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

March 31, 1972

The Hockey News March 31, 1972

Founded October 1st, 1947Published weekly except monthly June through September by Ken-Will Publishing Co. Ltd.1434 St Catherine Street West Montreal 107, Canada.U.S. Office: 16 Maple Street, Rouses Point, N.Y. 12979Kenneth William McKenzie President and PublisherCharlie Halpin Editorial DirectorLyndon Little Assistant To EditorYearly SUBSCRIPTION Rates: $6 00 in Canada $7.00 in the U.S.A. and $9.00 in Foreign Countries.Post page paid at Rouses Point, N.Y. 12979. Send address changes to 1434 St. Catherine Street West, Suite 212, Montreal, 107, P.Q.Second class mail&mdash;Registration No. 1327Printed in CanadaVol. 25 MONTREAL, MARCH 31, 1972 No. 26 &#9632;

IN THIS ISSUE

The Hockey News OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY

<h2>Sun., Mar. 5 FORT WORTH 4 at KANSAS CITY 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0278/3046852-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg" title="f0032-02" width="592" height="585"></div><h2>TULSA 3 at OKLAHOMA CITY 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0345/3046845-1-eng-US/f0032-032.jpg" title="f0032-03" width="602" height="655"></div><h2>Tues., Mar. 7 TULSA 2 at FORT WORTH 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0433/3046838-1-eng-US/f0032-042.jpg" title="f0032-04" width="624" height="533"></div><h2>Wed., Mar. 8 DALLAS 3 at OKLAHOMA CITY 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0522/3046831-1-eng-US/f0032-052.jpg" title="f0032-05" width="611" height="667"></div><h2>Fri., Mar. 10 DALLAS 4 at KANSAS CITY 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0614/3046824-1-eng-US/f0032-062.jpg" title="f0032-06" width="614" height="704"></div><h2>OKLAHOMA CITY 1 at TULSA 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-0710/3046817-1-eng-US/f0032-072.jpg" title="f0032-07" width="617" height="482"></div><h2>OMAHA 1 at FORT WORTH 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-088/3046810-1-eng-US/f0032-082.jpg" title="f0032-08" width="600" height="407"></div><h2>Sat., Mar. 11 OMAHA 2 at DALLAS 9</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-096/3046803-1-eng-US/f0032-092.jpg" title="f0032-09" width="590" height="848"></div><h2>OKLAHOMA CITY 4 at FORT WORTH 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-106/3046796-1-eng-US/f0032-102.jpg" title="f0032-10" width="607" height="662"></div><h2>KANSAS CITY 4 at TULSA 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-115/3046789-1-eng-US/f0032-112.jpg" title="f0032-11" width="601" height="633"></div> &#9632;

f0032-02

Central Hockey League Summaries

BOSTON&mdash;The University of Massachusetts, second seeded for the first ECAC Division Two playoff involving eight teams, wrapped up the crown with an 8-1 smothering of surprising sixth-seeded Buffalo in Amherst College&rsquo;s Orr Rink that night of March 11. The Redmen, under coach Jack Canniff, got a two-goal effort from senior Eric Scrafield and fine goaltending from senior P.J. Flaherty.Massachusetts had made it to the finals with home ice by dumping Merrimack 4-2 the previous Wednesday while Buffalo, under second-year coach Eddie Wright, was pulling a titanic 4-0 upset over top-seeded Vermont at Burlington. Two goals by Dale Dolmage and a 56-save game by goalie Mike Dunn powered the Bulls to the triumph. &#9632;

Massachusetts Wins Division II Honors

Gary Veneruzzo of the Denver Spurs came up with a six-point week to lead all WHL marksmen but more important was the fact he extended his consecutive game scoring streak to 10 games to claim a 17-year-old league record. Veneruzzo counted four goals giving him 30 in 59 games for the Spurs.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-117/3046727-1-eng-US/f0031-112.jpg" title="f0031-11" width="498" height="577"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY VENERUZZO</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0031-11

Player Of The Week

&mdash;Page 14<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/cover-01540/3047709-1-eng-US/cover-012.jpg" title="Cover-01" width="807" height="1461"></div><h2>FANS YOUR LAST CHANCE</h2>ALL STAR BALLOTS&mdash;On The Inside<h2>&lsquo;BIG M&rsquo; CLOSING IN ON HABS&rsquo; RECORDS</h2>&mdash;Page 17ORR, ESPOWRAPPING UPNHL &lsquo;GOLD&rsquo;&mdash;Page 17<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/cover-02412/3047702-1-eng-US/cover-022.jpg" title="Cover-02" width="1344" height="1461"><figcaption class="caption-body">PHIL ESPOSITO Still Running Away In NHL Point Race</figcaption></div> &#9632;

Cover-01

HAWKS FLY AGAIN IN WEST

<div class="byline">BY NORM MacLEAN</div>Without Jean Ratelle. and with Phil Goyette returned from retirement, the New York Rangers suddenly are barely alive in their last ditch effort to catch the first place Boston Bruins. New York was seven points down, had one game in hand and had a big four pointer scheduled for the Boston Garden on March 23.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01732/3044712-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg" title="f0002-01" width="263" height="459"><figcaption class="caption-body">Phil Goyette</figcaption></div>They lost for the first time ever at Madison Square Garden, to the California Golden Seals, by the whopping score of 7-3, costing them an additional two points in the struggle. The Seals big game came March 12, after New York had wiped out Chicago and Detroit in previous games that week.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll play them one game at a time and see what happens,&rdquo; says Emile Francis, the Rangers&rsquo; general manager-coach.Francis, trying to shore up all possible weak points, talked the slick 38-year-old centerman, Goyette, out of retirment and obtained his contract from the Buffalo Sabres. Goyette had 206 NHL goals up to his Christmas time retirement from the Sabres.&ldquo;It will take me a couple of weeks to get in shape, but then I should be ready, said Philippe. Goyette was very happy to return to New York, where in six seasons he gained fame as the center with Bob Nevin and Donnie Marshall. The trio was nicknamed the &ldquo;old smoothies.&rdquo;Goyette played on four cup winners in his early years with Montreal, before coming to the Rangers in the famous 1963 trade which also brought Marshall and Jake Plante to New York for Gump Worsley. He then moved to St. Louis for the 1969-70 season in a swap for a draft choice which turned out to be Andre Dupont. With the Blues, Phil had his greatest season. 29-49-78 and winning the Lady Byng Trophy.&ldquo;I was surprised when the Blues didn&rsquo;t protect me and I went to Buffalo in the Expansion Draft. Playing with Gilbert Perreault was fun, but I lost interest this year and finally decided to quit. Emile called me in Montreal and when I didn&rsquo;t call him back, he came up and saw me and that did it,&rdquo; said Goyette.Francis envisions Phil as help on the power play, at which he is adroit, insurance in case Ratelie&rsquo;s cracked ankle doesn&rsquo;t come around as fast as predicted by the doctors and perhaps an occasional job as a faceoff specialist. Goyette has a history of starting fast and then tiring, so his three month retirement may be just what the doctor ordered.Ron Stewart, 38, reacquired from Vancouver, reported and went right to work as a penalty killer. .&ldquo;I knew something was up when I was told to go back and get my stuff off the Vancouver bus,&rdquo; grinned Stewart. &ldquo;Most of my belongings are still in Vancouver. I figure with a class team like this, I&rsquo;ll be here long enough to win the Stanley Cup in about two months or so.&rdquo;Stewart, very popular with the fans, is in his twentieth year in the NHL. He split this season between New York&rsquo;s Providence farm club and Vancouver.To give up on finishing first would be foolhardy. Ranger fans remember that the 1970 team pulled off a miracle with nine goals to edge Montreal out of the playoffs on the last day. Realistically, no one expected Boston to lose to Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, but they did and it was at just about this time last season that the Bruins started to slip.Ranger fans did not cover themselves with glory by booing the team while it was losing to California, breaking a 16-game unbeaten streak, the longest in the NHL this season, in the process.&ldquo;It was only our fourth loss at home this season. Maybe we&rsquo;ve spoiled them.&rdquo; commented Brad Park, the boy defenseman, who is scoring like a forward, and a good forward, at that.Park has now broken both the goal and assist marks set by former Ranger Bill Gadsby. Bradford has reached new highs after having a bad second half last season, mainly due to a knee injury.Park has 22 goals, really something for a rearguard, and is only the third defenseman in NHL history to exceed the twenty goal plateau. Orr has done it three times and Flash Hollet once. Orr shouldn&rsquo;t count, as he really isn&rsquo;t a defenseman. Park, in the opinion of expert observers, is a modern day Doug Harvey, who with a bit more speed than Harvey, controls the break out play of the Rangers.BLUE CHIPS: Schedule calls for New York to play Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal and Toronto on the road and Toronto, Minnesota, Detroit and Montreal at home&hellip;Ranger lines for the stretch are Rousseau with Gilbert and Hadfield, Tkaczuk with Fairbairn and Sather and a third trio of Stemkowski with Irvine and MacGregor. Gene Carr works in as swing man when Rousseau or Stemkowski work either the power play or kill penalties. All is subject to change as Francis experiments, trying for the right combinations&hellip;Jean Ratelie, up and around and visiting in the dressing room before home games&hellip; &#9632;

f0002-01

Rangers Still Chase Leading Bruins

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-02681/3044750-1-eng-US/f0002-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">NHL President CLARENCE CAMPBELL addresses the gathering at the annual Lester Patrick Awards dinner in New York during which he was honored as the recipient of the 1972 top award for his contributions to the American hockey scene Also honored along with Campbell were the Junior All-Americans from all over the United States. Shown below, from the left, are THOMAS LYONS, MICHAEL SCHMITZ, PHIL RINGHOLM, BOB DOBEK, TIM ANDERSON, TOMMY LLOYD and RICHARD DOLSEN. Annual affair brought hockey people from all corners of the globe. Also receiving tributes were Cooney Weiland and John Snooks&rsquo; Kelley, two leading collegiate hockey coaches who have retired.</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-03559/3044743-1-eng-US/f0002-032.jpg" title="f0002-03" width="1722" height="672"><figcaption class="caption-body">(Hockey News Photos by Harry Kl)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0002-02

Campbell Honored With Patrick Award

<div class="byline">BY GIL SMITH</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01737/3044781-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg" title="f0003-01" width="872" height="460"></div>MONTREAL&mdash;The Montreal Canadiens, going full-out to overhaul the N.Y. Rangers for second place in the NHL&rsquo;s East Division, had found a rallying cry to spur them on in the stretch drive.&ldquo;Remember 1970!&rdquo; was the magic phrase Habs hoped would light their fires sufficiently to catch and pass the hard-driving New Yorkers.It was in 1970 that Habs last found themselves battling the Rangers for a key spot in the standings at season&rsquo;s end, and the localites aren&rsquo;t likely to forget what happened that time.They finished the season with the same number of points as New York, but wound up missing the playoffs for the first time in 22 years.&ldquo;We had the same number of points, and the same number of wins, losses and ties as Rangers that year,&rdquo; said Claude Ruel, Habs&rsquo; coach at the time. &ldquo;But, still they finished fourth and we were fifth.&rdquo;The issue in 1970 was decided in the very last game of the season, when Rangers scored a sufficient number of goals to edge Canadiens in the total-goals department. New York wound up with 246 goals for the season, compared to Montreal&rsquo;s 244. That cost Habs the fourth and final playoff spot.Things aren&rsquo;t quite as desperate this year, but there are compelling reasons for Habs to finish ahead of the Broadway crew. Whoever finishes on top gets advantages under the new playoff format.This year, first meets fourth and second meets third in the opening playoff rounds. If Habs can beat Rangers to second place, it would give them the home ice advantage in playoff meetings with Emile Francis&rsquo; crew. The way things have gone for Habs in meetings versus Rangers most of this season, they&rsquo;ll need all the edges they can get.&ldquo;Years ago. Rangers were not a strong team and we used to look forward to meeting them and picking up two points,&rdquo; said Jean Beliveau, Habs&rsquo; retired great. &ldquo;Now, it&rsquo;s a different story.&rdquo;Habs were 0-3-1 in four meetings with Rangers, to date. They&rsquo;d been outscored almost 2 to 1 in those four games, 24 to 13.They had two big meetings left to redeem themselves against the Rangers, as this was written. One was on March 25 in Montreal. The other was the last game of the season for both clubs, on April 2nd in New York.While just about everything could come down to those two meetings, Habs weren&rsquo;t taking any chances along the way. They&rsquo;d been trimming other clubs with regularity and had gone nine straight without a loss since Rangers stoned them 7-3 last February 22nd.No wonder Habs were fighting for everything they could get. One game in a close race could have a decided bearing on the whole issue. It did two years ago.HAB-BITS: Ken Dryden would get Billy Reay&rsquo;s vote as rookie-of-the-year if the veteran Hawk coach had one. &ldquo;How can anyone possibly say he&rsquo;s not the best rookie?&rdquo; asked Reay, plaintively, after watching Dryden rob his Hawks in a recent Montreal game&hellip;J. C. Tremblay, hero of Habs&rsquo; rescue operations during a fire in their motel in St. Louis, recently, seems to thrive under pressure. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m at my best in pressure situations,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why I usually play well in the playoffs. When I hang up my skates I want to coach. If not the NHL, maybe in Europe. I&rsquo;d like the pressure of a coaching job&rdquo;&hellip;Yvan Cournoyer may have passed his previous career high for goals by the &lsquo;time you read this. He needed just three to better his former mark of 43 in the 1968-69 season. He had 44 assists to go with his goals in &lsquo;6869. He won&rsquo;t better that&hellip;Bob Murdoch, 25-year-old rearguard brought up from the Voyageurs a couple of weeks ago, has been impressive. Used to play for Canada&rsquo;s National Team. &#9632;

f0003-01

REMEMBER 1970! Canadiens’ War Cry In Bid To Pass Rangers For Second

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01797/3044833-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="516" height="534"></div>&bull; NEW YORK&mdash;CLARENCE CAMPBELL was the recipient of the Lester Patrick Memorial Trophy at the annual dinner held at the Plaza Hotel here. The 66-year-old National Hockey League president won the award for making a major contribution to hockey in the United States. Since 1967 he has guided the NHL through three different expansions. Presently rounding out his 26th season as president of hockey&rsquo;s premier circuit, Campbell has done a simply fantastic job in presiding over the NHL through its most exciting and expanding period. He is one of the most respected men in hockey and the NHL owners fully realize how fortunate they are to have a man of his calibre heading up their organization&hellip;No major league sport, and that includes baseball, basketball or football, has had a leader to match Campbell&rsquo;s record over the same period&hellip;Speaking on a personal note I&rsquo;ll never be able to thank him enough for all the wonderful help and guidance he gave me when I was starting out. But we are only one of thousands that he&rsquo;s aided and counselled during the last 26 years&hellip;One thing that I will always be proud of is that I was the first employee Campbell hired after he became president of the league in September, 1946. It was exactly two weeks after he took office. This turned out to be the biggest break in our life and one for which we will always be grateful. With his constant assistance we established the National Hockey League&rsquo;s first publicity and information bureau. This turned out to be a most successful and happy affiliation for 17 seasons, before we were forced to resign the position due to the unpredicted growth and responsibilities associated with publishing THE HOCKEY NEWS and other national sports publications&hellip;It doesn&rsquo;t matter how big or what stature the NHL eventually reaches, the league will never find a more competent and dedicated president than they have right now&hellip;The NHL will engage an organization to negotiate the next U.S. television contract&hellip;There are currently 12 groups from six cities applying for the two openings in the NHL for the 1974-75 season&hellip;Only five of the groups have paid their $25,000 application fees to date. Four prospective franchise holders from Kansas City and one from Cincinnati have filed formal applications with deposits.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02750/3044826-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="272" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Clarence Campbell</figcaption></div>&bull; MONTREAL CANADIENS own three first round picks at the June draft meeting for amateurs. Besides their own. the Canadiens, in exchange for previous player deals, will get the picks of Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and California&hellip;Floyd Curry, a front office employee of the Canadiens for a number of years, will be offered the coaching post with the New York Islanders. Up to now Curry has always been denied the opportunity to coach in the majors. He may not accept the job but he&rsquo;s certainly going to give it plenty of consideration&hellip;Minnesota North Stars have signed a total of 12 players for next season. Jude Drouin was the latest to ink a two-year pact&hellip;The World Hockey Association&rsquo; reports that they&rsquo;ve signed six NHLers to contracts for next season but will not divulge the names until the current NHL season ends&hellip;It looks like it will narrow down to a two-man race for the NHL Rookie of the Year honors between Montreal&rsquo;s Ken Dryden and Buffalo&rsquo;s Rick Martin, two of the greatest rookies to ever crash the NHL in the same season&hellip;NHL scouts rate Bill Harris of To ronto Marlboros and Jacques Richard, of Quebec Rem parts as the two best pro prospects in junior hockey today. It is felt that these youngsters will be the first two draft picks in June&hellip;Harris leads the standout Toronto unit with Dave Gardner at center and Steve Shutt on left wing&hellip;Richard is said to be the finest skater in the amateurs today and he&rsquo;s so swift that he skates right through the opposition time after time during a game&hellip;The Harris-Shutt-Gardner line has accounted for 711 scoring points and 1,800 shots on goal during the last two seasons&hellip;Singer Kate Smith continues her exceptional record at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Flyers recent win over St. Louis gave them a 19-1 mark in games in which Kate&rsquo;s recording &ldquo;God Bless America&rdquo; has been played instead of the &ldquo;Star Spangled Banner&rdquo;&hellip;Gordon Ritz, who represents Minnesota at the NHL Governors meetings, returned from Augusta, Ga. after a few rounds of golf prior to the Masters. One of the major owners of the North Stars, Ritz is a member of the famed Augusta National&hellip;George Armstrong, ex-Toronto captain working as a Leaf scout this year, is rumored to be moving up in the Maple Leafs organization. When Armstrong, who is part Indian, was asked about the controversy over Indians as the subject of team insignia, he answered: &ldquo;When I was playing, it wasn&rsquo;t the Black Hawks&rsquo; crest that bothered me. It was Bobby Hull&rsquo;s slap shot.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03652/3044819-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="262" height="460"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Harris</figcaption></div>&bull; PRESSURE IS being felt around Detroit&rsquo;s Olympia Stadium as the Wings gamely fight for fourth place in the NHL East. Illustrative of this was when New York last visited the Red Wings and Jimmy Skinner, Detroit&rsquo;s chief scout, and Dana Mozley, New York Daily News&rsquo; hockey writer, were involved in a shouting and a shoving match in the press box. GM Ned Harkness intervened and a Newark writer went to Dana&rsquo;s defense&hellip;There is a diehard group of college-age fans who stand just off to the side of the Detroit press box and they&rsquo;ve put up a huge sign that is applicable not only to their standing room location but to the Red Wings&rsquo; plight in the standings. The sign reads: &ldquo;The backs to the wall bunch&rdquo;. They&rsquo;ve had all the passing writers and club officials autograph it including Owner Bruce Norris&hellip;Lou Trudel, former member of the Chicago Black Hawks in the late 30&rsquo;s, died this week in Grand Rapids, Mich&hellip;President Harold Ballard of Maple Leaf Gardens pays $3,500 interest each day on the money he borrowed to buy 87 percent of the profitable Gardens&rsquo; stock&hellip;Ron Ellis has scored but 18 goals for the Leafs this season but six of them have been game winners&hellip;Defensemen aren&rsquo;t supposed to score too many goals (Bobby Orr and Brad Park excepted) but Philadelphia Flyer rearguards have been responsible for a new team record. Joe Watson, Jean Potvin and Brent Hughes scored within a span of 1:35 against St. Louis, the fastest three goals ever scored by the Flyers&hellip;Excellent story on Bobby Orr in the April issue of Sport Magazine&hellip;Maclean&rsquo;s Magazine in April features an in-depth look at Boston&rsquo;s Derek Sanderson&hellip;Please don&rsquo;t forget to get your votes in for THE HOCKEY NEWS annual All-Star team. It&rsquo;s more fun this year with a team from each division&hellip;Ed Giacomin was credited with two assists as Rangers defeated Toronto, 5-3, which set a new NHL record for most assists by a goalie in one game. A number of goalies have earned assists in a game previously but no one ever garnered more than one&hellip;Phil Esposito has scored 27 power play goals so far this season, bettering his NHL record of 25 set last season. He scored his 26th and 27th power play goals as Boston downed Minnesota, 7-3, in a game marred by the wild stick swinging of Wayne Cashman and Dennis Hextall. The Cashman-Hextall affair was so revolting that the National Hockey League is investigating the matter and Referee Bill Friday will be hauled up on the carpet to find out why the combatants were let off so, easily.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04558/3044812-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="264" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jimmy Skinner</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0004-01

