016-142.jpg" title="f0016-14" width="579" height="674"></div><p><b>BUFFALO 3 at HERSHEY 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1560/2993581-1-eng-US/f0016-152.jpg" title="f0016-15" width="586" height="528"></div><h2><b>SUN. MAR. 9</b></h2><p><b>CLEVELAND 2 At QUEBEC 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1657/2993574-1-eng-US/f0016-162.jpg" title="f0016-16" width="584" height="483"></div><p><b>HERSHEY 2 At ROCHESTER 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1750/2993567-1-eng-US/f0016-172.jpg" title="f0016-17" width="586" height="474"></div><p><b>BALTIMORE 1 at BUFFALO 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1844/2993560-1-eng-US/f0016-182.jpg" title="f0016-18" width="588" height="480"></div><p><b>SPRINGFIELD 3 at PROVIDENCE 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1940/2993553-1-eng-US/f0016-192.jpg" title="f0016-19" width="590" height="599"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0016-02

American League Summaries

<p><b>ASK YOUR DEALER ABOUT</b></p><p><b>LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS (FORMERLY WALLY) (Hockey sticks distributed in the U.S. through the Hillerich & Bradsby Co.)</b></p><p><b>ASK YOUR DEALER ABOUT LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS (FORMERLY WALLY) Hockey sticks distributed in the U.S. through the Hillerich & Bradsby Co.)</b></p><h2><b>AMERICAN LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standings on Tues. Mar. 11)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-2040/2993703-1-eng-US/f0016-202.jpg" title="f0016-20" width="580" height="396"></div><h2><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h2><p><b>Tues. Mar. 4</b></p><p>Baltimore 2 at Providence 3</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 7</b></p><p>Providence 1 at Buffalo 3</p><p>Cleveland 1 at Quebec 5</p><p>Baltimore 3 at Rochester 1</p><p>Hershey 4 at Springfield 5</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Buffalo 3 at Hershey 3</p><p>Providence 5 at Springfield 5</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Baltimore 1 at Buffolo 2</p><p>Springfield 3 at Providence 4</p><p>Cleveland 2 at Quebec 2</p><p>Hershey 2 at Rochester 3</p><h2><b>GAMES TO COME</b></h2><p><b>Thues. Mar. 11</b></p><p>Buffalo at Quebec</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 12</b></p><p>Hershey at Cleveland</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 14</b></p><p>Providence at Baltimore</p><p>Buffalo at Quebec</p><p>Cleveland ot Springfield</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>Rochester at Clevelano</p><p>Baltimore at Hershey</p><p>Quebec at Springfield</p><p><b>Sun. Mor. 16</b></p><p>Cleveland at Baltimore</p><p>Quebec at Buffalo</p><p>Hershey at Providence</p><p>Springfield at Rochester<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0016-20

How They Stand

<div class="byline">BY CHARLEY BARTON</div><p>BUFFALO, N.Y. &mdash;</p><p>The Buffalo Bisons lost Pat Hannigan, but were awaiting the return of Dennis Hex-tall and Bob Blackburn from the parent New York Rangers, for the closing weeks of the American Hockey League season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04281/2993779-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="253" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Pat Hannigan</b></figcaption></div><p>The Philadelphia Flyers, who had indicated Hannigan had been sent here for the season, reassigned him to Vancouver of the Western Hockey League.</p><p>The Rangers recalled Hex-tall and Blackburn when injuries forced Phil Goyette and Harry Howell out of the New York lineup. In addition, the Rangers also reached into the Buffalo lineup for Guy Trottier when Vic Hadfield was incapacitated.</p><p>&ldquo;All three are up under emergency recall, and will be back when the injured players are ready to resume playing,&rdquo; said Fred Hunt, the Buffalo general manager. &ldquo;They are all on our playoff eligibility list.&rdquo;</p><p>Meanwhile, Coach Fred Shero was juggling his forward lines and, at one point, went with eight forwards in a two-game series in Quebec.</p><p>Two defensemen, Al Hamilton and Larry Hornung, were getting plenty of work on the forward lines, and Shero was. pleased with the play of both.</p><p>&ldquo;Hamilton&rsquo;s skating better than he-has all season, and is starting to use his body more and effectively,&rdquo; Shero said. &ldquo;He is now showing the promise he had as a youngster.</p><p>&ldquo;Hornung has done a fine job for us on defense and on the forward line. He is a willing worker and as asset to any hockey club.&rdquo;</p><p><b>Along the Boards &mdash;</b> Capt. Ron Ingram picked up a pulled groin muscle when he stepped into a rut in the ice in a 1-1 tie with the Springfield Kings. Norm Beaudin and Trottier sustained bruised knees &hellip;</p><p>Mrs. Irene Cieslak, popular Western Union operator in the Memorial Auditorium press box, escaped unhurt when a Western Union machine caught fire and blew up &hellip; The Bisons were having problems with playoff dates here. A circus, among other attractions, was booked into the Aud and Hunt was conferring at length with building officials over possible dates.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-05232/2993772-1-eng-US/f0017-052.jpg" title="f0017-05" width="551" height="580"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>ALLAN HAMILTON &hellip; Play Pleases Shero</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0017-04

Bisons Face Stretch Test But Hope Top Guns On Deck

<p>BALTIMORE&rsquo; Md. &mdash;</p><p>Entering the final third of their 1968-69 American Hockey League campaign, the Baltimore Clippers have already set four new personal player marks with other individual and club records not out of sight.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03356/2993817-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="263" height="461"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Sandy McGregor</b></figcaption></div><p>The quartet of Clippers who are enjoying their best seasons in pro hockey are Sandy McGregor, Jean-Marie Cossete, Ed MacQueen and Bobby Brinkworth. Each of these four have logged new personal highs as this is written.</p><p>McGregor, the original Clipper now in his seventh consecutive season as a Baltimore skater, tallied his 30th goal of the campaign in Providence on February 23rd. That is one more than his all-time previous high of 29 scored last year. However, the prematurely gray-thatched right winger still has a way to go to overhaul his previous total points tops of 56 established last winter. With 18 games to go, &ldquo;Sam&rdquo; as his team mates call him, needs ten for a tie and 11 to post his best AHL mark.</p><p>Quiet Eddie MacQueen who has been an allaround handyman type of hockey player in his 15 years of competition in the minors, hit for his seventeenth goal last week and this surpassed his previous high of sixteen registered with Providence in 1961-62. Like McGregor, Eddie &ldquo;Mack&rdquo; still has some ground to overcome in the total points category as he clicked for 47 with the Reds in 1960-1, and has 34 this year with the Clippers to date.</p><p>Jean-Marie Cossette is having by far the best year ever. With 61 points in 47 games, the little Frenchman stood third in the allleague scoring parade as February came to a wintery end, and probably would be seriously challenging Hershey&rsquo;s two leaders Gil Gilbert and Michel Harvey, had he not missed 8 straight games earlier in the month with a foot injury.</p><p>Despite his incapacitation. Cossette has already passed his best previous individual efforts with 24 goals and 37 assists for 61 points, compared to 22 goals and 32 assists with Seattle in 1963 for 54 counters, and a 26-28 for 54 mark with Quebec in 1960-1. Jean-Marie also is getting perilously close to his previous high of 65 minutes with Quebec during the 1959-60 season. He tacked on 20 penalty minutes with Quebec during the 1959-60 season. He tacked on 20 minutes to his meagre 24 last week when hit with a game misconduct by Referee Bruce Hood for a fierce and bloody battle with Bob Leduc, the Providence Reds&rsquo; wild man.</p><p>Joining McGregor, MacQueen and Cossette in the record setting department is little Bobby Brinkworth, the R.P.I. graduate and all-American winger and a scratch golfer. With 33 points in 53 games, &ldquo;Brinky&rdquo; is three points up on his previous one year high of 30 set in Omaha during the 1964-5 season. Brinkworth has 16 goals and 17 assists which surpasses his 15-15 spread with Omaha.</p><p><b>CLIPPER CLIPS &hellip;..</b> Average attendance is 5,375 for 28 home games with the 9,326 for the Buffalo game here recently tops so far on the season &hellip;.. Total turnout is close to 145,000 with 9 more home games to go &hellip;.. Last year&rsquo;s regular season total of 191,000 is best of Clips 6 previous years and within reach this winter.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-06197/2993810-1-eng-US/f0017-062.jpg" title="f0017-06" width="543" height="568"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BOB BLACKBURN &hellip; Up With Big Club</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0017-03

