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.

April 10, 1970

The Hockey News April 10, 1970

<div class="byline">BY VICTOR BERNS</div>ST-LOUIS&mdash;The life of Ernie Wakely has changed greatly within the past 12 months.One year ago he was finishing his 10th season in the minor leagues. He happened to be at Cleveland for most of the 1968-69 season but over those 10 years he had played for 10 teams&mdash;all while under contract to the Montreal Canadiens. Ernie had considered quitting several times.But as this season comes to an end Wakely is well established in the National Hockey League. Indeed, he has led the big league with his goals-against average for a good part of the season and at the age of 29 is being given co-sideration for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.&ldquo;I always felt I could play, but there was never any room for me,&rdquo; Wakely says. &ldquo;I was always an understudy, but now I have been given the chance to play.&rdquo;Wakely&rsquo;s chance has come from the St. Louis Blues, who also have the two greatest goalies of this generation, Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante.Blues&rsquo; coach Scotty Bowman has moved his three goalies in and out of the lineup with a masterful touch, and each one has remained sharp. Wakely has played slightly more than one-third of the games.Wakely didn&rsquo;t have the benefit of such an arrangement during the years that he languished in the Montreal organization. He watched from afar as the Canadiens&rsquo; goaltending was handled by Plante or Charley Hodge or Gump Worsley or Rogatien Vachon. Ernie stayed in the minors.The big changes started happening last June 27, when Montreal traded Wakely to the Blues. Hall was said to be in retirement at the time, and Wakely was being obtained as a backup for Plante.Hall was still on his farm in Alberta as training camp came and passed, and Wakely embarked on a shaky start in his long delayed rookie season. Plante played most of the games, and Wakely had started only four in the first month of the season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-02609/2746137-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="545" height="588"><figcaption class="caption-body">ERNIE WAKELY&hellip;Nearly Quit Game</figcaption></div>Then, in his fifth game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Ernie stopped everything thrown at him and recorded his first NHL shutout. He had suffered a twisted back in practice the previous day. But what&rsquo;s a twisted back when you&rsquo;ve been waiting 10 years for the chance to play!Hall rejoined the team shortly thereafter, but Bowman decided to keep his spunky rookie goaler and embarked on the Blues&rsquo; unique three-goalie system that has helped to carry them to their second consecutive Clarence Campbell Trophy.Wakely began picking up confidence rapidly and began showing that he was a fulltime partner, not a junior partner, in the goaltending firm of Hall, Plante & Wakely.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s tough to pick out a point where I felt that I belonged,&rdquo; Wakely says. &ldquo;I expect to do well every game, but some nights I&rsquo;m just not up to par.&rdquo;In another game with Pittsburgh the Blues jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first 14 minutes and then helped Ernie protect the St. Louis net so he could record his second NHL shutout. Hall had blanked Montreal several days earlier in the Blues&rsquo; first win over the Canadiens, and Plante had shut out the Philadelphia Flyers in his last start. So, at one point each of the three Blues&rsquo; goalies had a shutout in his last start.Wakely compounded that unique record by shutting out the Toronto Maple Leafs in his next start, and St. Louis defenseman Barclay Plager said, &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter which of our goalies is back there. We&rsquo;ve got confidence in all of them. Ernie rates right up there with Glenn and Jacques.&rdquo;The shutout against Toronto just before the All-star game dropped Wakely&rsquo;s goals-against average to 2.09, lowest in the league. And Ernie has had the league&rsquo;s lowest average throughout most of the second half of the season. The only goalie that has knocked Ernie out of the top spot a few times has been Chicago&rsquo;s Tony Esposito.Esposito is Wakely&rsquo;s competitor for the Calder Trophy with Esposito&rsquo;s record number of shutouts possibly giving him the edge. The award has usually gone to a goalie rather than a forward of defenseman in years when an outstanding rookie goalie was eligible.&ldquo;Esposito has played twice as many games as I have,&rdquo; Wakely said. &ldquo;Heck, I&rsquo;d be happy if I got honorable mention.&rdquo;Wakely added, &ldquo;The great satisfaction for me is just playing and helping the team do well.&rdquo; &#9632;

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IN THIS ISSUE

Wakely Says All He Wanted Was Chance To Prove Himself

<h2>Sat. March 21 BALTIMORE 1 AT CLEVELAND 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03290/2747339-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="594" height="455"></div><h2>BUFFALO 5 AT SPRINGFIELD 7</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04248/2747332-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="592" height="926"></div><h2>ROCHESTER 2 AT HERSHEY 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05206/2747325-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="587" height="551"></div><h2>Sun. March 22 BALTIMORE 2 AT PROVIDENCE 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06161/2747318-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="587" height="574"></div><h2>CLEVELAND 5 AT ROCHESTER 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-07140/2747311-1-eng-US/f0019-072.jpg" title="f0019-07" width="593" height="549"></div><h2>SPRINGFIELD 1 AT QUEBEC 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-08126/2747304-1-eng-US/f0019-082.jpg" title="f0019-08" width="585" height="501"></div><h2>BUFFALO 3 AT MONTREAL 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-09106/2747297-1-eng-US/f0019-092.jpg" title="f0019-09" width="591" height="619"></div><h2>Tues. March 24 SPRINGFIELD 7 AT QUEBEC 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1091/2747290-1-eng-US/f0019-102.jpg" title="f0019-10" width="599" height="677"></div><h2>Wed. March 25 PROVIDENCE 1 AT BALTIMORE 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01254/2747283-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="581" height="391"></div><h2>CLEVELAND 2 AT HERSHEY 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02181/2747276-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="578" height="458"></div><h2>Fri. March 27 PROVIDENCE 3 AT BUFFALO 6</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03149/2747269-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="586" height="657"></div><h2>QUEBEC 1 AT SPRINGFIELD 8</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-04114/2747262-1-eng-US/f0020-042.jpg" title="f0020-04" width="595" height="630"></div><h2>BALTIMORE 2 AT CLEVELAND 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0555/2747255-1-eng-US/f0020-052.jpg" title="f0020-05" width="584" height="473"></div><h2>ROCHESTER 4 AT MONTREAL 7</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0639/2747248-1-eng-US/f0020-062.jpg" title="f0020-06" width="588" height="802"></div><h2>Sat. March 28 MONTREAL 1 AT HERSHEY 1</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0734/2747241-1-eng-US/f0020-072.jpg" title="f0020-07" width="576" height="380"></div><h2>LEADING SCORERS</h2>(Including Games of Sun. March 22)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0827/2747234-1-eng-US/f0020-082.jpg" title="f0020-08" width="574" height="529"></div> &#9632;

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American Hockey League Summaries

BOSTON&mdash;Just as they did in the NCAA tournament, members of the American college champion Cornell team dominated the ECAC Division I All-Star team selections this season.The &lsquo;Big Red&rsquo; placed three men on the unique ECAC team&mdash;where no first or second squad is designated but merely on team. Boston College, led by brilliant center Tim Sheehy, picked up two All-Star berths and Sheehy walked off with the coveted most valuable player award for the second year in a row.Brian Cropper, a junior at Cornell, and Brown&rsquo;s Don McGinnis were chosen as the two team netminders. On defense, it was Mike Hyndman of Boston University, Dan Lodboa of Cornell, who was chosen the outstanding player at the recent NCAA tournament in Lake Placid, Tom Mellor of Boston College and Wayne LaChance of Clarkson.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01118/2747425-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="540" height="571"><figcaption class="caption-body">TIM SHEEHY&hellip;Top Performer</figcaption></div>Six forwards picked were all from different teams. Tom Earl of Colgate, Brown&rsquo;s Curt Bennett, Joe Cavanagh of Harvard, John Hughes of Cornell, Northeastern&rsquo;s Dave Poile and Sheehy.Sheehy who was the leading scorer in U.S. college hockey this season with 26 goals, 39 assists and 65 points for a 2.83 average in 23 games, again took the MVP award for his solid ice play. Jerry Kemp of Clarkson was named the sophomore of the year, an honor that went to Cavanagh last season.The selection of Hyndman, leading point scorer in BU history, climaxed a great college career which ends this season. Hyndman has been selected an ECAC All-Star for the third straight year, a tribute to the solid two-way defenseman from Montreal.Other All-Star repeaters on the ECAC squad from last year include Bennett, Sheehy and Cavanagh.In the ECAC Division I playoffs, Cornell edged Clarkson 3&mdash;2 in the championship game at Boston Garden after Boston University won the consolation final 8&mdash;2 from Harvard. In the semi-finals, Clarkson ousted Boston University 5&mdash;4 and Cornell tripped Harvard 5&mdash;4 to set up the ECAC final.In round one games, Cornell bounced St. Lawrence 6&mdash;1, Boston U., edged New Hampshire 2&mdash;0, Harvardswamped Boston College 10&mdash;5 and Clarkson had to go to overtime to eliminate Brown 6&mdash;5.Here&rsquo;s how the all ECAC playoff tournament All-Starteam looked: Goal&mdash;Bruce Bullock, Clarkson; Defense&mdash;Dan Lodboa, Cornell; Defense&mdash;Steve Warr, Clarkson; Forward&mdash;Dick Toomey, BU; Forward&mdash;Kevin Pettit, Cornwell; Forward&mdash;Joe Cavanagh, Harvard.MVP&mdash;Bullock. &#9632;

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Sheehy MVP But Cornell Dominates ECAC All-Stars

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-07" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-0761/2745868-1-eng-US/f0003-072.jpg"></div>MOST VALUABLE PLAYER&mdash;Bobby Orr, Boston.ROOKIE OF THE YEAR&mdash;Tony Esposito, Chicago.(* Repeaters from last year) &#9632;

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Fans’ All-Star Teams

<div class="image-hero"><img title="Cover-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/cover-01488/2748382-1-eng-US/cover-012.jpg"></div>NO &lsquo;PIGEONS&rsquo; IN NHL CLAIMS B&rsquo;S BOBBY ORRBOWER SAYS NHL GOALERS NEED COACHINGFANS PICK THEIR OWN ALL-STARSSTAN MIKITA Leading The Charge In Dramatic Windup &#9632;

Cover-01

HAWKS BATTLE BRUINS TO WIRE

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01657/2745771-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Veteran Hawks&rsquo; center STAN MIKITA is bidding for the season goal scoring title with 39 goals. He trails Detroit&rsquo;s Garry Unger by two and Phil Esposito by one. (Hockey News Photo by Stephen Newman)</figcaption></div>CHICAGO&mdash;The Chicago Black Hawks are charging to the finish line with a vengeance and in their wake they are sniping at records and league highs for the 1969-70 season.For one, Goaler Tony Esposito has already set a NHL shutout record for modern day netminders by registering his 14th and 15th of the season this past week. The double blanking erased Harry Lumley&rsquo;s 16-year-old mark of 13.In addition, Esposito appears to have the Vezina Trophy in his hip pocket and if he wins it, it will mark only the fifth time a rookie has been able to do it since the award was first presented in 1926-27. With three games left on the schedule, Espo has a 14-goal pull on the St. Louis goaling team.Then there&rsquo;s the little matter of the Calder trophy and quite possibly, the official first All-Star team berth for the chubby Chicago goalkeeper which would round out one of the most sensational first seasons for a young player in some time.The Hawks haven&rsquo;t a ghost of a chance at the NHL individual scoring title but neither has anyone else. Bobby Orr has that locked up but the veteran Chicago center, Stan Mikita, is very much in the running for goalgetting honors. Mikita has shot 39 goals, one short of his personal high he set two years ago, and only two behind Garry Unger of Detroit, who leads this season with 41. Phil Esposito of Boston has 40 but don&rsquo;t count Mikita out of it. He has been popping the goals in bunches in recent weeks and could come on with a flurry in the final week to snatch the goal title.Over and above the Hawks&rsquo; individual performances, the club is roaring down the home stretch like gangbusters in a bid to win the regular season championship for the second time in the last four years.Few clubs have managed to thunder home like the Hawks have this year and if they outrace the Bruins to first place, it will complete a &lsquo;Cinderella&rsquo; finish for Billy Reay&rsquo;s club. They opened the season in last position and have come all the way to the top.The Hawks have enjoyed a fabulous run down the stretch. In their last 19 games, they have a 15-2-2 record. Both their losses were road games and they have been unbeaten on Chicago ice in their last 10 starts dating back to Feb. 11. The club&rsquo;s 43 wins is also a season high for this year and it is also the most games won by a Chicago team in history.Four of Esposito&rsquo;s shutouts have been jammed into the Hawks&rsquo; great stretch drive for the Prince of Wales Trophy, a factor that has placed him pretty high in the eyes of Chicago fans and the club brass.Coach Reay has nothing but praise for his rookie goaler. &ldquo;He never quibbles about playing whether we are at home or on the road. He hates to have anyone score on him, too, even in practice, which is something. Many goalers today take practices too lightly, but not Tony.&rdquo; Reay said the 200-pound goaler deserves as much credit as anyone for the team&rsquo;s rise.Esposito, himself, has good words for his teammates. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t have gotten all those shutouts without their help, that&rsquo;s for sure,&rdquo; said Tony.The Hawks and Bruins are going down to the wire neck and neck. Boston may get the edge with two games against lastplace Toronto while the Hawks have back-to-back games with Montreal and one with Detroit. The Bruins also play Montreal.But the Bruins and Canadiens don&rsquo;t have Esposito and the Hawks do and that could be the advantage Chicago needs to pull into first place all alone when the curtain comes down April 5 on the windup weekend. &#9632;

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Hawks Roar In Wild Stretch Finish

<div class="byline">BY CHARLIE HALPIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01659/2745837-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY ORR</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02541/2745830-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="669" height="1195"><figcaption class="caption-body">TONY ESPOSITO</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-03363/2745823-1-eng-US/f0003-032.jpg" title="f0003-03" width="1151" height="1200"><figcaption class="caption-body">GORDIE HOWE</figcaption></div>MONTREAL&mdash;Here&rsquo;s a skill-testing, tongue-twister for you.When was the last time two brothers both appeared on the same NHL All-Star team?Well friends, don&rsquo;t bother racking your brain. It has never happened before.Thus the selection of goaler Tony Esposito and center Phil Esposito to the first team in THE HOCKEY NEWS&rsquo; 23rd annual fans&rsquo; AllStar selections marks a first in modern hockey history for the famed brothers from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.A run back through All-Star history reveals that brothers twice made NHL teams since 1930 but never two on the first team as the Espositos have accomplished this season. In 1946-47, Doug Bentley was on the first team and brother Max on the second. In 1930-31, Bill Cook was chosen to the first team but brother Bun was on the second squad.Consequently the Espositos are the first family affair in league AllStar history. Tony had to fight off a stubborn fan vote for Ed Giacomin of the Rangers to make it alongside brother Phil.Boston&rsquo;s &lsquo;Golden Boy&rsquo; Bobby Orr was the overwhelming favorite of the fans in this year&rsquo;s poll. The Bruins&rsquo; high scoring defenseman received the most votes ever accorded a player in THE HOCKEY NEWS long history of fan All-Star selections. Orr received 24,100, nearly 2,500 more votes than any other first-team member.Chicago, New York and Boston dominated the All-Star selections as the knowledgeable HOCKEY NEWS readers picked four Hawks and three from each of the Rangers and Bruins on the two teams. Detroit and Montreal won the other berths.Ironically, not one member of an expansion division team was named by the fans.In addition to Tony and Phil Esposito and Orr on the first team, Brad Park of Rangers was chosen to partner Orr on defense. Gordie Howe of Detroit at right wing and Bobby Hull of Chicago at left wing were selected to flank Phil Esposito.On the second team, Giacomin is in goal with Jim Neilson of the Rangers and Chicago&rsquo;s injured Pat Stapleton on defense. Stan Mikita-of Chicago got the nod for center with John McKenzie of Boston at right wing and Montreal&rsquo;s Jacques Lemaire at left wing.For Orr, Phil Esposito, Howe and Hull selection on the first team and Giacomin and Mikita on the second team, it was a repeat performance of last year except for Mikita. However, for all the rest the All-Star selections by the fans was an intriging new experience.Unlike last season when the fans picked Glenn Hall of St. Louis on the first team and named Danny Grant of Minnesota rookie of the year, the fan selectors chose strictly from the Eastern Division in picking their All-Stars and naming Orr as the most valuable player in the NHL and young Tony Esposito of the Hawks as the outstanding rookie of the season.Voting for the various positions was generally one-sided as compared to 1968-69. This season Orr polled the big vote with Park collecting 16,550 to leave the rest of the NHL defensemen well behind.Phil Esposito earned 20,650 votes to Mikita&rsquo;s 19,535 while Tony Esposito collected 19,715 votes against 18,665 for Giacomin in the only two positions that required close scrutiny of the ballots. Hull polled 21,780 votes and Howe 21,735.While Tony Esposito, Park, Neilson, Stapleton, McKenzie and Lemaire were newcomers to THE HOCKEY NEWS All-Star teams this season, there were several &lsquo;old favorites&rsquo; who fell by the wayside. Missing were such well known names as Hall, Tim Horton, J.C. Tremblay, Ted Green, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer and big Frank Mahovlich, who was nipped in the voting by Lemaire for the second team.In the individual selections, it was strictly no contest as far as Orr for MVP and Esposito as rookie of the year were concerned. Orr, who has broken every conceivable scoring record this season and is a certainty to wind up as the first defenseman to win the NHL scoring championship was a near unanimous choice of the fans as the outstanding player of the year in the NHL. Esposito beat out Billy Fairbairn of New York for the rookie award with Philadelphia&rsquo;s Bobby Clarke and Keith Magnuson of Chicago trailing the two leaders.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-04215/2745816-1-eng-US/f0003-042.jpg" title="f0003-04" width="554" height="757"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY HULL</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-05129/2745809-1-eng-US/f0003-052.jpg" title="f0003-05" width="553" height="732"><figcaption class="caption-body">BRAD PARK</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-0688/2745802-1-eng-US/f0003-062.jpg" title="f0003-06" width="549" height="759"><figcaption class="caption-body">PHIL ESPOSITO</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0003-01

Phil, Tony Esposito Register ‘First’