PASSING THE PUCK

<h2>Orr Name Certain To Stay Popular</h2>I was shocked to read a letter from Steve Langer (March 17th Fan Forum) concerning Bobby Orr. He said Orr is conceited and overrated.I saw Bobby at a golf tournament in Toronto. He was most gracious to the kids. He was anything but conceited. I just wish some American baseball and football players could be this way. He is in every way a team man. I have read just about every book and article written on Orr and have never read anyone who shared your opinion.As for being overrated, how can you say that? Bobby Orr gets publicity because he is a terrific hockey player. True, there are other good defensemen in the National Hockey League and Orr would be the first to agree, but there are none who put it all together so well as he does.He can&rsquo;t help but get better and better and so Mr. Langer, you better learn to live with the name Orr in hockey headlines for a good many years to come.JUDY EBERHART, Findlay, O.<h2>WHA Should Expect To Meet Mixed Success</h2>The new World Hockey Association intrigues me with its strange mixture of teams. There are two areas that are fairly sure of success because of their good hockey backgrounds and populations (Minnesota and New England).New York and Chicago are debatable. The Canadian areas&mdash;Ontario, Edmonton, Quebec, and Winnipeg&mdash;are great hockey areas. But, can they support hockey on a major league basis as the WHA proposes? I have my doubts.Los Angeles, Miami and Dayton are not proven hockey areas. It seems to me that the WHA is trying to succeed on spectacular headlines with a minor league organization.ALLEN J. KRYSTOSEK, St. Cloud, Minn.<h2>NHL Anti-Fight Rule Takes Zing From Game</h2>I am writing this letter to protest the hew &ldquo;third man&rdquo; rule concerning hockey fights in the National Hockey League.I have been an avid hockey fan for thirty years. Hockey has always been a fast moving, rough, tough game. In my opinion, hard checking, temper flaring and retaliation is at least 50 per cent of the game.This new fight rule has done to hockey what eliminating the tackling would do to football. Where is the action?JACK MacNAIR, Houlton, Me.<h2>Marv&rsquo;s The Man In Radio Land</h2>In a recent &ldquo;Passing The Puck&rdquo; column, reference was made to the fact that there are more talented new play-by-play announcers than ever before.I think one of the best of the crop is the Rangers&rsquo; Marv Albert. Not taking anything away from any of the others, I don&rsquo;t believe that there is an announcer in the NHL who can come even close to the caliber of play-by-play set by the one and only &ldquo;Marvelous Marv Albert&rdquo;.BILL KING, Elizabeth, N.J. &#9632;

Fan Forum

MONTREAL&mdash;Hockey fans, this is it. Your last opportunity to pick your very own National Hockey League All Star teams.This is the final ballot in THE HOCKEY NEWS 25th annual All Star team selections. So don&rsquo;t miss out. Remember it&rsquo;s your last chance to match the experts.After many years of selecting your favorite National Hockey League. All Stars for THE HOCKEY NEWS, we have embarked on a new format this season. Now we want our readers to select an Eastern and a Western team.The new plan of individual teams in both East and West will enable readers to concentrate on their favorite division performers. We think it&rsquo;s a brand new challenge to the selectors who have been coming back year after year.Every enthusiastic hockey fan loves the challenge of being able to sit down and select their ownAll Star team. It&rsquo;s fun and might require a little more concentration on your part to come up with the team to match the official NHL All Stars.Merely clip the ballot shown on this page, read the voting regulations carefully and then fill in your selections. It&rsquo;s simple and exciting both.You are requested to pick both an Eastern and Western All Star team only&mdash;not a first and second team as in past years&mdash;and print the names of the players carefully on the ballot.If you missed our comprehensive list of players published the first week. you can consult our NHL rosters on page 19 of this issue to facilitate your selections.Remember, you are also afforded a chance to cast a vote for the overall outstanding rookie and most valuable players of the year. It&rsquo;s all contained in your ballot.Ballots have now appeared in three issues and your team will he announced in THE HOCKEY NEWS dated April 14.Remember, if one of your favorites should fail to gain a berth on the Fan&rsquo;s All Star team by the margin of just a few points, it could be because you didn&rsquo;t send that ballot in as you had intended. So right now. while it&rsquo;s still fresh in your mind, fill out the ballot on this page and mail it right away to All Star Editor. THE HOCKEY NEWS. Room 212, 1434 St. Catherine St. West. Montreal 107, Canada.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-01827/3044989-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="262" height="448"><figcaption class="caption-body">GILLES VILLEMUKE New York-Goal</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-02672/3044982-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="267" height="450"><figcaption class="caption-body">JIM NEILSON New York-Defense</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-03490/3044975-1-eng-US/f0006-032.jpg" title="f0006-03" width="266" height="449"><figcaption class="caption-body">PHIL ESPOSITO Boston-Center</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-04341/3044968-1-eng-US/f0006-042.jpg" title="f0006-04" width="270" height="443"><figcaption class="caption-body">JACQUES LAPERRIERE Montreal-Defense</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-05282/3044961-1-eng-US/f0006-052.jpg" title="f0006-05" width="271" height="446"><figcaption class="caption-body">ROD GILBERT New York-R. Wing</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-06200/3044954-1-eng-US/f0006-062.jpg" title="f0006-06" width="270" height="431"><figcaption class="caption-body">FRANK MAHOVLICH Montreal L. Wing</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-07104/3044947-1-eng-US/f0006-072.jpg" title="f0006-07" width="271" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">LORNE WORSLEY Minnesota-Goaier</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-0854/3044940-1-eng-US/f0006-082.jpg" title="f0006-08" width="269" height="431"><figcaption class="caption-body">BILL WHITE Chicago-Defense</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-0933/3044933-1-eng-US/f0006-092.jpg" title="f0006-09" width="271" height="410"><figcaption class="caption-body">ED VAN IMPE Philadelphia-Defense</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-1021/3044926-1-eng-US/f0006-102.jpg" title="f0006-10" width="269" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">PIT MARTIN Chicago-Center</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-1119/3044919-1-eng-US/f0006-112.jpg" title="f0006-11" width="261" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY SABOURIN St. Louis-R. Wing</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-1217/3044912-1-eng-US/f0006-122.jpg" title="f0006-12" width="271" height="440"><figcaption class="caption-body">DENNIS HULL Chicago-L. Wing</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0006-01

Hockey News Closes Fan All Star Poll

1&mdash;Anyone is eligible to cast ballots for the National Hockey League All Star Team, but each reader may submit ONLY ONE-ENTRY, naming an Eastern and Western team, as well as MVP and Outstanding Rookie overall in the NHL.2&mdash;The ballots will run for three weeks. Final ballot will appear in the issue dated March 31, 1972.3&mdash;Use blanks published in THE HOCKEY NEWS, or reasonable facsimile or tracings of same if you do not wis&rsquo;i to deface your copy. Be sure to fill in your own name and address.4&mdash;Ballots must be mailed to. All Star Editor, THE HOCKEY NEWS, Room 212, 1434 St. Catherine St. W., Montreal 107, Canada. &#9632;

All Star Voting Regulations

<div class="byline">BY BOB SMIZIK</div>PITTSBURGH&mdash;&ldquo;Clear The Track Here Comes Eddie Shack&rdquo; was once the words that formed a sign which hung in Maple Leafs Gardens when the fiery Shack played with Toronto.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01773/3045051-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="264" height="511"><figcaption class="caption-body">Al McDonough</figcaption></div>Now the Penguins hope Shack can put them on the right track to the Stanley Cup playoffs,The Penguins acquired the 35-year-old Shack from Buffalo March 4, barely more than a day before the trading deadline. They gave up rookie Rene Robert and an undisclosed amount of cash for Shack.On the basis of his first four games, Shack was clearly worth the price. &middot;He scored two goals and had three assists in his first three games as a Penguin but it was in his fourth game&mdash;which he did not score&mdash;that he showed his real value to the team. The Penguins scored a 4-4 tie against Boston that night at the Boston Garden.&ldquo;Boston was so intent in chasing Eddie Shack that we were scoring goals while they were chasing him&rdquo;, said Coach Red Kelly. Shack had pulled enough of the stuff that earned him the nickname of The Entertainer the night before in the Penguins&rsquo; 6-4 win over Boston to incur the wrath of the Bruins.So while the Bruins were chasing Shack, the Penguins scored three of their four goals while he was on the ice. &ldquo;Shack would either pass off when they chased him or they&rsquo;d leave an opening for one of our guys,&rdquo; said Kelly.While the Shack-Bob Leiter-Al Mctlonough line was on for three of the goals, they did not allow Boston to score any against them.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt he picks up the team&rdquo;, said Kelly. &ldquo;He keeps everyone on their toes.And Shack keeps everyone at the Civic Arena on their toes, too. His mad rushes up the ice with the puck already are a delight to Penguin fans.A left-handed shooter, Shack&mdash;who played at New York, Toronto, Boston, Los Angeles and Buffalo before coming to Pittsburgh had played right wing almost exclusively in his career.But with a weakness on the left side, Kelly has made Shack a left winger and so far the experiment has been a booming success.PENGUIN PATTER: Shack&rsquo;s arrival in Pittsburgh reunited him with his old Toronto teammate Tim Horton, but the reunion was short lived. Horton separated his shoulder in Shack&rsquo;s first game as a Penguin against Detroit. Horton may be out for the season, but Kelly hopes to have him back sooner.Jean Pronovost set two team records and tied a third which he should break before the season ends. Pronovost&rsquo;s 26th goal tied the club record held by Dean Prentice. He scored points in eight consecutive games breaking Art Stratton&rsquo;s record and scored goals in six straight games breaking Earl Ingarfield&rsquo;s mark.The trade that brought Al McDonough to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles for Bob Woytowich continues to look better. After an extremely slow start as a Penguin, McDonough suddenly came to life in late February and scored four goals and nine points in a seven-game stretch.Horton&rsquo;s injury sent Darryl Edestrand back to defense, from where he scored twice in nine seconds against Boston, and gave Greg Polis a spot with a regular line. Polis moved into Edestrand&rsquo;s old left wing spot beside Bryan Hextall and Ken Schinkel. He responded by snapping an 11-game streak scoring twice in the Penguins&rsquo; 6-4 win over Boston.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-02676/3045044-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="536" height="574"><figcaption class="caption-body">JEAN PRONOVOST&hellip;Set Two Records</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0007-01

Pens Hoping Shack Puts Club On Track To Playoffs

<div class="byline">&#x2014;By Bill Libby</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-01813/3045089-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="287" height="356"></div><h2>The Rich Get Richer&hellip;</h2>EARLY THIS SEASON, the Seals&rsquo; new general manager Garry Young, declared, &ldquo;Carol Vadnais is the guts of our hockey club. If we trade him, it won&rsquo;t be my doing.&rdquo; The owner, Charles O. Finley, added, &ldquo;As much as anything else, we need gate attractions. Vadnais not only is our best player, but our best draw. We&rsquo;re hanging on to him.&rdquo;Recently, the California franchise dealt Vadnais to the Boston Bruins for three young players. Asked about his bosses&rsquo; earlier comments, Vadnais smiled and shrugged and said, &ldquo;Sports teams say a lot of things. The Seals say a lot of things. Charley says a lot. Then they turn around and do what they say they won&rsquo;t do. There&rsquo;s no surprise there.&rdquo;This was after the deal and Vadnais was wearing a Boston uniform. He admitted he&rsquo;d done some talking before the trade, too! &ldquo;I asked to be traded. So it was no surprise when I was traded. Of course, clubs don&rsquo;t always do what you ask them to do. I wasn&rsquo;t threatening to quit or anything like that. I was prepared to go on playing for the Seals. But I did want out.&rdquo;Why? &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t happy with the team anymore,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t mind Oakland, although I&rsquo;m from the East and prefer the East. I was tired of losing. I was tired of being blamed for losing. I was sick and tired of being chewed up by everybody. Maybe they expected too much from me. I don&rsquo;t know what they expected. But management was giving me more aggravation than I cared for.&rdquo;A Bobby Orr-styled offensive defenseman, the swift-skating, sharpshooting Vadnais played parts of two seasons with Montreal Canadiens, was drafted by the Seals and in his first full season in the NHL scored 15 goals and in his second scored 24 and was something of a sensation, but he suffered injuries which sidelined him 26 games last season and he tallied only ten times.This season, he had 14 goals in 52 games including a hat-trick in his last game for the Seals. He was named captain of the club and when he skated on the ice in Oakland in a Boston uniform instead of a Seals uniform right after the trade, many northern California supporters of the Seals were shocked, to put it mildly.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02723/3045082-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="549" height="882"><figcaption class="caption-body">CAROL VADNAIS&hellip;Tired Of Losing</figcaption></div>At 6-1 and 190 pounds, fearless and fast with his fists, he had been the club cop in the past, but he no longer often was playing the part of the inspirational leader the Seals sought. He had 106 minutes in penalties, but this was a log less than the 212 he totalled two years ago when he was something of a terror.Perhaps most important, coach Vic Stasiuk, manager Young and others around the club felt he gave up more goals than he scored. This is the trouble with many of these Orr-styled players, of course. Teams want them to play this way&mdash;carrying the puck a lot and scoring a lot&mdash;and they seem surprised when they don&rsquo;t do the defensive job, too. But an Orr who can play both ends of the ice without making many mistakes is the rarest of players.Montreal and New York were bidding for Vadnais, too, but Bruins bought him with the high bid of Reg Leach, Rick Smith and Don O&rsquo;Donoghue, three in their early 20&rsquo;s. These top teams can afford to pass on surplus players in numbers, some of whom they&rsquo;ll lose in the forthcoming drafts, anyway, for starts. The Seals may have made shrewd selections. Time will tell. Young has made high marks this season, certainly. But, basically, you build a contender with quality, not quantity. And expansionists trading off their high amateur draft choices and best players figure to remain on poverty row forever.Meanwhile, the rich get richer, probably prolonging their domination of the doomed. Bruins&rsquo; coach Tom Johnson paired Vadnais with Dallas Smith. Orr and Don Awrey form his other defense duo. Now he has an Orr on one duo and an Orr type on the other and has stabilized his team&rsquo;s style. Tough Teddy Green, who make a good comeback from his critical head injury, but is not the defenseman he was, became the swing man for the time being and can operate effectively in that role.<h2>A Man Of Multi Talents</h2>WITH ITS AWESEME offensive punch, Bruins can better balance off defensive problems Vadnais provides than could most clubs. He was on the ice for a lot of goals his first few games for Bruins and seemed shaky, but he is a tremendously talented player, only 27, and Boston could bring out the best that is in him. &ldquo;I was getting worse, not better in Oakland,&rdquo; Vadnais admitted to us. &ldquo;I never stopped trying, but you can only lose so many times before you lose your enthusiasm. And there just wasn&rsquo;t a lot of enthusiasm for the sport in that atmosphere.&rdquo;Montreal born and reared, the moustachioed, long-haired Vadnais looks like a lot of the other Bruins in uniform and in form he plays with a flamboyance that probably will fit fine with the flashy Bostonians. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know my teammates set and I&rsquo;m still nervous&rdquo;, he confessed. &ldquo;This team doesn&rsquo;t lose many games and I don&rsquo;t want to make any mistakes which will cost them any losses. They didn&rsquo;t ask me to change my game. But I know I have to play good defense. That&rsquo;s in my game, too. People underestimate me.&rdquo;In a way, the pressure is less and in a way it&rsquo;s more. In Oakland, he was the star who was expected to bear most of the burden. In Boston, he&rsquo;s just another top player and he&rsquo;ll get a lot more help. On the other hand, the stakes were not as high in Oakland as they are in Boston. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re driving for the pennant and aiming at the Stanley Cup. Instead of struggling for the playoffs, I&rsquo;m in a spot where the payoff could be much higher,&rdquo; Vadnais admitted.Married eight months ago, Vadnais says the trade hit them hard at first, but soon was seen as a blessing, not a blow. &ldquo;My wife was all shook up about our home, our car, our life, and I was sort of sad to be leaving friends, but then, right away, we said, hey, I&rsquo;m moving up, not down. Guys often get traded to bad teams. I went to the best. I got a shot at big money. I got a chance for a whole new life,&rdquo; he grins.His hand touched his new uniform. &ldquo;The thing is,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;responsibilities come with this. I got a big break. I have to make the most of it. The chance I&rsquo;m getting is the chance they&rsquo;re taking on me.&rdquo; The grin was gone and his face was serious now. &#9632;