Clippers’ Stars Set Four Marks

<p>BALTIMORE, Md. &mdash;</p><p>Misfortune struck the Baltimore Clippers as they girded for the stretch run in this year&rsquo;s American Hockey League campaign, when their prized rookie goaltender Andy Brown suffered a broken collarbone in a game against the Hershey Bears at the Chocolate towns Sports Arena, March 1.</p><p>Brown, who has enjoyed marked success against the league leading Bears this winter, was inserted into the lineup at the start of the second period for veteran netminder Gilles Boisvert, who experienced one of his rare off nights, and trailed 1-4 after one period of play.</p><p>Four minutes into the middle stanza, Hershey&rsquo;s &ldquo;Ace&rdquo; Bailey let one fly from about 20 feet out and the disc cut Brown flush on the left collarbone. The Clipper kid dropped like he had been poleaxed and preliminary examination indicated an absence of at least four to six weeks.</p><p>However, Brown, who turned 25 on February 15th, is not the run-of-the-mill sort and despite the incapacitation, insists that he will return to action in at least three weeks. Dr. John Fahey, orthopedic specialist decided that an operation was not necessary and remains hopeful for a complete recovery of his intrepid patient.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Clippers Lose Netminder With Broken Collarbone

<div class="byline">BY ED CRANE</div><p>SPOKANE. Wash. &mdash;</p><p>The 1968-69 Western International Hockey League season is over, but it ended up just as exciting as it started out.</p><p>The Spokane Jets have clinched first place honors and began their playoff series with the fourth-place Trail Smoke Eaters. Nelson and Kimberley clashed in the other playoff series.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01489/2993872-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="262" height="401"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Ed Babiuk</b></figcaption></div><p>Just consider, for instance, the following recent happenings in &ldquo;twilight&rdquo; games of the season: Spokane&rsquo;s Tom Rendall scored a second period hat trick in an interlocking game with Drumheller of the Alberta Senior Hockey League, and this was only part of his total of five goals for the&rsquo; game. (Drumheller won 9-8); the Trail Smoke Eaters and Nelson Maple Leafs continued their &ldquo;tradition&rdquo; of violence and extracurricular stick-swinging which began in their first meeting of the season, and as a result. Nelson&rsquo;s playingcoach Dave McComb was fined and suspended for two games while the club&rsquo;s GM Gus Adams was also fined.</p><p>The results of the balloting for All-Star honors have been announced. The first team includes wingers Bill Martin of Trail and Dick Vincent of Kimberley, centerman Ron Huston of Cranbrook, defenseman Tom Hodges of Spokane, and playing-coach Bill Steenson of Kimberley and goalkeeper Ed Babiuk of Kimberley. The second team is comprised of Murray Owens of Nelson and Ed Legare of Trail on the wings, McComb at center, Trail&rsquo;s John Thompson and Kimberley&rsquo;s Terry Campau at the blueline, and Bill McDonnell of Nelson in goal.</p><p>Nelson&rsquo;s defenseman Bryan Lefley was named Rookie of the Year.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0018-01

Spokane Jets Clinch Title In WIHL Race

<div class="byline">BY CHUCK SANTANIELLO</div><p>SPRINGFIELD. Mass &mdash;</p><p>The goaltending for the Kings has been fairly steady through out season. In fact, considering the limited experience both goalers have, their play has been really quite good this season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02397/2993910-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="264" height="443"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Claude Hardy</b></figcaption></div><p>Recent games have seen 23-year-old Don McLeod in the nets. The six-foot native of Trail, British Columbia really has played little in pro ranks. He put together a 6-2-1 record here last season to lead the locals to the playoffs.</p><p>Meanwhile, Claude Hardy, a native of Victoriaville, Quebec, is in his first pro season as a goaler. The 25-year-old was sensational during the first part of the season. He&rsquo;s not seen much action lately.</p><p>Few clubs would have the nerve or desire to put two such inexperienced guys in the nets. Yet, they have done well and have helped the Kings this season. Both have their good and bad nights. That&rsquo;s expected of any goaler.</p><p>Each should profit from a full season of play with the team. Surely, come another season, they will count heavily in the team&rsquo;s plans.</p><p>McLeod is on loan to the Springfield team for the second season. He is owned by the Detroit Red Wings, who it seems want to hang on to him. They must have some future plans for Don, like maybe a good NHL shot, since Detroit&rsquo;s goalers are aging.</p><p>Hardy has worked in the goal in 32 games for the Kings.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03297/2993903-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="553" height="590"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DON McLEOD &hellip; Future Red Wing?</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-02

Kings’ Net Rookies Prove Inexperience No Handicap

<div class="byline">BY HANS TANNER</div><p>ROCHESTER. N.Y. &mdash;</p><p>The squad that will finish this American Hockey League season for the Rochester Americans is about one-third changed from the club that opened the schedule back on Oc. 12.</p><p>Just prior to the March 2 deadline for transfer of players, the Amerks added big Wayne Carleton, who was the team&rsquo;s star in a losing effort against Pittsburgh in the Calder Cup finals two years ago. But bad luck continued to plague the 6-3, 217-pound winger, who started the season with the Maple Leafs and had a goal and three assists in 11 games before being ordered to Phoenix by Punch Imlach following a run-in. Carleton cracked a bone in his ankle in his first weekend with the club and will be out for the best of the season.</p><p>Others who will finish the season Rochester but who didn&rsquo;t start here are Billy McNeill, Al Smith, Jerry Sillers. Ken Block. Wayne Mosdell and John Gofton.</p><p>They&rsquo;ll join the 12 who were here at the beginning and still are on hand. They are playercoach Dick Gamble. Tom McCarthy, Warren Godfrey, Claude Labrosse, Barry Watson. Bobby Perreault. Ron Ward. Les Duff, Jack Chipchase, Red Armstrong, Bronco Horvath and Andre Champagne.</p><p>McNeill, Sillers, Block and Gofton came here from Vancouver, which owns Rochester. Smith was sent by Toronto and Mosdell was picked up as a free agent.</p><p>Six of the season&rsquo;s starters are gone. Don Cherry and Marc Reaume are in Vancouver, Brian Kilrea and Bob Cook in Tulsa, Lynn Zimmerman in Johnstown, Pa., and Bill Sweeney is playing senior hockey in Quebec.</p><p>Altogether, 29 players have suited up for the Amerks this season. Others who have come and gone are Jim McKenny, George Wood, Gary Marsh and Brian Glennie.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Amerks Finish Season With Bevy Of New Faces