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01721/2745920-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="364" height="448"></div>&bull; DALE ROLFE, who wasn&rsquo;t good enough for Los Angeles Kings, last place team in the Western Division, has been one of the outstanding players for Detroit Red Wings in their late season drive for first place in the Eastern Division of the NHL&hellip;New York&rsquo;s Brad Park was cut for five stiches recently while sitting on the bench. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the kind of season we&rsquo;re having,&rdquo; he grumbled&hellip;Muskegon Mohawks, owned and managed by Jerry DeLise, won the Huber Trophy as the team finishing the International Hockey League schedule with the most points. They ended the 72-game schedule with 100 points&hellip;Lefty McFadden&rsquo;s Dayton Gems won the other division of the IHL with 80 points&hellip;Fern Flaman, former captain of the Boston Bruins, is the new coach of the hockey team at Northeastern University&hellip;Chicago&rsquo;s Stan Mikita wears a brace on his gimpy back when he&rsquo;s off the ice. Despite all his aches and pains, Stan is enjoying one of his finest NHL seasons&hellip;Montreal&rsquo;s Claude Provost played his 1,000th NHL game recently&hellip;The 36-year-old winger became the 13th active player to reach that milestone&hellip;Bill &ldquo;Positiveley the Greatest&rdquo; Mazer, color man with Dan Kelly on the CBS Game of the Week, is really something. He has to be hockey&rsquo;s most enthusiastic salesman and is a refreshing character for hockey televiewers&hellip;Connie Schmidt, son of Boston&rsquo;s GM, was elected captain of Brown University&rsquo;s 1970-71 hockey team&hellip;Bobby Hull on the subject of helmets being made mandatory in the NHL: &ldquo;Of course we&rsquo;ll wear them&hellip;until somebody starts to make softer hockey sticks&rdquo;&hellip;A big sign just off the freeway near Oakland Coliseum reads: Blood, Sweat, Tears&rdquo;. Just beneath it is a message advertising the next hockey game. The messages aren&rsquo;t related. The first one advertises a rock group.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02672/2745913-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="258" height="442"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dale Rolfe</figcaption></div>&bull; BOBBY ROUSSEAU netted the 200th goal of his nine-year NHL career the other night against Toronto. &ldquo;No, I don&rsquo;t plan on another nine years to get 400,&rdquo; stated the pleased Montreal forward&hellip;Toronto general manager Jim Gregory isn&rsquo;t talking about the plight of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He couldn&rsquo;t if he tried after surgery for a minor throat ailment&hellip;Boston Bruins have closed the doors to the public attending their practices. The decision was made because increasing crowds have been impeding practices at Harvard Arena and theBoston Garden&hellip;Vancouver Canucks, runaway winners in the Western Hockey League, claim they have sold 7,000 season tickets for next season which will be their first in the NHL&hellip;Veteran Defenseman Larry Cahan of the Los Angeles Kings has lost 27 pounds since the start of the season. Named captain of the Kings this season, Larry has two more years to go on a three-year contract&hellip;Turk Broda is not expected to be rehired as coach of the AHL Quebec Aces next season. Philadelphia Flyers, owners of the Quebec franchise. apparently have an eve on Maurice Filion to handle the club next term&hellip;Colorful Doug Favell, injured Philadelphia goalie, is anxious to rejoin the Flyers before the end of the playoffs. However, General Manager Keith Allen has told him to take it easy so that he will be fully recovered from the severe gash in his ankle that he suffered by accident sometime ago in the Flyers&rsquo; dressing room&hellip;. Three European players have been invited for tryouts with Detroit Red Wings next September. Mike Daski, the Wings chief European scout, has offered tryouts to Lennart Svedberg and Arne Carlsson, Swedish defensemen, and Velo Pekka Katola, a forward from Finland. Daksi says they&rsquo;re not ready yet for the NHL but have the potential to develop into excellent National Leaguers&hellip;Rick Kessell made quite an impressive NHL debut when called up from Baltimore Clippers by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He promptly scored his first NHL goal.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03575/2745906-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="255" height="444"><figcaption class="caption-body">Larry Cahan</figcaption></div>&bull; SEVERAL WREN BLAIR fans wrote us in defense of his trading acumen after we mentioned that he had been panned in the press for some of his trades. These fans pointed out that Blair always builds for the ultimate future and that he has made far more good trades than he has bad ones. They noted some of his better trades as follows: J.P. Parise, 65 points; Tom Williams, 46 assists, after missing the first 10 games of the season; Danny Grant, last year&rsquo;s rookie winner, 29 goals; Claude Larose, 20 goals; Danny O&rsquo;Shea, 33 points, while rated one of the best defensive centers in the league; Barry Gibbs, outstanding rookie defenseman; Tom Reid, another youthful defenseman with great potential; plus such promising youngsters as Danny Lawson, Walt McKechnie, Joey Johnson and Fern Rivard. Not to mention of course venerable Gump Worsley who vows to put the Stars into the playoffs&hellip;The North Stars topped the Western Division in the first year of expansion with 438,000; last year they had 493,000, and they should top 540,000 before this season ends&hellip;Marv Albert of New York&rsquo;s WHN was named &ldquo;Sportscaster of the Year for New York State&rdquo; by thousands of radio, TV and working press sportswriters throughout New York State. A finalist in last year&rsquo;s balloting Albert has been the radio &ldquo;voice&rdquo; of the New York Rangers for a number of years and does an outstanding job for the Broadway Blueshirts&hellip;Sen. Stuart Symington, prominent Missouri Democrat, has been elected to the board of directors of the St. Louis Blues. He is a keen sports fan and attends the Blues&rsquo; games when he&rsquo;s in St. Louis&hellip;Don&rsquo;t bet on Detroit&rsquo;s Alex Delvecchio retiring. Like his teammate Gordie Howe he&rsquo;ll play as long as his legs hold out and Bruce Norris pays top wages&hellip;Scotty Bowman, realizing his Blues will have a tough time winning the West Division next year, takes a verbal swipe at NHL Governors who arranged the new expansion setup. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s illogical,&rdquo; says the St. Louis coach. &ldquo;Buffalo and Vancouver won&rsquo;t have a chance in the East and Chicago will probably be champions in the West by mid-season&rdquo;&hellip;When Canadiens played Pittsburgh at the Montreal Forum recently it marked the first Sunday night game at home since February, 1947.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04503/2745899-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="255" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Marv Albert</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0004-01

PASSING THE PUCK

Founded October 1st, 1947Published weekly except monthly June through September by Ken-Will Publishing Co. Ltd.1434 St. Catherine Street West Montreal 107, Canada.Kenneth William McKenzie President and PublisherCharlie Halpin Editorial DirectorYearly SUBSCRIPTION Rates: $6.00 in Canada $7.00 in the U.S.A. and $9.00 in Foreign Countries.Postage paid at Rouses Point. N.YSecond class mail&mdash;Registration No 1327 Printed in CanadaVol. 23 MONTREAL, APRIL 3, 1970 NO.26 &#9632;

The Hockey News OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY

<h2>NHL Should Employ TV On Goal Calls</h2>I think it is about time hockey used television to help aid the referees in determining whether goals have or have not been scored.A good example of this was the March 18 game between the Chicago Black Hawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Stan Mikita was robbed of a goal because neither the referee nor the goal judge saw the puck enter or leave the net. Instant replay on television, however, clearly showed that a goal had been scored.Although the Hawks went on to win I am sure that games have been lost unjustly due to goals scored but not seen. Most hockey games are carried by a TV network and with the use of their facilities the referee could check replays to aid in crucial decisions.JUDY SCLAFANI, Wheeling, Ill.<h2>Scribe Claims Penguins Well Covered By Press</h2>I noticed the complaint in the March 27 fan forum concerning lack of hockey coverage in the Pittsburgh newspapers.The writer Karl Krammer must be terribly near-sighted if he has to use a powerful magnifying glass &ldquo;to find any Pen news in our newspapers.&rdquo;I&rsquo;m: ending you the front sports page from last week&rsquo;s morning Post-Gazette. Four of them have the top line, one has a secondary line, and the Monday a.m. story has only a two-column head for obvious reaons&mdash;primarily because the Penguinsi-were not playing until Wednesday night. We do not publish on Sunday.This coverage is typical of the Post-Gazette. The afternoon paper does not give hockey as much display as the Post-Gazette, but the coverage is very good.I cover all Penguin games, at home and on the road. This man Krammer should live in some of the other hockey towns. Only once this season was Chicago represented by a writer in Pittsburgh&mdash;and then only one writer. St. Louis sends no writers on the road. Oakland, one. Minnesota, one. Los Angeles, none.I believe, in all fairness to the Post-Gazette, a bit of rebuttal to the irresponsible statement from this fellow which you published is in order.JIMMY JORDAN Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pa.(Editor&rsquo;s note: Jimmy Jordan was a former HOCKEY NEWS correspondent and we might add a good one, too, some years ago. We are pleased to reproduce his letter in order to put the hockey picture in Pittsburgh in its proper perspective).<h2>Geographical Alignment Would Speed NHL Parity</h2>I am intrigued to make a comment on a letter published in the &ldquo;Fan Forum&rdquo; on March 20.The reader&rsquo;s suggestion would mean a division system like in soccer. This is basically a sound system, but it would be a blow to our striving for parity in the NHL. I feel, that parity is just around the corner, even though the statistical results since expansion have proved otherwise.The West Division clubs should stick to their guns, and refrain from dealing their immediate and future draft choices to the established teams. This is the key to parity. With the new draft regulations, the weak clubs have definitely a good chance to pick their future superstars.Rather than contemplating a first and second division system, I would suggest to the responsible sources to consider the geographical location of the clubs with Los Angeles, Oakland, Vancouver, Minnesota, St. Louis, Detroit and Chicago in the West, and Montreal, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Toronto in the East.K.H. FRICKE, Thompson, Man<h2>CBS-TV Game Of Week Must Be Maintained</h2>I just received my first issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS and I&rsquo;m thrilled with all the fine stories and much information in it.I first saw a hockey game when the old Blades were in Los Angeles and gained interest in hockey through the games on CBS-TV. I think it&rsquo;s a must to continue to have these games on TV, especially to create fans in areas where there is no NHL or other hockey team.What can we hockey fans to do see that these telecasts continue in years to come? Who can we write or telegram?In view of the fact that there is evidently a danger of CBS-TV cancelling these telecasts, I feel that we must all pull together.Public opinion is powerful.DAVID STANFORD, Santa Barbara, Calif.(Editor&rsquo;s rote: Keep watching the Game of the Week. If you want to wire anyone, why not try CBS. They have the final word on NHL telecasts. In fact we suggest hockey fans everywhere write or wire CBS and let them know how they feel about hockey on TV.) &#9632;

Fan Forum

<div class="byline">BY TOM MONAHAN</div>BOSTON&mdash;The National Hockey League record book has gone out of style this year simply because of Bobby Orr, the Bruins&rsquo; sensational defenseman.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-03462/2746023-1-eng-US/f0005-032.jpg" title="f0005-03" width="246" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bobby Orr</figcaption></div>Yet in establishing a record for most goals scored by a defenseman, breaking the record for all comers on assists, becoming but the fourth man in history to score 100 points or more and the first defenseman in history (virutally assured) to win the NHL scoring title, the 22-year-old insists he has no &ldquo;pigeons&rdquo; in the League.In sports parlance, a &lsquo;pigeon&rsquo; is the individual or team that is the foundation of a first place ranking.For the baseball batter it is the pitcher, he knows can be hit. In football it may be the defender a receiver knows can be beaten by certain moves.In hockey it might be the goalie with a particular weakness.But Orr insists that he has not ever considered anyone in the NHL a pigeon, despite the fact that a breakdown of the 108 points he scored with six games still remaining on the schedule showed that Minnesota has contributed most to his total.Against the North Stars, Orr piled up seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. Los Angeles was next on the list with two goals and 12 assists with Philadelphia third with five goals and eight assists.It further developed that Orr has scored 18 goals and has 51 assists against the West with the remaining 12 goals and 27 assists against eastern competition.The only two teams in the league that stopped him from scoring a goal in 70 games were Oakland and Chicago.Of the two, Chicago was the toughest with Orr gaining only four assists while he had 12 assists against Oakland.This may be the reason Chicago was able to come back from a miserable start in its first 15 games to make this the tightest NHL playoff battle in history.But the figures still don&rsquo;t mean much to Orr.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know any player who goes out on the ice for a given game with the idea that this team is his meat,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Nor do I know any plyer who goes out with the thought that this team is tough for me to beat personnally.&ldquo;You just go out and play the game and things either happen or don&rsquo;t happen.&ldquo;In some games things just fall into place. When that happens you get points and goals no matter who you are playing against.&ldquo;None of the teams in the league play an easy game. There are no pigeons, as you call them, in this league.&ldquo;As far as goalies are concerned, I never give a thought to who might be playing goal against us.&ldquo;I am not at all conscious of putting a particular shot in a certain area of the net against any individual.&ldquo;A, forward may look at a goalie a bit differently,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Perhaps they may be looking for a corner or a spot where a particular goalie might be weak. But, as a defenseman I never think of those things. I&rsquo;m more conscious of the moves the opposing defenseman might make against me and how I might be able to beat him.&ldquo;As I said before, it&rsquo;s not a matter of having one, two or three men you know you can beat. It&rsquo;s all situation.&ldquo;I might beat a man one time down the ice and be stopped the next. It&rsquo;s simply a matter of everything working that you are able to get some success.&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t have had this success this year without the other guys doing their jobs and the fact that I have had more points against one team than another means simply that things were going in my favor on those particular nights.&rdquo;Although Bruins fans still were rooting for Orr to come up with a bundle of points to catch Phil Esposito&rsquo;s 1968-69 record of 126 points in the final six games of the season, Bobby was just looking for wins.&ldquo;I would rather have six wins and not score a point,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Being number one is all that matters.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0005-03

No Pigeons In NHL Says Record Busting Bobby Orr Of Bruins

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-05" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-05205/2746075-1-eng-US/f0005-052.jpg"></div>MONTREAL&mdash;Claude Provost is a journeyman hockey player, an honest individual who always gives an honest effort. It&rsquo;s been that way for the lantern-jawed Montreal right winger through 1,000 NHL games.The 36-year-old veteran of the Canadiens became the 19th player in the history of the NHL to reach the magic game plateau last week and to the good-natured Montrealer, it was just like any other game.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been lucky, that&rsquo;s how you last this long. I&rsquo;ve been lucky, too, to be with a team like the Canadiens. I&rsquo;ve been lucky not to get hurt&hellip;. yes, I&rsquo;ve been a lucky hockey player,&rdquo; was the way Provost summed up his 15 year NHL career and milestone game.Provost had scored 254 goals in 1,000 games.Here&rsquo;s the NHL&rsquo;s all-time leaders in games played:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-06127/2746068-1-eng-US/f0005-062.jpg" title="f0005-06" width="544" height="905"><figcaption class="caption-body">CLAUDE PROVOST</figcaption></div><h2>MICHIGAN JUNIOR LEAGUE</h2>(Final Standings)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-01674/2746061-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="577" height="236"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-02607/2746054-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="580" height="286"></div> &#9632;

f0005-05

Veteran Provost Becomes 19th To Reach 1,000-Came Plateau

1&mdash;Three of these four NHL players have fathers in Hockey&rsquo;s Hall of Fame. Which one hasn&rsquo;t? Tracy Pratt, Bryan Hextall, Mickey Redmond and Terry Clancy.2&mdash;Such names as Broda, Durnan, Mowers, Brimsek, Crawford, Plante, Hall and Sawchuk are all great goaling names in NHL history. Which one wasn&rsquo;t a netminder?3&mdash;Maurice Richard was the first to score 50 goals, the first to reach the 500-goal plateau and holds other records. One thing eluded the Rocket in his illustrious NHL career. What was it?4&mdash;Stan Mikita won the NHL scoring championship four times. Only one player ever won it four times in succession. Who was he?5&mdash;When Richard scored 50 goals in 1944-45 it erased the old mark of 43. What Boston player set it originally back in the early 1930&rsquo;s?6&mdash;In 216 games between East and West last year, the Establishment won 169, 149 or 129 games?7&mdash;Detroit and Chicago failed to make the NHL playoffs last season in the East. Can you name the two clubs that didn&rsquo;t make it in the West?8&mdash;Bobby Hull scored 58 goals last season. There were five other 40 plus goal-getters. We&rsquo;ll give you two of them, Esposito and Hodge. But who were the other three?9&mdash;Montreal swept New York out and Boston anihilated Toronto, both in four straight last year in the playoffs. How many games did it take Montreal to eliminate Boston?10&mdash;What goaler led the NHL in shutouts last season with seven? Was it Plante, Gia-comin or Worsley?<h2>HOCKEY QUIZ ANSWERS</h2>1&mdash;Mickey Redmond. His father, Eddie Redmond was a top minor league defenseman but never played regularly in the NHL.2&mdash;Crawford.3&mdash;Richard never won an NHL scoring title.4&mdash;Gordie Howe.5&mdash;Cooney Weiland. 6&mdash;129.7&mdash;Pittsburgh and Minnesota.8&mdash;Esposito and Frank Mahovlich each scored 49, Ken Hodge counted 45, Gordie Howe 44 and Yvan Cournoyer 43.9&mdash;Six games.10&mdash;Giacomin. &#9632;

two minute hockey quiz

<div class="byline">CHARLIE HALPIN</div>&bull; THE WILD and pulsating finish to the regular National Hockey League schedule probably has the top brass wondering what they can do to maintain the tremendous mo-mentum that has swept the league up into its most frenzied finish in more than two dec-ades.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-01750/2746106-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="250" height="443"></div>Sid Abel, general-manager and coach of the Detroit Red Wings, one of the principles involved in the NHL&rsquo;s windup drama, probably said it best when he commented:&ldquo;The way this National Hockey League race is going, the Stanley Cup will be anticlimactic.&rsquo;&rsquo;Indicative of just how tense the situation has become as the teams turn into the final week of the 456-game schedule, Abel was in raptures after his Wings skated off the ice last weekend with a pair of ties against the Bruins.&ldquo;If anyone told me before the weekend that we would tie the Bruins twice, I wouldn&rsquo;t have believed him,&rdquo; said an overjoyed Abel.Strange as it may seem, the two ties with the Bruins could conceivably lead to the Wings&rsquo; ultimate exit from the playoffs&mdash;that&rsquo;show cosy things are at the top in the wildest NHL finish since dad was a boy.A classic example is the New York Rangers. Leaders of the NHL for better than four months, they suddenly have plummeted almost out of range of the other clubs and could end up being the goats of the year. At Christmas time the daily journals were hailing the Broadway Blueshirts with banner lines like, &ldquo;The Rangers Are For Real.&rdquo; Today they are fighting for their lives.A Hollywood script writer couldn&rsquo;t have put if all together any better. If you can remember back to when five of the six teams in the East headed for home with one week to play and seven points separating first and fifth places, then you had better start digging because even the figure filberts are desperately trying to uncover the last time it happened.&bull; WHILE BOTH Boston and Chicago appear to have a lock on the top two positions for the upcoming playoffs, there&rsquo;s nothing to say that Montreal couldn&rsquo;t sweep its final three games and edge into first with 96 points if the Bruins and Hawks went winless. It&rsquo;s highly improbable but then nothing would surprise the hockey public the way the teams have been clawing at one another in the last month of the schedule.The Canadiens, who were earmarked for playoff elimination two weeks ago, rebounded and could end as high as second, third or even fall right out of it again. It&rsquo;s been that kind of year, man, balmy.Maybe Bobby Orr started it all by defying tradition and league history by coming on to become the first defenseman to ever win an NHL scoring title. It was unheard of just one short year ago. Then, too, who expected a fellow like Tony Esposito to step up and steal the gold out of the other netminders&rsquo; teeth and walk off with the Vezina Trophy. Later he could add the Calder Trophy and the first All-Star team and if that doesn&rsquo;t defy incredibility, then what does. A rookie pulling a clean sweep in his first year as an NHL goaler.Maybe, too, the Chicago Black Hawks had something to do with it. They were pussy cats who purred rather inconspiciously in the first month of the schedule. They played like poor mutts who couldn&rsquo;t escape their own doghouse. They were waving banners and chanting &lsquo;Goodby Billy&rsquo; every time Billy Reay poked his head out from behind the Chicago bench.Today they are embracing Reay as the Hawks thunder down the stretch to possibly another first place finish. From last to first, now they are ready to toast Reay as a definite candidate for coach-of-the-year laurels. And no one would deserve it more.But it has been that kind of a wacky, wonderful hockey season and makes you wonder what can the NHL really do for an encore with the Stanley Cup playoffs about to burst on the hockey hori-zon.They could rerun the tapes of the 1969-70 finish. That would keep them howling. &#9632;

f0006-01

What Is The NHL Going To Do For An Encore?