f0008-01

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">BY HAL SIGURDSON</div>VANCOUVER&mdash;As if the Vancouver Canucks didn&rsquo;t have trouble enough, now they have a full blown feud boiling up over he edges in the front office.It&rsquo;s an odd sort of feud, really. Babe Pratt, a Hall of Fame defenseman and now assistant to vice-president and general manager Bud Poile, has done all the shooting.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03598/3045120-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="254" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body">Josh Guevremont</figcaption></div>Coach Hal Laycoe, his target, sits by quietly, pretending he can&rsquo;t hear the shots or feel the bullets.The whole mess bubbled to the surface following a 6-5 home ie loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, hastened perhaps by a Vancouver Sun article that suggested Laycoe wasn&rsquo;t exactly receiving the whole-hearted support of the Canucks&rsquo; organization.Pratt quickly made it clear that Laycoe has no support at all from him as he launched a stinging attack on the coach&rsquo;s approach and methods.Nor did he make any apologies for his attack.&ldquo;My loyalty doesn&rsquo;t lie with the coach&mdash;any coach,&rdquo; he insisted. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m loyal to Bud Poile. He doesn&rsquo;t want a yes man. I say what I think.&rdquo;Then he proceeded to put words to thoughts that would curdle asbestos.&ldquo;And I&rsquo;m not second guessing,&rdquo; he snapped. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d tell him beforehand if he&rsquo;d ask.&rdquo;&ldquo;I look at our talent and it hasn&rsquo;t improved over what it was at the beginning of the season. They aren&rsquo;t getting any better defensively.&ldquo;Laycoe and I don&rsquo;t see eye-to-eye. He&rsquo;s a &lsquo;don&rsquo;t&rsquo; coach&mdash;don&rsquo;t do this; don&rsquo;t to that. I&rsquo;m a &lsquo;do&rsquo; person. Teach them what to do, not what not to do.&rdquo;Laycoe&rsquo;s infatuation with statistics is another source of irritation, Pratt claimed.&ldquo;Statistics are for losers,&rdquo; he charged. &ldquo;All this business of who to play against who is a bunch of bull. It&rsquo;s from the past. Minus-plus means nothing. It doesn&rsquo;t tell you about second effort or individual effort. A guy can be a heck of a plus defenseman if he&rsquo;s out there with Bobby Orr every shift.&ldquo;You have to be able to communicate. We have hockey brains on this club behind the scenes. Where will you find a smarter hockey player than Phil Maloney? (now a Vancouver scout). I consider myself a PHD on defensemen&mdash;offensively and defensively. But Laycoe&rsquo;s never so much as asked me.&rdquo;Laycoe? Though he must be doing a slow burn, he refuses to shoot back. He will only say he has a good working relationship with general manager Poile and that he knows he&rsquo;s a good coach.&ldquo;When I go home nights, I can sleep,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;This club has problems, all right, but it&rsquo;s not the coaching.&rdquo;Perhaps, however, the Canucks are a team that thrives on controversy. The night after Pratt&rsquo;s stinging accusations the club broke out of a 10-game winless streak with a 3-2 decision over Buffalo.And they did it in dramatic fashion with rookie defenseman Jocelyn Guevremont scoring the winning goal with just 11 seconds left to play. It was the big rookie&rsquo;s 12th goal of the season.With only a few games remaining, Poile apparently intends to let the whole thing slide until the season is over. &#9632;

f0008-03

Laycoe On Griddle As Pratt Critical Of Canucks’ Plight

<div class="byline">BY ED CONRAD</div>PHILADELPHIA&mdash;Only once before in this, Fred Shero&rsquo;s 14th season of coaching professionally, has his team been anchored with many more losses than wins.Shero&rsquo;s record in that 13-year span was an impressive 490 victories, 321 defeats and 103 ties&mdash;impressive, indeed, since it added up to six first-place finished and six playoff championships at five different minor league stops.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01790/3045151-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="268" height="471"><figcaption class="caption-body">Fred Shero</figcaption></div>Since figures don&rsquo;t lie, it meant the soft-spoken, mild-mannered constantly-pleasant individual deserved promotion to the NHL. It finally came with the Flyers this season.Now Fred is near termination of his rookie year in the big time and it&rsquo;s no secret his Flyers have not been an artistic success. They fit anything but Shero&rsquo;s mold as a consistent winner.Entering the final two weeks of the regular season, the Flyers&rsquo; record has been quite unimpressive over the long grind. They have sputtered and they have stalled time after time after time.True, the Flyers still have a shot at making the playoffs. But it&rsquo;s only because the competition for the remaining playoff berths in the West Division has been as bad or worse.Now. before the playoff question is even decided, it might be a good time to evaluate just what Shero has accomplished, what direction his club is going, and whether he is strictly a minor league coach.Several things must first be considered. First and foremost is the knowledge that Shero, who succeeded Vic Stasiuk. came in from the cold. After all, when he went to training camp, he actually met many of his players for the first time&hellip;let alone coaching them.As new coach, it was under-standble that player movement, generally speaking, was done with Fred having very little voice in the first few transactions. General manager Keith Allen tried to do well but, actually, didn&rsquo;t succeed in improving the club in that method. Shero. in turn, was forced to grin and bear these mistakes.Another point, Fred had to blend the Flyers&rsquo; personnel into his own type of system. It&rsquo;s something that doesn&rsquo;t happen overnight, and a deficiency anywhere down the line can weaken the entire operation.In addition, Shero and his easy-going gait were a complete reversal of mannerism of the outspoken (though every bit as dedicated and conscientious) Stasiuk. Every chance causes reaction.About two thirds of the way this season, it appeared that possibly Shero&rsquo;s patience and cool were a mistake. The Flyers, it seemed at that juncture, needed to be bullwhipped to produce that extra effort. Fred&rsquo;s style didn&rsquo;t seem to fit.Then, almost overnight, a strange thing happened. The time, the patience, the tonguebiting. the discomfort, the disappointment. the disillusionment were starting to have some just desserts. The Flyers, despite bring faced with adversity with crucial injuries, finally started playing as a team. &#9632;

f0009-01

Shero’s Coat hing Technique Finally Showing With Flyers

<div class="byline">BY GIL SMITH</div>MONTREAL&mdash;The Mahovlich Freres have come up with a new wrinkle to enhance the family image, this season.They want to win the &ldquo;Family Scoring Title&rdquo; from any and all other Brother Acts in the NHL.Currently, there are some 10 different brother combinations in the league, though one pair&mdash;Ken and Dave Dryden&mdash;are goalies.The others include defensemen like the Hillmans and Plagers, who don&rsquo;t pose any threat to the Mahovlichs in a scoring sense.Luckily, too, Phil Esposito&rsquo;s brother is a netminder or that family could well beat the Mahovlich boys out of a scoring crown. But, though Phil Esposito himself had a staggering 121 points (59-62) as this was written, he couldn&rsquo;t be expected to beat the combined scoring totals of the Mahovlihs and Hulls. &middot;At this writing, the Hulls and Mahovlichs were in a close battle for scoring honors among bothers in the league.The Hulls had a five point edge on Bobby&rsquo;s 81 scoring points (4338) and Dennis&rsquo; 62 (25-37). The Hull total was 143 points.Frank Mahovlich had totalled 83 points on 36 goals and 47 assists, while brother Peter had 55 points on 30 goals and 25 assists. Their combined total was 138 points.Trailing them was a third brother act&mdash;the Redmonds. Mickey, of Detroit, had an impressive 67 points on 40 goals and 27 assists. His brother, Dick, a defenseman with the California Golden Seals, had 37 points (8-29). Their combined total was 104.Due to Dick&rsquo;s position as a rearguard, the Redmonds weren&rsquo;t likely to close the gap.So, it looked like a race to the wire between the Hulls and Mahovlichs for family scoring honors, this season. &#9632;

Canadiens’ Duo Eyeing ‘Family’ Scoring Honors

<div class="byline">BY CHARLEY BARTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0011-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01797/3045206-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">The young man with the relaxed look and the pipe is none other than Buffalo Sabres&rsquo; rookie scoring star RICK MARTIN. The rookie sensation, with 43 goals in his first season, is also aiming for a new points&rsquo; records. (Hockey News Photo by Robert Shaver)</figcaption></div>BUFFALO&mdash;Richard Martin, the Buffalo Sabres&rsquo; record-breaking rookie with 43 goals missed four games with a bruised shoulder after tumbling into the boards at Montreal.The brilliant left-winger with a chance to become the NHL&rsquo;s first rookie to score 50 goals, and the sixth 50-goal shooter in history, was six points short of the rookie record for total points with nine games to play.Martin, hurt when taken into the boards cleanly by the Canadiens&rsquo; Guy Lapointe, was replaced by John Gould, a 22-year youngster up from Cincinnati, the Sabres&rsquo; American League affiliate. Gould scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL start, a 6-3 loss at Oakland.Joe Crozier, the Sabres&rsquo; coach, was determined not to rush Martin back too soon.&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take any chances with the careers of any players, let alone a guy like Martin,&rdquo; Crozier said. &ldquo;I have to be sure he&rsquo;s healthy before he plays again.&ldquo;I realize he has a shot at 50 goals and the rookie points record, but his overall welfare comes first.&rdquo; After getting a medical OK Crozier sent the brilliant Martin back into action and he responded with two goals&mdash;his 42nd and 43rd of the year.Meanwhile the Sabres carried two training-room bicycles with them on their last extended trip of the season, a five-game, 10day journey from coast to coast.And, the bikes were getting plenty of action as Crozier threatened to turn the closing weeks of the season into a training-camp session as the club staggered under a six-game losing streak.In a determined effort to ward off the &ldquo;going-through-the-motions&rdquo; routine that affects nonplayoff clubs late in the schedule, Crozier ordered the bikes to be brought along, and scheduled two-a-day workouts when ice was available.The &ldquo;minus&rdquo; players were riding 10 miles for every minus against them, and some of the players were so far into the minus side they might never get even.A &ldquo;plus&rdquo; player is one who is on the ice when his team scores more goals than are scored against it. A &ldquo;minus&rdquo; player, conversely, is one on the ice for more goals against than goals for.What particularly galled Crozier was a 3-2 loss in Vancouver in which the Sabres led twice and the Canucks got the winning goal with 11 seconds remaining.&ldquo;I told our guys before that game they could either have a pleasant last three weeks of the season, or the worst of their careers,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not going to stand idly by while this type of thing goes on. If these guys want me to turn the last three weeks into another training camp, it&rsquo;s all right me.&ldquo;There are places where we can get ice twice a day. That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ll do unless I get a solid effort all the way down the line. Then I&rsquo;ll ease up.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s entirely up to them &ldquo; &#9632;

f0011-01

Martin May Be First Rookie To Store 50

<div class="byline">BY TOM MONAHAN</div>BOSTON&mdash;The figure stood at 390 career goals for Bruins veteran Johnny Bucyk, but no one was counting forward to the day the Chief would make it 400 this season.Time was running out with only nine games to play, Bucyk still was slightly hampered by a bad hip and most important of all the Bruins were in a slump.At least that was the euphemism for what was the problem going into the final month of the season with a 2-0 loss to Los Angeles, a 6-4 defeat at Pittsburgh and a 4-4 tie with the Penguins after enjoying a 3-0 lead on Garden ice.Whatever it is that has gone wrong with the B&rsquo;s, coach Tom Johnson makes no secret of the fact that he is concerned about the way the team has been playing in the last two weeks.After allowing only 2.2 goals a game in the first 60 games of the campaign they yielded 37 in the next nine.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know just what has gone wrong,&rdquo; admitted a puzzled Johnson. &ldquo;But I am concerned about the goals we&rsquo;ve been giving up. That&rsquo;s the result of a general defensive breakdown and we&rsquo;ve got a lot of hard work to do to get out of that habit.&rdquo;One possible solution Johnson toyed with was the breaking of the normal goal-tending rotation he has used since the start of the season.Eddie Johnston was in the nets for the 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh and while Gerry Cheevers played the 4-4 tie the next night, Gerry hans&rsquo;t been beaten in 30 straight games with 23 wins and seven ties since Nov. 10.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a matter of one man breaking down, though,&rdquo; said Johnson. &ldquo;So I can&rsquo;t say that switching goaler would provide the answer.&rdquo;Another item of importance is the return of Ken Hodge after being idled since Feb. 3 with a fractured ankle.By careful attention to his diet, the big wing dropped from 220 pounds down to 205 during his recuperation and is ready to return to his right wing spot with Wayne Cashman returning to left wing for Phil Esposito.This would put Mike Walton back with Derek Sanderson and Eddie Westfall and leave Ace Bailey and Don Marcotte for spot duty.But there was a feeling that the Bruins&rsquo; problems at the minute might be more mental than physical.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got to be mental,&rdquo; said defenseman Don Awrey. &ldquo;We have been too lax. We may be taking things too easy without realizing it. I think it&rsquo;s a matter of self-examination. We have to find out what we are doing wrong ourselves and it&rsquo;s up to everyone to straighten himself out.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01778/3045237-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="562" height="618"><figcaption class="caption-body">KEN HODGE&hellip;. Back In Harness</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0012-01

Letdown More Mental Than Physical

<div class="byline">BY BOB VERDI</div>CHICAGO&mdash;About those noises you heard emanating from the Black Hawks&rsquo; abode. No, not the sound of suitcases being unpacked or tired bones creaking. No, it&rsquo;s about those sighs&hellip;those sighs of relief.The Black Hawks, you see, were having problems during the last three weeks of February and early March. They were, of course, light years ahead of the rest of the West Division, so there was little to sweat about except avoiding injury, satisfying pride and upholding reputation.Trouble was, they weren&rsquo;t even doing that. Two of their mighty mites&mdash;Chico Maki and Lou Angotti&mdash;got hurt, and the players that weren&rsquo;t physically hurt were puzzled by the prolonged below-.500 streak. Tough on the pride. And that reputation&mdash;some folks were starting to talk about the Black Hawks not in the same breath as New York, Boston and Montreal.Then, however, the Black Hawks embarked on a tedious six-game road trip which would carry them from coast to coast and then some. It was about time, one surmised, that the Chicago Six was to commence playing quality hockey once again.This is where those sighs of relief enter. When the Hawks finally returned from that protracted away spin, they were clicking once again. After a month of shaky performances from goalward out, all facets of their game started to mesh again.&ldquo;I was beginning to wonder when we were going to get rolling again,&rdquo; said Pit Martin, who seems to shine whether the team is clicking or not. It was he who scored two goals against the Detroit Red Wings in a 3-2 victory which enabled the Chicago six-game voyage to read: two wins, one loss, three ties.&ldquo;I said I&rsquo;d settle for six of a possible twelve points at the outset of the trip,&rdquo; said Coach Billy Reay. &ldquo;And we did better than that.&rdquo; &middot;Thus the Hawks entered their final ten games with a rather gaudy 17-point pillow over the Minnesota North Stars. So what were all the Black Hawk afficionados worrying about in the first place?Certainly Reay seemed the least alarmed through it all. He inferred that too much was being made of the slump by the over-fastidious critics. And the boss-man hastened to add that when playoff time comes, the Black Hawks will be ready and waiting.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s another thing that goes overlooked with this team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re after our third straight finish in first place. That&rsquo;s something these players should really be proud of, I don&rsquo;t care what sport you&rsquo;re in.&rdquo;Reay awaited the formal clinching of first place so he could being resting his personnel more via the use of four lines.As of mid-March, the Hawks&rsquo; most consistent trio had Martin at center for left wing Dennis Hull and right wing Jim Pappin. Stan Mikita was the pivot for left wing Chris Bordeleau and right wing Cliff Koroll, while Bryan Campbell was performing admirably between Bobby Hull on the left and Eric Nesterenko on the right.Jerry Korab was acting as part left wing, part fifth defenseman, part point man on the power play and handling all chores with aplomb.The goaltending was a three-ply effort. Gary Smith completed his first game in a month as he tied New York 3-3 March 8, a deadlock which marked the Hawks&rsquo; first point on the ice of any of the Eastern Elite (Boston, New York, Montreal) this season.Three nights later, the Chicagoans&rsquo; snapped an eight-game Montreal winning string with a 1-1 stalemate at the the Forum, an effort in which Gerry Desjardins was sharp in the nets. Then the next afternoon Tony Esposito withstood 46 Detroit shots to beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Martin&rsquo;s 100-foot dash for the winner with 2:13 remaining in the game.HAWK-EY TALK: Koroll scored his 19th goal against the Rangers to establish a career high&hellip;In the New York game, Reay and Rangers&rsquo; Coach Emile Francis locked wits in a battle of equipment late in the game. First Reay summoned Ref Art Skov to check the right glove of Glen Sather. There was an illegal slit in the palm and Sather was given a penalty. Outraged, Francis had Skov examine the curvature of Dennis Hull&rsquo;s stick blade. It was a quarter inch too much; thus a $200 fine. The episode ended with Francis charging that he&rsquo;d have all the Hawks&rsquo; stacks checked when the teams next met. &ldquo;If he does,&rdquo; chortled Reay, &ldquo;it will cost him a bundle.&rdquo; He referred to the appendage rule which calls for a $25 fine against the claimant should the appeal not be upheld&hellip;Reay said he was alerted to Sather&rsquo;s glove in the first period of the contest by Lou Varga, the Hawks&rsquo; equipment man. &ldquo;What I wanted to do,&rdquo; Reay said, &ldquo;was wait until they were called for one penalty late in the game and then I&rsquo;d have hit them with that and we&rsquo;d have been two men up. And wouldn&rsquo;t it have been something if we&rsquo;d have scored while Sather was in the box?&rdquo; &#9632;