<div class="byline">BY JOHN WHITE</div><p>VANCOUVER. B.C.&mdash;</p><p>The advance script, written last summer, made pretty good reading in this metropolis of Western Canada.</p><p>Actually, it was a two-part story. First, the Vancouver Canucks would breeze to the Western Hockey League championship. Then the city would &lsquo;move quickly into the National League with the nucleous of a squad already talented enough to play in the expansion division.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01467/2993965-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="253" height="413"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Charlie Hodge</b></figcaption></div><p>And everyone would live happily ever after.</p><p>Really, the script made good sense for this million-dollar production&mdash;you know, Andy Bathgate and Bob Barlow and Bryan Hextali and Marc Reaume and Don Johns and Ted Taylor and Murray Hall and Duke Harris and &ldquo;the boys.</p><p>When things got a little dull, Coach Joe Crozier, a fantastic winner in the American League, could put Charley Hodge in the netson loan for six games and go unbeaten during that stretch with a 2.33 defense.</p><p>The powerful Canucks were doing right well and improving all the time.</p><p>In October and November, while airline pilots were memorizing the routes between Vancouver and Rochester, the Canucks were just winners&mdash;11 victories, 9 defeats and 3 ties.</p><p>From December through February, they were big winners&mdash;20 victories, 10 defeats and 8 ties. And they started the final month of the regular season with a four-game winning streak.</p><p>Vancouver seemed to have few problems on its way to the title.</p><p>The Canucks dropped the first two of the season to San Diego and then went nine straight without a loss to the Gulls. They lost their first game to Seattle then won 9 of the next 12 against the Totems.</p><p>After the first three losses&mdash;two to San Diego and one to Seattle&mdash;they had compiled a 16-3-2 record against two clubs pretty certain to make the playoffs.</p><p>The Canucks did have a few problems for a spell in the city of Phoenix where they played five straight without a victory in one stretch. But overall they were leading the Roadrunners and they were leading the Denver Spurs.</p><p>But there was that one irritant. The pesky Portland Buckaroos of Hal Laycoes had forgotten to read the script. They didn&rsquo;t know they were supposed to lose the Western League title this season for the first time in five vears.</p><p>And with four weeks to play, the Buckaroos were in first place, seven points up on Vancouver.</p><p>There was no question about the reason. At that point in the campaign, Vancouver and Portland had clashed 13 times, and the Canucks had won only 3 of these games. There were 6 Portland victories and 4 ties.</p><p>What was really wild about the series was that Vancouver had played .500 hockey in Portland&mdash;two victories, two defeats, two ties. The Buckaroos had lost only five times all season on home ice. And the Canucks had been responsible for two of these defeats. Portland had only three ties at home. Vancouver had skated off with two of them.</p><p>But in seven clashes in Vancouver before their ever-loving and growing (in numbers) fans, the Canucks could beat Portland only once. The Bucks had won four and there were two deadlocks.</p><p>Portland had been responsible by March 13 for four of Vancouver&rsquo;s seven home losses of the season.</p><p>All of this was setting up the biggest series of the Western Hockey League season. In a five-night stretch between March 12 and March 16, Vancouver and Portland would clash three times&mdash;the last meetings of the regular campaign between the championship contenders.</p><p>There would be two games in Portland, one, in Vancouver.</p><p>A sweep by the Canucks could make it a race to the wire. A sweep by Portland would wrap up a fifth straight title for the Buckaroos. Anything in between would give the Bucks an edge.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0019-01

Vancouver-Portland Showdown Shaping Up For Title In WHL

<p><b>For The Best In Hockey Reading It&rsquo;s HOCKEY PICTORIAL Hockey&rsquo;s Most Exciting Publication</b></p><p><b>Save $$$$$$ Subscribe To The HOCKEY NEWS Receive 35 Issues At Home & Save $3.75</b></p><h2><b>WESTERN LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standinqs on Tues. Mar. 11)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02402/2994003-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="577" height="234"></div><h3><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h3><p><b>Wed Mor 5</b></p><p>Phoenix 1 at San Diego 9</p><p>Denver 2 at Portland 8</p><p>Vancouver 4 at Seattle 5</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 7</b></p><p>Denver 3 at Seattle 2</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Vancouver 3 at San Diego 4</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Vancouver 4 at San Diego 4</p><p>Portland 3 at Seattle 4</p><h3><b>GAMES TO COME</b></h3><p><b>Wed. Mar. 12</b></p><p>Vancouver at Portland</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 14</b></p><p>Denver at Son Diego</p><p>Portland at Vancouver</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>Seattle at San Diego</p><p>Phoenix at Portland</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 16</b></p><p>Vancouver at Portland</p><h3><b>LEADING SCORERS</b></h3><p><b>(Including Games of Sun. Mar 2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03327/2993996-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="578" height="557"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-02

Looking At WHL Race

<h2><b>Sun. Feb. 16</b></h2><p><b>PHOENIX 2 at SEATTLE 0</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04281/2994097-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="582" height="411"></div><p><b>SAN DIEGO 6 at DENVER 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05234/2994090-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="591" height="742"></div><h2><b>TUES. FEB.</b></h2><p><b>18 VANCOUVER 2 at PHOENIX 2</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06186/2994083-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="583" height="452"></div><h2><b>WED. FEB. 19</b></h2><p><b>SAN DIEGO 4 at DENVER 6</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-07161/2994076-1-eng-US/f0019-072.jpg" title="f0019-07" width="579" height="581"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-08146/2994069-1-eng-US/f0019-082.jpg" title="f0019-08" width="581" height="210"></div><h2><b>THURS. FEB. 20</b></h2><p><b>VANCOUVER 6 at PHOENIX 4</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-09124/2994062-1-eng-US/f0019-092.jpg" title="f0019-09" width="581" height="561"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-10105/2994055-1-eng-US/f0019-102.jpg" title="f0019-10" width="584" height="190"></div><p><b>SAN DIEGO 3 At SEATTLE 6</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1189/2994048-1-eng-US/f0019-112.jpg" title="f0019-11" width="584" height="565"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1282/2994041-1-eng-US/f0019-122.jpg" title="f0019-12" width="581" height="159"></div><h2><b>Fri. Feb. 21</b></h2><p><b>PORTLAND 3 At DENVER 3</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1369/2994034-1-eng-US/f0019-132.jpg" title="f0019-13" width="591" height="539"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-04

Western Hockey League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY TOM RENO</div><p>OKLAHOMA CITY,</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01313/2994128-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="557" height="886"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BARRY WILKINS &hellip; High-scoring defenseman</b></figcaption></div><p>Defenseman Barry Wilkins of Oklahoma City, who has scored 39 points in 61 games, has been selected &ldquo;Player of the Week&rdquo; in the Central Hockey League,</p><p>Wilkins, 22, one of the highest scoring defensemen in the league, closed out the week with a goal and two assists as the Blazers came from behind to win a thriller, 6-5, with Dallas. He has 12 goals and 27 assists as compared to six goals and 27 assists during 1967-68.</p><p>Born in Toronto. Ontario. Wilkins is 6 feet tall and weighs 185. This is his second full season as a professional.</p><p>Oklahoma City again has three men ranked high in the league scoring. -Jim Lorentz, now up with the Boston Bruins, still leads the field with 96 points and Tom Webster, just returned bv Boston, is second with 69. Houston&rsquo;s Ernie Hicke is third with 66 points and Blazer Steve Atkinson is fourth with 64, followed by Kansas City&rsquo;s Gary Veneruzzo, who has 63.</p><p>Al Caron and Atkinson are tied for the lead in goals, each with 33. while Lorentz is tops in assists with 67. Jack Norris, Dallas, remains as the leading goalie with a 2.45 goals-against-average. The leader in penalty minutes is Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Barry Gibbs, with 184.</p><p>Three players are tied for the most shutouts with four each. This includes Norris, Russ Gillow of Oklahoma City and Ray Reeson, Tulsa. Gary Kurt, young Omaha goalie, scored the first shutout of Iris pro career last week as the Knights blanked Ft. Worth, 5-0. One other shutout was recorded as Kansas City halted Tulsa. 4-0. with Gary Edwards in the nets.</p><p>Tulsa and Kansas City are now waging a tough battle for the Northern Division lead and Omaha is only a few points back. Oklahoma City has all but clinched the Southern Division crown with a runaway 15-point lead over Dallas and Houston who are fighting for second. Amarillo is now only a few points out of fourth, now held by Ft. Worth.</p><p>Three teams in each division will qualify for the Central League playoffs, scheduled tentatively to open March 28 or 29. Only 45 games remain to be played by the nine-team league.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0020-01