<div class="byline">BY NORMAN MacLEAN</div>NEW YORK&mdash;Rod Gilbert flashed in front of Boston goaltender Eddie Johnston, dropped his shoulder one way, shot the other. Johnston moved smoothly and smothered the shot. The score was 2-1, Boston, at the time and a Gilbert goal would have tied up a game New York had to win in order to make the playoffs this season. Instead, Rod missed as he has been doing all season.Later, with the Rangers working on a power play, a Gilbert slap shot from the point was blocked by Derek Sanderson of the Bruins. Sanderson, the poor man&rsquo;s Joe Namath, picked up the loose puck and skated in alone on Ranger goalie Eddie Giacomin. He did not miss and the score was 3-1 Boston and the Rangers&rsquo; chances of making the playoffs rested on the results of two games with Montreal, one with Toronto and a season ending series with Detroit on the April 4-5 weekend.&ldquo;We got another injury Vic Hadfield&mdash;bad ankle&mdash;and we did not score, as usual,&rdquo; summed up Ranger General Manager-Coach Emile Francis after the contest.The collapse of the Rangers from first place which they held from November 16 until March 1, remains one of the all time mysteries of sports. Injuries to Jim Neilson and Brad Park hurt, but Tim Horton was acquired from Toronto, to at least somewhat stabilize the defense. Why the forward lines should suddenly stop producing goals has to be a mystery.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01702/2746175-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="250" height="435"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jean Rateile</figcaption></div>Gilbert had only 14 goals and Bob Nevin, 16. It must be mentioned that Nevvy started off the season with a bad knee injury on opening night in Boston. Of late, he has been swinging from line to line, subbing for Bill Fairbairn on the Walt Tkaczuk-Dave Balon trio and subbing for Gilbert on the Jean Ratelle combination. His goal against Pittsburgh on March 18 broke the Rangers&rsquo; long unbeaten string and gave the club its first triumph since February 25.Nonetheless, both Gilbert and Nevin have become the target of Garden boo birds&mdash;and most blame them for the slide which the club has suffered through. The Tkaczuk line, which still is the highest scoring line in hockey, also slowed down in the stretch and this hurt. Fairbairn was hurt for a period and tried to play with a brace on his knee.The defense, obviously not at top shape when the injuries hit, has stabilized, but no one is getting the puck up ice like Park and Neilson. Jim is playing with a brace on his knee and is not really as mobile as before.One bright spot has been the constant work, toil and effort of Jean Ratelle, who with 29 goals again is nearing the 30 mark for the third straight season. He was named the third star of the New York loss to Toronto on the CBS TV Game of the Week March 22 and also a star in the loss to Boston March 25.&ldquo;Ratelle is our best man in the clutch,&rdquo; says Francis. &ldquo;He has been killing penalties for us in our emergency and taking most of the key faceoffs. Jean is top flight all the way.&rdquo;Rangerville is saddened and unhappy over the turn of events which has plummeted New York, from first to fifth in a month. In particular. Ranger fans are being needled by buffs of the Mets and Knickerbockers who have enjoyed great season.BLUE CHIPS: In 35 home games New York has sold out 32 times and drawn 6(X), 567. They will surpass their all time attendance record set in 1968-69 of 620, 544&hellip;Jean Ratelle has nine power play goals with Walt Tkaczuk and Brad Park next with five each&hellip;Vic Hadfield and Bill Fairbairn lead with five game winning goals&hellip;Even in their slump the Rangers continue to outshoot the opposition. So far this season, New York has taken 2,504 shots and their opponents 1,956&hellip;The goals for are 228 and the goals against 175 as we went to press&hellip;Bob Nevin&rsquo;s game winning goal versus Pittsburgh on March 18 was his 200th NHL career marker and it was scored on his 32nd birthday&hellip;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-02630/2746168-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="1086" height="867"><figcaption class="caption-body">Veteran Ranger star ROD GILBERT, left, with young BRAD PARK, has been target of vociferous &lsquo;Garden Gods&rsquo; since club started late-season nosedive out of playoff picture. (Hockey News Photo by John Barnett)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0007-01

Collapse Of Rangers Mystery To The Cat; Boo Birds Sound Off

<div class="byline">&#x2014;By Bill Libby</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-01736/2746213-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="291" height="367"></div><h2>Young Wing Can Fly</h2>THE DETROIT RED WINGS, battling for a playoff berth and possibly a pen-nant, flew to the Far West counting on four points from their California cousins, but blew the game in Oakland on Friday night and grumbled into Los Angeles for a Saturday night game that suddenly was critical to them. The never-say-die Kings carried the contest to the Wings before Roger Crozier with incredible saves, and Garry Unger, with his 38th and 39th goals, killed them. In the press box, the Wings&rsquo; deposed coach, Bill Gadsby, smiled with relief. How could he root for them? Because they still were paying him? &ldquo;No,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a funny world,&rdquo; he shrugged, grinning wistfully.The Wings danced clumsily down the corridor on their high skates into their dressing room, shouting happily, &ldquo;Way to go gang&hellip;Atta&rsquo; way, guys&hellip;This was the big one&hellip;Way to go,&rdquo; like joyous children. Inside, first manager and coach Sid Abel, then owner Bruce Norris walked the aisle between the lockers congratulating their chattels, who were cheering themselves contentedly. New York had collapsed and Montreal was struggling and Chicago and Detroit had surged from out of nowhere to threaten Boston&rsquo;s grip on first place and now the Wings felt that if they could lick the Kings, they could whip the world.It is not done without sacrifice and suffering, of course. Carl Brewer had a stitched-up cut between his eyes which was caked with dried blood. Ron Harris was grimacing with pain as he unwound tape from a sore foot. Frank Mahovlich was studying a favorite stick which had smashed. Bobby Baun was smiling, but his boxer face seemed weary and he sat a long time before he could get up to shower.Two years ago, the Kings beat the Wings, 8-6, and drove goaltender Roger Crozier into temporary retirement with jangling nerves. Now he sat, slim and sweaty in his underclothes, looking tired, but pleased. Roy Edwards, the 32-year-old sophomore, had been playing most of the games and Crozier was happy to have re-established himself and helped his team. &ldquo;I have a different outlook now,&rdquo; he said.Down the way, 42-year-old Gordie Howe was hugging and teasing 22-year-old Garry Unger. &ldquo;Ain&rsquo;t he something,&rdquo; Gordie was saying, who is something himself. Gordie was in his second season in the NHL when Unger was born. Now Unger was in his second full season and blushing modestly, but smiling proudly and wondering if Chicago&rsquo;s Stan Mikita had scored that night or if his two goals made him number one in the league. And what number was he last year? &ldquo;One hundred and thirty,&rdquo; Garry grinned. Actually, he was 37th, with 24 goals.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02648/2746206-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="557" height="853"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARRY UNGER&hellip;Things Happening Fast</figcaption></div>Hockey men have been telling us for some seasons now that Unger was really something, but two years ago Toronto decided it was something less than they hoped for and traded Gary, Pete Stemkowski, Frank Mahovlich and Carl Brewer to Detroit for Norm Ullman, Paul Henderson and Floyd Smith in a deal that now has the Leafs in last place and the Wings fighting for first. When the deal was made, Abel said, &ldquo;Unger is the sleeper; he&rsquo;s going to be one of the great ones.&rdquo; Now he said, &ldquo;Unger&rsquo;s getting great.&rdquo; Aide Baz Bastien said, &ldquo;Next year will be the real test, but he&rsquo;s showing us something. He doesn&rsquo;t slap the puck. He&rsquo;s got the good wrist shot. Boom, it&rsquo;s gone.&rdquo; Bill Gadsby said, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s strong. You can&rsquo;t knock him down. He can handle the puck and shoot it quick.&rdquo;<h2>Wearing The Mod Look</h2>DURING THE GAME, Eddie Shack made one of his Leaping Lena checks and bounced right off Unger and into the penalty box, killing another King drive. Now Unger, 6-foot tall and 175 pounds, stood slim and trim, drying from his shower and saying over and over again, &ldquo;The big thing was we won the game.&rdquo; Asked to assess his arrival at stardom, he said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all happening so fast and so much is going on with the team that I haven&rsquo;t had a chance to sit down and think about it. But I know I&rsquo;m much more relaxed than I was. When things break for you and the team wins, you gain confidence, and with confidence you relax, and with relaxation, you can do the things you&rsquo;re capable of doing best.&rdquo;The good-looking blonde lad began to dress. He pulled on an orange shirt with a yellow, blue and orange scarf. He pulled on grey, black and yellow checked bell-bottom pants. He pulled on a sport coat as blue as the Gulf Stream. And a brown floppy hat that he&rsquo;d bought that day, which looked like it had been inherited from a cowboy down on his luck. You might say he looked mod. He has been dating the reigning Miss America, a Detroit gal, and recently when someone asked him about it, he said, She deserves to be a winner.&rdquo; That comment has made him famous. Now he said, &ldquo;She&rsquo;sbooked solid, but I get to date her when she has cancellations. She&rsquo;s a nice girl, but when she&rsquo;s busy, I&rsquo;m busy with other nice girls.&rdquo;He and fellow bachelor and teammate Pete Stemkowski rent a house together, which has become busy since the surge. &ldquo;I kind of like my privacy, but there&rsquo;s none of that there any more,&rdquo; Stemkowski sighed. A reformed scorer turned checker, he was asked if he accepts left-overs from the stock of his glamorous roomie. &ldquo;Naw, I have my own supply,&rdquo; Stemmer smiled.Asked if it was nice to be young, good-looking, mod, suddenly a star and a winner. Unger grinned and said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the greatest. I feel sorry for those who don&rsquo;t have it at least once in their lives.&rdquo; &#9632;

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Hockey Ad Lib

PITTSBURGHThe Pittsburgh Penguins are making Red Kelly&rsquo;s chances at coach-of-the-year honors look better every day.Kelly, a former National Hockey League defenseman who went on to coach the Los Angeles Kings before coming here, has lifted the Penguins out of the Western Division cellar and into second place in his first season with the club.The players are obviously happy working for Kelly and they are displaying their eagerness where it counts&mdash;on the ice.As THE HOCKEY NEWS went to press, the Penguins were riding in second place in the Western Division with 62 points, four ahead of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers.And they grabbed that four-point lead by going through the week of March 24-29 undefeated with two victories and a tie.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03532/2746251-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="252" height="456"><figcaption class="caption-body">Les Binkley</figcaption></div>The Penguins blanked the Minnesota North Stars 2-C March 25 and goalie Les Binkley turned back 25 shots to chalk up his first shutout of the season.Three days later, the Penguins nipped the Flyers 2-1 and Binkley lost his bid for a second consecutive shutout when Gary Dornhoefer tallied mid-way through the final period.The following night, the Penguins rallied for a goa with 18 seconds remaining in the game with Ron Schock getting the goal to tie the St. Louis Blues 5-5.The Penguins can&rsquo;t go any higher than second in the West Division but with Binkley supplying stellar netminding and the forwards scoring, the Penguins could be tough in the playoffs.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04393/2746244-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="1049" height="1116"><figcaption class="caption-body">RED KELLY&hellip;Has Given Pens Big Lift</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Kelly Magic Holds As Penguins Roll Into Second Spot

TWIN CITIES&mdash;There are a lot of things happening in the National Hockey League this season that have been unheard of in the past.Like a defenseman winning the scoring championship with more than 100 points and a goaltender piling up 15 shutouts.And a &lsquo;penalty-killer&rsquo; aiming for a 30-goal season.Bill Collins of the Minnesota North Stars falls into the last category.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01715/2746289-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="258" height="426"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Collins</figcaption></div>Collins, a 26-year-old native of Ottawa, plays on a regular line but he is best known as a penalty killer extraordinaire.Yet, he has scored 26 goals for the North Stars this season, eight more than his last two years combined with the Western Division club.And five of these goals have come while killing penalties, tying him with Derek Sanderson of the Boston Bruins for the league lead in that department.Collins, a six-foot, 178-pound forward, turned pro with Denver of the Western League in 1963 but bounced around the minors, mainly in the American and Central leagues until Minnesota drafted him for expansion in June, 1967.His first year with Minnesota saw him notch only nine goals and he added 11 assists to that for 20 points. He got the same number of goals last year but one less assist for 19 points.However, this season has been a gratifying one for Collins. He scored two goals in Minnesota&rsquo;s 8-3 triumph over Oakland March 29 to boost his total to 26.He also connected for a couple of hat tricks in recent weeks making people wonder where he has been hiding all that scoring power.As we went to press, the North Stars were in fifth place in the Western Division but were hot after the Seals.<h2>ICE QUIPS&hellip;&hellip;By MAKI</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02658/2746282-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="1195" height="1211"></div> &#9632;

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‘Penalty Killer’ Collins Aims For 30-Coal Season With Stars

<h2>NATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>ST. LOUIS&mdash;Norm Dennis and Jaroslav Jirik, forwards, recalled from Kansas City of CHL.OAKLAND&mdash;Joe Hardy, forward, recalled from Providence of AHL and returned when Bob Dillabough, forward, came off injury list.NEW YORK&mdash;Don Blackburn, forward, returned to Buffalo of AHL.Jack Egers, forward, recalled from Omaka of CHL as emergency replacement forVic Hadfield, forward, out for season with injured Achilles tendon. Brad Park, defenseman, returned from injury list after missing 17 games with cracked ankle.PHILADELPHIA&mdash;Michel Belhumeur, goalkeeper, recalled from Quebec of AHL to act as standby. Dune Wilson, goalkeeper, returned to Quebec. Ralph MacSweyn, defenseman, and Rosaire Paiement, forwards, returned to Quebec.DETROIT&mdash;Gerry Hart, defenseman, recalled from Forth Worth as replacement for Gary Bergman, defenseman, out with injured instep. Hart returned to Forth Worth and replaced by Poul Popiel, defenseman, recalled from Cleveland of AHL.PITTSBURGH&mdash;Bryan Hextall, forward, out indefinitely with broken left hand. Rick Kessell, forward, brought up from Baltimore of AHL as replacement. Wally Boyer, forward, placed on injured list with groin troubles.<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>PROVIDENCE&mdash;Bert Fizzell, forward, recalled from Columbus of IHL on eight-game pro tryout.MONTREAL&mdash;Bob Murdoch, defenseman, returned to Winnipeg after playing six of eight games in pro tryout. Rejean Houle, forward, back in action after two months of inac-tivity with broken leg. Bernie Blanchette, forward, recalled from Muskegon of IHL to complete five-game pro tryout and later returned to Muskegon. &#9632;

Movements of Players

<div class="byline">BY PAT CURRAN</div>MONTREAL&mdash;Serge Savard has been lost for the season and the playoffs but the Canadiens still credit the brilliant defenseman and penalty-killer for leading them out of the doldrums into an East Division playoff spot.The loss of Savard, who suffered a broken leg in a game against New York, March 10, had a jolting effect on the injury-plagued Habs. Instead of bowing their heads and accepting the inevitable thought of missing the playoffs for the first time in 22 years, several players started working harder than they had all season in sparking the team to an unbeaten string of six wins and two ties.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-01734/2746344-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="273" height="451"><figcaption class="caption-body">J.C. Tremblay</figcaption></div>Foremost in the revival was Jean Claude Tremblay, the veteran defenseman who couldn&rsquo;t get started this season and lost his regular job to young Savard.&ldquo;I certainly didn&rsquo;t want someone to get hurt so I could play again, especially a player like Serge who meant so much to the team,&rdquo; said J.C. after being voted first star of a game. &ldquo;But I know I&rsquo;ve got to replace a guy who was having a big season and I think I&rsquo;ve been playing better because of it. Of course I can&rsquo;t replace him in penalty-killing but maybe on defense.Tremblay wound up dangling the puck on his stick as though on a string again and picked up a goal and five assists in seven games as a regular rearguard.The mild-tempered veteran also surprised team-mates and opponents by starting to hit a little and play more aggressively.&ldquo;If I handled the puck well, I always felt I was doing my job. I don&rsquo;t know much about hitting anyway. Maybe now I&rsquo;m getting mad and letting them know I&rsquo;m there&rdquo;.Winding up his 10th NHL season, Tremblay has a lot to make up for his poor first half before a wrist injury put him out of action for 18 games.However, he says he has learned a lesson.&ldquo;I started the season thinking everything came easy and wasn&rsquo;t playing well. That was stupid. It wasn&rsquo;t until I got hurt and then stayed on the bench that I realized a player has to push himself all the time he&rsquo;s on the ice.&ldquo;The coach was right in keeping me on the bench. Somehow I thought I didn&rsquo;t have to work to do my job. The fans were right too. They yelled at me because they knew I wasn&rsquo;t playing my&rsquo; game.&rdquo;Tremblay wasn&rsquo;t impressed at being chosen first star after a stellar performance in Canadiens&rsquo; victory over Pittsburgh.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think much of picking the three stars, it all depends how the fellow sees the game. If my father was picking them, I would be first star every time.&rdquo;Then he laughed, recalling one night last season when the fans nearly booed him out of the Forum.&ldquo;Well maybe not one game last year, even when my father was here. That night I stunk out the rink.&rdquo;J.C. has been able to laugh again along with the Canadiens who hit the last week of the schedule, not only well in line for a playoff spot but even threatening for the East Division title. &#9632;

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Canadiens Figure Savard’s Injury Inspired Drive For Playoff Spot

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div>DETROIT&mdash;Carl Brewer doesn&rsquo;t figure Gordie Howe is ready for the scrap heap but that the many stories about Howe&rsquo;s age and his sore wrist might make Gordie think he&rsquo;s ready before his time.&ldquo;Practices are a labor for me,&rdquo; said the Red Wing defenseman. &ldquo;I guess it&rsquo;s a carryover from my experiences in Toronto.&rdquo; And he grimaced at the memory of his association with Punch Imlach.&ldquo;But Gordie comes out for practice as if it&rsquo;s the first time he&rsquo;s been in the rink. He works harder and has more enthusiasm than anyone else.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01724/2746382-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="241" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">Carl Brewer</figcaption></div>Brewer feels Howe hasn&rsquo;t lost any of his strength, either, and it rather pains him to see and hear all of the &ldquo;poor old Gordie&rdquo; stories and conversation.Howe will be 42 years old on March 31 and certainly he isn&rsquo;t what he used to be. But he was so far ahead of everyone else that even with some impairment&mdash;and that arthritic left wrist has bothered him&mdash;he&rsquo;s still better than most.Check the statistics this season. Through 69 games Howe scored 26 goals and had a decent shot at 30. Even if he doesn&rsquo;t reach that mark, 26 goals is a pretty fair season.Howe likely will drop out of the top five in the scoring race for the first time in 21 seasons but he&rsquo;ll probably be in the top 10 and that isn&rsquo;t bad, either, is it in a league that includes more than 200 players?It&rsquo;s precisely the point Imlach made when he rescued slightly aging players while he was with Toronto. A number of Punch&rsquo;s former employes still dislike his methods but Imlach certainly proved that when a player reaches 32 or 33, he isn&rsquo;t washed up.And, one night in Maple Leaf Garden while watching Detroit and the Leafs, Imlach remarked that Ron Ellis &ldquo;is the best right wing in hockey&hellip;right NOW.&rdquo; And the new Buffalo managercoach emphasized &ldquo;now.&rdquo; He watched Howe and opined &ldquo;he doesn&rsquo;t dominate a game the way he used to&hellip;but you just let Detroit not protect him&hellip;I&rsquo;ll be happy to take him.&rdquo;There&rsquo;s no chance that would happen of course. Howe has another year to go on the most lucrative contract he&rsquo;s ever had with Detroit, another year to round out a quarter century in the National Hockey League.Howe has said before that he wouldn&rsquo;t quit until he&rsquo;s had two bad seasons in a row. This isn&rsquo;t like 1968-69, Howe&rsquo;s greatest point season when he totaled 103, breaking the century mark for the first time. He scored 44 goals and set a record for assists by a right wing&mdash;59.This season hasn&rsquo;t been as gratifying offensively for Howe or his linemates, Frank Mahovlich and Alex Delvecchio. Mahovlich scored 49 goals last season&rsquo; and Delvecchio 25. They set a record for goals by a line.They&rsquo;re a far cry from that this season but this season the Red Wings are involved in the tightest, wildest race in league history&hellip;and last season, despite all those goals, the Red Wings didn&rsquo;t make the Stanley Cup playoffs and that is the No. 1 objective.A few years ago, when Bill Gadsby was winding up his playing career and playing standout defense for the Red Wings, the club reached the Cup finals against Montreal and won the first two games.Nearly everyone said how great it would be to win the Cup for old Bill who&rsquo;d never played on a Cup championship team.&ldquo;How about old Gordie?&rdquo; Howe asked one day, perhaps only half in jest.And the way the season has gone and is going, it&rsquo;s conceivable Detroit could win it for &ldquo;old Gordie.&rdquo; And it&rsquo;s more than conceivable that &ldquo;old Gordie&rsquo; would have an awful lot to do with the winning of it.It certainly wouldn&rsquo;t surprise Brewer who feels the reports of Howe&rsquo;s decline, like the demise of Mark Twain, are somewhat exaggerated.Brewer, incidentally, feels he&rsquo;s coming on strong for the closing rush and that it couldn&rsquo;t come at a better time. Brwer&rsquo;s quite honest about his play and said that he&rsquo;s been flat for more than a month.But in that time the Wings acquired Dale Rolfe from Los Angeles and so there was no de-crease in the efficiency of the best defense corps the Wings have had in years.The club put together a 10-game unbeaten streak on seven victories and three ties, their best streak since 1962-63.The Wings went nine in a row on the road before losing, 3-2, in Oakland, and that was their best road streak since the good old days of 1951-52 when the club record was established 15 on the road without a loss.Going into their matinee game March 28 at Boston, the Wings had lost only two games on the road since mid-season, the one in Oakland and a 5-1 beating Feb. 4 in New York.With three road games remaining the Wings had a 19-9-7 won-losttied mark, far and away the best in the NHL.The Wings had at least one victory in every rink in the league except Boston. They finally beat Minnesota, 6-2, in their final meeting and that gave them a split in their season set with the North Stars, each winning one and there were four ties.The Wings completed their series with the West Division with a 22-8-6 record, their best in the three seasons of expansion. They swept Los Angeles, 6-0, and took the set from everyone but Minnesota.Detroit&rsquo;s road prowess stood it well during its most gruelling week of the season, that stretch of five games in seven nights which started in Boston and wound up in Los Angeles. The Wings tied Boston, beat LA in Detroit, whipped the North Stars at Minnesota, bowed at Oakland and then whipped LA again in the Forum.After that they collapsed for four days.Garry Unger got hot and is fighting for the league goal-scoring title with Stan Mikita and Phil Esposito. Unger, the 22-year-old super mod center, was standing in the lobby of the Wings&rsquo; LA hotel, wearing one of his colorful combinations and someone asked Howe how he could let someone on the club dress like that&hellip;&ldquo;Because he&rsquo;s got 37 goals,&rdquo; Howe crackedThat night Unger added two more.Gary Bergman, having an excellent second half, was sidelined four games after being hit on the instep by a shot in Boston. Tough Gerry Hart was called up from Fort Worth to help out.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-02670/2746375-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="1165" height="1499"><figcaption class="caption-body">GORDIE HOWE&hellip;Punch Would Grab Him</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Howe Not Ready To Quit Yet, His Agility Amazes Brewer