Hawks Come Out Of Tailspin To Pad West Division Lead

TORONTO&mdash;Travelling across Europe in the company of big league hockey stars is something every youngster dreams about but rarely gets the chance to realize.But boys going to Finland this summer to attend hockey school are going to get that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It happened to 40 boys from all over North America in the summer of 1971 and they came back with memories they are not likely to forget in a hurry.Here&rsquo;s how it happened for them and will be repeated this summer with aspiring young boys eager for hockey.They travelled to Finland accompanied by three top big time professional hockey players&mdash;Carl Brewer, Garry Unger and Jim McKenny.The boys left New York last Aug. 9 and 10 hours later they were following Unger through the downtown streets of Helsinki.After an introduction to Finnish life in the big city the group boarded their own chartered buses for the drive to Tampere, (Finland&rsquo;s second biggest city). Here they had their own hotel rooms right across the street from the beautiful Jaahovi ice palace where the next day they had their first practice session. Scrimmages were held daily with Finnish and North American boys playing with and against one another.Many of the boys had never had the opportunity of &ldquo;going to sauna&rdquo; but that problem was overcome immediately after practice when Brewer introduced a group of boys to this fabulous new experience. Among the activities engaged in, other than hockey, were swimming, water skiing, boat riding through Finland&rsquo;s gorgeous inland lakes, movies, sightseeing at the amusement park in Helsinki and visiting the Acquarium and Space Needle in Tampere.Koho and Montreal manufacturers of world famous hockey sticks provided the boys with T-shirts and free sticks. Some of Europe&rsquo;s finest hockey instructors were on hand to teach them the fundamentals of skating, passing, checking and stick handling. Each boy had an average of 2 1/2 hours ice time per day after which time, organized tours were arranged or soccer games were played.One weekend in Helsinki the group was fortunate enough to get tickets to the Olympic Stadium to see the European track and field championships. It was an indescribable thrill to see the excitement in the Stadium as a Finn won the 5,000 meter race. The boys also had a chance to watch Formula 1 automobile races. Ice time was also available for practice in Helsinki. Later, the boys returned to Tampere for a second week of hockey and good fun.During the final week of the trip, the 10 oldest boys, accompanied by Unger, voyaged to Leningrad, Russia and visited among other things the Hermitage Museum, Petroverts, the Czar&rsquo;s Summer Palace, Revolution Square, and the Battleship Aurora. Another group of boys travelled to a different part of the Soviet Union&mdash;Tallin Estonia. These boys boarded a Russian liner in Helsinki and made it their home for three days. The group that dit not travel had a chance to camp out and live with a Finnish family&mdash;an unprecedented experience in anyone&rsquo;s life.As the first successful season for the Scandinavian Summer Hockey Schools closed, Brewer and Unger had already made plans to repeat the same program in July, 1972. However, this year it is going to be part of the Koho Overseas Hockey Operation and the boys will have a chance not only to experience the Finnish way of life but also to play 10 days of hockey in the world famous Alpine ski resort of Davos. Switzerland!For the three week period the boys will be split into two groups; one spending 10 days in Forssa, Finland playing in the brand new Koho ice hockey arena while the other is spending 10 days practicing in Davos. At the end of the first period the boys in Finland will go south to Switzerland and the boys down south will fly north to Finland.We are all looking forward to the thrills that 150 lucky North American boys will experience this summer playing hockey with Koho. &#9632;

North American Bovs To Tour Europe With Ice Stars

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01580/3045428-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg"></div><h2>TOP 25 SCORERS</h2>(Including games of Sun. March 19)<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02503/3045421-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="1420" height="908"></div><h2>BOSTON Bruins</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03402/3045414-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="752" height="724"></div><h2>BUFFALO Sabres</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04314/3045407-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="740" height="700"></div><h2>CALIFORNIA Seals</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05239/3045400-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="740" height="818"></div><h2>CHICAGO Black Hawks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-06192/3045393-1-eng-US/f0016-062.jpg" title="f0016-06" width="742" height="744"></div><h2>DETROIT Red Wings</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-07177/3045386-1-eng-US/f0016-072.jpg" title="f0016-07" width="740" height="752"></div><h2>LOS ANGELES Kings</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-08161/3045379-1-eng-US/f0016-082.jpg" title="f0016-08" width="740" height="736"></div><h2>MINNESOTA North Stars</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-09139/3045372-1-eng-US/f0016-092.jpg" title="f0016-09" width="744" height="716"></div><h2>MONTREAL Canadiens</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-10118/3045365-1-eng-US/f0016-102.jpg" title="f0016-10" width="754" height="808"></div><h2>NEW YORK Rangers</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-11104/3045358-1-eng-US/f0016-112.jpg" title="f0016-11" width="744" height="818"></div><h2>PHILADELPHIA Flyers</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1288/3045351-1-eng-US/f0016-122.jpg" title="f0016-12" width="740" height="772"></div><h2>PITTSBURGH Penguins</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1377/3045344-1-eng-US/f0016-132.jpg" title="f0016-13" width="742" height="842"></div><h2>ST. LOUIS Blues</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1471/3045337-1-eng-US/f0016-142.jpg" title="f0016-14" width="754" height="852"></div><h2>TORONTO Maple Leals</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1562/3045330-1-eng-US/f0016-152.jpg" title="f0016-15" width="736" height="836"></div><h2>VANCOUVER Canucks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1659/3045323-1-eng-US/f0016-162.jpg" title="f0016-16" width="738" height="744"></div><h2>NHL&rsquo;S EAST-WEST SCOREBOARD</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-1752/3045316-1-eng-US/f0016-172.jpg" title="f0016-17" width="1404" height="366"></div>(Statistics include games of Sun. March 19) &#9632;

f0016-01

PLAYERS SCORING PENALTY RECORDS

<div class="byline">BY DWAYNE NETLAND</div>TWIN CITIES&mdash;Except had big nights against for the odd injury and a minor scuffle or two, things had been comparatively serene for the Minnesota hockey club since the Christmas holidays. Suddenly it became open season on the North Star goalies, and they started falling like tenpins.The North Stars lost-their starting goalie through injury in two successive games at Metropolitan Sports Center, after going through their first 65 games without a mishap in goal.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01492/3045459-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="276" height="456"><figcaption class="caption-body">Cesare Maniago</figcaption></div>Cesare Maniago caught a vicious shot from Boston&rsquo;s Doug Roberts just above the right kneebone at 10:44 of the second period. Maniago was crouching when the puck slipped in just over his leg pads and hit the unguarded area of muscle and bone.Four days later, in Minnesota&rsquo;s next start, Gump Worsley took a shot from Toronto&rsquo;s Paul Henderson just outside of the crease right square on his nose. The impact knocked Worsley out for several moments, and he had to be replaced at 2:04 of the second period by Gilles Gilbert, who had just been brought up from Cleveland as an emergency fill-in-for Maniago.Worsley&rsquo;s nose was inflated to Pinocchio-type proportions, but no stitches were required. It was the first time all season that the 42-year-old goal-tender had been struck in the face. Worsley and Joe Daley of Detroit are the only National Hockey League goalies who do not wear protective masks.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s too late for me to start wearing one now.&rdquo; said Worsley. &ldquo;If I can go until the 67th game of the schedule before getting one in the face, that&rsquo;s not too bad.&rdquo;Maniago was certain that he had suffered a broken kneecap, the same injury he had sustained while playing for the Minneapolis Bruins of the Central Hockey League back in 1964. X-rays proved no fracture, but Cesare was on crutches for several days until he had the knee area tapped and drained.&ldquo;When the puck hit me it felt like I&rsquo;d been whacked by an axe,&rdquo; said Maniago. It was the first serious game-time injury for Cesare all season, although he was hit in the leg by a practice shot during one pre-game warmup and had to turn over the assignment to Worsley.The injuries struck the Minnesota goal-tending tandem at a time when they were still in mathematical contention for the Vezina Trophy. Chicago&rsquo;s threesome of Tony Esposito, Gary Smith and Gerry Desjardins had the best goals-against average of 2.13, but the North Star entries weren&rsquo;t far back in third place at 2.35, a fraction of a goal behind New York&rsquo;s Ed Giacomin and Gilles Villemure.&ldquo;I can look back at a couple of games where Boston and Chicago had big nights against us, or our guys would really be in there close,&rdquo; said Minnesota coach Jack Gordon.Gordon, incidentally, was struggling through March with a unique problem. The North Stars were all dressed up with nowhere to go. They had second place assured in the West, they couldn&rsquo;t catch Chicago in first and they were displaying some occasional signs of inertia.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to light a fire under them at this stage,&rdquo; observed Gordon. &ldquo;I can understand how they feel. But we&rsquo;d like to finish the season on a strong note to get ready for the playoffs. I don&rsquo;t think we can just turn the faucet on when it&rsquo;s time. You have to work your way into it.&rdquo;Gilbert did not have a particularly distinguishing season at Cleveland, but Gordon and general manager Wren Blair were anxious to look at him under NHL conditions since they will have a protection problem at the expansion draft this June.NORTH STAR NOTES: Over a five-day stretch, some 113,000 persons paid their way into the Met for two North Star games and three rounds of the annual Minnesota State High School hockey tournament. The high school event drew 82,000. &#9632;

f0017-01

Year End Slump, Injuries Hit Stars At Same Time

MONTREAL&mdash;Left winger Frank Mahovlich is within four points of a unique feat in the National Hockey League. He needs that many points to tie the Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; club record of 96 points by a player in one season, set by Dickie Moore in 1958-59.Should the Big M receive at least that many points, his name will be listed as holder or co-holder of individual season records for three different NHL teams. He set the goal record of 48 with Toronto in 1960-61 and tied the Detroit record of 49 goals in 1968-69, a mark originally set by Gordie Howe in 1952-53.In this half of the season, Mahovlich has been the third-highest point-getter. Phil Esposito of Boston, of course, is the leader for the half with 57 points, followed by teammate Bobby Orr with 52 points. Mahovlich has picked up 47 points in his 32 games, three more than teammate Yvan Cournoyer and five more than Bobby Clarke of Philadelphia, who has already broken the Flyers&rsquo; records for goals, assists and points. Cournoyer, incidentally, is the second-hottest goal scorer in his half with 24 goals, four fewer than Esposito.It would appear that for a third straight season, the award money accompanying the Art Ross Trophy will, except for the $500 New York&rsquo;s injured Jean Ratelle won as first-half leader, wind up in Boston. Esposito has 127 points, including the second-highest goal-total in NHL history (62), which is 14 fewer than he scored last season. Orr is second with 112 points, having passed Ratelle last week. The Ranger center is third with 109 and is followed by his teammates, Vic Hadfield, 99, and Rod Gilbert, 95. Mahovlich, who has had points in 16 of his last 19 games&mdash;a total 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in that span&mdash;is sixth with his 92 points. With six games left, Mahovlich has a chance of tying or breaking the Canadien record of 58 assists, set by Jean Beliveau in 1960-61. He now has 51 assists. If Mahovlich does equal or break the two Montreal marks, he would possess one of the longes-standing records (the Toronto goal mark) and the most recent one (with Canadiens). &#9632;

NHL WEEK—In Review

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02437/3045528-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="684" height="438"></div><h2>THE TOP NETMINDERS</h2>(Including games of Sunday, March 19)<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03362/3045521-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="1136" height="354"></div><h2>COMPLETE GOALKEEPING RECORDS FOR NHL TEAMS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04286/3045514-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="1142" height="2106"></div> &#9632;

f0017-02

LOOKING AT NHL GOALERS

<div class="byline">BY DAN PROUDFOOT</div>LOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKSMade in Canada byHILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD.Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, OntarioSold in U.S. and CanadaMade in Canada byHILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD.Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, OntarioSold in U.S. and CanadaTORONTO&mdash;As the final games of the 197172 NHL schedule approached, it was apparent the difference in overall talent between Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings was miniscule. A slump or burst by a player on either team obviously could be enough to decide fourth place in the East Division.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01496/3045559-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="258" height="436"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jim McKenny</figcaption></div>For example, Leaf defensemen Jim McKenny and Brian Glennie suddenly improved into an effective blueline pair, and the results showed quickly in the standing.Leafs jupped into a five-point lead over Wings in one weekend in which McKenny was prominent in a win and a tie.Examination of the Toronto team&rsquo;s seven-game undefeated streak&mdash;six wins and a tie before submitting to Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; flying machine March 15&mdash;reveals two factors. Centers Norm Ullman and David Keon had dramatically improved production, with 11 and seven points respectively. And the defense had been tight, allowing only eight goals in the seven games.McKenny also stood out offensively with eight points. But, equally important, he couldn&rsquo;t be criticized for defensive goofs.The 25-year-old&rsquo;s puck handling always is amazing, sometimes in a negative sense. He&rsquo;s critized for foolish plays, such as skating directly in front of his goaltender, or stickhandling himself into a state of hypnosis. However, his mature play had a direct influence on his teammates. Maple Leaf Gardens fans began noticing his strengths&mdash;things other players mention, such as the excellent leading passes which unleash forwards for clear breaks.Against California Golden Seals in the Gardens March 11, he scored once and set up the winner. The next night, in Minnesota, he passed to Ullman on a powerplay for the tying goal.&ldquo;The defense has looked good,&rdquo; McKenny analyzed, &ldquo;because the forwards are back-checking like crazy. The way old Brian is playing, knocking down all those guys, they&rsquo;re worrying about him and hardly noticing me.&ldquo;We played together for two years with the Toronto Marlboros (Ontario Hockey Association Junior A) and we know each others&rsquo; moves pretty well.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0018-01

McKenny, Glennie Pick Up Leafs In Playoff Drive

<h2>In The East</h2>When talk gets around to the players who have meant the most to the Montreal Canadiens this season, it usually doesn&rsquo;t take long before the name of Frank Mahovlich comes up.A sensational week that saw the &ldquo;Big M&rsquo;&rsquo; blast six goals past enemy NHL netminders and add four assists pushed him past his own career season high point total of 84 set back in 1960-61 as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 10-point production topped all NHL scorers and brought his 1971-72 statistical mark to 41 goals and 51 assists, good for sixth place in the league standings.With six more games remaining on the Canadiens schedule, the older half of Montreal&rsquo;s dynamic Mahovlich brother act is on the verge of breaking several Montreal team scoring marks.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02402/3045597-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="546" height="662"><figcaption class="caption-body">FRANK MAHOVLICH&hellip;Montreal Canadiens</figcaption></div><h2>In The West</h2>The Pittsburgh Penguins have to rate as sharp traders. When they dealt with the Buffalo Sabres recently for colorful and much-travelled winger Eddie Shack, they knew they were getting a man calculated to stir up their club in its stretch run for a playoff spot in the National Hockey League West Division.It is quite likely, however, that they hadn&rsquo;t counted on him becoming the team&rsquo;s offensive leader.The rambunctious Shack, widely popular throughout the league for his entertaining antics on the ice, fired a pair of goals and drew assists on four efforts by teammates this past week as the Pens put on a determined drive to move within stricking distance of the fourth place spot with a 7-4 victory over Vancouver and 4-4 and 3-3 ties with Los Angeles and California.The five-point week brought &ldquo;The Entertainer&rsquo;s&rdquo; season&rsquo;s record to 15 goals and 21 assists.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03301/3045590-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="544" height="610"><figcaption class="caption-body">EDDIE SHACK&hellip;. Pittsburgh Penguins</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0018-02