Oklahoma Rearguard Sparkles

<p><b>New Subscribers To THE HOCKEY NEWS Guaranteed To Get First Issue Within Two Weeks</b></p><p><b>HOCKEY NEWS Makes An Ideal Gift On Any Occasion. Give A Subscription To Dad Or Brother</b></p><h2><b>CENTRAL LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standings on Tues. Mar. 11)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1119/2994166-1-eng-US/f0020-112.jpg" title="f0020-11" width="580" height="436"></div><h3><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h3><p><b>Tues. Mar. 4</b></p><p>Kansas City 2 at Fort Worth 2</p><p>Tulsa 1 at Dallas 3</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 5</b></p><p>Houston 6 at Amarillo 3</p><p>Kansas City 5 at Oklahoma City 6</p><p>Memphis 3 at Omaha 3</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 7</b></p><p>Memphis 2 at Dallas 4</p><p>Omaha 6 at Kansas City 4</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Fort Worth 2 at Amarillo 4</p><p>Kansas City 1 at Omaha 4</p><p>Oklahoma City 1 at Dallas 6</p><p>Tulsa 1 at Houston 2</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Amarillo 2 at Omaha 8</p><p>Houston 4 at Kansas City 2</p><p>Memphis 3 at Fort Worth 3</p><p>Tulsa 6 at Oklahoma City 4</p><h3><b>GAMES TO COME</b></h3><p><b>Tues. Mar. 11</b></p><p>Dallas at Amarillo</p><p><b>Wed Mar. 12</b></p><p>Kansas City at Dallas</p><p>Memphis at Tulsa</p><p>Oklahomo City at Fort Worth</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 14</b></p><p>Kansas City at Amarillo</p><p>Tulsa at Omaha</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>Amarillo at Fort Worth</p><p>Houston at Dallas</p><p>Oklahoma City at Tulsa</p><p>Omaha at Memphis</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 16</b></p><p>Amarillo at Kansas City</p><p>Houston at Oklahoma City</p><p>Omaho at Tulsa</p><h3><b>LEADING SCORERS</b></h3><p><b>(Including Games of Sun. Mar. 3)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1218/2994159-1-eng-US/f0020-122.jpg" title="f0020-12" width="590" height="582"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0020-11

<p><b>Following ore the first-round playoff dotes for the Eastern Hockey league:</b></p><h2><b>NORTHERN DIVISION</b></h2><p>Semi-Finals</p><p>(Best-of-five series)</p><h3><b>LONG ISLAND vs CLINTON</b></h3><p><b>Wed. Mar. 12</b></p><p>Long Island at Clinton</p><p><b>Thrus. Mar. 13</b></p><p>Clinton at Long Island</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>Long Island at Clinton</p><p><b>Sun. Mar 16</b></p><p>Clinton at Long Island (if necessary)</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 19</b></p><p>Long Islond at Clinton (if necessary)</p><h3><b>NEW HAVEN vs. JOHNSTOWN</b></h3><p><b>Wed. Mar 12</b></p><p>New Haven at johnstown</p><p><b>Thurs. Mar. 13</b></p><p>Johnstown at New Hoven</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 15</b></p><p>New Hoven of Johnstown</p><p><b>Sun. AAar. 16</b></p><p>Johnstown at New Haven (if necessary)</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 19</b></p><p>New Haven at Johnstown (if necessary)</p><h2><b>SOUTHERN DIVISION</b></h2><p>Semi-Finals (Best-of-five series)</p><h3><b>GREENSBORO vs. JACKSONVILLE</b></h3><p><b>Tues. Mar. 11</b></p><p>Greensboro at Jacksonville</p><p><b>Mon. Mar. 17</b></p><p>Jacksonville at Greensboro</p><p><b>Wed. Mar 19</b></p><p>Jacksonville at Greensboro</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 21</b></p><p>Greensboro at Jacksonville (if necessary)</p><p><b>Sat. Mar 22</b></p><p>Jacksonville at Greensboro (if necessary)</p><h3><b>CHARLOTTE vs. NASHVILLE</b></h3><p><b>Fri. Mar. 14</b></p><p>Charlotte at Nashville</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 16</b></p><p>Charlotte at Nashville</p><p><b>Tues. Mar. 18</b></p><p><b>Chorlotte at Nashville</b></p><p><b>Tues. Mar. 18</b></p><p>Nashville at Chorlotte</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 19</b></p><p>Nashville at Charlotte (if necessary)</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 23</b></p><p><b>Charlotte at Nashville (if necessary)</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

EHL SETS UP PLAYOFF DATES

<h2><b>EASTERN LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Final Standings</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01174/2994315-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="573" height="495"></div><h3><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h3><p><b>Mon. Mar. 3</b></p><p>Clinton 9 at Long Island 3</p><p><b>Tues. Mar. 4</b></p><p>Greensboro 3 at Charlotte 5</p><p>Nashville 2 at Jacksonville 5</p><p>Johnstown 4 at New Jersey 3</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 5</b></p><p>Long Island 4 at New Haven 12</p><p>Charlotte 2 at Salem 9</p><p>Johnstown 0 at Clinton 2</p><p><b>Thrus. Mar. 6</b></p><p>Greensboro 9 at Salem 3</p><p>New Jersey 2 at Long Island 4</p><p><b>Thurs. Mar. 6</b></p><p>Greensboro 9 at Salem 3</p><p>New Jersey 3 ot Long Island 4</p><p><b>Fri. Mar 7</b></p><p>New Haven 3 at Long Island 3</p><p>Salem 0 ot Greensboro 5</p><p>Charlotte 5 at Jacksonville 3</p><p>Clinton 4 at New Jersey 1</p><p>Syracuse 1 at Johnstown 9</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Syracuse 4 of Clinton 9</p><p>Long Island 4 at New Jersey 6</p><p>New Haven 3 at Johnstown 6</p><p>Charlotte 1 at Greensboro 3</p><p>Salem 3 ot Jacksonville 6</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Syracuse 2 ot New Hoven 12</p><p>New Jersey 1 at Long Island 3</p><p>Clinton 2 at Johnstown 13</p><p>Greensboro 5 at Salem 5</p><p>Jacksonville 1 at Charlotte 8</p><h3><b>LEADING SCORERS</b></h3><p><b>(Including Games of Sun. Mar. 2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02126/2994308-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="580" height="631"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0021-01