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-02607/2746441-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg"></div><h2>INDIVIDUAL SCORING LEADERS</h2>(Including Games on Sun. March 29)<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01702/2746434-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="1845" height="1463"></div><h3>EAST DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-03479/2746427-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="624" height="2685"></div><h3>WEST DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-04353/2746420-1-eng-US/f0012-042.jpg" title="f0012-04" width="610" height="2381"></div><h3>PENALTIES BY TEAMS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-05264/2746413-1-eng-US/f0012-052.jpg" title="f0012-05" width="575" height="327"></div> &#9632;

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TOP 25 SCORERS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-06" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-06217/2746486-1-eng-US/f0012-062.jpg"></div><h2>THE TOP 10 NETMINDERS</h2>(Including Games of Sunday, March 29)<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-07189/2746479-1-eng-US/f0012-072.jpg" title="f0012-07" width="1204" height="1908"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-08164/2746472-1-eng-US/f0012-082.jpg" title="f0012-08" width="2406" height="228"></div> &#9632;

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Looking At NHL Goalers

OAKLAND&mdash;The Oakland Seals didn&rsquo;t do too well last week against the team they have to beat in order to be assured of a berth in the National Hockey League Stanley Cup playoffs.The Seals, fighting desperately to stay ahead of the Minnesota North Stars for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Division, tied one game and were humiliated in the other two games the teams played last week.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-14173/2746524-1-eng-US/f0013-142.jpg" title="f0013-14" width="266" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike Laughton</figcaption></div>After tying 2-2 in Minnesota March 24, the teams met March 29 here and the North Stars crushed the Seals by an 8-3 count.That moved the North Stars to within a single point of tying the Seals for fourth spot in the West as THE HOCKEY NEWS went to press.What helped the Seals maintain their slim hold in the No. 4 place were 3-2 victories over Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues last week.Of course, Minnesota aided Oakland&rsquo;s cause by dropping a 2-0 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins and then losing 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings.Mike Laughton continues to lead the Seals in gamewinning goals with four, followed closely by Garry Jarrett, Earl Ingarfield and Harry Howell with three each.Laughton, Jarrett and Carol Vadnais each have two game-tying goals to pace the club in that department. Earl Ingarfield leads in power-play markers with eight, Ted Hampson has seven and Vadnais six.Vadnais, incidentally, has the dubious distinction of being the NHL&rsquo;s &lsquo;bad man this year with 200 minutes in penalties.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-15143/2746517-1-eng-US/f0013-152.jpg" title="f0013-15" width="544" height="576"><figcaption class="caption-body">CAROL VADNAIS&hellip;NHL&rsquo; &lsquo;Bad Man&rsquo;</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Seals Failure To Stop Stars Jeopardizes Playoff Chances

(Including Games Of Sun. March 22)<h2>TEAM STATISTICS AGAINST OWN DIVISION</h2><h3>East Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01692/2746639-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="579" height="179"></div><h3>West Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02646/2746632-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="574" height="180"></div><h2>AGAINST OTHER DIVISION</h2><h3>East Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-03601/2746625-1-eng-US/f0013-032.jpg" title="f0013-03" width="576" height="178"></div><h3>West Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-04550/2746618-1-eng-US/f0013-042.jpg" title="f0013-04" width="574" height="179"></div><h2>HOME AND AWAY RECORDS</h2><h3>East At Home</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-05454/2746611-1-eng-US/f0013-052.jpg" title="f0013-05" width="574" height="175"></div><h3>East On Road</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-06386/2746604-1-eng-US/f0013-062.jpg" title="f0013-06" width="585" height="182"></div><h3>West At Home</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-07356/2746597-1-eng-US/f0013-072.jpg" title="f0013-07" width="576" height="180"></div><h3>West On Road</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-08334/2746590-1-eng-US/f0013-082.jpg" title="f0013-08" width="576" height="182"></div><h2>POWER PLAY GOALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-09318/2746583-1-eng-US/f0013-092.jpg" title="f0013-09" width="582" height="409"></div>(Key: GP&mdash;Gamos Played, ADV&mdash;Advantage; PPG&mdash;&mdash;Power Play Goals; TS&mdash;Timos Shorthanded; PPGA&mdash;Power Play Goals Against.<h2>INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS POWER PLAY GOALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-10296/2746576-1-eng-US/f0013-102.jpg" title="f0013-10" width="589" height="506"></div><h3>GAME WINNING GOALS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-11271/2746569-1-eng-US/f0013-112.jpg" title="f0013-11" width="587" height="402"></div><h3>GAME TIEING GOALS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-12238/2746562-1-eng-US/f0013-122.jpg" title="f0013-12" width="577" height="80"></div><h3>SHORTHAND GOALS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-13204/2746555-1-eng-US/f0013-132.jpg" title="f0013-13" width="581" height="184"></div> &#9632;

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NHL WEEK—In Statistics

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0013-16" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-16101/2746677-1-eng-US/f0013-162.jpg"></div>(Standings on Tues. March 31)<h2>EAST DIVISION</h2><h2>WEST DIVISION</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-1780/2746670-1-eng-US/f0013-172.jpg" title="f0013-17" width="1108" height="299"></div><h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Tues. March 24Oakland 2 at Minnesota 2St. Louis 4 at Los Angeles 0Wed. March-25Toronto 2 at Montreal 5Boston 3 at New York 1Philadelphia 2 at Oakland 3Minnesota 0 at Pittsburgh 2Thurs. March 26Chicago 1 at Detroit 0Philadelphia 2 at Los Angeles 3Fri. March 27St. Louis 2 at Oakland 3Sat. March 28New York 1 at Montreal 1Chicago 1 at Toronto 1Detroit 5 at Boston 5Pittsburgh 2 at Philadelphia 1Minnesota 2 at Los Angeles 4Sun. March 29Montreal 1 at New York 4Toronto 0 at Chicago 4Boston 2 at Detroit 2St. Louis 5 at Pittsburgh 5Minnesota 8 at Oakland 3<h2>GAMES TO COME</h2>Tues. March 31Los Angeles at MinnesotaWed. April 1Boston at MontrealNew York at TorontoDetroit at ChicagoPhiladelphia at PittsburghOakland at St. LouisThurs. April 2Toronto at DetroitSt. Louis at PhiladelphiaFri. April 3Los Angeles at OaklandSat. April 4Chicago at MontrealBoston at TorontoNew York at DetroitMinnesota at PhiladelphiaPittsburgh at St. LouisOakland at Los AngelesSun. April 5Montreal at ChicagoToronto at BostonDetroit at New YorkAinnesota at PittsburgTV GAME of the WEEKDetroit at New YorkSun. April 5 at 2.05 p.m. &#9632;

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THE NHL SCENE

<h2>In The East</h2>Stealing the spotlight away from the rest of the National Hockey League is starting to become a habit with Chicago goaler Tony Esposito. He&rsquo;s been doing it regularly since the season started and in the past two weeks he&rsquo;s even overshadowed brilliant Bobby Orr of the Bruins.Esposito became the NHL&rsquo;s modern shutout king this past week when he posted his 14th and 15th blankings of the season to establish a new league mark and scuttle the old record of 13 held by Harry Lumley.Of course, the Hawks&rsquo; exciting rookie is still well behind the all-time a shutout mark of 22 set by the late George Hainsworth back in 1928-29 in a 44-game schedule.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02581/2746746-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="255" height="405"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tony Esposito</figcaption></div>But the new Espo has set up a modern standard that may take a lot of beating the way teams are platooning their netminders these days. Esposito, who has scored three shutouts in Chicago&rsquo;s last four games, had a pretty stingy week when it came to giving up goals. He allowed only one in three starts.THE HOCKEY NEWS and El Producto are pleased for the second straight week to salute the NHL&rsquo;s player-of-the-week in the East:TONY ESPOSITO&hellip;Chicago<h2>In The West</h2>One of the most remarkable comebacks of the National Hockey League season has to be the 35-goal performance of Bill Goldsworthy of the Minnesota North Stars, who has become the premier goal shooter among the Expansion Division snipers.Goldy shot No. 35 on the weekend as the North Stars buried the Oakland Seals under an 8-3 avalanche to culminate a rather prolific week for the rangy right winger who was banished to the minor leagues last season for sub-par production.Goldsworthy only scored 14 times last year and had a lifetime NHL high of 34 going into this season. His 35th goal, one of three he tallied this week along with two assists, must have made the blond winger feel pretty confident that he had made it all the way back on his comeback bid.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03444/2746739-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="252" height="429"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Goldsworthy</figcaption></div>While he ranks as the No. 2 point man on the North Stars, Goldsworthy is top man on the club in goals and giving it all he has to get the Stars into the fourth and final playoff spot.THE HOCKEY NEWS and El Producto are pleased to salute the NHL&rsquo;s player-of-the-week in the West:BILL GOLDSWORTHY&hellip;Minnesota &#9632;

f0014-02

NHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>&ldquo;you like 7up 7up likes you&rdquo;&ldquo;you like 7up 7up likes you&rdquo;LOS ANGELES&mdash;There are not many laurels left for the Kings to take as their third season winds up, but Ross Lonsberry takes the biggest of them with his selection as most valuable player of the Los Angeles team.The Kings passed through their 70th game with only 11 victories. This represents the fewest victories ever recorded in 70 games in NHL history, surpassing the 12 won by Chicago in the 1953-54 season.They had 10 ties, escaping by one the 70-game record for fewest points, 31, also held by that Chicago team. And their 48 losses was three fewer than the 51 suffered by those Hawks, though the Kings could surpass this in the remaining six games.Some say these figures establish the Kings as the worst team in NHL history. Aside from the harsh statistics, the Hawks were one-sixth of a smaller circuit, while the Kings are only onetwelfth of a diluted major league.Still, the Kings do not seem this bad and regular readers (or reader, as the case may be) of this corner know we do not say such things to impress management. We were more critical of the Kings when they had better years statistically. This team never has given up, has played hard and sometimes well, but seldom with many breaks. Other teams have given less and accomplished more.Of course, because of many trades, it is not the same team now which played most of the season. And, also of course, bad teams usually find ways to lose. This has been one of those seasons when nothing the Kings did worked. In their 69th and 70th games, they outplayed Montreal and Detroit, but were decisively beaten.Coach Johnny Wilson has done a fine job in three-fourths of a season, but has little to show for it. Perhaps with a fresh start, he can generate improvements. He has interesting thoughts on this, which we will discuss next week. He does have some good talent on which to build.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-01690/2746708-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="529" height="580"><figcaption class="caption-body">ROSS LONSBERRY&hellip;Promising Season</figcaption></div>Perhaps being MVP of a lastplace, worst-ever sort of team is a distinction of dubious merit, but there were several Kings who played well this season and established their class by never giving in to despair, and Lonsberry was one of these. He did not have a great year. No King did. But he had a good one that promises future greatness.Ross was 23 on February 7th. The helmeted left-winger has good size at 5-10 and 185 pounds, skates well, has a good shot and, perhaps most important, played intelligently. He was the Kings&rsquo; most consistent performer from start to finish, after being acquired from Boston with Eddie Shack for Ken Turlik and two future amateur draft choices last summer in a shrewd deal by Jack Kent Cooke and Larry Regan.He once scored 67 goals in 60 games as an amateur and has been a pro four seasons and a big-leaguer part of two previous seasons. &ldquo;Getting a chance to play full-time made a world of difference to me,&rdquo; he said after being informed he had won the honor. &ldquo;I had a period when things weren&rsquo;t going for me, but I kept working and came out of it. I feel I proved I can play in the majors, progressed a great deal and look forward to getting off to a good start next season.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d be lying if I said it was easy to play well for a loser, but we all have personal pride and we kept thinking we&rsquo;d win the next one. We got discouraged, but never gave in to it. I feel surprised and proud to have won the trophy.&rdquo;Owner Cooke wants players with character and Ross proved in a year of personal and professional despair he has it. He won by vote of the few L.A. area hockey writers by a wide margin over Eddie Joyal and Gerry Des-jardins. Although traded, this writer felt Desjardins was MVP for this team most of the season before he became depressed and logically had to be traded. He was MVP last season and Eddie Joyal the first season. Joyal, Bill Flett, Jim Peters, Butch Goring and the traded Dale Rolfe were other Kings who had good individual seasons.Jon Washington, who was considered a Goebels for his efforts to promote an unpopular cause, parted company from the Kings at season&rsquo;s end. A fine writer and a fine publicist, he worked hard and will be a good catch for a good newspaper or another team. He had a good season, too, but like other Kings, it ends sadly. &#9632;

f0014-01

Lonsberry Selected MVP Of Lowly Kings As Club Sets New NHL Futility Record

<h2>Game-Bv-Game Summaries</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01665/2746910-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="841" height="574"></div><h3>Tues. March 24 ST. LOUIS 4 AT LOS ANGELES 0</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02598/2746903-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="580" height="451"></div><h3>OAKLAND 2 AT MINNESOTA 2</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-03503/2746896-1-eng-US/f0015-032.jpg" title="f0015-03" width="581" height="502"></div><h3>Wed. March 25 PHILADELPHIA 2 AT OAKLAND 3</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-04388/2746889-1-eng-US/f0015-042.jpg" title="f0015-04" width="588" height="574"></div><h3>TORONTO 2 AT MONTREAL 5</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-05291/2746882-1-eng-US/f0015-052.jpg" title="f0015-05" width="578" height="623"></div><h3>MINNESOTA 0 AT PITTSBURGH 2</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-06239/2746875-1-eng-US/f0015-062.jpg" title="f0015-06" width="578" height="392"></div><h3>BOSTON 3 AT NEW YORK 1</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-07213/2746868-1-eng-US/f0015-072.jpg" title="f0015-07" width="581" height="570"></div><h3>Thurs. March 26 CHICAGO 1 AT DETROIT 0</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-08191/2746861-1-eng-US/f0015-082.jpg" title="f0015-08" width="585" height="421"></div><h3>PHILADELPHIA 2 AT LOS ANGELES 3</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-09176/2746854-1-eng-US/f0015-092.jpg" title="f0015-09" width="586" height="528"></div><h3>Fri. March 27 ST. LOUIS 2 AT OAKLAND 3</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-10153/2746847-1-eng-US/f0015-102.jpg" title="f0015-10" width="585" height="554"></div><h3>Sat. March 28 NEW YORK 1 AT MONTREAL 1</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-11134/2746840-1-eng-US/f0015-112.jpg" title="f0015-11" width="584" height="466"></div><h3>CHICAGO 1 AT TORONTO 1</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-12107/2746833-1-eng-US/f0015-122.jpg" title="f0015-12" width="579" height="437"></div><h3>DETROIT 5 AT BOSTON 5</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1394/2746826-1-eng-US/f0015-132.jpg" title="f0015-13" width="584" height="835"></div><h3>PITTSBURGH 2 AT PHILADELPHIA 1</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1481/2746819-1-eng-US/f0015-142.jpg" title="f0015-14" width="584" height="490"></div><h3>MINNESOTA 2 AT LOS ANGELES 4</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1566/2746812-1-eng-US/f0015-152.jpg" title="f0015-15" width="590" height="631"></div><h3>Sun. March 29 MONTREAL 1 AT NEW YORK 4</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1662/2746805-1-eng-US/f0015-162.jpg" title="f0015-16" width="586" height="477"></div><h3>BOSTON 2 AT DETROIT 2</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1759/2746798-1-eng-US/f0015-172.jpg" title="f0015-17" width="585" height="543"></div><h3>TORONTO 0 AT CHICAGO 4</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1850/2746791-1-eng-US/f0015-182.jpg" title="f0015-18" width="581" height="553"></div><h3>ST. LOUIS 5 at PITTSBURGH 5</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1943/2746784-1-eng-US/f0015-192.jpg" title="f0015-19" width="589" height="922"></div><h3>MINNESOTA 8 at OAKLAND 3</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-2033/2746777-1-eng-US/f0015-202.jpg" title="f0015-20" width="578" height="865"></div> &#9632;

f0015-01

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

<h2>MONTREAL</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Rogatien VachonPhil Myre<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>J. C. TremblayTed HarrisJean GauthierTerry HarperJacques Laperriere<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Claude Provost AJean Beliveau CRalph BackstromBobby RousseauYvon CournoyerMickey RedmondJohn Ferguson ALarry PleauLuc GrenierChristian BordeleauHenri Richard APeter MahovlichLarry MickeyJacques LemaireINJUREDSergeSavardbergeHavardC&mdash;Captain.<h2>BOSTON</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Ed JohnstonGerry CheeversJohn Adams<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Bobby OrrRick SmithDallas SmithBill SpeerDon AwreyGary Doak<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Derek SandersonKen HodgeJohn Bucyk AWayne CarletonFred StanfieldEd Westtail APhil Esposito AJim LorentzWayne CashmanDon MarcotteJohn McKenzieTom WebsterINJUREDGarnet BaiieyA&mdash;AlternateCaptain<h2>CHICAGO</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Tony EspositoGerry Desjardins<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Keith MagnusonDoug Jarrett ABill WhitePaul ShmyrDoug Mohns<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Lou AngottiPit MartinJim PappinDennis HullEric Nesterenko AChico MakiCliff KorollBobby HullStan Mikita AGerry PinderGene UbriacoBryan CampbellINJUREDPat Stapleton C<h2>DETROIT</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Roy EdwardsRoger Crozier<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Bobby BaunPoul PopielCarl BrewtRon HarrisDale Rolfe<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Alex Delvecchio CGarry UngerGordie HoweGary CroteauBruce MacGregor ANick LibettWayne ConnellyPete StemkowskiFrank MahovlichBilly DeaAl KarlanderINJUREDGary Bergman A<h2>TORONTO</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Bruce GambleMarv Edwards<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Pat QuinnJim McKennyRicky LeyBrian GlennieMike PelykJim Dorey<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Dave Keon CRon Ellis AMurray OliverGeorge ArmstrongBrit SelbyBrian SpencerFloyd SmithPaul HendersonBob Pulford ATerry ClancyNorm UllmanINJUREDJim HarrisonMike Walton<h2>NEW YORK</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Ed GiacominTerry Sawchuk<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Brad ParkAmie BrownRod SeilingAllan HamiltonJim Neilson AAb DeMarcoTim Horton A<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Rod Gilbert ABob Nevin COrlandKurtenbachJack EgersTed IrvineBill FairbairnRon StewartDave BalonWalt TkaczukJean RatelleDon LuceINJUREDVic HadfieldDon Marshall A<h2>ST. LOUIS</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Jacques PlanteErnie WakelyGlenn Ha&rsquo;I<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Ray FortinBob PlagerBill PlagerBarclay PlagerAl Arbour CJean-Guy Talbot A<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Phil GoyetteRed Berenson AFrank St. Marseille&#2404; Gary SabourinTim EcclestoneBill McCrearyLarry KeenanRon AndersonJim Roberts ATorry CrispTerry GrayNorm Dennis(Ab McDonaldINJUREDNoel Picard<h2>OAKLAND</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Gary SmithCharlie Hodge<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Doug Roberts AWayne MuloinCarol VadnaisHarry HowellDick Mattiussi<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Billy Hicke ABrian PerryTed Hampson CDon O&rsquo;DonoghueGary JarrettBarry BoughnerMike LaughtonNorm FergusonBob Dillaboughtarl Ingarfield AGerry EhmanINJUREDBert MarshallHowie Menard<h2>PHILADELPHIA</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Bernie ParentMichol Bolhumeur<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Ed Van Impe CRalph MacSweynLarry Hillman AWayne HillmanDick Cherry ALarry Hale<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Earl HeiskalaAndre LacroixSimon NoletJean-Guy Gendron AReg FlemingBill SutherlandGary DornhoeferBob ClarkeLew MorrisonTerry BallGarry PetersJim JohnsonRosaire PaiementINJUREDDoug FavellJoe Watson<h2>PITTSBURGH</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Al SmithLes Binkley<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Duane Rupp ABob WoytowichBob BlackburnTracy PrattJim Morrison ABryan WatsonDune McCallum<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Bryan HextailVai FonteyneNick HarbarukKen Schinkel AGlen SatherRon SchockWally BoyerJean PronovostDean PrenticeMichel BriereKeith McCreary ARich KessellINJUREDNone<h2>LOS ANGELES</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Denis DeJordyWayne Rutledge<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Dale HogansonBrent Hughes ABob Wall ALarry Cahan CGilles MarotteMatt Ravlich<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Eddie ShackDick DuffBill AettJimPetersButch GoringSkip KrakeReal LemieuxRoss LonsberryLeon RochefortGarry MonahanEddie JoyalINJUREDHowie HughesJuha Widinq<h2>MINNESOTA</h2><h3>GOALKEEPERS</h3>Cesare ManiagoLorne Worsley<h3>DEFENSEMEN</h3>Lou NanneBarry GibbsLeo Boivin AMarshall JohnstonTom Reid<h3>FORWARDS</h3>Charlie BurnsDanny O&rsquo;SheaBill GoldsworthyDanny LawsonRay Cullen AJean-Paul PariseTommy WilliamsBob BarlowClaudeLarose CBill CollinsDanny GrantWalt McKechnieINJUREDNone &#9632;