Player’s of the week

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01476/3045789-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="439" height="298"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02409/3045782-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="485" height="291"></div><h2>Mon. March 13 PHILADELPHIA 1 at MONTREAL 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03334/3045775-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="598" height="469"></div><h2>Tues. March 14 BUFFALO 4 at MINNESOTA 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04288/3045768-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="601" height="663"></div><h2>PITTSBURGH 7 at VANCOUVER 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05241/3045761-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="599" height="868"></div><h2>Wed. March 15 MONTREAL 5 at TORONTO 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06193/3045754-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="625" height="665"></div><h2>NEW YORK 1 at CHICAGO 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-07168/3045747-1-eng-US/f0019-072.jpg" title="f0019-07" width="630" height="462"></div><h2>LOS ANGELES 2 at CALIFORNIA S</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-08152/3045740-1-eng-US/f0019-082.jpg" title="f0019-08" width="622" height="607"></div><h2>Thur. March 16 NEW YORK 2 at DETROIT 1</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-09129/3045733-1-eng-US/f0019-092.jpg" title="f0019-09" width="608" height="463"></div><h2>BUFFALO 3 at PHILADELPHIA 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-10110/3045726-1-eng-US/f0019-102.jpg" title="f0019-10" width="616" height="595"></div><h2>VANCOUVER 2 at MINNESOTA 6</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1193/3045719-1-eng-US/f0019-112.jpg" title="f0019-11" width="603" height="636"></div><h2>BOSTON 8 at LOS ANGELES 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1286/3045712-1-eng-US/f0019-122.jpg" title="f0019-12" width="624" height="801"></div><h2>Fri. March 17 VANCOUVER 6 at BUFFALO 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1373/3045705-1-eng-US/f0019-132.jpg" title="f0019-13" width="605" height="680"></div><h2>ST. LOUIS 2 at CALIFORNIA 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1466/3045698-1-eng-US/f0019-142.jpg" title="f0019-14" width="605" height="422"></div><h2>Sat. March 18 MINNESOTA 3 at MONTREAL 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1559/3045691-1-eng-US/f0019-152.jpg" title="f0019-15" width="615" height="534"></div><h2>CHICAGO 2 at TORONTO 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1654/3045684-1-eng-US/f0019-162.jpg" title="f0019-16" width="596" height="488"></div><h2>NEW YORK 5 at PHILADELPHIA 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1749/3045677-1-eng-US/f0019-172.jpg" title="f0019-17" width="613" height="719"></div><h2>PITTSBURGH 4 at LOS ANGELES 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1844/3045670-1-eng-US/f0019-182.jpg" title="f0019-18" width="627" height="627"></div><h2>Sun. March 19 MONTREAL 6 at DETROIT 7</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1939/3045663-1-eng-US/f0019-192.jpg" title="f0019-19" width="590" height="900"></div><h2>TORONTO 3 at NEW YORK 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01322/3045656-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="610" height="612"></div><h2>MINNESOTA 3 at BOSTON 7</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02237/3045649-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="623" height="731"></div><h2>BUFFALO 3 at CHICAGO 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03196/3045642-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="610" height="484"></div><h2>ST LOUIS 3 at VANCOUVER 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-04150/3045635-1-eng-US/f0020-042.jpg" title="f0020-04" width="584" height="554"></div><h2>PITTSBURGH 3 at CALIFORNIA 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0582/3045628-1-eng-US/f0020-052.jpg" title="f0020-05" width="587" height="571"></div> &#9632;

f0019-01

National Hockey League SUMMARIES

C-Captain.A-Alternate Captain.<h2>MONTREAL</h2>GOALPhil MyreDenis DeJordyKen DrydenDEFENSEJacques LaparrierePierre BouchardJ.C. Tremblay AGuy LapointeSerge SavardDale HoganionBob MurdochCENTERHenri Richard CPete MahovlichLarry PleauR. WINGYvan CoumoyerGuy LafleurJim RobertsRejean HouleL. WINGFrank Mahovlich AJacques LemaireClaude LaroseMarc TardifINJURREDTerry Harper A.<h2>BOSTON</h2>GOALGerry CheeversEd JohnstonDEFENSEBobby OrrDallas SmithCarol Vadnais CTed Green ADon AwreyCENTERPhil Esposito AFred StanfieldDerek SandersonR. WINGJohn McKenzieEd Westfall AKen HodgeL. WINGJohn Bucyk AWayne CashmanGarnet BaileyDon MarcotteMike WaltonINJUREDNone<h2>DETROIT</h2>GOALAl SmithJoo DaleyAndy BrownDEFENSEGary Bergman AAmie Brown ARon StackhouseLarry JohnstonBob WallRon HarrisCENTERAlex Delvecchio CRed Berenson AMarcel DionneR. WINGMickey RedmondBill CollinsDoug VolmarLoon RochefortTim EcclestoneL. WINGNick LibettDanny JohnsonGuy CharronHenry BouchaAl KarlandorINJUREDNone<h2>TORONTO</h2>GOALBerni ParentJacquet PlantDEFENSEBob Baun AJim McKnnyBrad SlwoodBrian GlennieRicky LeyMike PelykCENTERNorm Ullman ADave Keon CJim HarrisonDon MarshallR. WINGRon Ellis AGuy TrottierRick KehoeBiNy MacMillanPierre JarryL. WINGGarry MonahanDeni Dupe reDarryl SittierPaul HendersonINJUREDBrian Spencer<h2>NEW YORK</h2>GOALEd GiacominGillos VdlomureDEFENSEBrod Park AJim Neilson ARod SeilingGary DoakDale RolfeCENTERWalt TkoczukBobby RousseauPete StemkowskiR. WINGRod Gilbert ABill FairbairnBruce MacGregorRon StewartL. WINGVic Hadfield CTod IrvineGlen SatherGene CarrINJUREDAb DeMarcoJim DoreyJean Ratalle<h2>BUFFALO</h2>GOALRoger CroxierDave DrydenDEFENSEAi Hamilton AJim WatsonTracy Pratt.Mike RobitailleLarry HillmanCENTERGerry Meehan CDon LuceJim LorentzGifoert Perreault ARene RobertR. WINGSteve AtkinsonMike ByerDonny LawtonL. WINGRichard MartinCraig RamsayRandy WyroxubGeorge MorrisonJohn GouldINJUREDNono<h2>VANCOUVER</h2>GOALDune WilsonGeorge GardnerDEFENSEPot QuinnJocelyn GuevremontDennis KoamsJohn ScholiaGrog BoddyBarry WilkinsDale Tallon ACENTEROrland KurtenbachAndre Boudrios ARon WardRichard LemieuxR. WINGWayne ConnollyRowi re PaiementBobby SchmoutzL. WINGWayne AAaldTod ToylorDave BalonBobby LalondeINJUREDNono<h2>CHICAGO</h2>GOALTony EspositoGary SmithGerry DesjardinsDEFENSEPat StapletonBill WhiteKeith MagnusonDoug Jarrett AJerry KorabCENTERStan Mikita APit MartinBryan CampbellAndre LacroixR. WINGCliff KorollEric NesterenkoDarryl MaggsJim PappinChico MakiL. WINGBobby HullDennis HullChris BordoloauINJUREDLou Angotti<h2>ST. LOUIS</h2>GOALErnie Wak&laquo;lyJacque CaronWayne StephensonDEFENSEAndre DupontBarclay Pia ger ABill Piagerlarry HornungBob Pbger AJohn ArbourChris EvanCENTERGarry UngerTorry CrispFrank St. MarseiHo ADanny O&rsquo;SheaR. WINGGary SabourinMiko MurphyPhil RobertoKovin O&rsquo;SheaL. WINGJack EgersBrian LavenderGerry OdrowskiCurt BennettINJUREDNoel PicardCari Brewer A<h2>CALIFORNIA</h2>GOALGilles MelocheGary KurtDEFENSERick SmithMarshall JohnstonDick RedmondPoul ShmyrBob StewartCENTERWalt McKechnieIvan BaldirevBobby SheehanR. WINGNorm Ferguson AGerry Pinder AWayne CarletonCraig PatrickReg LoachL. WINGGary CroteauStan GilbertsonGarry JarrettJooy JohnstonErnie HickeINJUREDTom WebsterBert Marshall C<h2>PHILADELPHIA</h2>GOALDoug FovellBob TaylorBob SneddonDon McLeodDEFENSEBarry Ashbee AWayne HillmanJoe WatsonRick FoleyJean PotvinBrent HugheBill BrossartEd Von ImpeCENTERBobby ClarkeEd JoyalBill ClementRick MacLeishR. WINGGary Dornhoefer ALew MorrisonBill FlettSimon NolotL. WINGJeon-Guy GendronBob MallyMike ParizoauRos LansberryINJUREDBruce Gamble<h2>PITTSBURGH</h2>GOALJim RutherfordLes BinkleyDEFENSEDave BurrowSheldon KannegiestBryan WatsonDuane RuppDarryl EdestrandCENTERRon SchockBryan HextaliSyl AppsBobby LeiterR. WINGNick HarbarukKen Schinkel AJoan PronovostAl McDonoughEddie ShackL. WINGGreg PoliStove CardwellVai FonteyneINJUREDKeith McCreary ATim Horton A<h2>LOS ANGELES</h2>GOALGary EdwardsBill SmithDEFENSEDoug BarrieHarry Howell APoul CurtisBob WoytowichGilles Marotte ACENTERRalph Backstrom AButch GoringJuho WidingJimmy JohnsonR. WINGLucien GrenierSergo BernierMiko CorriganL. WINGBob BerryReal LemieuxBill LosukBrian CodinINJUREDLarry BrownRogation VachonBob Pulford C<h2>MINNESOTA</h2>GOALLome WorsleyGilles GilbertDEFENSETed Harris CTom ReidDennis O&rsquo;BrienDouq MohnsBarry Gibbs ACENTERTod HampsonMurray OliverCharlie Bums AJudo DrouinDennis HextaliR. WINGBill GoldsworthyLou NonneBob NevinL. WINGDonny GrantDoan PrenticeJean-Paul PariseINJUREDCraig CameronCesare Maniago &#9632;

NHL Team Rosters

<div class="byline">BY JOHN PORTER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0664/3045844-1-eng-US/f0020-062.jpg" title="f0020-06" width="556" height="578"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY KURT</figcaption></div>OAKLAND&mdash;It was a dubious debut for Gary Kurt. He looked across the dressing room at a set of unused goalie pads and shook his head.&ldquo;I thought he&rsquo;d be here,&rdquo; said Kurt, who opened this season for the California Golden Seals in a disappointing 4-4 tie.There were few who did not sympathize with Kurt, plucked in the inter-league draft last summer from the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League.The Seals needed a second goalie to complement Gary Smith, who toiled through 71 games the previous season and Kurt was a logical choice after a banner year in the AHL.But Kurt wouldn&rsquo;t be the back-up to Gary Smith. Smitty was dealt to Chicago for three players, including goalie Gerry Desjardins.Well, that was okay with Kurt. Now he&rsquo;d be the backup to Desjardins. Wrong again. The Seals stalled on effecting the trade over the issue of Desjardins broken arm and all of a sudden Kurt was No. 1. There wasn&rsquo;t anybody else and it appeared as if the season would start that way.Jumping from minor league standout in the nets to first string for a National Hockey League team isn&rsquo;t easy to take. Especially if the NHL club lost 53 games the preceeding season.Then it seemed as if there&rsquo;d be a reprieve for Kurt. The Seals borrowed veteran netminder Marv Edwards from Toronto for an exhibition game and the old pro won the game against Los Angeles, the only win for the Golden Seals in pre-season.All that was left was to iron out the final arrangements and Edwards would be Oakland-bound for the start of the season. His pads and equipment were already in the dressing room, and Marv was supposed to be on his way.But Marv never made it. The deal never went through.So the Seals traded for rookie Ray Martyniuk with Montreal and Kurt was on the firing line.After some forgetful performances&mdash;once losing a 4-0 lead to Vancouver, 9-6, on 21 shots&mdash;Kurt was sent to the Baltimore Clippers to regain his touch. He did just that and was called back to the Seals, but Gilles Meloche had some phenomenal games (four shutouts) and Kurt saw little action.Coach Vic Stasiuk and general manager Garry Young knew Kurt was ready for a big game. They put him in the nets in Vancouver and he was the best player on the ice. It didn&rsquo;t prove much, though, because California lost.Then against nemesis New York, Kurt stopped the Rangers with a 2-2 tie in Oakland. Meloche played the next eight games until N.Y. showed up on the schedule again.Kurt got the nod and his first National Hockey League win, 73, in Madison Square Garden. Brad Park got a soft goal for the Rangers, but that was it for 2 1/2 periods. Kurt&rsquo;s play dominated the Rangers and the Seals reeled off six consecutive goals for a 7-1 lead.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a long time,&rdquo; said Gary, who had suffered much, but was now grinning.Everyone else on the club was grinning, too. The win put the Seals within two points of third place in the West Division with nine games to go.SEALS SHOTS: Reggie Leach has put fire into a line centered by Joey Johnston with Gary Croteau on left wing&hellip;In eight games the threesome scored 14 goals&hellip;Walt McKenzie (leg injury) was expected to join the lineup before the season ended&hellip;Dick Redmond eclipsed Carol Vadnais&rsquo; team record of season assists for a defenseman (27) in a 2-1 loss in Toronto. &#9632;

f0020-06

GoaIer Kurt Cools Haughty Rangers As Rookie Makes It Back With Seals

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0020-07" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0754/3045882-1-eng-US/f0020-072.jpg"></div>(Standings on Tuesday, March 21)<h2>EAST DIVISION</h2><h2>WEST DIVISION</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0847/3045875-1-eng-US/f0020-082.jpg" title="f0020-08" width="1124" height="346"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. March 13Philadelphia 1 at Montreal 2Tue. March 14Buffalo 4 at Minnesota 3Pittsburgh 7 at Vancouver 4Wed. March 15Montreal 5 at Toronto 2New York 1 at Chicago 3Los Angeles 2 at California 5Thur. March 16New York 2 at Detroit 1Boston 8 at Los Angeles 3Buffalo 3 at Philadelphia 3Vancouver 2 at Minnesota 6Fri. March 17Vancouver 6 at Buffalo 2St. Louis 2 at California 2Sat. March 18Minnesota 4 at Montreal 3Chicago 2 at Toronto 2New York 5 at Philadelphia 3Pittsburgh 4 at Los Angeles 4Sun. March 19Montreal 6 at Detroit 7Toronto 3 at New York 5Minnesota 3 at Boston 7Buffalo 3 at Chicago 3St. Louis 3 at Vancouver 3Pittsburgh 3 at California 3<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 21Detroit at VancouverCalifornia at MinnesotaWed. Match 21Toronto at MontrealDetroit at Los AngelesBuffalo at PittsburghCalifornia at St. LouisThur. March 23hew York at BostonMinnesota at BuffaloChicago at PhiladelphiaFri. March 24Toronto at VancouverSat. March 25New York at MontrealToronto at Los AngelesChicago at BostonDetroit at St. LouisCalifornia at PhiladelphiaMinnesota at PittsburghSun. March 26Montreal at BostonMinnesota at New YorkPittsburgh at BuffaloVancouver at PhiladelphiaSt. Louis at Chicago &#9632;

f0020-07

NHL SCOREBOARD

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01182/3045913-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="576" height="584"><figcaption class="caption-body">NICK UBETT Two-Way Performer</figcaption></div>DETROIT&mdash;Voting time is here. HOCKEY NEWS Publisher Ken McKenzie has thrown open the polls once again for the fans to pick their All Star teams.Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association soon will be selecting the National Hockey League&rsquo;s official All Star team.So who do you like for left wing? Vic Hadfield who is enjoying the greatest season ever experienced by a New York Ranger left wing?Perennial All Star Bobby Hull of the West Division champion Chicago Black Hawks who hit the 40-plus goal mark for a record eighth season? Or Frank Mahovlich, another perennial All Star choice who is having a fine season offensively?And there&rsquo;s Richard Martin, Buffalo&rsquo;s hard-shooting rookie and Paul Henderson&hellip;Dennis Hull&hellip;Johnny Bucyk.Johnny Wilson likes Nick Libett of the Detroit Red Wings. There&rsquo;s a chance of prejudice, of course, since Wilson happens to be Libett&rsquo;s coach. But he&rsquo;s emphatic about his feelings.&ldquo;Nick Libett is the best two-way left wing in the league and one of the best two-way left wings I&rsquo;ve ever seen in the league,&rdquo; Wilson said.&ldquo;He is the best forechecker, he comes back, he kills penalties and he&rsquo;s strong. He&rsquo;s a great skater and he&rsquo;s got a wicked shot,&rdquo; Wilson went on.Why then isn&rsquo;t Libett among the scoring leaders? Well, he did have 26 goals with two weeks remaining in the season and that&rsquo;s six more than the 26-year-old, 6-foot-1, 180-pound Stratford, Ont., native ever scored before.&ldquo;He rarelv gets on the power play,&rdquo; Wilson said. &ldquo;Take away Hadfield&rsquo;s power play goals and I&rsquo;ll bet they&rsquo;re even.&rdquo;Wilson must have been doing his homework because he was light. Discounting the power play goals (which neither Hadfield nor the Rangers can be expected to do). Hadfield had a 22-21 goal edge. Hadfield has six games winners, Libett five.&ldquo;I look at some of the name left wings and they loaf coming back on defense. Libett doesn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; said Wilson who made his reputation as a player by checking.Libett, who shuns the spotlight, agrees this is the best of his five NHL seasons and credits it to maturity, greater confidence which Wilson has helped instill and stability. He&rsquo;s been with rookie center Marcel Dionne and right wing Billy Collins, another adept checker, most of the season.Several seasons ago Gordie Howe predicted that Libett would be a superstar but Libett said the assessment &ldquo;is a little heavy.&rdquo;Nevertheless, Libett&rsquo;s play has earned greater respect in the eyes of the Red Wing fans and he certainly picked up points in his toe-to-toe fight with Chicago defenseman Keith Magnuson during a nationally televised game.The officials stood back while Libett and Magnuson slugged it out for the national audience plus Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and his wife who had participated in pre-game ceremonies to formally retire Howe&rsquo;s No. 9 sweater.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d say I won,&rdquo; said the unmarked Libett. &ldquo;I split him open and my hand is swollen from hitting him. The doctor says it&rsquo;s a bad bruise.&rdquo; Libett did have one lump but it was on the top of his head.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mind fighting but I don&rsquo;t go looking for them,&rdquo; Libett said. &ldquo;It tires you out. We had a fight in Chicago but it didn&rsquo;t amount to anything&mdash;he just bounced around. I&rsquo;d rather just grab the sweater and hit.&rdquo;RED WING NOTES: The party almost is over for the Red Wings and they&rsquo;re pointing at the hot goaltending they&rsquo;ve faced, by Tony Esposito, Ed Giacomin, Gerry Cheevers and Doug Favell for doing them in.On their own goaltending front it appears certain that Joe Daley won&rsquo;t be protected come the June draft. And Andy Brown has an excellent opportunity to work himself into the No. 1 spot. &#9632;

f0021-01

Wilson Touts Libett As NHL AU Star

DETROIT&mdash;When Gordie Howe is involved. you expect a record and that&rsquo;s the way it was when Howe&rsquo;s No. 9 sweater was officially retired not only in front of a standing room crowd at Olympia but with Vice President Spiro T. Agnew bearing President Richard M. Nixon&rsquo;s greetings and a national television audience looking in.There&rsquo;s never been a sports retirement like it but from the way Howe talked, they&rsquo;d better not put too many mothballs in the sweater.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind but that there&rsquo;ll be another Howe in this uniform,&rdquo; Gordie said, looking at sons Mark, 16, who helped the United States win the silver medal in the Olympic Games, and Murry, 11. And in his mind was Marty, 18, who didn&rsquo;t attend the ceremony because his team, the Toronto Marlboros. were playing a game.Chuck Robertson, a longtime friend of Howe&rsquo;s, was asked by Olympia to set up the ceremony and Robertson went right to the top, inviting Nixon who was unable to attend but the president sent Agnew and that resulted in Olympia resembling the gold vaults at Ft. Knox.More than 200 uniformed police were in and around the building, the volunteer DetroitPolice Reserve was there. Secret Servicemen were all around and anyone carrying anything into the building had to have it searched.Howe had asked that instead of any gifts, donations be made to the Michigan Arthritis Foundation. It was arthritis in his left wrist that finally forced him toThe Red Wing Alumni Association donated $1,000 in Howe&rsquo;s name and NHL President Clarence S. Campbell also donated a check on behalf of the league.Well-tanned (from skiing) Production Line mate Ted Lindsay presented a large picture of the famed line of Lindsay, Howe and Sid Abel and there were other gifts with Red Wing president Bruce Norris setting up a Gordie Howe Educational Fund which will award a minimum $1,500 scholarship each year to a Michigan high scool graduate who has excelled in hockey and best demonstrated &ldquo;those characteristics that made Gordie Howe one of the greatest athletes of this century and one of North America&rsquo;s finest citizens.&rdquo;And Bobby Hull drew a roar from the crowd when, grinning, he said: &ldquo;For 14 years I played with the greatest of us all and I enjoyed every high-sticking minute of it.&rdquo; &#9632;