Hockey Races

<div class="byline">By HARVEY POLLACK</div><p>&mdash;JOHNSTOWN, Pa.</p><p>If any team is to be deemed a dark horse to win the Walker Cup, emblematic of Eastern Hockey League playoff laurels, it has to be the Johnstown Jets.</p><p>Dick Roberge&rsquo;s team Flew down the homestretch and at one stage had an 11-game unbeaten streak that included ten victories. Goalie Lynn Zimmerman picked up back to back shutouts on successive nights and the team scoring of the offensive lines never was better.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0385/2994346-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="251" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Lynn Zimmerman</b></figcaption></div><p>The club had the defense especially after its acquisition of Norm Ryder from Long Island. It had the policemen in Jim Mair and Dick Paradise. It had the beef to slow the opposing forwards and the aggressiveness that caused foes to think twice about reckless skating.</p><p>In the offensive department, Roberge&rsquo;s men have been a powerhouse all year. They boast the circuit&rsquo;s No. 1 scorer in Reg Kent. In Galen Head, they had the No. 1 goal-maker who had topped the 60 goal mark.</p><p>Then there&rsquo;s Jack Dale, near the century mark, and possible the dark horse performer in Garry Sharp, the former Greensboro star. Garry missed 20 games with injuries, but in the last half of the campaign his scoring has been consistent as he topped the 400 plateau in EHL goals. Roberge, himself, one of the circuit&rsquo;s alltime greats, hasn&rsquo;t had as prolific a year as in the past, but in the crucial playoff competition, Dick will make his presence felt. Last year, too, Kent missed the playoffs because of a leg injury after a 145-point season.</p><p>Roberge isn&rsquo;t worried about the southern survivor. He figures if he can get past New Haven, and Clinton he will have cleared the toughest hurdles in the path to the title.</p><p><b>SYRACUSE:</b> Blazers riddled by lack of manpower in stretch of season. Top scorer Fraser Rice went to Oklahoma City and Chuck Charlong to Jacksonville on loan. Ed Skyhar&rsquo;s two goals helped club dent Long Island playoff hopes. Coach Ray Crew tallied in successive games from his defensive slot.</p><p><b>NASHVILLE:</b> One of largest turnouts in club annuals, some 5,197, saw Flyers crush Greensboro. Problem of repairing goal nets continues to arise here during games and delay the action, officials have asked the league for action. Andre Lajeunesse&rsquo;s hat trick helped Flyers end regular season with 15 straight home games without a loss. Chuck Goddard&rsquo;s fourth shutout stopped Jacksonville. Cliff Pennington, Wayne Clairmont and Leo Olivier made all-star team.</p><p><b>SALEM:</b> Rebels proved patsies for Greensboro this season. Rebels&rsquo; drive for a playoff berth fell short but team showed much improvement over last season. Jan Popiel plays pro lacrosse in off season to keep in shape for hockey. Billy Ives dismayed because he failed to be in playoff&rsquo;s for first time in his seven-year EHL career. Coach Dave Lucas looking ahead to next season with optimism.</p><p><b>LONG ISLAND:</b> Herman Karp&rsquo;s two goals saved tie at Syracuse, and later he stopped 8-game losing streak with his goal. Ducks lost their 20 th straight game at New Haven, not winning there since 1965-66 campaign. Hal Willis bothered by leg injury in stretch. Coach Les Calder believes young George Forgie will develop into a standout defenseman. Ducks playoff status was in doubt to the last weekend of season.</p><p><b>GREENSBORO:</b> Roger Wil son bothered by sprained ankle. Don Burgess posted hat trick vs Salem to continue heavy scoring after move from center to left wing. Doug Carpenter scored his first goal in 66th Gens&rsquo; game. Dom DiBerardino reached 300-goal mark. Pete McDuffe picked as all-star goalie and rookie of year in South.</p><p><b>JACKSONVILLE:</b> Seven game home streak stopped by Nashville. The injured Ed Pare&rsquo;s place on the roster taken by rookie winger Chuck Charlong from Syracuse. Ron Willy picked on all-star team for fifth straight time. Pare had bad year breaking jaw early and fracturing ankle late.</p><p><b>JERSEY:</b> Coach Marcel Pelletier ejected by ref Neil Moran for pushing him during argument. Billy Christoal had big fight with Long Island&rsquo;s George Forgie. Devils late season drive gave them shot at playoffs as season came to climax. Goalie Bob Taylor making crucial saves. Defenseman Ren&eacute; Lavigueur, out with broken arm, returned to action in stretch. Larry Pleau named rookie of year in North.</p><p><b>CLINTON:</b> Comets earned 5 spots on all-star team. Ian Anderson, Len Speck and Pat Kelly picked at defense, Borden Smith at left wing and Lyle Carter at goal. Carter infuriated by ref Brian Sopp&rsquo;s allowance of goal and shoved official against boards to earn major-penalty. Comets best road team in loop.</p><p><b>NEW HAVEN:</b> Billy Smith held edge over Mike Hornby in club scoring race. Billy Orr will wear protective mask in playoffs to protect cheekbone.</p><p><b>CHARLOTTE:</b> Rick Foley was lone Checker to make southern all-stars. Checkers continue to hold Indian sign on Greensboro. Coach Fred Creighton thinks his team has the momentum going to advance deep into the playoffs.</p><p><b>JOHNSTOWN:</b> Reg Kent and Galen Head made northern all-stars along with coach Dick Roberge. Gene Peacosh recovered from 14-stitch cut on leg. Jets set new league record for penalty minutes, eclipsing Long Island&rsquo;s mark of 1,141 set last year.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0021-03

Johnstown Jets Rated ‘Dark Horse’ For Start Of EHL Playoff Action

<h2><b>ONTARIO JUNIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Final Standings)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01192/2994440-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="582" height="374"></div><h3><b>LEADING SCORERS</b></h3><p><b>(Including Games of Sun. Mar. 2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02130/2994433-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="591" height="631"></div><h2><b>NEW ENGLAND LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standings on Fri. Feb 28)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-03113/2994426-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="585" height="207"></div><h2><b>MICHIGAN JUNIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standings on Mon. Feb. 24)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0494/2994419-1-eng-US/f0022-042.jpg" title="f0022-04" width="582" height="200"></div><h2><b>INTER-CITY JUNIOR</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas on Mon. Feb. 24)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0583/2994412-1-eng-US/f0022-052.jpg" title="f0022-05" width="580" height="335"></div><h2><b>NEW YORK METRO LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas on Mon. Mor. 3)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0663/2994405-1-eng-US/f0022-062.jpg" title="f0022-06" width="584" height="399"></div><h2><b>LOS ANGELES JUNIOR</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas on Mon. Feb. 10)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0757/2994398-1-eng-US/f0022-072.jpg" title="f0022-07" width="587" height="236"></div><h2><b>INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas on Mon. Feb. 24</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0849/2994391-1-eng-US/f0022-082.jpg" title="f0022-08" width="598" height="169"></div><h2><b>UNITED STATES LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas On Mon. Feb. 24)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0945/2994384-1-eng-US/f0022-092.jpg" title="f0022-09" width="583" height="236"></div><h2><b>MASSACHUSETTS JUNIOR</b></h2><p><b>(Standinas on Mon. Mar. 3)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1037/2994377-1-eng-US/f0022-102.jpg" title="f0022-10" width="581" height="169"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0022-01