National League Rosters

<div class="byline">BY JIM PROUDFOOT</div>TORONTO&mdash;Consider a man who&rsquo;s spent his entire hockey life playing right wing. What can he tell a goalie about his job or a defenseman about his?That&rsquo;s right. Very little. It&rsquo;s an obvious conclusion which has been escaping National Hockey League teams for years and years&mdash;up until the present, it seems.Los Angeles Kings started a trend toward specialized assistant coaches when they hired Doug Harvey.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01511/2746972-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="547" height="579"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHN BOWER&hellip;Wished He Had Coaching</figcaption></div>Toronto Maple Leafs did something similar recently when they made Johnny Bower their goalie coach.Bower, whose own goaltending career is finally over, officially, will have other duties as well. He&rsquo;s a member of Bob Davidson&rsquo;s scouting staff. But his special duties will involve working with the goalies Leafs own, from the National Hockey League roster down through the farm system.&ldquo;This could be a sign of things to come. Other sports have assistant coaches. Why not hockey, too?&rdquo; said Johnny McLellan, Leafs&rsquo; head coach.&ldquo;Only a goaltender can teach a goaltender, I&rsquo;d say,&rdquo; Bower himself commented. &ldquo;Somebody might be able to tell you a certain thing but not as much as a guy who&rsquo;d done the job. I can tell you this: If I&rsquo;d had that kind of coaching when I was a young fellow, I&rsquo;d have been in the NHL 10, years sooner.&rdquo;Bower didn&rsquo;t become a permanent fixture in the NHL until Leafs acquired him in 1958. He was 34 then. Even at that advanced age, he was to have a brilliant big-league career, winning the Vezina Trophy twice, an all-star nomination once and participating in four Stanley CupHe&rsquo;d spent an earlier season in the NHL, with New York Rangers in 1953-54 but they returned Gump Worsley to their nets the following year and Bower went back to the American League, winding up where he&rsquo;d started out, with Cleveland Barons.Because of that earlier disappointment, he wasn&rsquo;t particularly anxious when Leafs started dickering for him in 1958. But the late Jim Hendy, general manager of the Cleveland club, persuaded him to give himself another chance.Bower got into one game with Leafs this winter, but it was obvious he wasn&rsquo;t capable of handling regular assignments any more. He had suspected it last spring when he talked very seriously of retirement but Leafs new bosses, McLellan and general manager Jim Gregory, thought he&rsquo;d be useful to have around. They had acquired Marv Edwards as a backup man for Bruce Gamble, but they felt Bower would provide extra security. Besides, he was always an excellent practice goalie. Because he worked so hard, he was helpful to the forwards opposing him in workouts. An attacker gains nothing, you see, from practising against a disinteresed goalie who feels he gets enough work in actual games to stay sharp.However, a series of injuries prevented Bower from doing even that much.&ldquo;I believe in hard work and I&rsquo;ll try to put the idea across at training camp next fall, at least with the younger fellows,&rdquo; Bower said. &ldquo;I always believed that the kind of game you played depended directly on how you had worked in practice just before.&rdquo;Bower feels he&rsquo;ll be able to help a lot of youngsters. Even Tony Esposito, who&rsquo;s been playing so brilliantly for Chicago Black Hawks, needs instruction, Bower says.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s stopping the pucks. You can&rsquo;t deny that,&rdquo; Bower admits, &ldquo;but the other teams are liable to catch on to some of the things he&rsquo;s doing.&ldquo;He plays too deep in the crease, I think, which means he can&rsquo;t cut down the angles as well.&rdquo;Anything else?&ldquo;A goalie has to get to know that little square of his,&rdquo; Bower says. &ldquo;Know it thoroughly. And keep it clean. You can&rsquo;t let people skate in there.&rdquo;The statistics don&rsquo;t prove it, but Leafs&rsquo; goaltending has been good all winter. It&rsquo;s been a trying and frustrating chore because of the mistakes an inexperienced defence has been committing in the Leaf zone. Even so, it&rsquo;s not secret Leafs have been shopping around for an experienced goalkeeper to share the job with Gamble&mdash;somebody along the lines of a Jacques Plante.How much Bower can teach Plante or Gamble is open to question, but he certainly could have accomplished plenty with young Al Smith, the goalie Leafs relinquished when they drafted Edwards from Pittsburgh.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02437/2746965-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="548" height="597"><figcaption class="caption-body">TONY ESPOSITO&hellip;Plays Crease Toa Deep</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0016-01

Even Tony Esposito Needs Instruction

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS Made in Canada by HILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, Ontario Sold in US and Canada<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE (Standings on Tues. March 31)<h3>Eastern Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01426/2747010-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="574" height="174"></div><h3>Western Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02377/2747003-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="580" height="287"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 24Springfield 7 at Quebec 4Wed. March 25Providence 1 at Baltimore 2Cleveland 2 at Hershey 2Fri. March 27Providence 3 at Buffalo 6Baltimore 2 at Cleveland 2Rochester 4 at Montreal 7Quebec 1 at Springfield 6Sat. March 28Quebec 2 at Baltimore 7Rochester 1 at Cleveland 6Montreal 1 at Hershey 1Providence 2 at Springfield 5Sun. March 29Cleveland 5 at Buffalo 1Baltimore 2 at Montreal 2Springfield 4 at Providence 3Quebec 4 at Rochester 1<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 31Baltimore at QuebecWed. April 1Baltimore at BuffaloRochester at HersheyFri. April 3Buffalo at BaltimoreQuebec at ClevelandSpringfield at MontrealHershey at ProvidenceSat. April 4Providence at BaltimoreRochester at ClevelandBuffalo at HersheyMontreal at SpringfieldSun. April 5Quebec at MontrealBuffalo at ProvidenceCleveland at RochesterHershey at Springfield &#9632;

f0017-01

AMERICAN LEAGUE

MONTREAL&mdash;Jack Norris wants to play in the National Hockey League. Of course, that&rsquo;s every professional hockey player&rsquo;s dream but only the good ones make it&mdash;or supposedly.That&rsquo;s why Jack wants to get into the big time. And, he&rsquo;s good enough to make it. He&rsquo;s been there before, likes it and wants to get back.Norris, a solid, standout netminder, has been instrumental in the success of the Montreal Voyageurs in their first season in the American Hockey League.He played that well this season that he could have helped a few NHL clubs, particularly a couple in the Western Division.Al MacNeil, playing coach of the Eastern Division champion Voyageurs, called Norris the best goaltender in the AHL this season.The addition of two more teams to the National Hockey League for next season will perhaps help him land a goaltending job with a major league club.&ldquo;And, I&rsquo;d go anywhere,&rdquo; he says frankly. &ldquo;Buffalo, Vancouver, anywhere. It wouldn&rsquo;t matter to me.&rdquo;The Voyageurs have attracted plenty of NHL scouts this season with the hopes of drafting a few to bolster the big league clubs.And a good number of them have liked the way Norris has handled his duties.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03311/2747041-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="557" height="581"><figcaption class="caption-body">JACK NORRIS&hellip;Called Best In AHL</figcaption></div>So, there&rsquo;s a good chance the 27-year-old native of Saskatchewan will get his wish by the time the next hockey season rolls around.&ldquo;I was disappointed when I didn&rsquo;t get a chance to play in the NHL this season,&rdquo; Norris said.The seven-year veteran thought he might have had a chance of playing with the Montreal Canadiens this season after Lorne (Gump) Worsley retired from the team. Worsley was subsequently traded to Minnesota North Stars.However, the Canadiens decided to go with Phil Myre as the backup netminder to Rogatien Vachon and that left Norris with the Voyageurs.He did dress twice with the Canadiens but that was in a backup role each time and the following day he was returned to the AHL team.Norris, who was part of the trade between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks which saw the Bruins get Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield from the Hawks, says his career won&rsquo;t last much longer unless he gets to the NHL.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m 27 now and I&rsquo;d have to say that if I&rsquo;m not in the NHL by 30 then I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ll play much longer after that in the minors.&ldquo;Except for the time I was with Boston, I&rsquo;ve spent almost all of my pro career in the minors,&rdquo; said Norris, who recently became a father for the first time when his wife Deanna gave birth to a boy.Norris has proved he can play in most of the leagues he&rsquo;s been assigned to. He emerged as the top netminder in the Central Hockey League last season and this year, his average is just a shade over 2.50 goals&mdash;against per game. &#9632;

f0017-03

Voyageurs’ Goaling Ace Norris Wants Back In NHL Next Season

WEST SPRINGFIELD&mdash;The American Hockey League&rsquo;s Calder Cup playoffs will have a definite new look this season.AHL President Jack Butterfield said he is anticipating the finest post-season playoff round in the league&rsquo;s history.Citing the major revisions Butterfield noted that the player pool has been increased from $128,000 to $169,000 which represents an overall increase of $41,000. Along with this the new plan will eliminate the head-on clash between the Eastern and Western divisional leaders in the quarter-finals as has been the story for the past few seasons. This, of course, will also eliminate the bye which usually left the winner of that series waiting in the wings while the remaining teams fought to gain a berth in the finals.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04244/2747072-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="274" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack Butterfield</figcaption></div>In outlining the format Butterfield noted that the first three finishers in both divisions will qualify for the quarter-finals. The format for these three games will pit the Eastern Division winner against the third place team in the Western Division. Likewise, the Western winner will go against the third place team in theEast. This leaves the two second place teams who will clash in the third series.All three playoffs series will be a best-of-seven series. This will guarantee both teams in each series at least two home games. Each series will open in the city of the team which finished highest in the final standings.Series D, or the semi-finals, will be an elimination, home-and-home series between the quarterfinal winners, with a minimum of four games and a maximum of seven. The two teams that emerge from this series with the most points will meet in the finals.Since the purpose of the semi-finals is simply to elimitate one of the three teams, it is possible that the series could end in four games and of course could be stretched into seven. In the event that two of the teams finish the scheduled six games tied in points for the second berth in the finals, a seventh game, between these teams, will be played on the ice of the team that was seeded higher at the start of the semi-finals.The finals will also be a best-of-seven series opening in the home city of the team that was seeded highest in the semi-finals.&ldquo;The AHL Board of Governors worked many long hours in attempting to revise our playoff plan and I truly feel we have come up with the best possible solution here,&rdquo; said Butterfield. &ldquo;We have eliminated the two major objections to our old plan and at the same time solved the problem of the semi-finals,&rdquo; he added.With the increase of $41,000 in the player pool the players will now be shooting for a total of $169,000 in playoff money. This means that it is possible for some players to pocket as much as $2,700. In any event no player competing in the Calder Cup playoffs would go home with less than $600.Butterfield went on to note another slight change in that all series must be completed in 14 days which of course will keep the teams hopping. The playoffs are scheduled to begin on the first available date following the conclusion of the regular season on April 5. &#9632;

f0017-04

AHL Gives Calder Cup New Look; Playoff Pool Upped To $169,000

<div class="byline">BY CHUCK SANTANIELLO</div>SPRINGFIELD&mdash;Doug Robinson is the man on the Springfield Kings&rsquo; &ldquo;Giant Line&rdquo; that the other clubs watch carefully. Robinson, who saw limited action with Los Angeles in the NHL, has been scoring goals at a rapid rate this season. At last count he had 36.There is a chance Robby will be back in the big league hockey wars again next season. It might not be with the big Kings but certainly one of the two new expansion clubs is sure to give the big man a whirl if he isn&rsquo;t protected by the Los Angeles brass.Working with him on the same Hot Line are Gordon Labossiere and Marc Dufour. They are classed as the best line in the whole AHL right now. In fact, team officials often wonder how Los Angeles left the trio here and did not call up the entire unit to the NHL.Robinson started the 1968 season with Los Angeles but was back with Springfield on January 1, 1969. After that period, he was not his generally effective self as perhaps he resented being sent back to the minors again.This season however, Doug is having his best season of his career. He leads the local club in goals and has also moved up to third spot in the scoring race in the overall league. He had 75 points in 65 games.In fact, along with his two linemates they have been pouring the points in at a record rate. The trio has already hit for 213 points for the season.Robinson was turned pro by the Chicago Black Hawks back in 1961. The 29-year-old, 6-2, 200 pounder has always been a top scorer and pointmaker during his entire time in the pro ranks.In 1962, Doug was rookie of the year with the powerful Buffalo Bisons. He potted 36 goals, 37 assists that season. In 1964, he was traded to the Rangers where they gave him a trial which saw him tally eight goals, 14 assists.But it was back to the minors again in 1965 after a poor training camp. He shot 39 goals for the Clippers in 1966. Though he has not been known as a great checker and skater, he is the type of player who really knows how to put the puck in the net.And that is what the game is all about.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03251/2747103-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="505" height="1169"><figcaption class="caption-body">DOUG ROBINSON&hellip;Leader Of The Kings</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0018-03

Robinson’s Hot Scoring Run Could Land Him Back In NHL

<div class="byline">BY BOB BROWN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01432/2747141-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="560" height="598"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY KURT Sparkled In Net</figcaption></div>CLEVELAND&mdash;For the Cleveland Barons, the 1969-70 hockey season has been split in two distinctly different parts. The first part, October through February, was a major disappointment. Nothing seemed to go right for the Cleveland icers. They won just nine games, suffered an almost unprecedented number of serious injuries, and, in general, were frustrated and frustrating.The second part, which began February 6th, has been the direct opposite. The Barons shut out Providence 2-0 on that date and since have been a totally different hockey club. They scored the clutch goals, skated and checked with reckless abandon, and they won. Beginning with the win over Providence, the Cleveland icers reeled off nine consecutive games without a loss.How a club can change so dramatically is a question that remains unanswered. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to explain sometimes how it happens all of a sudden,&rdquo; said coach Jack Gordon. &ldquo;They just seemed to come together and started to play hockey.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02345/2747134-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="246" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body">Norm Beaudin</figcaption></div>Several players were standouts in the Barons&rsquo; turnaround. Norm Beaudin took charge of the offense as everyone hoped he would. Norm, slowed down by an early season shoulder injury, regained his 1968-69 form and moved up among the AHL&rsquo;s top twenty scorers.Young goaler, Gary Kurt, took over the netminding job and showed vast improvement. During the nine game streak, Kurt has two shutouts while his goals allowed average dropped.Veteran center Cecil Hoekstra continued his great play killing penalties&mdash;a major contribution to the Cleveland cause. On defense, burly Jim Watson led the backline corp in keeping opposing forwards honest. Everyone hustled. And, with the club winning, everyone seemed to be playing better.The change from the first season to the second will puzzle hockey onlookers here for months to come. Trying to find out what made the difference will perhaps remain an unsolved mystery for ever more. Still, for those who observed his clubs in past years, strong sentiment favors the conelusion that the man behind the bench, Jack Gordon, was responsible for the change. &#9632;

f0018-01

Turnabout By Barons ‘Too Late’

<div class="byline">BY HANS TANNER</div>ROCHESTER&mdash;Indecision has become a trademark of the 1969-70 Rochester Americans and it has gotten them into the American Hockey League record book.But it also just might cost them a berth in the upcoming playoffs.And you can imagine the answers if you ask coach Dick Gamble and his Amerks whether they&rsquo;d rather be in the record book or in the playoffs!Rochester has been involved in 16 AHL ties this season to put the Americans into the American League record book along with Indianopolis. which set the mark way back in the 1943-44 campaign.When the Amerks and Baltimore Clippers struggled to a 5-5 standoff at Baltimore March 17, it enabled them to tie 1943-44 mark.Providence is the only opponent not to tie Rochester at least once. The Amerks have played to three deadlocks each with Montreal (all here), Cleveland (two here and one away), Buffalo (one here and two away) and Baltimore (one here and two away), two with Hershey here and with Quebec (one away) and Springfield (one away) once apiece.The Americans have played four 2-2 ties, three at 3-3, three at 4-4, five at 5-5 and one at 6-6.Month-wise, January leads with five ties, but March may surpass that. The Amerks tied three of their first four games this month.Rochester opened its season with a 2-2 standoff here against Montreal Oct. 12, then followed a 5-5 tie here against Hershey Oct. 19, 2-2 in Baltimore Nov. 19, 3-3 here against Baltimore Nov. 30, 3-3 in Quebec Dec. 9, 5-5 in Cleveland Dec. 20, 3-3 here against Buffalo Jan. 23, 2-2 here against Hershey Jan. 25, 5-5 in Springfield Jan. 31, 4-4 here against Cleveland Feb. 8, 4-4 here against Montreal March 1, 6-6 in Buffalo March 6, 2-2 here against Cleveland March 8 and 5-5 with Baltimore. &#9632;

Amerks Even Record With 16th Tie But Standoffs Could Cost Playoff

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div>HERSHEY&mdash;Milt Schmidt, Boston Bruins&rsquo; general manager, rested his elbows on the rail circling the first promenade of the Hershey Sports Arena. He was watching young Joe Junkin go through his warm-up paces against the Springfield Kings in an early January game.&ldquo;All that kid needs is more work,&rdquo; said Schmidt, pointing to the 23-year-old Junkin. &ldquo;He has a lot of talent and is pretty quick around the net. He&rsquo;s not afraid to come out and challenge the shooter.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02357/2747203-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="257" height="451"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gil Gilbert</figcaption></div>Junkin was brought in from Oklahoma City to replace veteran John Henderson who was sidelined following a knee operation. Coach Frank Mathers was in dire need of someone to help spell Andre Gill who was forced to carry the lion&rsquo;s share of the goaltending duties with Henderson on the shelf.Gradually Mathers worked Junkin into action, spotting him when the opportunity arose. He was given four starts in early January and the kid produced with two wins and a pair of ties before losing in five of his next six appearance.Mathers continued to work with Junkin and finally toward mid-March, sent him back into action. The kid responded to the challenge splendidly with the Bears battling to overtake the Baltimore Clippers in the race for second place in the Western Division.On Mar. 8 he gained a 3-3 standoff against the power-laded Buffalo Bisons in the New York team&rsquo;s rink, then a 1-1 tie at Providence against the Reds. But on Mar. 20, Junkin really rang the bell. He turned back Baltimore, 2-1, on the Clippers ice, giving Hershey its first road win in 18 games, dating back to Jan. 4. The victory also enabled the Bears to take a six-point lead over Baltimore to practically cinch second place.Henderson, the guy who backstopped the Bears to the Calder Cup last season, is now a question mark for the playoffs. His injured knee has given him some problems in practice.Meanwhile, Jeannot (Gil) Gilbert, the league&rsquo;s top scorer last season with 100 points, may have set an American League record when he nailed four consecutive game winners, jacking his season goal total to 22. Gilbert was hampered with a knee injury earlier in the season.Since Mar. 1 when the injury-ridden Bears began to recover, the club has been practically unbeatable, losing only one of eight games through Mar. 20. In the process, the Bears picked up 12 of a possible 16 points with six wins, a tie and one defeat.Pacing the Bears attack in the eight-game stretch was the line of center Bobby Leiter and wingers Bud Debrody and Stan Gilbertson. The trio connected for nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points, a near three-point per game effort.And Hershey&rsquo;s defense, anchored by the likes of Barry Ashe-bee, Mike Mahoney, Ralph Keller, Pete Ford, Bob Barber, and Larry McNabb, gave Gill and Junkin blanket-like support. The opposition was held to 2.5 goals a game.The Bears ran off a five-game win streak from Mar. 11-20, their longest of the season, and on home ice, showed only one loss in the last 11 games, dating back to Jan. 24.Gill&rsquo;s play since early Feb. has been spectacular. The pint-sized cage cop lost only two of 11 games. He allowed only 29 goals in the span.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01409/2747196-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="549" height="840"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOE JUNKIN&hellip;A Lot Of Talent</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0019-02