Howe Expects Sons Will Get To Wear His No. 9

<div class="byline">BY DONALD BERNS</div>ST. LOUIS&mdash;Every year that Gary Sabourin has been in the Stanley Cup playoffs he has gone to the finals.He has been with the St. Louis Blues since the second month of expansion hockey, and each spring has been filled with playoff victories. The Blues made the Finals their first three years of existence.The Blues were eliminated in the quarter finals last season by Minnesota, but Sabourin was not among the vanquished who shook hands with the North Stars after six games. The regular season had been disappointing for Sabourin, and the hope of redeeming the season came to an abrupt end the first week in March when Sabby broke his ankle on the opposing goalpost. He was on the sidelines when the Blues were eliminated in the first round.So the current round of playoffs is yet another chance for the hard-bitten right wing. Since the broken bone some 13 months ago Sabourin was determined that the 1971-72 season would be a banner one for him. And it has been. He had a good training camp and a satisfying season and now another chance toward the Cup.Sabourin is one of those hockey players who is jam-packed with desire. He wants to play as well as he can personally, but any personal achievements mean little if the team cannot also succeed.When he scored his 20th goal this season, the tally was also the 100th of his 5-year NHL career. Sabourin dived into the net to save the puck for a souvenir. But he was disconsolate later when the Blues lost the game; the souvenir and the distinction it represented had lost their glory.&ldquo;What good is it?&rdquo; he muttered. &ldquo;What good is it?&rdquo;As one of the survivors from the early Blues&rsquo; teams Sabourin has watched in dismay as events swirling around him have removed most of the rest of the players and put three different coaches at the head of the club this season.&ldquo;So many changes are bound to upset some of the players who have here for a while,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;But management feels it&rsquo;s for the best of the club, and you have to accept it. That&rsquo;s what the older players have done.&rdquo;&ldquo;The first three years we were a collection of fellows who got along really well,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Virtually all of us were married and we got together at home. But now we have a lot of single guys, and it&rsquo;s pretty tough to get together.&rdquo;&ldquo;Everybody&rsquo;s personality is different, and there are always going to be some clashes,&rdquo; Sabourin added. &ldquo;I think it showed in the early part of the season.&rdquo;&ldquo;But that&rsquo;s changed now,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;To do well on the ice you have to have a certain amount of respect for one another. The guys know one another better personally now, and there&rsquo;s a pretty good feeling among us.&rdquo; &#9632;

Healthy Sabourin Could Mean Cup Final For St. Louis Blues

<div class="byline">BY TED REYNOLDS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01201/3045999-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="342" height="344"></div>VANCOUVER&mdash;The overall impact of the arrival of the NHL in Vancouver has been. I think, unequalled anywhere in North America. It is so widespread really that it&rsquo;s hard to comprehend.We knew that there was a strong hockey base in this province. for the game here dates back to the first decade of the century. In the interior of the province, in mining towns like Rossland. Trail. Grand Forks and Phoenix, miners arriving from other parts of the country brought their skates and sticks and soon there was a flourishing hockey league operating. That was before the Patricks revolutionized the game on the coast. But, they were involved. Lester played in Rossland and in Nelson, where his father operated a mill, before moving to Victoria. Then, of course, he and brother Frank built the first artificial arenas and the professional game was underway. The Stanley Cup was won by Vancouver, then by Seattle and finally by Victoria. So the background is certainly here.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02138/3045992-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="264" height="437"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ted Reynolds</figcaption></div>However, it was the arrival of the Canucks in 1970 that started a modern day miracle. They are not just the Vancouver Canucks, they are western Canada&rsquo;s Canucks and at every game, in the sold out Pacific Coliseum, there are groups in from Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Whitehorse, Dawson Creek, some of those places well over a thousand miles from Vancouver.Hockey Night in Canada has played no small part in this latter development. With regional games carried by every television outlet in the province, plus those games that are carried on the prairies, the Canucks have become &ldquo;everyone&rsquo;s team&rdquo; in the west.For games against the &ldquo;big&rdquo; clubs there is no way you can beg or steal a ticket. Last time the Boston Bruins played here the lineup for standing room tickets had assembled before seven in the morning and they were all gone by seven-thirty. A berth in the playoffs has now become everyone&rsquo;s fondest dream, of course, and when it finally happens there is liable to be a riot, that&rsquo;s how strong the impact of the game has been. &#9632;

f0022-01

HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA LA SOIREE DU HOCKEY

<div class="byline">BY JOHN ARNOLD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-03117/3046030-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="843" height="1110"></div>SOLUTION IN APRIL 7 ISSUE<h2>ACROSS</h2>1&mdash;Pictured player.6&mdash;NHL teams travel this way.7&mdash;Dave Balon was born in this month, (abbr.)9&mdash;High scoring AHL forward.12&mdash;12th and 15th letters of the alphabet.13&mdash;An NHL veteran answers to this.14&mdash;1965-66 Hart Trophy winner.16&mdash;Nickname of one of the Red Wings.17&mdash;Native Province of Al McNeil, (abbr.)18&mdash;One of the Hawks.20&mdash;Initials of 1966-67 Calder Trophy winner.21&mdash;Former NHL forward Dillabough.22&mdash;An injured Montreal defenseman.25&mdash;Bob Rousseau plays golf this way.26&mdash;First name of one of the Hawks.27&mdash;An NHL general manager.29&mdash;One of the Rangers.<h2>DOWN</h2>1&mdash;1961-62 Norris Trophy winner.2&mdash;One of the Bruins.3&mdash;Montreal and Chicago played one march 12th.4&mdash;NHL&rsquo;s top point getter in 1969-70.5&mdash;A former Vancouver forward.8&mdash;Scored 34 for goals for Minnesota last season.10&mdash;9th and 1st letters of the alphabet.11&mdash;Initials of a former Bruin goaltender.15&mdash;21st and 18th letters of the alphabet.18&mdash;One of the Rangers answers to this.19&mdash;Wears No. 8 for Chicago.20&mdash;One of the Leafs answers to this.22&mdash;A former Vezina trophy winner.23&mdash;Initials of an NHL trophy.24&mdash;Each, (abbr.)25&mdash;A Canadian Province, (abbr.)28&mdash;Initials of Ellett of Seattle.<h2>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S ANSWERS</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;MOHNS.6&mdash;AL7&mdash;NET.8&mdash;RICHARD.11&mdash;S.V.12&mdash;ANDREA.13&mdash;HER.15&mdash;ARE.16&mdash;AT.17&mdash;TWO.18&mdash;LEE.20&mdash;RAN.21&mdash;LR.22&mdash;BR24&mdash;FLEMING.26&mdash;TIE.27&mdash;E.N.28&mdash;CLAUDE.<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;MARSHALL2&mdash;OLIVER.3&mdash;STAN.4&mdash;ANDRE.5&mdash;STRATTON.9&mdash;HA.10&mdash;R.D.14&mdash;REFEREE.16&mdash;AWAY.17&mdash;T.R.19&mdash;ELUS.22&mdash;BILL23&mdash;R.N.24&mdash;FT.25&mdash;ONE.27&mdash;ED. &#9632;

f0022-03

HOCKEY CROSSWORD

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>LOS ANGELES&mdash;One of the Kings who is having a good season is Butch Goring. In the team&rsquo;s 55th game, he set a club record with six points in a single game off two goals and four assists. Five games later, he scored the club&rsquo;s first penalty-shot goal in its five-season history.As this season passed into the last two weeks, he had only 16 goals, so he wasn&rsquo;t setting the league afire, but there have been extenuating circumstances. He was benched awhile early this season and was a part-timer in many games.Asked by a writer if being benched had bothered him, he said, &ldquo;Oh, no, I just kept telling myself I was great.&rdquo; He kept telling himself that over and over again. In a more candid moment, he admitted, &ldquo;It almost destroyed my confidence.&rdquo;Goring came up as a 20-year-old first-year-pro 20 games into the 1970 season and displayed promise. He had scored 13 goals at Springfield and he scored 13 more in Los Angeles.Last season, he was weakened by mononucleosis and after 20 games returned to Springfield, where he scored 23 goals and sparked the team to the AHL playoff crown.Returning to the big top this season, he expected to move right into a regular role and it was a blow to his ego when he was benched. He is a cocky kid and he did not take the demotion kindly. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t feel I deserved it,&rdquo; he says.Since being restored to regular duty, he has proved himself a prime prospect. Most of the Kings&rsquo; prime young prospects have departed. Butch is the best young player remaining on the roster.The helmeted Goring is only 510 and 165 pounds and skating is a struggle for him, but he is persistent, tough and a talented shooter. He says,&ldquo;I have to work. I can&rsquo;t bluff that I have finesse.&rdquo;From St. Boniface, Manitoba, he is called Butch so much, few realize his real name Robert Thomas. He has been sparking a lethal little line between Mike Corrigan and Bob Berry.He scored four goals in three games during his team&rsquo;s best stretch this season, in which it went unbeaten in six games. He scored twice in an 8-1 pounding of Pittsburgh and set up four other scores.The penalty shot came in a 4-2 loss in Madison Square Garden, New York. Ranger Dale Rolfe interferred with him from behind on a breakaway and referee Bob Sloan made the rare call.Veteran defenseman Gilles Marotte skated over to him and old him to relax. Later, Marotte admitted, &ldquo;If it was me, I&rsquo;d faint. But not this kid.&rdquo;Goring faked a shot from ten feet out, goaler Gilles Villemure went down, and Goring calmly manuevered the puck behind him and into the net.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m now two-for-two,&rdquo; he grinned later. &ldquo;When I was 12, I made a penalty shot in a playground league in Winnipeg. I faked the goaltender then, too.&rdquo;It is ancient history now. but we remember and are sure crumbling clippings would reveal Eddie Joyal, since departed, missed the only previous penalty-shot attempt awarded a King. This, from the hallowed past, took place in a playoff. Few King fans even remember playoffs.Goring scored a goal and set up three others as the Kings snapped a six-game losing streak with a victory over Vancouver a week later. One week after that, on the last Saturday night in February, he scored twice and set up two scores by Mike Corrigan as the Kings gave a good effort in losing, 5-4, before Boston before a sellout crowd of 16,006, second listed sellout in Los Angeles hockey history.There was no special reason for the sellout. Just a good attraction on a good night. The Kings are going nowhere and aren&rsquo;t doing well, but there is enthusiasm here waiting for a winner. &#9632;

Coring Enjoyed Good Season With Kings Despite Problems

LOS ANGELES&mdash;Harry Howell, the veteran defenseman now with the L.A. Kings, has been offered the job of playing coach with the New York team in the proposed World Hockey Association. He was drafted by the Long Island club and indicated early in March that he had until month&rsquo;s end to reach a decision.It has been rumored that Howell had been offered a similar post by the WHA&rsquo;s Miami team, but this was incorrect.Howell, however, indicated he would prefer to remain with the Kings, but was concerned because, &ldquo;They have not talked to me about my future with the team and it&rsquo;s hard to stay on speculation. I would like to stay. I like Los Angeles and have been treated well here.&rdquo;He said he wasn&rsquo;t sure that he was ready to give up playing for coaching, but did want to coach now or later, and did not want to continue playing once he began coaching. He has played regularly for the Kings, but he is 40 and probably would not be protected from possible draft.There is always the chance the Kings would make a coaching change. Then. Howell, Bob Pulford and Ralph Backstrom are players who might be considered, along with other candidates. Howell, however, added, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not sure it would be good to take over as coach of fellows you&rsquo;ve been playing with, though it could be done. However, I definitely am not looking to unseat Fred Glover. 1 consider him an excellent coach and sincerely hope he&rsquo;s retained as coach. I&rsquo;d like to stay here as a player.&rdquo; &#9632;

New York’s WHA Entry Wants Howell As Coach

LOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKSLOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKS<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><h3>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h3>(Standings on Tues. March 21)EASTERN DIVISION<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01191/3046130-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="594" height="158"></div>WESTERN DIVISON<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02135/3046123-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="593" height="293"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 14Springfield 1 atTidewater 3Wed. March 15Cleveland 3 at Baltimore 7Rochester 3 of Boston 2Providence 2 at Hershey 3Springfield 2 at Richmond 6Thur. March 16Providence 2 atCincinnati 4Hershey 0 at Tidewater 3Rochester 2 at Baltimore 7Fri. March 17Boston 2 atNova Scotia 1Sat March 18Richmond 1 ot Baltimore 3Providence 3 otCleveland 2Cincinnati 2 atHershey 2Rochester 3 at Springfield 5Sun. March 19Hershey 4 at Cleveland 7Boston 6 atNova Scotia 4Baltimore 2 ot Providence 4Cincinnati 3 at Richmond 2Tidewater 1 at Rochester 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 21Cleveland otBaltimoreNovo Scotia at BostonWed March 22Cleveland ot HersheyProvidence vs Tidewater (at Norfolk)Thur. March 23Richmond atCincinnatiFri. March 24Hershey ot BaltimoreCincinnati at BostonNova Scotia otRochesterProvidence at SpringfieldSat. March 25Nova Scotia ot ClevelandBaltimore ot HersheyCincinnati ot SpringfieldRichmond vs Tidewater (at Norfold)Sun. March 26Nova Scotia ot CincinnatiRichmond at Cleveland (afternoon)Hershey at ProvidenceSpringfield ot RochesterBaltimore vs Tidewater (at Hampton Roads)Tues. March 28Rochester atBaltimoreHershey ot BostonRichmond atCincinnatiProvidence at Nova Scotia<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games Of Sun March 12)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0396/3046116-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="592" height="776"></div><h3>GOALKEEPERS RECORDS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0475/3046109-1-eng-US/f0024-042.jpg" title="f0024-04" width="593" height="578"></div> &#9632;

f0024-01

AMERICAN LEAGUE

<div class="byline">BY PAT CONNOLLY</div>HALIFAX &mdash;The Nova Scotia Voyageurs and Boston Braves were as close as Siamese twins as the American Hockey League shedule wound down to a four game confrontation between the leaders, including their final meeting on the last night of the schedule at the Halifax Forum.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0560/3046168-1-eng-US/f0024-052.jpg" title="f0024-05" width="270" height="451"><figcaption class="caption-body">Chuck Arnason</figcaption></div>The Vees climbed into a share of the high chair at home on March 1&rsquo;2 with a 4-1 victory over the Baltimore Clippers, while the Braves were held to a tie the same night at Norfolk by the Tidewater Wings. When the lights were doused on that Sunday night, the Voyageurs and the Braves were deadlocked at 86 points each and with almost identical records. Each team had won 37 games and tied 12 while the Braves, who had played one game more than Nova Scotia, had been beaten 18 times compared to Nova Scotia&rsquo;s record of 17 losses.The race to the wire will doubtless come down to the four games in which the teams oppose each, three of these on Halifax ice. March 17, 19 and April 2, with one game booked in the Boston Garden March 21.Center-Joe Hardy, whose strong play has been largely instrumental in the Voyageurs overhaul of the Braves after trailing at one stage by 15 points, said it for the team &ldquo;This is what the whole season has been all about, finishing first and now we must face up to the fact that we have to beat them ourselves in those four games. Certainly we have the momentum and the three games in our building gives us the edge.&rdquo;But nobody is counting the Braves short, least of all Nova Scotia coach Al MacNeil. &ldquo;I thought we had them contained a month ago&rdquo;, he said. &ldquo;We had pulled up even and they had a series of road games, but they showed they&rsquo;re a great team by going out and winning about nine points away from home. Now we have the opportunity of doing it ourselves and if we don&rsquo;t make it, then we obviously don&rsquo;t deserve it.&rdquo;MacNeil the psychologist, played down the loss of top defenseman Bob Murdoch to the parent Montreal Canadiens. Rather than bemoan that fact, which would be distressing to a lot of other teams in the league, MacNeil openly challenged a couple of younger defencemen to prove they could pick up the slack. That challenge was answered by rookies Larry Robinson and Bob Murray, as well as second year pro Kerry Ketter.Rookie prize Chuck Arnason, who had trouble untracking after being sent back down by Montreal. rolled back into high gear March 10 at Providence when his two goals led the team to a 5-2 victory over the Reds, Then he potted the important first for the team in their 4-1 decision over the Clippers at home.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0650/3046161-1-eng-US/f0024-062.jpg" title="f0024-06" width="554" height="549"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOE HARDY&hellip;Leads Vees&rsquo; Drive</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0024-05

Boston, Nova Scotia Going Down To Wire As Teams Face Four-Game Confrontation

Enrollment at the SVS Hockey School is filled. We thank the many readers of The Hockey News who have registered at SVS.We are pleased to recommend to those who have not yet applied to a hockey camp an exceptional hockey school to be conducted on the campus of St. George&rsquo;s School in fabulous Newport, R.L Write for free brochure:Newport Hockey SchoolP.O. Box 915, Dept. HFNew Haven, Conn. 06504 &#9632;