<div class="byline">BY BOB REED</div><p>FORT WAYNE. Ind. &mdash;</p><p>Len Thomson, veteran playing coach of the Fort Wayne Komets, has become only the second player in International Hockey League history to play in 900 games.</p><p>Despite an eye injury that sidelined him for weeks, the Komet center returned to action to play in his 37th game of the season. Previously he has piled up 863 games, including playoffs, in his 12-year IHL career.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1133/2994471-1-eng-US/f0022-112.jpg" title="f0022-11" width="268" height="449"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Len Thomson</b></figcaption></div><p>Thomson is now the only active IHL player with 900 games to his credit. Joe Kastelic, who retired as a Muskegon Mohawk because of a shoulder injury, had played in 952 games. Glenn Ramsay, the Toledo goalie now out with an injury, has appeared in 879 and Chick Chalmers of the Des Moines Oak Leafs, had notched 862.</p><p>The Fort Wayne coach not only leads in games played but in career points &mdash; 1,359. Chalmers is second with 1,149.</p><p>Another Komet, Merv Dubchak, moved into sixth place in the IHL&rsquo;s all-time goal scoring column when he collected his 332nd goal. Toledo&rsquo;s Greg Jablonski is now ninth in the same category.</p><p>Ivan Prediger, the rugged Des Moines defenseman, has piled up 1,680 penalty minutes, by far the largest of any active player. The retired Ted Lebioda has the alltime record with 1,812.</p><p>Don Westbrooke of the Dayton Gems, the leading scorer, also hit a plateau when he scored his 50th goal and his 100th point of the season.</p><p>In other departments, Doug Volmar, the Columbus goalscoring sensation, held a slim one-point lead over Westbrooke in &ldquo;important points&rdquo;. He had seven first goals, four winning goals, 11 power play goals and one gamewinning assist for 23 points.</p><p>Westbrooke and team mate Dune Rousseau, along with Bert Fizzell of Columbus and Chick Balon of Toledo have six game-winning goals.</p><p><b>MUSKEGON &mdash;</b> Hugh Harris had a hat trick in a 9-2 rout of the Komets &hellip; The largest home audience of the season &mdash; 5,183 &mdash; saw the Mohawks nip Des Moines &hellip; The Hawks had six players averaging better than a point a game &hellip; With favoring home schedule they were expected to hang on to third place.</p><p><b>TOLEDO &mdash;</b> After five straight losses and six in the last seven games, the Blades were trailing leading Dayton by three points and Coach Terry Slater was assessing fines to halt the slump &hellip; Goalie Bill White had a goal average of 4.56 in nine games after relieving Glenn Ramsay, who went out with an average of 2.55 in 46 games &hellip; The Blades scored just nine goals in their five straight losses &hellip; Ramsay was expected back for the Blades&rsquo; two final games March 21-22.</p><p><b>FORT WAYNE &mdash;</b> Goalie Ken lockett was given his first chance in a league game when Coach Len Thomson pulled Jim Shaw at Muskegon after the first period with the Mohawks leading, 4-1. They went on to win, 9-2 &hellip; Merv Dunchak notched his 43rd goal of the season &hellip; Jake Hendrickson and Doug Reid were out with injuries. The Komets didn&rsquo;t have a player who was in all games. Eric Sutcliffe and Mike Doersam missed only one each.</p><p><b>DAYTON &mdash;</b> The Gems were jolted twice in Des Moines, where they had won three out of four previously but they came back home to win a big one from rival Toledo, 7-2 &hellip; Don Westbrooke and Lome Weighill had been in all Gems games &hellip; Jack Walker, president of the Gems, was named to the IHL board of governors, along with Lefty McFadden.</p><p><b>COLUMBUS &mdash;</b> Doug Volmar had his fifth hat trick of the season for his 57th goal) one short of the league&rsquo;s rookie record, set by Gordon Vejprava with Marion in 1953-54 &hellip; The Checkers beat Toledo for the first time in five games on Blades&rsquo; ice &hellip; Bert Fizzell and Al White needed only a few points to better their career highs &hellip; Tom Iannone, secured from Dayton, had six goals and four assists in eight games with the Chex.</p><p><b>DES MOINES</b> &mdash; The Oak Leafs, after losing four straight on the road, returned to trim Dayton twice and still had a shot at sixth place, five points behind &hellip; The Leafs had a String of eight games at home without defeat&hellip; Trevor Fahey, awaiting a baby in his family, had a hat trick against the Gems.</p><p><b>PORT HURON &mdash;</b> The Flags had a string of 11 games in which they lost only one, with three ties. They had the most tie games of any club in the league &mdash; 14 &hellip; Pete Mara had a hat trick as the Flags trounced Muskegon, 10-1 &hellip; Gaye Cooley was the latest goal-tender in the IHL to don a mask.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0022-11

Veteran Thomson Plays 900th Game; Blades Issue Fines To Snap Slump

<h2><b>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</b></h2><p><b>(Standings on Tues. Mar. 11)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1230/2994551-1-eng-US/f0022-122.jpg" title="f0022-12" width="577" height="265"></div><h3><b>GAMES COMPLETED</b></h3><p><b>Tues. Mar. 4</b></p><p>Des Moines 2 at Toledo 3</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 5</b></p><p>Columbus 5 at Fort Wayne 2</p><p>Des Moines 2 at Dayton 12</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 7</b></p><p>Columbus 5 at Des Moines 1</p><p>Toledo 3 at Muskegon 11</p><p>Dayton 4 at Port Huron 2</p><p><b>Sat. Mar. 8</b></p><p>Fort Wayne 1 at Muskegon 4</p><p>Toledo 3 at Port Huron 7</p><p>Columbus 4 at Des Moines 4</p><p><b>Sun. Mar. 9</b></p><p>Port Huron 2 at Dayton 9</p><p>Muskegon 5 at Fort Wayne 5</p><p><b>Toledo 2 at Columbus 4</b></p><h3><b>GAMES TO COME</b></h3><p><b>Tues. Mar. 11</b></p><p>Fort Wayne at Des Moines</p><p>Port Huron at Toledo</p><p><b>Wed. Mar. 12</b></p><p>Fort Wayne at Des Moines</p><p>Muskegon at Dayton</p><p><b>Fri. Mar. 14</b></p><p>Port Huron at Muskegon</p><p>Dayton at Columbus</p><p>Des Moines at Toledo</p><p><b>TEAM SCORING</b></p><p><b>(Including Games of Fri. Feb. 28)</b></p><h3><b>COLUMBUS</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1324/2994544-1-eng-US/f0022-132.jpg" title="f0022-13" width="580" height="277"></div><h3><b>MUSKEGON</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1417/2994537-1-eng-US/f0022-142.jpg" title="f0022-14" width="585" height="281"></div><h3><b>DES MOINES</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1515/2994530-1-eng-US/f0022-152.jpg" title="f0022-15" width="587" height="266"></div><h3><b>DAYTON</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1611/2994523-1-eng-US/f0022-162.jpg" title="f0022-16" width="583" height="253"></div><h3><b>FORT WAYNE</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-178/2994516-1-eng-US/f0022-172.jpg" title="f0022-17" width="577" height="229"></div><h3><b>PORT HURON</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-187/2994509-1-eng-US/f0022-182.jpg" title="f0022-18" width="581" height="227"></div><h3><b>TOLEDO</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-197/2994502-1-eng-US/f0022-192.jpg" title="f0022-19" width="582" height="251"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0022-12