Boston GM Prescribes More Work For Goaler

<div class="byline">BY CHARLEY BARTON</div>BUFFALO&mdash;Coach Fred Shero pointed to a 3-3 tie with the Montreal Voyageurs in Montreal as the top performance of the season for the Buffalo Bisons.It followed a 7-5 loss in Springfield a night earlier&hellip;and followed by a matter of a few hours.Traveling by bus, the Bisons left Springfield shortly before midnight Saturday and arrived in Montreal at 6 Sunday morning. The game with the Voyageurs was an afternoon affair, and started at 2: 30.Shero dispensed with the customary game-day meeting, and told the players to report to the Forum 90 minutes before game time.&ldquo;I suppose the boys got to bed as soon as we reached the hotel, and most slept until 11 or 12,&rdquo; Shero said.&ldquo;In any event, for a tired hockey club, they played a hell of a game. The Voyageurs were off Saturday, and were rested and waiting for us.&ldquo;I thought we played our best game of the season. The boys were tired, but they give it a big effort. We scored first, then came from behind twice. It was hard to believe we had ridden the bus all night.&rdquo;ALONG THE BOARDS - Guy Trottier scored his 50th goal in Springfield and No. 51 in Montreal to tie and break the Buffalo club record of 50 set by Len Lunde five years ago. Trottier, who needs four goals to tie the league record of 55 shared by Sid Smith and Carl Liscombe, has scored 34 goals at home and 17 on the road&hellip;The Bisons, the Western Division kings, and the Voyageurs, the Eastern Division champions, broke even in eight games. Each team won two, and four finished in ties. &#9632;

Tieing Voyageurs In Montreal Bisons’ Best Game Says Shero

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0919/2747394-1-eng-US/f0020-092.jpg" title="f0020-09" width="839" height="1129"></div><h2>SOLUTION IN APRIL 17 ISSUE</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;An 18-year NHL Veteran.6&mdash;One of the Hawks.7&mdash;Initials of Henri&rsquo;s brother.8&mdash;An Oklahoma forward.11&mdash;Former scoring great Stewart answers to this.12&mdash;Scoreless game.14&mdash;Initials of ex-Red Wing Leswick.15&mdash;Nickname of 1957-58 Byng Trophy winner.16&mdash;Type of tree.18&mdash;Each. (Abbr.)19&mdash;To employ.22&mdash;Preposition.23&mdash;Number worn by Phil Esposito. (Rom. Numb)24&mdash;An NHL defenseman.27&mdash;A Leaf farmhand.28&mdash;Neither.31&mdash;Pronoun.33&mdash;A Los Angeles forward.34&mdash;Initials of one of the Penguins.<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;Pictured player.2&mdash;An NHL centre.3&mdash;Number worn by Oakland Captain.4&mdash;Recently traded to Detroit.5&mdash;One of the Blues answers to this.9&mdash;11th and 12th letters of the alphabet.10&mdash;Verb.13&mdash;A Cleveland forward.17&mdash;Recently sent back to Buffalo.20&mdash;One of the Penguins.21&mdash;A San Diego defenseman.24&mdash;An injured Ranger.25&mdash;Same as 7 across.26&mdash;A Buffalo defenseman.29&mdash;Exclamation.30&mdash;One of the Bisons.32&mdash;Initials of one of the Rangers.<h2>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S ANSWERS</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;BORDELEAU8&mdash;O&rsquo;SHEA9&mdash;ARBOUR12&mdash;B.P.13&mdash;LA.14&mdash;D.l.16&mdash;AVA.17&mdash;ARE.19&mdash;A.C.20&mdash;CAL22&mdash;R.l.23&mdash;VASKO26&mdash;E.P27&mdash;EWES.29&mdash;REARDON.31&mdash;E.N.32&mdash;A.M.<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;BOB BLACKBURN.2&mdash;O.S.3&mdash;R.H.4&mdash;DEA.5&mdash;EARL6&mdash;EGO7&mdash;UBRIACO10&mdash;B.A.11&mdash;UDVARI15&mdash;BELIVEAU18&mdash;R. A.21&mdash;BRO.21&mdash;BROWN24&mdash;APR.25&mdash;KEON28&mdash;SAM30&mdash;DE. &#9632;

f0020-09

Hockey Crossword

<div class="byline">BY JOHN GILBERT</div>MINNEAPOLIS&mdash;The University of Minnesota&rsquo;s &ldquo;American Dream&rdquo; came to an end in the sectional finals of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, as the Gophers fell 6-5 to Michigan Tech and missed a chance to go to the NCAA tournament.Tech was joined by Wisconsin as the West&rsquo;s two representatives, since Wisconsin held off Denver 3-2 in the other sectional playoff final.When Cornell and Denver met in the NCAA finals a year ago, it looked like a Canadian Junior A All-Star game. American players were almost impossible to find.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0284/2747463-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="242" height="398"><figcaption class="caption-body">Murray Heatley</figcaption></div>Minnesota, with all but one of its 18 players from Minnesota hoped to change all that this year, and nearly pulled it off at the Duluth Arena playoffs.In semi-finals, Minnesota trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but tied Minnesota-Duluth 2-2 on the second goal by freshman Dean Blais, bringing on three overtimes. Mike Antonovich, another freshman, scored on a rebound at 3: 27 of the third overtime to give the Gophers a 3-2 triumph as goalie Murray McLachlan made 46 saves. Phil Hoene and Alan Young had UMD&rsquo;s goals.The next night Michigan Tech overcame a 3-2 North Dakota lead with three third-period goals for a 5-3 victory. Ed Chesto-lowski had two goals and Darwin Mott a goal and three assists.Ironically, it was one of four Americans on Tech&rsquo;s roster, Herb Boxer from Hancock, Mich., who did the Gophers in. Boxer scored four goals and assisted on Ches-tolowski&rsquo;s single tally as Tech jumped off to leads of 4-1 and 63.Typical of their play all season, the Gophers came back from the 4-1 deficit to make it 4-3, then rallied with five minutes to play to cut the 6-3 margin to 6-5, and leave a crowd of 5,007 breathless at the finish. Craig Samer scored twice, Antonovich and Blais once each, and Doug Peltier once.Denver whipped Michigan State 6-2 in a semi-final game at the Denver, Colo., sectional playoff. Randy Sokoll had given State a brief 1-0 edge, but Al Genovy&rsquo;s two goals and one by scoring champ George Morrison&mdash;playing despite an injury&mdash;led DenverBob Poffenroth and Doug McFadyen gave Wisconsin a 2-0 lead in the first period, and Michigan&rsquo;s Doug Perrin got one back, then the last two periods were scoreless, advancing Wisconsin to the final.Murray Heatley scored in the first and third period, and Jim Boyd got one in the first period also for a 3-0 Wisconsin lead that stood up to a late Denver rally. Bill Thiessen and Mike Lampman got Denver goals, but Wis-consin, completing its first year in the WCHA, got stout goaltending from Wayne Thomas (34 goals) to hold on.The playoff in Duluth was somewhat overshadowed by that city&rsquo;s gloom over losing coach Bill Selman. UMD&rsquo;s strong play against Minnesota in the triple-overtime game was a tribute to Selman&rsquo;s coaching style, but more of a tribute was a $5,100 automobile presented to the outgoing coach by fans, who raised the money after a impromptu two-day drive.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0352/2747456-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="550" height="476"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOB POFFENROTH&hellip;Badger Scorer</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0021-02

American-Manned Gophers Deflated

NEW YORK&mdash;St. Francis Terries have won the New York Metropolitan Intercollegiate Hockey League championship after a hard fought final series with Iona College.The Terriers took the deciding best-of-three game series 2-1 winning 6-2, before Iona roared back to force a showdown with a 6-2 victory. However, class showed in the third game and St. Francis won going away 7-2.Paced by Julio Acosta and Paul Gilmartin, the Terriers added the MIHL title to their league championship after finishing the season on top of the Eastern Division winning 15 out of 16 games. In the playoffs, St. Francis won four out of six games to take it all.<h2>PLAYOFF SCORES MIHL FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0444/2747522-1-eng-US/f0021-042.jpg" title="f0021-04" width="574" height="137"></div>(St. Francis winns best-of-three series 2-1)<h2>EAST DIVISION FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0538/2747515-1-eng-US/f0021-052.jpg" title="f0021-05" width="576" height="137"></div>(St. Francis Wins best-of-three series 2-1)<h2>SEMI-FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0632/2747508-1-eng-US/f0021-062.jpg" title="f0021-06" width="573" height="132"></div>(Queens wins best-of-three series 2-0)<h2>WEST DIVISION FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0726/2747501-1-eng-US/f0021-072.jpg" title="f0021-07" width="579" height="136"></div>(Iona wins best-of-three series 2-1)<h2>SEMI-FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0822/2747494-1-eng-US/f0021-082.jpg" title="f0021-08" width="577" height="133"></div>(Fairfield wins best-of-three series 2-0) &#9632;

f0021-04

St. Francis Wins NewYork College Play

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS Made in Canada by HILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD. Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, Gntario Sold in U.S. and Canada<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><h3>WESTERN LEAGUE</h3>(Standings on Tues. March 31)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01135/2747560-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="572" height="356"></div>(Affiliations: 2. Detroit, 5. Chicago, 6. Toronto, 10. Philadelphia, x-independent).<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 24Seattle 4 at Denver 1San Diego 3 at Salt Lake 4Wed. March 25Salt Lake 3 at Phoenix 9Vancouver 1 at Portland 4Thurs. March 26Denver 5 at San Diego 5Vancouver 2 at Seattle 2Fri. March 27Denver 4 at Salt Lake 6Portland 3 at Vancouver 4Sat. March 28Salt Lake 3 at Denver 10San Diego 4 at Phoenix 1Sun. March 29Phoenix 3 at San Diego 5Seattle 4 at Portland 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 31Denver at PhoenixWed. April 1Vancouver at Salt LakeSan Diego at PortlandThurs. April 2Vancouver at DenverSon Diego at SeattleFri. April 3Salt Lake at PhoenixSat. April 4Vancouver at DenverPhoenix at San Diego Portland at Seattle<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Sun. March 22)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0278/2747553-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="583" height="677"></div> &#9632;

f0022-01

WESTERN LEAGUE

<div class="byline">BY JOHN WHITE</div>VANCOUVER&mdash;It just might be a good thing that the Vancouver Canucks are moving into the National Hockey League next season.Picture a general manager trying to sign to contracts 18 players who this season made an absolute shambles of the Western League in skating to first place.The Canucks, in ending the Portland Buck-aroos&rsquo; five-year reign as regular - season champions of the WHL, rewrote the record books so completely that printers will have to work overtime in the off-season to repair the damage.With six games to play, this was Vancouver&rsquo;s 1969-70 hockey story:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0365/2747598-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="261" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ted Taylor</figcaption></div>The Canucks already had won 45 games, more than any other team in the history of the West-em Hockey League.The Canucks already had 97 points in the standings, one more than the all-time WHL record of 96 set just last season by the Portland club.And goals?Treat the Western League&rsquo;s netminders kindly this summer, folks. They&rsquo;ve been having a collective six-month nightmare.With six games to play, the Canucks already had scored 315 goals&mdash;13 more man scored in a full season by any team in Western League history.The old record was 302 goals, set &lsquo;way back in &lsquo;50&mdash;two decades ago&mdash;by the Tacoma Rock ets.Individually, the Canucks were difficult to believe.Vancouver&rsquo;s defensemen thought they were forwards. With six games to play, Marc Reaume had 10 goals, a career high. Brad Selwood had nine goals, a career high. John Arbour had seven goals, a career high. Doug Dunville had six goals, a career high.Bob Lemieux had seven goals&mdash;and that (surprise!) is not a career record for big Bob but it&rsquo;s more than double his production of three last season.Yet Vancouver still had the best defensive record in the league, so the blueliners obviously didn&rsquo;t spend all their time in front of opposition nets.Up front, almost every forward showed improvement but you had to single out Ted Taylor, Gerry Goyer, Ted McCaskill and Germain Gagnon.For Taylor, a saliva test should be demanded. There&rsquo;s no other way.Here&rsquo;s a hard-rock who scored 15 times for the Canucks last season but was far better known for digging in the corners. With six games to play this season, Taylor already had sniped 34 goals&mdash;more than double his production of the entire last campaign.A saliva test, indeed!Goyer, a rangy center, was picked up on waivers early in the season from Portland, where last year, seeing little ice, he had 12 goals and a career low of 40 points.In his first 54 games for Vancouver, Goyer scored 24 goals (double last year&rsquo;s output) and added 49 assists for 72 points.On a points-per-game basis, he was the league&rsquo;s third-highest scorer with two weeks to play.McCaskill, a late starter in the pro ranks, doubled his goal production from 11 last year to 22 this season&mdash;and still had six games to play.And Gagnon was up from 8 to 15 goals&mdash;close to a doubled effort.Make it a saliva test for the whole gans!At the 66-game mark, Andy Bathgate was leading Vancouver with 103 points&mdash;first time in a long and productive career that the veteran ever has hit or bettered the 100-point mark.After 66 games, Paul Andrea already has career records for goals (38) and total points (85).Murray Hall had his highest point total (78) since his &lsquo;63 campaign in the Central League, and Pat Hannigan had 27 goals, his high mark since &lsquo;65 with Buffalo in the American League.With six games to play, Vancouver already had eight 20-goal scorers and Duke Harris needed just one to join the club.Nine 20-goal scorers on one professional hockey club?Doctor! Saliva tests for the entire club, please!<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0451/2747591-1-eng-US/f0022-042.jpg" title="f0022-04" width="556" height="557"><figcaption class="caption-body">MARC REAUME&hellip;Career Goal High</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0022-03

Vancouver’s Success Story Written In New WHL Records

VANCOUVER&mdash;Big Bad John did the job!In his 66th game of the season, rugged young defenseman John Arbour of the Vancouver Canucks drew two minor penalties to raise his season total to 229 minutes off the ice.And that&rsquo;s a new all-time record for the Western Hockey League.The old record of 227 minutes in a single season was set in the 1964-65 campaign by Howie Young, then living it up with the Los Angeles Blades.Arbour still needed a few whistles to break hiw own career mark of 235 minutes in penalties drawn in &lsquo;68 with Oklahoma City (224 minutes) and Boston (11 minutes).But at the 229-minute mark, Arbour still had six games to play.Las Vegas wouldn&rsquo;t even quote odds on his final total for 1969-70.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-0543/2747629-1-eng-US/f0022-052.jpg" title="f0022-05" width="257" height="415"><figcaption class="caption-body">John Arbour</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0022-05

Arbour Sets WHL Mark As Penalties Hit 229

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0023-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-01116/2747674-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg"></div><h2>TEAM RECORDS AGAINST EACH OTHER THIS SEASON</h2>(Including Games of Sun. March 15)<h3>HOME GAMES</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0280/2747667-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="586" height="274"></div><h3>AWAY GAMES</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0360/2747660-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="588" height="268"></div> &#9632;

f0023-01

How WHL Teams Compare

<div class="byline">BY DOUG MCCONNELL</div>PHOENIX&mdash;Bill (Hank) Snow is typical of the Phoenix Roadrunners.He&rsquo;s a different player. They&rsquo;re a different team.Since Sandy Hucul was appointed player coach, the Runners have put together a 9-6-3 record with all but three games on the road.The Runners are tied with the Seattle Totems for the Western Hockey League&rsquo;s fourth playoff spot. Each club has six games remaining, four at home.Snow, who was christened William and nicknamed Sandy, was renamed &ldquo;Hank&rdquo; by his Phoenix teammates for his penchant for country and western tunes.The 6&mdash;0, 175-pounder, born in Dokin. Nova Scotia, and now a summer resident of Hamilton. Ont., scored only nine goals in the first 53 games as a rightwinger and was on a two-month scoreless string when coach Hucul sent him to left wing with newcomer Ron Ward.He fired seven goals in the next seven games, has 17 and a good shot at a 20-goal season. His previous high was 13, scored in each of the last two seasons with Fort Worth in the Central Hockey League.It&rsquo;s no coincidence that the 23-year-old winger&rsquo;s resurgence coincides with his move to Ward&rsquo;s wing.Jim Paterson, who took up a stick on Ward&rsquo;s right side, immediately went on a 13&mdash;game point scoring streak. He scored 3-15&mdash;18 in the streak, compared to 7-9&mdash;16 in the first 50 games.Ward scored four goals, eight assists in the same 13 games, including a pair of game winners.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0916/2747705-1-eng-US/f0023-092.jpg" title="f0023-09" width="843" height="1092"><figcaption class="caption-body">SANDY SNOW&hellip;Moving With Runners</figcaption></div>Snow has been more effective since encouragement has replaced criticism of his booming slap shot. Hucul&rsquo;s aim has been to restore Snow&rsquo;s confidence and he gives Ward and Paterson credit for that. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re talking to him all the time.&rdquo;&ldquo;I want him to shoot that big shot,&rdquo; said Ward. &ldquo;There aren&rsquo;t too many goaltenders who can handle it and I&rsquo;ll go for the rebound.&rdquo;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking more where I&rsquo;m shooting.&rdquo; said Snow. &ldquo;I used to put my head down and shoot from all over. That&rsquo;s where it went&mdash;all over.&rdquo;He&rsquo;s also making greater use of his good burst of speed.&ldquo;Ward tells me,&rdquo; he explained, &ldquo;to let him carry it and go for the net. He&rsquo;ll get it to me.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0023-09