A THANK YOU FROM SVS HOCKEY SCHOOL

<div class="byline">BY GREG FARLEY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-01158/3046230-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="567" height="564"><figcaption class="caption-body">DON TANNAHILL&hellip;. Down To Last Game</figcaption></div>BOSTON&mdash;With the Braves and Voyageurs heading neck-and-neck down the stretch in the battle for first place in the AHL east, the Tribe, with several key men on the sidelines with injuries, has been forced to rely on four sharpshooters to keep the offense rolling.And the four&mdash;Garry Peters, Doug Roberts, Rich Leduc and Don Tannahill&mdash;have responded to the challenge in magnificent fashion.Roberts, who showed very well in a brief stint with the parent Bruins, is confident that the Braves will take first place.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had more than our share of tough luck during the second half of the season,&rdquo; pointed out the big right winger, &ldquo;and we&rsquo;ve still managed to hang in there.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve really been concentrating on defense the last few weeks, and waiting for the breaks on offense. And its paid off for us.&ldquo;Every man on the team is confident that we can take first place, and there&rsquo;ll be no excuses if we wind up second.&rdquo;&ldquo;Our scoring has picked up,&rdquo; agreed Peters, &ldquo;despite losing three of our best men (Steve Stirling, Terry O&rsquo;Reilly and Fred O&rsquo;Donnell). We can do it alright, but its not going to be easy. Not with the way those Voyageurs have been going.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll just take &lsquo;em one game at a time, and hope for some help from some of the other clubs.&rdquo;Tannahill, perhaps the team&rsquo;s most consistent goal-getter throughout the entire season, figures the race will be decided on the final night of the season when the Voyageurs host Boston.&ldquo;The way its been going,&rdquo; reasoned the blonde bullet from Penetang, Ontario, &ldquo;no one has been able to pull away from the other guy. I think it&rsquo;ll come down to that final game in Halifax.&rdquo;Leduc concurred with his linemate.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sort of hoping it does wind up in a one game showdown,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;then it&rsquo;ll be put-up or shut-up for both teams, and neither of us will have any excuses.&rdquo;<h2>Sun. March 12 BALTIMORE 1 at NOVA SCOTIA 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-02104/3046223-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg" title="f0025-02" width="615" height="507"></div> &#9632;

f0025-01

Braves Ready For Showdown

CLEVELAND&mdash;John Muckier&rsquo;s Cleveland Barons, locked in the hectic Western Division American Hockey League race, enter the final weeks of the campaign with eight out of their last nine games against clubs that are in contention for playoff spots.The Barons head into the stretch drive with the fewest games, nine, remaining of the five Western contenders. Only Baltimore with eight home contests, has more games on friendly ice. Cleveland plays six of those final nine at the Cleveland Arena. The Barons have posted a 21-5-6 record at home this season.Of the other top clubs in the West, Hershey has six of their final 13 at home, Cincinnati plays five of their last 12 in the Queen City and Richmond has only three home appearances left in their final 10 contests.Only Baltimore and Hershey are currently in front of the Barons and the Cleveland club has a total of five contests remaining against those two clubs. They face the Clippers twice more on the road but two of their three remaining games against Hershey are at home.BLUELINERS: Defenseman Fred Barrett and center Terry Caffery remained on the Barons&rsquo; injured list. Both winger Norm Beaudin and defenseman Gary Geldart missed some action due to injuries. The Barons have added defenseman Jim McElmury to their roster. MeElmury played for the U.S. Olympic team in the recent Olympic Games in Japan. With Cesare Maniago out with an injury, Cleveland netminder Gil Gilbert was recalled by the Minnesota North Stars on an emergency basis.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-01165/3046261-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="576" height="580"><figcaption class="caption-body">GIL GILBERT&hellip;Called Up To NHL</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0026-01

Barons Battle Contenders Face To Face In Stretch

<div class="byline">BY CHUCK SANTANIELLO</div>SPRINGFIELD&mdash;There&rsquo;s no two ways about it, if the Springfield Kings hope to repeat as Calder Cup chamions, their high-scoring Production Line will have to carry the load.Wayne Rivers, Ed Hoekstra and rookie Brian Carlin have put together an amazing record this season. Between them they have scored 91 goals, almost half the club&rsquo;s overal total of 234 and have accumulated 216 scoring points, more than a third of the Kings&rsquo; team total of 595.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02117/3046292-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg" title="f0026-02" width="284" height="454"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brian Carlin</figcaption></div>Statistically, the trio has shot 14 of the club&rsquo;s 28 game-winning goals and 21 of their 45 power play scores.Carlin, who is a serious contender for rookie of the year honors, has scored 30 goals. He also has set a point-a-game pace with 61 points in 61 games and has served only three minor penalties all season.When the parent L.A. Kings needed a replacement last week in a hurry after an injury to team captain Bob Pulford, they called up Carlin giving the youngster his first shot at the big time. The Kings&rsquo; rookie could be in demand next season either with NHL Kings of the Los Angeles Sharks of the new WHA, who drafted him.The sharp-shooting Rivers is having a tremendous season for the Kings. A 10-year man in the game, Wayne will break the club record of 35 goals in a single season, held by Doug Robinson probably in his next game. In fact, he has an outside chance to tie the league record of 55 tallies set by Guy Trottier. After 59 games Rivers had 45 goals to tie Robinson&rsquo;s club mark.The player who makes this line go of course is Hoekstra, at 35 playing some of the finest hockey of his career. One rarely hears about a person winning league honors at his age. But he could qualify for an &ldquo;Unsung Hero Award,&rdquo; if they had one. Ed is that type of a player, unselfish and a team man.Amazingly, Hoekstra is leading his club in point scoring. He has 81 points and an amazing total of 65 assists. That alone tells you what type pf performer Hoekstra is. &#9632;

f0026-02

Kings’ Title Hopes Rest On Productive Front Line

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div>HERSHEY&mdash;It&rsquo;s somewhat amazing the Hershey Bears are in solid contention for the Western Division championship when the number of injuries and recalls by the parent Pittsburgh Penguins are taken into consideration.The latest two Hershey skaters to join the walking wounded list were captain Mike Nykoluk and Rick Kessell, two outstanding centers.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-01149/3046323-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="270" height="452"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andre Gill</figcaption></div>Nykoluk, 37-year-old Bears&rsquo; captain, who is playing his final season, suffered a severe ankle sprain Mar. 8 against the Springfield Kings. Two nights later, Kessell, the club&rsquo;s top goal sniper with 24, injured a shoulder in a game at Tidewater.Their loss left coach Frank Mathers with only two centers, veterans Wally Boyer and Gil Gilbert. Boyer had just returned to action after being out for nearly two weeks with a head injury. Rookie winger Connie Forey was shifted to center in the Tidewater match which saw goalie Andre Gill backstop the Bears to a 3-0 shutout, moving them into a tie with Baltimore for top spot in the West.A rundown of the injuries throughout the season shows 11 skaters were on the shelf at one time or another and as of Mar. 11 the only player to appear in every game was winger Ron Snell.Among others injured during the campaign were goalie Cam Newton, defensemen Ralph Keller, Larry Bignell and Jean-Guy Lagace; forwards Brian McKenzie, Jean Gratton, Gilbert and Forey. Six skaters were recalled by the Penguins, two permanently, defenseman Duane Rupp and winger Steve Cardwell. Others up and down were John Stewart, Kessell, McKenzie and Robin Bums.The Bears, receiving good goal play from both Gill and Newtown, won four of five games from Feb. 26 to Mar. 10, including a pair on the road.In the final analysis, it may be that Hershey&rsquo;s road play will pay off with the West title. The Bears after 30 road games were 13-13-4, a mark matched only by the Eastern Division leading Braves.&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve played well on the road,&rdquo; said Mathers. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been home ice that has caused us problems. If we can put a string of wins together in the final three weeks at home we&rsquo;ll be okay.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0027-01

Amazing Bears Stay In Title Struggle Despite Problems

<div class="byline">BY GEORGE DUFFY</div>PROVIDENCE&mdash;Providence Reds and Rochester Americans are going down to the wire in their battle for the fourth and final playoff spot in the American Hockey League&rsquo;s Eastern Division.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-01139/3046361-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="262" height="428"><figcaption class="caption-body">Morris Stefaniw</figcaption></div>The Reds, who had the misfortunate to play seven of their last 11 games away from home, are an apathetic 622-3 on the road. There&rsquo;s no doubt they&rsquo;ll have their hands full beating out the Americans, who had to play five at home and six away in their windup 11-game schedule.Thee Reds also face the monumental task of opposing the East&rsquo;s three top clubs&mdash;Nova Scotia twice. Boston and Springfield once each&mdash;in their closing schedule of games. However, the Amerks. too. are facing no easy path in their finish. They meet Nova Scotia. Springfield twice, Boston and Baltimore among their final 11 games.Ironically, the Reds do not meet the Americans again this season.The Reds have had a few weaknesses but penalty killing has not been one of them.The average worker gets fired when all he does is kill time. Not so with Morris Stefaniw and Neil Nicholson of the Reds.They were named early in the season to be the club&rsquo;s penalty killers and Coach Larry Wilson is all smiles when he talks about them.&ldquo;When it comes to killing time,&rdquo; says Wilson, &ldquo;Neil and Morris are super. In fact, if an All Star team were picked for penalty killers, both of them would have to make the first team.&rdquo;Nicholson, a 5-11, 176 pound utility man. hails from Saint John, N.B. His parents keep up with Neil&rsquo;s doings by listening to Reds&rsquo; games on WEAN, a Providence station.Stefaniw is also 5-11 but weighs in at 170 pounds. He has played for Oklahoma City, Phoenix and Omaha and is owned by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. Last season in 70 games, Morris had 19-41-60 for totals as the Knights had another great season in the Central League.While Stefaniw checks in always as a center, Nicholson really never knows. He has played defense, right wing and killed penalties. But like the man at the unemployment office said, &ldquo;all I want is a job&rdquo; sums up Nicholson&rsquo;s feelings about his handy man role. Neil has played most of his pro career with the Reds although he admits to having had a cup of coffee with the Oakland Seals.Both Stefaniw and Nicholson enjoy their penalty killing roles with the Reds. Says Morris: &ldquo;I like it when there are not too many men on the ice. It gives me more room to skate and more of an opportunity to float around where I want to go rather than staying in one particular area.&rdquo; As he made his comments, Stefaniw wore his dark glasses, a trade mark that has caused some Rhode Island fans to liken him to a member of the &ldquo;Mission Impossible&rdquo; cast.Nicholson, who someday would like to be an after dinner speaker, started this season as an unwanted body at Baltimore. &ldquo;For a while, I thought I might be going home to run an elevator in Saint John but then the call came to report to the Reds.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-0282/3046354-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg" title="f0028-02" width="1806" height="916"><figcaption class="caption-body">Goaler GIL GILBERT of Cleveland turns aside deflected shot by NEIL NICHOLSON of Providence as Reds&rsquo; handyman attempted to score in recent AHL game. Versatile Nicholson can play both defense and forward as well as act as club penalty killer.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0028-01

Reds, Amerks Duel In Stretch Battle For Final Playoff

<div class="byline">BY BOB ELMER</div>BALTIMORE&mdash;Although he is one of the smallest and lightest forwards now plying their trade in the American Hockey League, Robert Joseph (Bob) Rivard is another of those prime examples to quote an overworked cliche that &ldquo;good things come in small pack ages.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-01108/3046392-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="265" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bob Rivard</figcaption></div>The 5 foot 9, 155 pound center from suburban Montreal has been a key operator for the Baltimore Clippers ever since he donned the orange, black and white at the beginning of the 1967-68 campaign. This year he is the No. 3 man on the club with 18 goals, 32 assists and 50 points.Soft-spoken but determined, Rivard is regarded by his contemporaries as one of the better skaters in the game today. Nicknamed &ldquo;Rivet&rdquo; by coach Terry Reardon for apparently no other reason than it was easier to say than Rivard, the personable French-Canadian is one of those team players with an unselfish attitude and the ability to do a lot of things well.As a scorer, he set an International League record in 1965-66 by tallying a whopping 133 points in a 70-game season for the Fort Wayne Komets. He turned pro the following year with the Qu&eacute;bec Aces, then owned by the Montreal Canadiens and was named AHL rookie of the year.Off that fine freshman winter, Rivard was a draft choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the original expansion draft meeting in Montreal during the summer of &lsquo;67, and that&rsquo;s how he got to Baltimore, as the Clippers were then working with the Penguins. Since then he has never failed to reach the 20-goal mark in four years here.But putting the puck in the opponents&rsquo; net, is only part of Rivard&rsquo;s equipment. Perhaps his greatest value to a team is his forte in killing penalties. And, though small in stature, he has also been employed many times as a point man on the power play.This year, Rivard was a regular from the opening whistle to game&rsquo;s end. He centers the Clippers&rsquo; &ldquo;Mighty Mites&rdquo; line of Howie Menard (5-9) on the right side and slender John French (510) on the portside. So far this unit has accounted for 65 goals plus unaccountable minutes in penalty killing. &#9632;

f0029-01

Little Bob Rivard Big With Clippers

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0029-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-0283/3046423-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg"></div>GALT&mdash;One-time National and American Hockey League defenseman Darryl Sly led his pennant-winning Barrie Flyers in a near-sweep of All Star honors in the Ontario Senior Hockey League&rsquo;s post-season selections.Player-coach Sly was doubly honored with a first team defense berth and All Star coach.The high-scoring Fivers swept all three forward positions. Centre Doug Acomb, left winger Bob Cunningham and right winger John McMillan, who play as a line, were voted best at their posit ions.Coaches of the eight teams ballot for the All Star teams and are not allowed to vote for their own players.Other first team berths went to goalie Steve Rexe of Belleville Quintes and defenseman Ron Hergott of Galt Hornets. Hergott is the lone repeater from last year&rsquo;s first unit and led the ballot with 33 of a possible 35 points.Hornets and Orillia Terriers, second and third in the final standings, took all the spots on the second All Star team. Goalie Gerry McNamara, defenseman Mike Corbett, centre Gary Milroy and left winger Mike Draper represent Orillia.Defenseman Peter Speyer, right winger Skeeter Teal and coach Bill Wylie of Hornets complete the second team.Acomb&rsquo;s All Star award completes a great season for the former pro. Earlier he won the scoring championship as well as the Bellemer Trophy as the payer who gives his best at all times.<h2>Senior OHA All Stars &#9632;</h2>

f0029-02

Ex-Pro Darryl Sly Leads AH Star Romp By Barrie

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0029-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-0355/3046454-1-eng-US/f0029-032.jpg"></div> &#9632;

f0029-03

USHL All Star Teams

LOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKSLOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKS<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><h3>WESTERN LEAGUE</h3>(Standings on Wed. March 22)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-0287/3046499-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg" title="f0030-02" width="588" height="232"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 15Salt lake 1 at Denver 4Seattle 2 at Son Diego 4Phoenix 5 at Portland 1Thur. March 16Seattle 2 at Phoenix 10Fri. March 17Portland 2 at San Diego 5Sat. March 18San Diego 2 at Denver 2Portland 0 at Phoenix 3Sun. March 19Son Diego 0 at Portland 6<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Wed. March 22Portland at DenverPhoenix at Salt LakeSeattle at Son DiegoFri. March 24San Diego at DenverPortland at Salt LakeSeattle at PhoenixSat. March 25Phoenix at San DiegoSun. March 26Salt lake at PheonixDenver at PortlandTue. March 28Denver at Salt LakeSeattle at PhoenixWed. March 29Phoenix at DenverSeattle at San DiegoThur. March 30Phoenix at San DiegoFri. March 31Portland at San Diego<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Sun-March 12)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-0363/3046492-1-eng-US/f0030-032.jpg" title="f0030-03" width="605" height="417"></div><h3>GOALKEEPERS RECORDS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-0451/3046485-1-eng-US/f0030-042.jpg" title="f0030-04" width="596" height="333"></div> &#9632;

f0030-02

WESTERN LEAGUE

<div class="byline">BY DOUG MCCONNELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-01132/3046530-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="566" height="628"><figcaption class="caption-body">GEORGE SWARBRICK&hellip;A Rough Season</figcaption></div>SAN DIEGO&mdash;&ldquo;This has been the most frustrating season I&rsquo;ve ever had,&rdquo; confessed San Diego manager-coach Max McNab.&ldquo;In 27 seasons in hockey, as a player and a coach, I&rsquo;ve never had a club like this. It&rsquo;s so unpredictable just figuring them from one game to the next, from one month to the next.&rdquo;When the Gulls put together a four-game unbeaten streak, their best since December, McNab thought his club had finally turned the corner.&ldquo;We still have a good shot at second place,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s up to us to put things together.&rdquo;The Gulls, with a bruising 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Roadrunners, pulled to within four points of the runnerup spot, shared by the Roadrunners and the Portland Buckaroos.The Gulls had been picked by many to make a runaway of the WHL pennant chase this season. Instead, the runaway is by the Denver Spurs and the Gulls appeared for a while like a fifth place team.&ldquo;I thought we looked sharp up until about Christmas,&rdquo; said McNab, &ldquo;but looking back on the record, the Goyer line (center Gerry Goyer and wingers Bob Courcy and Al Nicholson) was carrying the load.&ldquo;But then, when they started to get physically taxed as everybody else was concentrating on stopping them, their scoring started to bog down a bit.&rdquo;What has made the Gulls healthy contenders again is a couple of players returning to health&mdash;defenseman Dunc McCallum, earlier, then Orest Kindrachuk and more recently, George Swarbrick.Kindrachuk&mdash;or the &ldquo;Little O&rdquo;&mdash;is a strong contender for rookie-of-the-year honors, but would have had a better chance at it if he hadn&rsquo;t injured his shoulder in November. It took a couple of weeks to heal, then a couple more to regain his conditioning.In his last 25 games, Kindrachuk has scored 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points.McNab claimed Kindrachuk on loan from the Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; training camp. McNab had been told that Kindrachuk wouldn&rsquo;t be turned pro unless San Diego wanted him.&ldquo;I thought I had a good camp with Philadelphia,&rdquo; says the 21-year-old who scored 49 goals and 100 assists for the Saskatoon Blades in junior competition last season. &ldquo;I may have been Richmond&rsquo;s leading scorer in exhibition games. But I guess you have to be a one or two draft choice to have them take a look at you.&ldquo;When they told me I was coming to San Diego for a five-game trial, I knew it was my last chance. But I never thought I wouldn&rsquo;t make it.&ldquo;I always knew I could play pro hockey, but I was beginning to wonder if anyone else knew it.&rdquo;Swarbrick has scored 19 goals for the Gulls, already one of his best totals in pro hockey.&ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t seen his whole potential yet,&rdquo; points out McNab. &ldquo;He has been great when he&rsquo;s been healthy.&rdquo;&mdash;Which has been seldom.He has dressed for 41 of their 59 games but has been completely healthy for only a handful of those. &#9632;

f0030-01

“Frustrating Season” Confesses CM McNab

DENVER&mdash;While perennial Western Hockey League scoring champion Art Jones was breaking, then elongating one of the oldest records in the league&mdash;most consecutive games scoring one or more points&mdash;Gary Veneruzzo of the Denver Spurs was breaking an even older one.Veneruzzo&rsquo;s 30th goal of the season marked the 10th consecutive game in which he had scored one or more goals.He stretched his streak to 10 games with a goal against the Portland Buckaroos.Oddly, the record of nine consecutive games had been set by Portland&rsquo;s manager-coach Gord Fashoway back in 1955. Jim Powers of the Seattle Totems equalled it in 1960 and Ernie Hicke of Salt Lake City matched it in 1970.Veneruzzo, a 28-year-old winger, teams with center Ron Buchanan as one of the most effective combinations in the WHL. Buchanan&rsquo;s 36 goals is high in the league.The line&rsquo;s playmaker appears to be Veneruzzo. He has 40 assists to go along with his 30 goals and his 70 points make him second on the club to Fran Huck who has 76 points, including 22 goals. Buchanan has 32 assists and 68 points.&ldquo;Buchanan is always there for the rebound and he works well with Veneruzzo,&rdquo; says Salt Lake City&rsquo;s iron man goaltender Wayne Rutledge. The Eagle netminder has played far more than any other WHL netminder and is probably best suited to rate the opposition forwards.&ldquo;Veneruzzo is an unselfish little player,&rdquo; pointed out Rutledge. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m much more impressed with Veneruzzo this season than last when he scored 27 goals for Seattle.&rdquo;The sturdy little winger (5-9. 165) is on his way to his best season ever. He needs just eight points in the last 13 games to eclipse his career best of 78 at Kansas City in 1968-69. &#9632;