LOOKING AT IHL RACE

<h2><b>ONTARIO SENIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-01170/2994757-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="594" height="106"></div><p><b>(Best-of-five semi-finals tied 1-1)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02131/2994750-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="581" height="92"></div><p><b>(Galt wins best-of-seven semi-finals 4-0)</b></p><h3><b>Quarter-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-03104/2994743-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="586" height="101"></div><p><b>(Orillia wins best-of-seven quarter finals 4-3)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0483/2994736-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="583" height="95"></div><p><b>(Barrie wins best-of-seven quarter finals 4-0)</b></p><h2><b>QUEBEC SENIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0567/2994729-1-eng-US/f0023-052.jpg" title="f0023-05" width="591" height="103"></div><p><b>(Chicoutimi leads best-of-seven semifinals 1-0)</b></p><h2><b>MANITOBA SENIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0658/2994722-1-eng-US/f0023-062.jpg" title="f0023-06" width="583" height="98"></div><p><b>(Best-of-seven finals tied 2-2)</b></p><h2><b>ALBERTA SENIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0754/2994715-1-eng-US/f0023-072.jpg" title="f0023-07" width="581" height="101"></div><p><b>(Calgary wins best-of-seven semi-finals 4-0, one tied)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0846/2994708-1-eng-US/f0023-082.jpg" title="f0023-08" width="584" height="95"></div><p><b>(Edmonton Movers lead best-of-seven semi-finals 3-1)</b></p><h2><b>SASKATCHEWAN SENIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0937/2994701-1-eng-US/f0023-092.jpg" title="f0023-09" width="577" height="96"></div><p><b>(Best-of-seven semi-finals tied 3-3)</b></p><h2><b>WESTERN INTERNATIONAL</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1029/2994694-1-eng-US/f0023-102.jpg" title="f0023-10" width="578" height="97"></div><p><b>(Spokane wins best-of-seven semi finals 4-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1121/2994687-1-eng-US/f0023-112.jpg" title="f0023-11" width="577" height="98"></div><p><b>(Kimberley leads best-of-seven semifinals 3-1)</b></p><h2><b>CENTRAL JUNIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1219/2994680-1-eng-US/f0023-122.jpg" title="f0023-12" width="578" height="91"></div><p><b>(Hull leads best-of-seven semi-finals 30)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1314/2994673-1-eng-US/f0023-132.jpg" title="f0023-13" width="579" height="95"></div><p><b>(Pembroke leads best-of-seven semifinals 2-0)</b></p><h2><b>NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1413/2994666-1-eng-US/f0023-142.jpg" title="f0023-14" width="576" height="94"></div><p><b>(Sault leads best-of-seven semi-finals 1-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1512/2994659-1-eng-US/f0023-152.jpg" title="f0023-15" width="593" height="95"></div><p><b>(Sudbury leads best-of-seven semi finals 1-0)</b></p><h2><b>QUEBEC JUNIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1611/2994652-1-eng-US/f0023-162.jpg" title="f0023-16" width="583" height="94"></div><p><b>(Drummondville wins best-of-seven semi-finals 4-2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-177/2994645-1-eng-US/f0023-172.jpg" title="f0023-17" width="587" height="94"></div><p><b>(Sorel wins best-of-seven semi-finals 40)</b></p><h2><b>ALBERTA JUNIOR LEAGUE</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-186/2994638-1-eng-US/f0023-182.jpg" title="f0023-18" width="587" height="98"></div><p><b>(Lethbridge wins best-of-seven semifinals 4-1)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-193/2994631-1-eng-US/f0023-192.jpg" title="f0023-19" width="589" height="85"></div><p><b>(Red Deer wins best-of-seven semi finals 4-0)</b></p><h2><b>THUNDER BAY JUNIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-202/2994624-1-eng-US/f0023-202.jpg" title="f0023-20" width="586" height="99"></div><p><b>(Westfort leads best-of-seven finals 1-0)</b></p><h2><b>SASKATCHEWAN JUNIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-212/2994617-1-eng-US/f0023-212.jpg" title="f0023-21" width="586" height="92"></div><p><b>(Regina wins best-of-seven semi-finals 4-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-222/2994610-1-eng-US/f0023-222.jpg" title="f0023-22" width="591" height="100"></div><p><b>(Weyburn wins best-of-seven semi finals 4-0)</b></p><h2><b>MANITOBA JUNIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-232/2994603-1-eng-US/f0023-232.jpg" title="f0023-23" width="594" height="96"></div><p><b>(Best-of-seven semi-finals tied 2-2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-24/2994596-1-eng-US/f0023-242.jpg" title="f0023-24" width="601" height="97"></div><p><b>(Winnipeg leads best-of-seven semifinals 2-0)</b></p><h2><b>BRITISH COLUMBIA JUNIOR</b></h2><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-25/2994589-1-eng-US/f0023-252.jpg" title="f0023-25" width="580" height="96"></div><p><b>(Penticton wins best-of-seven semifinals 4-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-26/2994582-1-eng-US/f0023-262.jpg" title="f0023-26" width="593" height="100"></div><p><b>(Victoria wins best-of-seven semi-finals 4-0)</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0023-01

Looking At Playoff Races

<div class="byline">BY JACK GATECLIFF</div><p>MONTREAL. Que. &mdash;</p><p>Peterborough Petes only managed one tie in seven games and slipped out of contention for first place in the Ontario Hockey Association.</p><p>However, the pennant wasn&rsquo;t decided until the final week of the schedule when Montreal Canadiens clinched the top spot over St. Catharines Black Hawks. Canadiens&rsquo; young ace, Rejean Houle, passed the 100-point mark as well to come home in front in the individual scoring race in a three-way fight with Marcel Dionne of St. Catharines and London&rsquo;s Daryl Sittier.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-27/2994788-1-eng-US/f0023-272.jpg" title="f0023-27" width="259" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Rejean Houle</b></figcaption></div><p>Strangely enough the Hawks had the best record of any team late in the season, tying a club record for consecutive games without a loss when they won nine and tied five.</p><p>Still the Canadiens, who had a late home ice start due to the refurbishing of the Forum, had games in hand and this proved to be the difference.</p><p>Although Montreal and St. Catharines are generally favored to advance through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, both teams could have their hands full even in the first round.</p><p>The Canadiens have always experienced difficulty with Niagara Falls Flyers while the Hawks have only a slight edge over the Toronto Marlboros in regular season play.</p><p>The other definite entries in the playoffs &mdash; Hamilton and London have also produced excellent hockey on occasion and there will almost certainly be upsets before the Ontario representative in the Memorial Cup playoffs is decided.</p><p>The talk of the league is still the remarkable attendance records being set by the Canadiens in the Forum.</p><p>Playing against Oshawa the Canadiens set an all-time record for Canadian amateur or professional hockey when 18,839 packed the Forum.</p><p>They have averaged more than 10,000 over the season and better than 13,000 since Jan. 1.</p><p>Attendance has been excellent in all 10 cities with St. Catharines setting an all-time record with just under 90,000 fans for 27 home games.</p><p>The previous record was 79,000 established in the 1948-49 season.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0023-27

Montreal Captures OHA Title, Hobs’ Ace Houle Wins Scoring

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-28/2994819-1-eng-US/f0023-282.jpg" title="f0023-28" width="898" height="1203"></div><p><b>SOLUTION IN MARCH 22 ISSUE</b></p><h2><b>ACROSS</b></h2><p>1&mdash;N.H.L. Coach</p><p>5&mdash;Initials of ex-Bruin Labine.</p><p>7&mdash;Period of time.</p><p>8&mdash;Short for first name of Leafs coach.</p><p>9&mdash;1965-66 Smythe trophy winner.</p><p>12&mdash;Pictured players birthplace.</p><p>14&mdash;Initials of one of the Bruins.</p><p>15&mdash;Last season&rsquo;s Cup winners. (abbr.)</p><p>17&mdash;Initials of Inglis of Springfield.</p><p>18&mdash;Native Province of 8 down, (abbr.)</p><p>19&mdash;One of the Bentleys.</p><p>20&mdash;To enter.</p><p>21&mdash;1 across used to wear this number, (rom. numb.)</p><p>23&mdash;Number worn by Harry Howell, (rom. numb.)</p><p>26&mdash;Initials of Armstrong of Rochester.</p><p>27&mdash;Wears Number 15 for L.A.</p><p>30&mdash;Initials of former Ranger Kraftcheck.</p><p>32&mdash;Beverage.</p><p>33&mdash;11th and 5th letters of the alphabet.</p><p>34&mdash;A Ranger defenseman.</p><h2><b>DOWN</b></h2><p>1&mdash;Pictured player.</p><p>2&mdash;Initials of former Wing Reibel.</p><p>3&mdash;A Philadelphia centre.</p><p>4&mdash;One of the Habs answers to this.</p><p>5&mdash;Former Hawk Fogolin answers to this.</p><p>6&mdash;A Bruin Rookie.</p><p>8&mdash;One of the Rangers.</p><p>10&mdash;Initials of Attwell of Buffalo.</p><p>11&mdash;26th and 4th letters of the alphabet.</p><p>13&mdash;A New North Star.</p><p>16&mdash;Initials of Nicholson of San Diego.</p><p>19&mdash;1963-64 Art Ross trophy winner.</p><p>22&mdash;One of the North Stars.</p><p>23&mdash;An N.H.L. General Manager</p><p>24&mdash;Denotes number worn by Gerry Odrowski.</p><p>25&mdash;Same as 20 across.</p><p>28&mdash;Initials ot one of the Leafs.</p><p>29&mdash;Nickname of one of the Blues.</p><p>31&mdash;First name of a Bruin forward.</p><p><b>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S ANSWERS</b></p><h3><b>ACROSS</b></h3><p>1&mdash;HORTON</p><p>6&mdash;E.S.</p><p>7&mdash;FINISH.</p><p>9&mdash;N.H.</p><p>11&mdash;McCORD</p><p>13&mdash;DEA.</p><p>15&mdash;E.K.</p><p>16&mdash;E.E.</p><p>17&mdash;ERR.</p><p>18&mdash;ONT.</p><p>19&mdash;SOO</p><p>20&mdash;LEO</p><p>22&mdash;ART</p><p>23&mdash;ROBERT</p><p>26&mdash;O.H.A.</p><p>28&mdash;DOUGLAS</p><p>32&mdash;GILBERT</p><h3><b>DOWN</b></h3><p>1&mdash;HENDERSON</p><p>2&mdash;R.F.</p><p>3&mdash;TIM.</p><p>4&mdash;ONCE</p><p>5&mdash;NICK</p><p>6&mdash;EHRENVERTH</p><p>8&mdash;S.O.</p><p>10&mdash;HER</p><p>12&mdash;DET</p><p>14&mdash;ARBOUR</p><p>20&mdash;LAROSE</p><p>21&mdash;O.T.</p><p>24&mdash;BALL</p><p>25&mdash;OO</p><p>27&mdash;ART</p><p>28&mdash;D.D.</p><p>29&mdash;U.G.</p><p>30&mdash;G.I.</p><p>31&mdash;AB<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0023-28