Snow Links Hot Scoring Surge To Ward’s Arrivai in Phoenix

SAN DIEGO&mdash;The San Diego Gulls helped out their southern neighbors, the Phoenix Roadrunners, in the Western Hockey League&rsquo;s playoff race with a pair of back-to-back victories over the Seattle Totems and still have a lot to say about the race.Three of the Gulls&rsquo; seven remaining games are against the Roadrunners and one against the Totems, the clubs tied for the fourth playoff spot.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0448/2747764-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="241" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Willie O&rsquo;Ree</figcaption></div>The Gulls, destined to finish third for the third consecutive season, have a 5-3-1 mark against Phoenix and 74-0 against Seattle.Willie O&rsquo;Ree had a pair of goals in the first of the back-to-back games with Seattle, continuing his late season surge. He only scored three times in the first 28 games but has come on with 18 in the last 30.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the only guy I can think of in our league,&rdquo; said coach Max McNab, &ldquo;who you can sit on the bench for a pe-riod and he comes out full blast.&rdquo;McNab has been taking advantage of the 34-year-old winger&rsquo;s quick burst, dropping him in on all three lines. He was playing right wing with rookie Sandy Fitzpatrick when he triggered the pair against Seattle.O&rsquo;Ree is two points away from the 500 mark in his WHL career.Al Nicholson, on a 10-point scoring streak, needs two points for his 500th in the WHL.Warren Hynes needs one for his 100th goal as a Gull and his winger, Fred Hilts, fired four goals in the last six games, to surpass the 25-goal mark for the fourth consecutive season.<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2>WESTERN CANADA LEAGUE (Final Standings)<h3>Eastern Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0535/2747757-1-eng-US/f0023-052.jpg" title="f0023-05" width="578" height="175"></div><h3>Western Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0630/2747750-1-eng-US/f0023-062.jpg" title="f0023-06" width="572" height="170"></div><h2>NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR</h2>(Final Standings)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0726/2747743-1-eng-US/f0023-072.jpg" title="f0023-07" width="575" height="202"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-0822/2747736-1-eng-US/f0023-082.jpg" title="f0023-08" width="583" height="753"></div> &#9632;

f0023-04

Gulls Flatten Totems To Give Runners Lift In Bid For Playoffs

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER HOCKEY STICKS Made in Canada by HILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD. Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, Ontarie Sold in U.S. and Canada<h2>CHL PLAYOFFS</h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE<h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01126/2747802-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="574" height="136"></div>(Best-of-seven series tied 2-2)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 25Omaha 1 at Fort Worth 2Fri. March 27Omaha 2 at Fort Worth 3Sat. March 28Fort Worth 1 at Omaha 5Sun. March 29Fort Worth 1 at Omaha 3<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 31Omaha at Fort WorthWed. April 1Fort Worth at OmahaFri. April 3Omaha at Fort Worth (if necessary)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0278/2747795-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="573" height="140"></div>(Iowa leads best-of-seven series 2-1)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 25Tulsa 2 at Iowa 4Sat. March 28Tulsa 1 at Iowa 2Sun. March 29Iowa 0 at Tulsa 5<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 3Iowa at TulsoWed. April 1Tulsa at IowaFri. April 3Iowa at Tulsa (if necessary)Sat. April 4Tulsa at Iowa (if necessary) &#9632;

f0024-01

CENTRAL LEAGUE

BURLINGTON&mdash;University of Vermont brought back the ECAC Division II college hockey championship when they weren&rsquo;t supposed to this season.The title-winning Catamounts, coached expertly by Jim Cross, stole the division crown away from Bowdoin 41 in the championship game after assuming the underdog role.Vermont finished the 1969-70 season with a commendable 14-4 division record and a respectable 16-8 overall mark that included two decisions over Division I teams, notably New Hampshire, who were drubbed 6-3 by Cross&rsquo;s Catamounts.Cross obviously had his UVM team up for the big game with Bowdoin, who went into the title game at Brunswick, Me., sporting a 13-0 division tab and 19-3 overall for the year. A 5-1 win over Middlebury sent the Catamounts into the final against Bowdoin, who disposed of little Merrimack 9-1. But Vermont was not to be denied and pulled out an upset 4-1 win in the final to take it all.Jim Yeates of Vermont was chosen tournament MVP and both UVM cocaptains, Bob Krebs and George Kreiner, distinguished themselves in the tourney win. &#9632;

Cross Leads U of Vermont To Ice Title

<div class="byline">BY BOB LINDLEY</div>FORT WORTH&mdash;Jake Milford&rsquo;s worth as a prophet and crystal ball gazer tripled in value on March 22 when his prediction of a first-place finish for his Omaha Knights came true.But even the wiley Milford could hardly have foreseen the strange events that were to take place in the final week in order for his prophecy to come true.The title that had been the bone of contention in a bitter and exciting four-team struggle for more than five months suddenly became a crown nobody wanted.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0354/2747854-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="252" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jake Milford</figcaption></div>At least that&rsquo;s the way it appeared as all four clubs&mdash;Tulsa, Omaha, Iowa and Fort Worth&mdash;kicked away what seemed dead cinch chances of grabbing the brass ring.When the smoke had cleared, Omaha reigned as king of the hill, but almost as much by default as by design, and the issue went down to the final weekend of action.The winner wasn&rsquo;t decided until the next-to-last game of the 72-game season when Omaha whipped Oklahoma City 5-2 while Tulsa blew a 3-2 lead in the final seven minutes and dropped a 5-3 decision to the Dallas Black Hawks.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0442/2747847-1-eng-US/f0024-042.jpg" title="f0024-04" width="557" height="579"><figcaption class="caption-body">JACK EGERS&hellip;Sweeps Scoring Laurels</figcaption></div>Then, the matter of second place wasn&rsquo;t decided until the final minute of the season&rsquo;s final game, played at Fort Worth between the Wings and the Tulsa Oilers.Needing nothing less than a victory to claim second place, the Oilers pulled goalie Serge Aubry with 57 seconds remaining and the score tied at 2-2. The valiant gamble backfired, however, and the Wings hit the unguarded net for a 3-2 triumph that dropped the faltering Oilers into third place.What a wild, mixed up final week it was for the four playoffbound clubs. And in retrospect, each club could find turning points that steered them away from the throne room.The Wings dejectedly recalled losses&mdash;by identical 3-2 counts&mdash;to Oklahoma City and Kansas City in the final week, two clubs that wound up sharing the Central League basement at year&rsquo;s end.Those four points would have given the Wings a piece of first place since they finished in fourth spot only four points from the top.Then there was the complete collapse of the Oilers, who had what seemed the inside track to the title, needing&mdash;at a maximum&mdash;a win and a tie in their final three games.But the Oilers dropped all three and missed by two points.Iowa had the thoughest luck of all, losing the title on what probably was a bad call by&mdash;of all things&mdash;a local linesman in a game at Waterloo.Leading 3-2 in the final minute of their battle with Fort Worth in the next-to-last game of the season, the Stars scored what appeared to be the clinching goal into the empty Wings net. But linesman Dave Swick called an off-side on the play, the Wings got new life and 14 seconds later fired home the tying goal.The incident touched off a near riot among the fans and special police protection was needed to guide the game officials safely from the building.Had the Stars won the game, they would have finished with an identical record as Omaha and Iowa would have been awarded first place on the basis of goals scored, 254-246.Up in Omaha, meanwhile, the Knights were holding a comfortable 4-2 lead over Oklahoma City in the waning moments of their final game, but they were sweating out&mdash;along with a standingroom-only throng of 6,732 fans&mdash;the Tulsa-Dallas score.With about four minutes left it was announced that Dallas had rallied to beat the Oilers and pandemonium broke loose in Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum.&ldquo;The players on the ice at the time jumped about 10 feet in the air,&rdquo; reported Curtis Gordon, Omaha publicist, &ldquo;and at the same time the fans jumped about five feet.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0533/2747840-1-eng-US/f0024-052.jpg" title="f0024-05" width="550" height="553"><figcaption class="caption-body">DANNY JOHNSON&hellip;A Banner Year</figcaption></div>So the zany season ended on an even zanier note, setting the stage for what should be a great Adams Cup playoff.It was the kind of season the late J.J. (Jack) Adams, founder of the CHL, would have loved to have watched.OMAHA&mdash;The Knights got a big assist from Dallas and Fort Worth in the final weekend of the regular season in order to finish atop the CHL for the regular season, but the Knights will have no outside assistance fot the playoffs. And general manager Jake Milford didn&rsquo;t appear to need any as the club went into postseason play against Fort Worth. With the league&rsquo;s top goal-sniper and leading scorer, Jack Egers; a prime candicate for top rookie honors, Denis Dupere, and the workhorse among league goalies, Pete McDuffe, the Knights appeared plenty capable of going it alone in their search for the league championship. Egers had 42 goals, the only 40-goal sniper in the CHL, and 90 total points, 13 higher than runner-up Danny Johnson of Tulsa. Dupere hit the nets 33 times, tops among the first-year men, and had to be considered strongly for rookie-of-the-year honors. McDuffe, who toiled in 57 of the 72 games, could also be in the running for the same award. He finished with a 3.01 goals-against average. The Knights went into the opening round of the playoffs without veteran Don Luce, who was at New York trying to bolster the sagging fortunes of the faltering Rangers. So was hotshot rookie defenseman Ab DeMarco. DeMarco could be wiped off the hopeful list since he would not be sent back, but Omaha was still hoping Luce would be returned so his experience could be put to good use. He finished with 22 goals and 36 assists to stand second high on the club in total points. The other 20-plus goal scorer was Pierre Jarry, who notched 26. Tom Miller just missed the elite circle with 19; team spiritual leader Ron Boehm finished with a rush and totaled 18. Boehm raked in most of the silverware at year&rsquo;s end, claiming the &ldquo;most popular&rdquo; trophy, the booster club&rsquo;s award as most outstanding player, and the sportscaster honor as the most valuable. Dupere, naturally, claimed the top rookie award, and Egers received the top scorer hardware.TULSA&mdash;The Oilers went into the first round of the Adams Cup playoffs trying to shrug off the ill effects of a three-game losing slump that cost them a first place finish over the regular 72-game route. But general manager Ray Miron was confident that his young skaters, under the expert guidance of rookie coach Marcel Pronovost, would be mentally ready for post-season action. &ldquo;We lost a couple of tough ones,&rdquo; Miron said, &ldquo;and naturally we&rsquo;re disappointed we didn&rsquo;t finish on top, but I&rsquo;m proud of these kids for the tremendous job they did all season.&rdquo; The Oilers were not a high-scoring club, but Danny Johnson had a banner year, finishing second in the league scoring race with 33 goals, 44 assists for 77 points, a personal high. Then came a couple of rookies, Tom Martin with 21 and 35 for 56 and Ted Hargreaves with 22 and 27 for 49. Doug Brindley and Bob Liddington also tallied 22 goals, and rookies Doug Acomb had 17 despite sitting out a long stretch with an injury. The Oilers welcomed back goalie Serge Aubry two games before the final season ended, and they were depending on his talents to see them through the playoffs, just as he had led them to one of the playoff spots. Aubry led the league in lowest goals-against average, a 2.48 for 36 games. He seemed a shoo-in for the all-star team. Brian Spencer, the team toughie, was at Toronto when the playoffs got under way, but Miron was in hopes he&rsquo;d be returned in time to see some action. Spencer had accumulated 190 minutes in penalties. Miron was still hoping, too, that muscular Pat Quinn could be shaken loose by Toronto to lend his talent and toughness to the Oiler cause.IOWA&mdash;&ldquo;The only team award we gave out,&rdquo; said general manager John Muckier, &ldquo;was for the most popular player as voted by the fans, and that went to Danny Seguin.&rdquo; Muckier, whose Iowa Stars finished the season in second place, only a point out of first, said it would have been an injustice to a number of players to have attempted naming a single most valuable player. &ldquo;It would have been a matter of flipping a coin.&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;because we had so many guys who equally deserved such an honor.&rdquo; Consider these statistics: Bill Orban and Mike Chernoff wound up tied with 75 total points, fourth highest in the CHL. Chernoff had 36 goals, Orban had 31. Grant Erickson also had 31, giving the Stars three of the eight 30-plus goal scorers in the league. Erickson totaled 69 points, one less than Seguin, who had 21 goals and 49 assists. Bob Whit-lock, a rookie, had 26 goals and 28 assists. And veteran Walt McKechnie, who missed a healthy portion of the season, still managed 17 goals. &ldquo;We can put the puck in the net,&rdquo; Muckier said of his playoff-bound Stars, &ldquo;but the question is, can we keep it out. Remember, we allowed more goals than any of the other three teams in the playoffs.&rdquo; The Stars were nicked for 232 goals, Omaha for 212, Fort Worth for 206 and Tulsa for 202.FORT WORTH&mdash;The Wings, who earned a playoff berth despite owning the least potent offense in the CHL, faced the prospect of going into the opening round of the post-season action without 20-goal sniper Hank Monteith. The third-year pro, who had 48 points in 54 games, broke his right hand six games before the curtain fell on the regular season and doctors advised against the use of a playing cast. Aside from Monteith, the Wings went into the first round of the playoffs against Omaha with the same lineup that had been employed all season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0629/2747833-1-eng-US/f0024-062.jpg" title="f0024-06" width="547" height="577"><figcaption class="caption-body">DANNY SEGUIN&hellip;Most Popular Iowan</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0024-03

Omaha Outraces Stars, Oilers To Wire In Grabbing Title

<h2>EASTERN LEAGUE</h2>Northern Division<h3>FINALS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-01106/2747975-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="582" height="139"></div>(Clinton leads best-of-seven series 3-1)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Sat. March 21New Haven 2 at Clinton 5Tues. March 24New Haven 2 at Clinton 3Thurs. March 26Clinton 3 at New Haven 0Sat. March 28Clinton 0 at New Haven 2GAMES TO COMEMon. March 30New Hoven at ClintonTues. March 31Clinton at New Haven (if necessary)Wed. April 1New Hoven at Clinton (if necessary)<h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0266/2747968-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg" title="f0025-02" width="584" height="134"></div>(Clinton wins best-of-seven series 4-0)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 11Syracuse vs Clinton (at Utica, postponed)Thurs. March 12Syracuse 3 at Clinton 8Sat. March 14Syracuse 1 at Clinton 2Sun. March 15Clinton 2 at Syracuse 1Tues. March 17Clinton 8 at Syracuse 5<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0345/2747961-1-eng-US/f0025-032.jpg" title="f0025-03" width="581" height="134"></div>(New Haven wins best-of-seven series 4-0)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 10Johnstown 4 at New Haven 5Wed. March 11Johnstown 4 at New Haven 5Wed. March 11Johnstown 4 at New Haven 7Thurs. March 12New Haven 5 at Johnstown 3Fri. March 13New Haven 4 at Johnstown 2Southern Division<h3>FINALS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0435/2747954-1-eng-US/f0025-042.jpg" title="f0025-04" width="581" height="169"></div>(Greensboro wins best-of-seven series 4-2)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Sat. March 21Charlotte 2 at Greensboro 5Sun. March 22Greensboro 3 at Charlotte 6Tues. March 24Charlotte 1 at Greensboro 4Wed. March 25Greensboro 1 at Charlotte 2Fri. March 27Greensboro 4 at Charlotte 3Sat. March 28Charlotte 3 at Greensboro 4<h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0534/2747947-1-eng-US/f0025-052.jpg" title="f0025-05" width="577" height="137"></div>(Charlotte wins best-of-seven series 4-1)Tues. March 17Salem 4 at Charlotte 5Wed. March 18Salem 2 at Charlotte 6<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0624/2747940-1-eng-US/f0025-062.jpg" title="f0025-06" width="568" height="135"></div>(Greensboro wins best-of-seven series 4-0)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 10Jacksonville 0 at Greensboro 8Wed. March 11Greensboro 6 at Jacksonville 4Thurs. March 12Jacksonville 2 at Greensboro 13Sat. March 14Jacksonville 2 at Greensboro 8 &#9632;

f0025-01

EHL PLAYOFFS

NEW YORK&mdash;Hockey championships and the New York Green Leafs seem to go hand in hand.The Leafs wrapped up their fourth successive New York Metropolitan Junior Hockey Association title when they defeated West New York Victorias in a three-game sweep of the finals.The first game saw Kenny Mullen register three goals as the Leafs, in command all the way, topped the Vics 5-1. Kevin Allen scored the only goal for the losers, as the Vics were otherwise stopped by goaltender Buddy Heaney.The second contest saw the Victorias putting up their best fight in the final series, playing close-checking hockey, but falling once again, 3-1. Charlie Horvath tied the score at one-all early in the second period, but Julio Acosta and Danny Condon put the game out of reach.The clincher was a one-sided affair, as the Green Leafs completely outskated the game West New Yorkers 7-2. Mike Day hit for the had trick while Tommy Lloyd and Robin Brennan scored for West New York.<h2>PLAYOFF SCORES Finals</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0820/2748013-1-eng-US/f0025-082.jpg" title="f0025-08" width="575" height="140"></div>(New York wins best-of-five series 3-0)<h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0915/2748006-1-eng-US/f0025-092.jpg" title="f0025-09" width="579" height="334"></div>(West New York wins best-of-three series 2-0) &#9632;

f0025-08

N.Y. Leafs Win Fourth Metro Title

<div class="byline">BY HARVEY POLLOCK</div>CHARLOTTE&mdash;There was no one happier than coach Fred Creighton in the Charlotte Checkers camp after they had eliminated the Salem Rebels from the opening round of the Eastern Hockey League playoffs.To put it mildly, there is no love lost between either club nor between Creighton and Colin Kilburn, Salem skipper. So when Charlotte ousted Salem in five games aided by two wins on Salem ice, Creighton was flying high.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-0723/2747909-1-eng-US/f0025-072.jpg" title="f0025-07" width="258" height="431"><figcaption class="caption-body">Len Haley</figcaption></div>Creighton said from the outset that he didn&rsquo;t like the idea of playing the first three games of the best of seven series at Salem and the last four at home. He figured the Rebels might get the momentum of three wins at home to pick up a clincher at Charlotte.So he virtually brain-washed his team that it had to win at least one game at Salem. The Checkers did it on the first shot with a sudden death win and then later added a double overtime triumph to take a substantial 2-1 bulge home to Charlotte. Then two straight wins there ended Salem&rsquo;s season.Creighton had a slugfest with Kilburn late in the season and had verbal wrangles with the Salem skipper all year. They evidently were carrying along a feud that started when both played in the Western League.Creighton really rubbed it into the Rebels after they blew a three goal lead to lose the crucial third game. Fred said, &ldquo;we deserved to win. We didn&rsquo;t blow a three goal lead and they did.&rdquo; Creighton also said that the series would end in Charlotte and the Rebels fans had seen the last of their heroes. Again Creighton was right to Kilburn&rsquo;s dismay.Creighton won this round, but Kilburn vows revenge for next season. Colin did a great coaching job this year to get his team into second place ahead of Charlotte and perhaps he can achieve his objective next year if Creighton has not left for greener pastures as has been rumored so often.NEW HAVEN: Pierre LeBlanc topped the Blades scoring with seven points in the sweep of Johnstown. Len Haley, Mike Rouleau and Kevin Morrison each tabbed four goals. Blades and Jets set nine playoff records for penalties. Mike Hornby honored for spending least time in penalty box. Norm Schmitz feted for scoring most goals for a defenseman.JOHNSTOWN: Rookie winger Rick Loe was called up by Seattle at close of Jets playoffs. All-time Jets team picked by fans featured goalie Ed Johnston, defensemen Jim Mair and Ralph MacSweyn, linemen Dick Roberge, Reg Kent and Don Hall. Second team had goalie Andy Brown, defensemen Joe Zanussi and Dave Lucas, and linemen Galen Head, Ken Coombes and John Lumley.JERSEY: Assistant GM John McAdams says Devils have nucleus of eight or nine solid players for next season. He&rsquo;s scouted Central League for help including two defensemen, a center and two wingers. Club plans to keep offices open all year for first time in history. Devils will train again at Cherry Hill Arena next year. Devils believe Jamie Kennedy deserves tryout with Quebec.CLINTON: Veteran Don Davidson posted five point game vs Syracuse. Comets total goal output in series doubled Blazers, 20-10. Veteran defenseman Len Speck has been standout in postseason play. Comets lost $5,000 bv being forced to move playoff game from Utica to Clinton due to lack of ice. Comets lauded officiating of Jackie LeClair. Don Herriman and Jake Rathwell scoring well.CHARLOTTE: Frank Golembrosky&rsquo;s goal in double overtime gave Checkers vital win at Salem. Allie Sutherland posted hat trick in same contest. Goalie John Voss had 13 saves in regulation game and 14 in first overtime session. Tom Trevelyan won club regular season laurels with 77 points and most goals (39). John Gould&rsquo;s 48 assists were tops. Defenseman Hal Willis missed three Salem games with ankle injury.SYRACUSE: Blazers fell in four straight to Clinton. Ray Adduono carried off ice on stretcher in one game but came back to play later. Brian Elwell&rsquo;s loss in opener with dislocated shoulder hurt club. Clarence Campbell, NHL prexy, wired Blazers congratulatory telegram upon making playoffs. Largest crowd in club history, 4800, saw one Clinton game. Chuck Charlong led club in goals with 44 in regular season.SALEM: Rebels playoff chances hurt when Paul Grills was sidelined for season with mononucleosis and J.C. Garneau was hobbled by knee injury. Bob Lacey&rsquo;s hat trick was wasted in loss to Charlotte. Bob wears a full brace in each playoff game to protect shoulder injury. Jim Lorette tried to get Charlotte&rsquo;s Bob Shupe to fight but the latter kept his head and stayed out of penalty box.NASHVILLE: Owner Mark Parrish said Flyers finished in red again but were not as heavy as last year when team finished second. Parrish and coach Lloyd Hinchberger scouted IHL teams. Flo Pilote likely to devote full time to his rug cleaning business next year. Flyers blamed loss of dozen home games for failure to make playoffs.LONG ISLAND: Owner Al Baron says he&rsquo;s going to concentrate on youthful talent instead of veterans next year, claiming four years of stress on vets have been unsuccessful. He hopes to hook up with NHL club so he can staff club with personnel under 23. Russ McClenaghan picked as MVP and yet may not return next season.GREENSBORO: Gens&rsquo; Bob Sicinski picked as most popular player and top forward. Ted Laynon chosen leading defenseman. Ernie Miller, trainer-goalie Bon Smith and Moe L&rsquo;Abbe also received awards. Gens in healthiest state in playoff annals and whipped Jacksonville easily and jumped out in front in their series with Charlotte. Lack of home ice may hurt pennant hopes.JACKSONVILLE: Rockets say they are negotiating with four coaching prospects, two in Western Canada and two in Eastern Canada, to replace the fired Bob Sabourin. Rockets figure goalie Michel Plasse will be assigned elsewhere by Cleveland. They also believe Ken Turlik will be taken back by Springfield. &#9632;

