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December 25, 1970
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.
Habs Laud Vachon’s Return To Form
MONTREAL— Anytime a team scores eight goals there’s not much praise left for the winning goaltender. But Rogatien Vachon reversed the formula recently when the Canadiens, on another secondperiod spree, walloDed Los Angeles Kings 8-1 Vachon, so often criticized during the Habs’ ups and downs by former coach Claude Ruel, used the onesided triumph in which to play his best game of the season. While his teammates kept hitting the target on 35 shots against Denis Dejordy, Vachon blocked 33 by the Kings and readily deserved his first shutout of the schedule. “Even on their goal (by Juha Widing) Roggie made three big saves,” said Al MacNeil in his third win against two losses since he took over as Montreal coach. And John Ferguson, who scored a couple of goals to prove his comeback…
Byers’ Backhanders Surprise For Kings
LOS ANGELES— Handsome enough to be a matinee idol in Hollywood if he can attain some measure of stardom, Mike Byers just may make it in a backhanded sort of way. Byers has a good backhanded shot, a rarity in modern hockey, especially since the advent of the curved stick. The reduction in the curve of the blade this season has helped, but Mike has had the dexterity to fire hard and accurate off his backhand for years. This year, it has paid off. In the Los Angeles Kings first 23 games, Byers scored eight goals, half of them on backhanders. His four backhanders are four more than any King scored last season and more than most clubs have totalled this season, except for those few clubs with the few superstars really…
Imlach ‘Suggesting’ Maybe Legislation Would Stop Orr
BUFFALO— Punch Imlach is something less than facetious when he suggests the National Hockey League should change the powerplay rule again, this time to curb the Boston Bruins’ Bobby Orr. The rule originally was changed a few years ago to curtail the Montreal Canadiens’ awesome powerplay, and Emile Francis recently revamped the New York Rangers’ strategy against Orr when the Bruins have a man advantage. Imlach’s plan obviously is far superior to that used by the Rangers to curtail the Boston wunderkind. “Bobby Orr simply shouldn’t be allowed on the ice any time the opposing team is shorthanded,” says Imlach, the Sabre’s general manager and coach, only partly in jest and with just the slightest trace of a smile. “He’s the best player in the league, and a team like Boston shouldn’t have the added…
Glover Threatens ‘Some’ Seals With One-Way Tickets To Minors
OAKLAND— Fred Glover called it “a discussion.” It had to be a lot more, though, for when his California Golden Seals returned to the ice after a weekend of contemplating a 4-0 defeat to the Philadel phia Flyers in Oakland the previous Friday night, there was an obvious determined hustle by the West Division tailenders. What rank led Glover so was the collapse of his skaters in the third period with the Flyers. The Golden ones had gone 0-0 through two periods of hockey, then came unglued as four Philly pucks zipped by goalie Gary Smith. But the Seals coach wasn’t blaming his 6-4 netminder for the catastrophic ending. Each of the Flyer goals was put in by an opponent close enough to the crease to tell you the color of Smittv’s eves. Instead, it…
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