Hockey Crossword

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0024-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01182/2994969-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg"></div><h2><b>NORTH STAR OFFICERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02127/2994962-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="269" height="319"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Walter L. Bush, Jr.</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0390/2994955-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="270" height="321"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Robert J. McNulty</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0470/2994948-1-eng-US/f0024-042.jpg" title="f0024-04" width="273" height="324"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Robert B. Ridder</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0555/2994941-1-eng-US/f0024-052.jpg" title="f0024-05" width="264" height="324"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>W. John Driscoll</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0646/2994934-1-eng-US/f0024-062.jpg" title="f0024-06" width="263" height="308"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>John G. Ordway, Jr.</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0739/2994927-1-eng-US/f0024-072.jpg" title="f0024-07" width="266" height="317"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Gordon H. Ritz</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0835/2994920-1-eng-US/f0024-082.jpg" title="f0024-08" width="264" height="320"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Harry G. McNeely, Jr.</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0930/2994913-1-eng-US/f0024-092.jpg" title="f0024-09" width="264" height="317"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>William R.Rasmussen</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1026/2994906-1-eng-US/f0024-102.jpg" title="f0024-10" width="269" height="323"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Wheelock Whitney</b></figcaption></div><p><b>W. John Driscoll &hellip; <i>Chairman ot the Board</i></b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1125/2994899-1-eng-US/f0024-112.jpg" title="f0024-11" width="535" height="151"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1220/2994892-1-eng-US/f0024-122.jpg" title="f0024-12" width="532" height="149"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1312/2994885-1-eng-US/f0024-132.jpg" title="f0024-13" width="255" height="323"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>WREN BLAIR Manager-Coach</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1410/2994878-1-eng-US/f0024-142.jpg" title="f0024-14" width="259" height="329"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>HAROLD COTTON Director of Field Operations</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-156/2994871-1-eng-US/f0024-152.jpg" title="f0024-15" width="259" height="323"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JOHN MARIUCCI Assistant To General Manager</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-164/2994864-1-eng-US/f0024-162.jpg" title="f0024-16" width="259" height="325"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>TED O&rsquo;CONNOR Chief Scout</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-172/2994857-1-eng-US/f0024-172.jpg" title="f0024-17" width="253" height="326"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JOHN MUCKLER Memphis Mgr. Cooch</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-182/2994850-1-eng-US/f0024-182.jpg" title="f0024-18" width="252" height="320"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>STAN WAYLETT Trainer</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0024-01

NORTH STARS FAMILY

<p>BLOOMINGTON, Min. &mdash;</p><p>The Edina Hornets captured the 25th annual Minnesota State High School hockey tournament by edging Warroad&rsquo;s Warriors in a 5-4 overtime tilt. Although Warroad lost their ace Henry Boucha early in the second period the Warriors battled the favored Edina team into an overtime tilt witnessed by 15.063.</p><p>The eight-team three-day tourney played in six sessions drew a record crowd of 79.969.</p><p>Edina gained the finals by defeating Mounds View 5-0 and South St. Paul 7-1 while Warroad entered the finals through a 4-3 win over Minneapolis Southwest and 3-2 decision over neighbor and long time rival Roseau.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Edina Hornets Take Minnesota Ice Title

<p>TWIN CITIES, Minn. &mdash;</p><p>Frank Buetel is a 40-year-old television ace, who describes himself as a &ldquo;new&rdquo; announcer when it comes to the handling of NHL broadcasts.</p><p>He is the &ldquo;Man behind the Mike&rdquo; in Minnesota, who telecasts the games of the North Stars, and, according to those who know about these things, he&rsquo;s doing a bang-up job.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been my good fortune to become the North Stars telecaster,&rdquo; says Buetel. &ldquo;My job is probably best of all among the expansion cities &hellip; thirty games, plus playoffs, a splendid building, great fans, and management and players one finds a pleasure in being associated with.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-192/2995024-1-eng-US/f0024-192.jpg" title="f0024-19" width="273" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Frank Buetel</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;We &lsquo;new&rsquo; announcers perhaps have to sell a little, but NHL hockey here will be long and lasting,&rdquo; he adds.</p><p>Buetel, born and raised in a town of 297 people in northern Minnesota, got into the broadcasting game by accident. After graduating from the University of Minnesota in Journalism-Political Science, he went to work in the newspaper field. He was covering a sports event, one night, when the announcer failed to show up, and Buetel filled in for him. If the script had followed Hollywood patterns, he would&rsquo;ve been &ldquo;discovered&rdquo; then and there, and achieved instant fame. That didn&rsquo;t happen, however, and Frank returned to college to work on his Masters, with the hope of becoming an overseas correspondent. While studying, he took a part-time job at a radio-tv station, at $40.00 a week. Soon, he was working some 65 hours per week at the job, so his hourly rate worked out to a meagre 0.60 cents. But, he liked the work and decided to make it a career.</p><p>Buetel says that the toughest part of his job lies in trying to achieve the complete professionalism that all good announcers aspire to.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the type of professionalism that keeps the accent on accuracy and fairness, as well as working on improved technique,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Another tough aspect of this business is trying to give all sports an equal share on sports programs. We&rsquo;re also called upon to attend a multitude of side events, and the subsequent demand on one&rsquo;s time away from the studio is very great.&rdquo;</p><p>Now that expansion is two years old and Buetel has had ample opportunity to study the various teams, through his work for WTCN-TV in Minnesota, which club has he found the most exciting?</p><p>&ldquo;The tendency is to name your own team, then another,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;But, in all honesty, I would say that because of our playoff last year and the carry-over into this season, there is an explosiveness about a Minnesota-St. Louis game &hellip; all of them. Aside from that, I, personally, am most moved by Canadiens&rsquo; Jean Beliveau.&rdquo;</p><p>Besides being impressed by Beliveau, Frank is not likely to forget his first telecast from Montreal on the occasion of a North Stars-Canadiens clash, last year.</p><p>&ldquo;The seat of my pants literally ripped apart while I was bending over to see the near boards action,&rdquo; he recalls. &ldquo;I was wearing a black suit at the time, and the contrasting white shorts made it pretty stark.&rdquo;</p><p>In a career that has included everything from the study of political science to very distinguished military service with the U.S. 324th regimental combat team in World Wat II &mdash; he was wounded twice, and awarded the Bronze Star with cluster, Purple Heart with cluster, and other decorations &mdash; Buetel can still speak feelingly about hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;The NHL is a class product,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;and, those of us assigned to reporting it can&rsquo;t help but try to do our best to stay in that class. My being the North Stars telecaster truly is one of the professional fulfillments of my life.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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March 15, 1969

Habs Lose Winger Plagued By Misfortune

AHL Point Race

CHL League Summaries

Movements of Players