f0025-07

Creighton Gets Drop On Kilburn As Charlotte Ousts Salem Rebels

TOLEDO&mdash;An International Hockey League All-Star team wouldn&rsquo;t be right without goaler Glenn Ramsay of Toledo.The Blades&rsquo; veteran netminder, was one of five South Division players to grab berths on the six-man first team and for the aging Ramsay, it marked the 10th time he had won an AllStar spot since coming into the IHL.The eight league coaches did the selecting and here&rsquo;s how they picked them: first team, Ramsay in goal, John Gravel of Toledo and Dayton&rsquo;s Alain Beaule, defense; Muskegon&rsquo;s Andre Pronovost, left wing; Don Westbrooke, also of Dayton, right wing, and Cliff Pennington of Des Moines at center.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-01114/2748065-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="277" height="453"><figcaption class="caption-body">Glenn Ramsay</figcaption></div>On the second team, players from the North Division teams hardly received a tumble from the selecting coaches. Here&rsquo;s how they picked them. Bob Perani of Flint in goal; Don McLeod of Des Moines and Jack Turner of Columbus, defense; Serge Boud-reault, also of Columbus, left wing; Bernie Blanchette of Muskegon, right wing, and Bert Fizzell of Columbus at center. Columbus failed to make the IHL playoffs, but still managed to land three second-team AllStars.Muskegon&rsquo;s Moose Lallo was named first team All-Star coach and Larry Wilson of Dayton was picked for the second team.Westbrooke was named for his third straight year as a first-team selection on right wing. Like Westbrooke, Ramsay has a streak going. This makes four straight years Ramsay, who has played more minutes in goal than any other IHL goalie this season, has been a first-team selection. In his 14-year IHL career, he has been a first-team pick eight times and a second-team choice twice.Gravel, the top point-getter among IHL defensemen, is making his first All-Star appearance while Beaule, the No. 2 scorer for defensemen, is making his third All-Star appearance. Beaule was a first-team choice last year and a second-team pick in 1967-68. Pronovost had been near the top of the IHL in scoring all season and hit the 45-goal mark. He works with Gary Ford and Bernie Blanchette on the IHL&rsquo;s top scoring line. This is Pronovost&rsquo;s first season in the IHL.Pennington, after a slow start, came on to challenge the league&rsquo;s top scorers. The bald, former National Hockey Leaguer passed the 100-point mark and set an all-time Des Moines scoring record when he passed Lyle Bradley&rsquo;s old record of 91 points. Like Pronovost, Pennington is in his first IHL season. Lallo, meanwhile, coached the Muskegon team to the North Division title and this is his fourth selection as first-team IHL coach of the year. He holds the rare distinction of having been chosen an All-Star as both coach and player, as he was named to the first team in 1954-55 while playing defense for Grand Rapids Rockets.Only two teams&mdash;Fort Wayne and Port Huron&mdash;were unable to place on either the first or second team. In the case of Fort Wayne, it was the first time since 1954-55 the Komets have not placed a man on either the first or second All-Star squad. Columbus, strangely led selections with three men while Toledo, Muskegon, Dayton, and Des Moines had two each and Flint one choice.Meanwhile Toledo Blades have taken two out of the three awards for individual excellence for the 1969-70 season. Toledo&rsquo;s sensational rookie, Wayne Zuk, captured the Garry F. Longman, or rookie of the year award. Toledo defenseman Gravel won the Governor&rsquo;s Trophy, symbolic of the league&rsquo;s top defenseman. The other award chosen by a vote of the league&rsquo;s eight coaches, the James Gatschene Trophy, was won by Pennington. This honor goes to the player chosen most valuable plus showing sportsmanlike play.Zuk, a 20-year-old rookie out of Wakaw, Sask., scored 40 goals in his first IHL season and was Toledo&rsquo;s second leading scorer. He scored three hat tricks and four winning goals and his blistering speed on right wing always makes him a threat to score. Zuk received five out of a possible seven first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own players) and was named second on the other two ballots. Rookie goalies Mike Dumas of Dayton and Paul Hoganson of Fort Wayne and Muskegon center Bob Munro were well behind Zuk in the balloting, though all received mention on most ballots.Gravel, in his second straight season with Toledo and third over-all with the Blades, has been Toledo&rsquo;s quarterback on defense. A good puck carrier, Gravel has played between 40 and 50 minutes in every game. He has worked regular shifts, killed penalties, and played the power play. Toledo&rsquo;s team captain, Gravel is also a strong de-fensive player in addition to his offensive talents. He received five of a possible seven first-place ballots.Pennington was named February&rsquo;s player of the month in the IHL and has been a key force in the Oak Leafs&rsquo; strong showing over the last six weeks. He too kills penalties, works regular and power play shifts and is one of the best play-makers in the IHL. He recently set an all-time club scoring record and while doing all this, he has managed to stay out of the penalty box except for two occasions.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0267/2748058-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg" title="f0026-02" width="560" height="599"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHN GRAVEL&hellip;Top Defenseman</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0351/2748051-1-eng-US/f0026-032.jpg" title="f0026-03" width="560" height="599"><figcaption class="caption-body">CUFF PENNINGTON&hellip;Grabs MVP Prize</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0623/2748044-1-eng-US/f0026-062.jpg" title="f0026-06" width="565" height="588"><figcaption class="caption-body">WAYNE ZUK&hellip;Rookie Of Year</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0026-01

South Division Players Dominate All-Stars; Pennington, Gravel, Zuk Win Ton Awards

<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2><h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0721/2748110-1-eng-US/f0026-072.jpg" title="f0026-07" width="579" height="135"></div>(Dayton leads best-of-seven series 2-1)<h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Thurs. March 26Dayton 1 at Muskegon 2Sat. March 28Dayton 5 at Muskegon 4Sun. March 29Muskegon 2 at Dayton 7<h2>GAMES TO COME</h2>Wed. April 1Muskegon at DaytonFri. April 3Dayton at MuskegonSat. April 4Muskegon at Dayton (if necessary)<h2>DES MOINES vs. PORT HURON</h2>(Best-of-five semi-finals)Tues. March 31Des Moines at Port HuronThurs. April 2Des Moines at Port HuronSat. April 4Port Huron at Des MoinesQuarter-finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0819/2748103-1-eng-US/f0026-082.jpg" title="f0026-08" width="579" height="135"></div>(Port Huron wins best-of-five series 3-0)<h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Tues. March 24Fort Wayne 3 at Port Huron 5Thurs. March 26Port Huron 3 at Fort Wayne 1Sat. March 28Fort Wayne 4 at Port Huron 6<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0916/2748096-1-eng-US/f0026-092.jpg" title="f0026-09" width="582" height="172"></div>(Des Moines wins best-of-five series 30)<h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Wed. March 25Des Moines 4 at Toledo 2Fri. March 27Des Moines 2 at Toledo 1Sat. March 28Toledo 3 at Des Moines 5 &#9632;

f0026-07

IHL PLAYOFFS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0436/2748141-1-eng-US/f0026-042.jpg"></div>Top defenseman&mdash;John Gravel, Toledo MVP award&mdash;Cliff Pennington, Des Moines Rookie of year&mdash;Wayne Zuk, Toledo &#9632;

f0026-04

IHL All-Star Teams

TOLEDO&mdash;The Toledo Blades captured the International Junior Hockey League championship completing a sweep of both the league and playoff titles.The Blades downed the Fort Wayne Pepsi Komets 4-1 in games in their best-of-seven final series after spotting the Komets a one-game lead. Toledo roared back to take four in succession to clinch their second successive IHL junior crown.After the Komets won the series opener 4-2 on home ice, the Blades went to work winning 5-1 in Forth Wayne, 7-4 and 8-3 at home and wrapping it all up 6-2 in the fifth game, which had to be shifted to Lima ice.The Blades will now represent the IHL in the U.S. junior hockey tournament at San Diego April 3, 4 and 5. All games in the tourney will be played in the San Diego International Sports Arena. Coach of the Blades is Jerry Fleury.Following were the leading playoff scorers:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0532/2748172-1-eng-US/f0026-052.jpg" title="f0026-05" width="581" height="355"></div>Here are the IHL Junior All-Star Teams:<h2>FIRST TEAM</h2>Goal&mdash;Ed Monfort, LimoDefense&mdash;Bob Norton, ToledoDefense&mdash;Mike Lyons, LimaCenter&mdash;Chuck Kaczorowski, ToledoR. Wing&mdash;Bob Myers, Toledo and Alex Mackintosh, Dayton (tied)L. Wing&mdash;John Ziamerman, Fort WayneCoach&mdash;Jerry Fleury, Toledo<h2>SECOND TEAM</h2>Goal&mdash;Bob Ostrander, ToledoDefense&mdash;Jim Helm, DaytonDefense&mdash;Dick Lucke, LimoCenter&mdash;Mike Mackintosh, DaytonL. Wing&mdash;Mike Flahie, ToledoR. Wing&mdash;Gary Gerber, DaytonCoach&mdash;Dennis Inch, Lima &#9632;

f0026-05

Toledo Junior Blades Win Second IHL Title

<div class="byline">BY JACK GATECLIFF</div>ST. CATHARINES&mdash;Upsets in Ontario Hockey Association Junior A playoffs are the rule rather than the exception.In the last 16 years only five teams which finished first in the Ontario Junior A league survived their own group playoffs and advanced into the Canadian junior playoffs.Last season however everything went according to form.In all seven playoff series the team finishing higher in the regular schedule knocked off their lower opponents with Montreal Canadiens finally defeating second place St. Catharines Black Hawks in the championship round.The Canadiens again won the pennant this year and eliminated Ottawa 67s in the quarter-final.However the first upset in two seasons occurred in one of the other quarter-finals when London Knights, sixth during the 270-game schedule, eliminated second place Peterborough four games to two.In other quarter-finals St. Catharines Black Hawks ended Kitchener Rangers&rsquo; season four games to two, Toronto Marlboros defeated Oshawa Generals 4-1 with one game tied.Meanwhile Eddie Bush, who has coached in the OHA Association Junior A League for all but one of the past 17 seasons, will not return to Hamilton Red Wings next autumn.A native of Collingwood, Bush played in the National Hockey League as a defenseman with Detroit Red Wings and started his junior coaching career with Guelph Biltmores in the 1953-54 season.Emile Francis, now coachmanager of the New York Rangers, replaced Bush in Guelph when the Rangers purchased the Biltmores and Bush moved on to Hamilton in the 1959-60 season.The Hamilton club was affiliated with Detroit in the early years Bush was there and for one season the NHL club sent him to Memphis to coach the Detroit farm team in the Central Hockey League.However he returned to Hamilton the following season (196566) and has been a colorful part of Ontario Junior A hockey ever since.In the 16 years he coached in Junior A Eddie&rsquo;s teams missed the playoffs only twice.This past season was the second time and even that was a squeaker as Hamilton took Oshawa Generals into a second overtime period before losing in a sudden-death game to decide the final playoff position.It seems to be the old story of not what have you done for us in the past but what have you done for us recently. &#9632;

London Follows Playoff Pattern In OHA By Upsetting Peterboro

<h2>ALLAN CUP</h2><h3>Eastern Teams</h3>Ontario: Orillia Terriers, Galt Hornets.Quebec: Victoriaville. New Brunswick: Charlottetown, Saint John, Moncton. Nova Scotia: Antigonish, Glace Bay.Newfoundland: Gander, St. John&rsquo;s.<h3>Western Teams</h3>Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw, Yorkton.Manitoba: St. Boniface. Alberta: Edmonton, Calgary. B.C.: Spokane Jets.<h2>MEMORIAL CUP</h2><h3>Eastern Teams</h3>Quebec: Quebec Ramparts. Ontario: Toronto Marlboros, London Knights, Montreal Canadiens, St. Catharines Black Hawks, Sault Greyhounds, Espanola Eagles, Sudbury Wolves.Ottawa District: Ottawa M & W Rangers.Maritimes: Charlottetown Islanders.<h3>Western Teams</h3>Thunder Bay: Hurricanes, Schreiber.Saskatchean: Weyburn. Alberta: Red Deer, Ponoka. Manitoba: Dauphin, St. James.B.C.: Vernon. &#9632;

AMATEUR SURVIVORS

SPOKANE&mdash;Spokane Jets swept to the Western International Hockey League championship winning the league and playoff titles and the Savage Cup that went with it.What&rsquo;s ahead for the Jets now? The Allan Cup as they launch another bid to become the first American team to ever win the Canadian senior amateur championship.The first hurdle for the Jets will be against the winner of the Alberta Senior Hockey League&mdash;either Edmonton or Calgary.The Jets swept their best-of-seven WIHL final series with the Nelson Maple Leafs. After taking the opener on Nelson ice 3-1, the series returned to Spokane for games wo and three. Spokanne dominated the second game and went away with 6-4 win which wasn&rsquo;t as cloise as the score would indicate as the Maple Leafs got two goals in the last two minutes of the game when Spokane relaxed with the victory in hand.In game three Jets&rsquo; goaltender Seth Martin turned in a fantastic game and the Jets walked away by a 5-0 score. Martin was hit in the neck by a hard slap shot by Jim McCrae. After regaining his breath, he returned to the ice and completed his shutout.In the series clincher in Nelson, the Jets scored two quick third period goals to take a 2-1 victory and the Savage Cup. Left winger Ken Gustafson sparked the victory as he set up both goals as the Jets controlled play most of the game. Nelson goalie Bill McDonnell turned in a fine performance and kept the game close as he made some big saves.Martin and ex-San Diego Gull Gustafson were the Jet sparkplugs in the series. Martin was in the nets for all four games and allowed only six goals. Gustafson scored two goals in each of the first three games and added two assists in the clinching win.Jets&rsquo; coach Al Rollins says his team is in the best shape it has been in all year as he looks forward to the Allan Cup with optimism. One of his players commented that Al wants the Allan Cup so bad &ldquo;he can almost taste it.&rdquo;<h2>WIHL PLAYOFF SCORES</h2><h3>Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-0268/2748258-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="574" height="137"></div>(Spokane wins best-of-seven series 4-0)<h3>Semi-Finals</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-0347/2748251-1-eng-US/f0027-032.jpg" title="f0027-03" width="575" height="275"></div> &#9632;

f0027-02

Spokane Eyes Allan Cup After Sweep In WIHL

GUELPH&mdash;St. Thomas Baron&rsquo;s centreman Pete Fraser earned two assists in the final league game of the season to win the Western Ontario Junior Hockey League scoring title by the margin of a single point over Chatham Maroons&rsquo; Del Hall.The two assists brought Fraser&rsquo;s total to an even 100 points on 44 goals and 56 assists. Hall, who was second with 99 points led the league in goal scoring, with 53.Chatham&rsquo;s Steve DeGurse, who paced the league throughout most of the season, finished third with 93 points and topped the league in assists with 67.Baron&rsquo;s Harold Kewley with 42 goals and 44 assists for 86 points and Guelph Beef Kings&rsquo; Dave Farago with 39 goals and 40 assists for 79 points, rounded out the top five point-getters.A strong finish by Rollie Kimble enabled him to edge out teammate Jim Young, in their season-long duel for goalkeeping honors. Kimble ended with a goals-against average of 3.31 to Young&rsquo;s 3.60. Stan Worosz of Bratford was third with a goals-against average of 3.65. Young was the shutout leader with two.Following are the final leading scorers:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-0442/2748289-1-eng-US/f0027-042.jpg" title="f0027-04" width="580" height="278"></div> &#9632;

f0027-04

St. Thomas Ace Takes WOJHL Title

GALT&mdash;Four members of the pennantwinning Orillia Terriers gained spots on the OHA Senior A hockey All-Star team as selected by the coaches of the eight teams in the league.While Terriers dominated the team, the only unanimous selection was centre Jim O&rsquo;Brien of the Oakville Oaks, the runaway scoring champion.Joining O&rsquo;Brien on the first team for ward line were left winger Grant Moore of Orillia and Pete Panagabko of Barrie Flyers on right wing.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-0198/2748320-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="264" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">Grant Moore</figcaption></div>Orillia goalie Gerry McNamara who played a few games with Toronto Maple Leafs this season, was of Orillia and Rio Caron of Galt Hornets were the other players. Ike Hildebrand of Orillia the All-Star coach.Terriers placed five men on the first two teams while second place Galt had four, Oakville three, Kingston Aces had a pair and Barrie one.Fifteen men made the two units including centres Vance Millar of Galt and Gary Milroy of Orillia who tied for the second squad berth.The following are the teams.<h2>FIRST TEAM</h2>Gool&mdash;Gerry McNamara, OrilliaDefense&mdash;John Chasczewski, OrilliaDefense&mdash;Rio Coron, Galt.Center&mdash;Jim O&rsquo;Brien, OakvilleR. Wing&mdash;Pete Panagbko, Panagabko, BarrieL. Wing&mdash;Grant Moore, OrilliaCoach&mdash;Ike Hildebrand, Orillia<h2>SECOND TEAM</h2>Goal&mdash;Boot Hurley, OakvilleDefense&mdash;Bill Burega, KingstonDefense&mdash;Mike Corbett, GoltCenter&mdash;Vance Millar, Golt and Gary Milroy, Orillia (tied)R. Wing&mdash;Howie Dietrich, GaltL. Wing&mdash;Hugh Bettiol, OakvilleCoach&mdash;Danny McLeod, Kingston &#9632;

f0027-01

OHA Stars Dominated By Orillia

<div class="byline">BY ED CONRAD</div>PHILADELPHIA&mdash;It was their final meeting of the regular season and Bobby Clarke, the Flyers&rsquo; sensational young rookie center, admitted that Chicago&rsquo;s goalie Tony Esposito deserves to be the rookie of the year this season.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way you can argue with his record,&rdquo; said Bobby. &ldquo;Anybody whose got as many shutouts as him (15 for a modern NHL record) has to be pretty darn good.&rdquo;Clarke is one of several outstanding skaters who would definitely be in the running if not for the sensational and consistent performance by the younger brother of Boston&rsquo;s Phil Esposito.&ldquo;Sure, it&rsquo;d be nice to win the rookie award because there&rsquo;s a lot of pride involved,&rdquo; said Tony. &ldquo;As far as the shutout record goes, though. I&rsquo;ll settle for a 6-5 victory than a shutout tie any day.&rdquo;Young Clarke of course, is something pretty special himself as far as the Flyers are concerned. He has turned in 46 scoring points in his initial year in the big time, including 15 goals, which makes him the No. 2 highest scoring rookie in the overall NHL but the top point man among the freshman players in the Western Division.But Clarke and Rangers&rsquo; Bill Fairbairn, who is the leading rookie scorer in the league this year with 55 points&mdash;22 of them goals&mdash;are in the running for the Calder Trophy award but their chances of nudging Esposito out of the silverware appear to be pretty slim.Clarke came to the Flyers this season directly from junior hockey ranks in Western Canada and his first-year play has been inspiring. The long 76-game schedule has been taking its toll on the lithe youngster in recent weeks but he hasn&rsquo;t given up his regular spot at center in spite of it.With the NHL teams heading down the home stretch to the wire for the closing of the 1969-70 season race, it will be a welcome respite for some but not young Bobby Clarke.He has to face up to his first ever Stanley Cup playoff experience.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/c0004-0153/2748351-1-eng-US/c0004-012.jpg" title="C0004-01" width="552" height="800"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY CLARKE&hellip;Pride Of Philly</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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April 10, 1970

Wakely Says All He Wanted Was Chance To Prove Himself

American Hockey League Summaries

Sheehy MVP But Cornell Dominates ECAC All-Stars

Fans’ All-Star Teams