Veneruzzo Scores In 10 Games To Break 17-Year-Old Record

<div class="byline">BY DOUG MCCONNELL</div>PORTLAND&mdash;Guyle Fielder and Art Jones of the Portland Buckaroos both wrote Western Hockey League history records on the same goal.Fielder scored it in a 3-2 victory over the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles for his 1,858th career point, eclipsing the pro hockey record of Detroit Red Wings&rsquo; great, Gordie Howe.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-01115/3046592-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="270" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Don Head</figcaption></div>Jones&rsquo; assist on the goal stretched his consecutive points scoring streak to 24 games, breaking one of the WHL&rsquo;s longest standing records. He raised it to 25 the next night with the only Portland goal in a 4-1 loss to the league leading Denver Spurs.The record of 23 consecutive games was set by Barrie Ross of Winnipeg during the 1958-59 season and tied by Denver&rsquo;s Fran Huck earlier this season.The Buckaroos&rsquo; loss to Denver put an end to an eight-game winning streak but the Buckaroos, 19-7-1 in their last 27 games, have moved into a tie for second place with the Phoenix Roadrunners. At one time the Buckaroos trailed the Runners by 13 points.Jones is making a runaway of the league scoring race with 109 points, 23 more than his nearest rival, Larry Lund of the Phoenix Roadrunners.Fielder&rsquo;s setting the record on Salt Lake City ice was ironic.The 41-year-old center had been traded from the Golden Eagles to Portland just after the New Year. It was one of the moves accounting for the Buckaroos&rsquo; rapid rise.And while with the Eagles, earlier this season, Fielder was caused some embarrassment when the Salt Lake club announced he had broken Howe&rsquo;s record.They had forgotten to take into account the 48 points Howe scored for Omaha in the United States Hockey League in 1945-46, before moving up to the Red Wings.Fielder also recently scored his 400th WHL goal.Goaltender Jim McLeod&rsquo;s knee injury is expected to keep him out of the lineup for 10 days to two weeks. As backup to Dave Kelly, the Buckaroos have reactivated Don Head.Head retired last season and earlier this season joined the Buckaroos&rsquo;s staff as a scout.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0289/3046585-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg" title="f0031-02" width="1785" height="948"><figcaption class="caption-body">Big JOHN MISZUK of the San Diego Gulls isn&rsquo;t exactly a shrinking violet nor is he considered a WHL tough guy. He fits more into the dose-checking type defenseman and recently went 11 consecutive games without a penalty to set a team record. But the cameraman caught Miszuk laying on the wood here as he cross checks WAYNE HICKS of Phoenix Roadrunners. (Phoenix Gazette Photo)</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0031-01

Fielder, Jones Set Two Hockey Records On Same WHL Goal

SEATTLE&mdash;Defenseman Bob Paradise, recently returned from the Minnesota North Stars, scored one goal and set up two others as the Seattle Totems scored a 5-3 upset over the Western Hockey League leading Denver Spurs.The loss was Denver&rsquo;s first in 10 games and the first time the Spurs has been beaten by the Totems this season.The victory was only the Totems&rsquo; eighth in 61 games and broke a 12-game winless streak.Dave Dunn, another promising young defenseman, scored two of the Seattle goals, including one into an open net. &#9632;

Spurs Upset By Paradise

<h2>Wed. Feb. 8 SEATTLE 4 at PORTLAND 6</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0373/3046696-1-eng-US/f0031-032.jpg" title="f0031-03" width="593" height="732"></div><h2>PHOENIX 1 at DENVER S</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0458/3046689-1-eng-US/f0031-042.jpg" title="f0031-04" width="594" height="508"></div><h2>SALT LAKE 4 at SAN DIEGO 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0548/3046682-1-eng-US/f0031-052.jpg" title="f0031-05" width="593" height="638"></div><h2>Thur. Feb. 9 SAN DIEGO 4 at SALT LAKE 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0630/3046675-1-eng-US/f0031-062.jpg" title="f0031-06" width="592" height="590"></div><h2>Fri. March 10 DENVER 5 at SEATTLE 3</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0723/3046668-1-eng-US/f0031-072.jpg" title="f0031-07" width="581" height="620"></div><h2>Sat. March 11 PORTLAND 3 at SALT LAKE 2</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0819/3046661-1-eng-US/f0031-082.jpg" title="f0031-08" width="588" height="415"></div><h2>PHOENIX 3 at SAN DIEGO 4</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-0911/3046654-1-eng-US/f0031-092.jpg" title="f0031-09" width="612" height="672"></div><h2>DENVER 3 at SEATTLE 5</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-109/3046647-1-eng-US/f0031-102.jpg" title="f0031-10" width="608" height="563"></div> &#9632;

f0031-03

Western League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY TOM LOBAUGH</div>HUMILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKSMada in Canada byHILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD.Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, OntarioSold in U.S. and CanadaLOUISVILLE SLUGGERHOCKEY STICKSMada in Canada byHILLERICH & BRADSBY, LTD.Arnold Street, Wallaceburg, OntarioSold in U.S. and CanadaOKLAHOMA CITY&mdash;The Oklahoma City Blazers were making a serious bid for second place in the Central League in early March. A four-game winning streak, climaxed by a 5-3 home triumph over league-leading Dallas, Mar. 8, pulled the OC crew to within six points of second-place Tulsa.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-01123/3046758-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="265" height="440"><figcaption class="caption-body">Greg Sheppard</figcaption></div>But then the Blazers had to make the short trip to Tulsa, where they haven&rsquo;t won in more than three years. It was a well-played defensive duel, but the Oilers finally took a 3-1 verdict with two goals 38 seconds apart, late in the final period.It was the Blazers&rsquo; seventh straight loss on Tulsa ice this season, their 12th straight over a two-year span. They haven&rsquo;t won a regular-season game in the Tulsa Assembly Center in 21 attempts since Jan. 11. 1969.That setback was followed by a 5-4 loss in Fort Worth, as the Wings scored twice in the final period to escape the cellar. That left the Blazers nine points back of Tulsa, with 11 games left, and two points ahead of third-place Omaha, which had but 10 games remaining.The Blazers shipped center Jake Forbes and defenseman Wayne Morusyk to the Boston Braves of the American League, and amateur right wing Craig Sarner, from the U.S. Olympic team, returned to his home in St. Paul after a five-game trial. Sar-ner planned to rejoin the U.S. Nationals for the world tournament in Rumania.OC general manager Bill Levins believed the Blazers may have set a pro hockey record by having eight collegiate products on the squad before the departure of Forbes (American Internation) and Sarner (Minnesota).Second-year pro Bill Klatt at right wing and rookie defenseman Pat Westrum also played for Minnnesota&rsquo;s Gophers. Among the OC rookies, blue-liner Murray Wing played for North Dakota, left wing Ken Davidson from Dartmouth, center Con Schmidt for Brown, and left wing Chris Hayes for Montreal Loyola.Klatt got his second hat trick of the season, Mar. 4, when the Blazers took an early 3-1 lead at home and held on to beat the Oilers, 4-3. The Blazers&rsquo; only previous hat trick this season was by Klatt in a 5-1 victory at Kansas City, Dec. 4.Defenseman Ron Plumb scored two goals, including the winner with 9:25 left, in the Mar. 8 upset of Dallas, and Brian Bradley plopped the puck into an empty net with nine seconds on the clock.Chris Oddliefson got the only goal at Tulsa, Mar. 10, but for a long time it seemed that would be enough for a tie. Blazer John Adams was kicking out shot after shot, matching the superb goaltending of Oiler rookie Gordon McRae. But the quick goals by Jan Popiel and Brian St. John, as the clock showed 6:11 and 5: 33, respectively, temporarily showed the Blazers&rsquo; second-place bid.The Blazers gave Fort Worth a battle the next night, but were down, 5-3, when Brian Conacher scored with 1:09 left. Coach Jim Anderson lifted Adams, and the extra attacker paid off with a goal by Klatt at the 19-second mark, but the Blazers couldn&rsquo;t come up with the tying tally.Greg Sheppard had six assists for the week, but dropped to fifth in the league scoring race, with 71 points. He was tied for the CHL lead in goals, with 36.TULSA: The Oilers struggling with a minimum of players, broke a string of three losses, and clinched Oklahoma&rsquo;s turnpike hockey series, with the home victory over Oklahoma City. Tulsa had a 9-3 bulge in the 12-game series.After losing 4-3 games in Kansas City and Oklahoma City, the Oilers feared they were stuck on that score. They varied it slightly with a 4-2 loss in Fort Worth.Errol Thompson, speedy left wing from Prince Edward Island, collected the Oilers&rsquo; sixth hat trick of the season. Mar. 11, but the Tulsans had to fight from behind three times to claim a a 4-4 deadlock at home against Kansas City.Thompson&rsquo;s first two goals tied the count after KC had taken an early lead on two power tallies. Jan Popiel tied the score again early in the third, and Thompson tied it for the last time on a Tulsa power attack with 11:48 to play in the game. The two earlier ties had been erased when the Blues tallied in a matter of seconds after the Oiler goals.The Oilers announced they would give a five-game pro trial to left wing Dale Smedsmo, who had been playing with Bemidji (Minn.) State College. Smedsmo was a Toronto Maple Leaf draft choice last June, but passed up training camp to finish his collegiate career.Jean Payette had a goal and three assists in the week&rsquo;s four games to climb into a second-place tie in the league scoring race with 71 points. Cal Swenson was eighth in the race with 64.OMAHA: The Omaha Knights would just as soon have passed up their two-game invasion of Texas. Things looked bright, with most of their cripples healed, and right wing Norm Gratton returned from the parent New York Rangers.But the Knights&rsquo; attack never shifted out of low gear on their two-game swing, as they dropped a 3-1 verdict in Fort Worth, then succumbed to the 9-2 massacre in Dallas.At the week&rsquo;s end, after four straight losses and five games without a victory, the fourthplace Knights were still two points back of Oklahoma City, and only two in front of the charging Fort Worth Wings.Bill Hogaboam. with one assist in the two-game trip, had 66 points to rank sixth in the league. Gratton had a goal and an assist, and was in seventh place, a point behind.FORT WORTH: With four straight victories, and only two losses in their last 16 outings, the surging Wings finally took over fifth place, and were only two points back of a coveted playoff spot, with 12 games to play.The Wings started the week with a 4-2 triumph in Kansas City, then came home to repeat that score against Tulsa two nights later. They downed Omaha, 3-1. Mar. 10, and edged Oklahoma City in another home game the next night. 5-41The Wings had to come from behind in Kansas City, but took charge on successive goals by Bill Hicke Ross Perkins and Tom Martin, then got an empty-net counter by Ralph Stewart with 20 seconds left. Fort Worth took charge quickly and held off a late Tulsa rally in the Tuesday night game.Martin scored the first and last goals against Omaha, but Brian Conacher had the winner, unassisted, late in the middle period. Two goals by blue-liner Serge Lajeunesse led the victory over Oklahoma City.Goalie Andy Brown was called up by Detroit, Mar. 12.Perkins&rsquo; one goal for the week gave him 72 points, in a threeway tie for second place in the league scoring chase.KANSAS CITY: Victories for the Blues have been few and far between, but coach John Choyce&rsquo;s men didn&rsquo;t pick any pushovers. They broke an 18-game winless string by tumbling second-place Tulsa, 4-2, Mar. 4, and edged first-place Dallas, 5-4, Mar. 10, both at home. In between, however, they dropped the 4-2 game to Fort Worth, also at home.Bob Roselle had two goals to pace the victory over the front-running Hawks, it was Kansas City&rsquo;s first victory over Dallas in 12 attempts this season, after 10 losses and a tie.The Blues&rsquo; streak-ending victory over Tulsa pointed up a strange hex the KC crew has over the Oilers this year. Kansas City had a 5-3-2 advantage in the Tulsa series, after going into Tulsa. Mar. 11, and playing a 4-4 tie. The Blues stood 1-1-3 on Tulsa ice. and had tied on their last three trips there.Early power goals by Gordie Brooks and Dale Yutsyk were followed by two tallies by Tulsa&rsquo;sErrol Thompson. However, Murray Keogan scored 18 seconds after Thompson&rsquo;s second goal to regain the KC lead.After Jan Popiel tied the count for Tulsa again in the third period, it took just 39 seconds for Keogan to score again, this time on a shot that bounced into the net off the flying Thompson. Oiler goalie Gordon McRae had gone out after a loose puck, but failed to get it. However, Thompson clinched his hat trick, and gained the final 4-4 reading just 39 seconds after Keogan&rsquo;s second goal.KC rookie netminder John Garrett had to leave at 8:24 of the second period, when he injured his knee in a pileup. Chris Worthy, who also has a lame knee, had to take over in the nets.The tie dropped KC into the cellar, a point behind Fort Worth, but only three out of fourth place.Club scoring leader Norm Dennis had a goal and an assist for the week. With 63 points he was tied for ninth in the league with Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Bill Klatt and Dallas&rsquo; J.P. Bordeleau. &#9632;

f0032-01

Tulsa Withstands Blazer Threat To Second Place

DALLAS&mdash;Coach Bohhy Kromm&rsquo;s Black Hawks suffered a pair of sethacks, then put it all together to whip Omaha, 9-2, here March 11 to move the Texans closer to the title.That whittled Dallas&rsquo; magic number to three games to clinch first place. Tulsa was the only team with a mathematical chance of overtaking the Hawks, and the Oilers were 17 points back with only 11 games left.Ron Dussiaume and Larry Romanchych scored two goals each in the rout of Omaha. J.P. Bordeleau, just returned by the parent Chicago Black Hawks, scored twice in the loss at Oklahoma City, and added his 36th goal in the Saturday bombardment, tying Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Sheppard for the league lead in that department.J.P. LeBlanc broke out of a mild scoring slump to register a goal and two assists. With 77points he had a lead of five over teammate Bob Sicinski, Tulsa&rsquo;s Jean Payette and Fort Worth&rsquo;s Ross Perkins in the league scoring race. Sicinski had five assists for the week, three in the loss at OC.Left wing Bill Young suffered a knee injury in the Blazer game. Right wing Don Gordon, out with an ankle injury since the Feb. 12 game in Tulsa, was to resume skating in mid-March.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-0445/3046883-1-eng-US/f0033-042.jpg" title="f0033-04" width="558" height="456"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOB SICINSKI</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0033-04

Magic Number Three For Dallas Hawks

<h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Tues. March 21)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-01106/3046928-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="590" height="236"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 15Kansas Gty 2 at Dallas 3Fri. March 17Dallas 5 at Fort Worth 4Omaha 9 at Kansas City 6Tulsa 3 at Oklahoma City 5Sat. March 18Tulsa 5 at Dallas 4Oklahoma City 2 al Fort Worth 4Kansas City 3 at Omaha 8Sun. March 19Oklahoma City 3 atDallas 4Fort Worth 5 at Omaha 2Tulsa 4 at Kansas City 4<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. March 21Kansas City at TulsaWed. March 22Kansas City at Fort WorthFri. March 24Fort Worth at DallasOklahoma City at Kansas CityTulsa at OmahaSat. March 25Dallas atFort WorthOmaha at Kansas CityOklahoma City at TulsaSun. March 26Omaha atDallasFort Worth at Tulsa<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including Games of Sun. March 12)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-0279/3046921-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="588" height="908"></div><h3>GOALKEEPERS RECORDS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-0358/3046914-1-eng-US/f0033-032.jpg" title="f0033-03" width="595" height="413"></div> &#9632;

f0033-01

HOW THEY STAND

Jan Popiel of the Tulsa Oilers ran off with individual scoring honors among the top CHL marksmen last week with a seven-point performance that included three goals. The vastly-improved Oiler winger now has 17 goals and 29 assists for 46 points this season. He needs only five more goals to eclipse his rookie year output with Tulsa.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-0539/3046959-1-eng-US/f0033-052.jpg" title="f0033-05" width="494" height="466"><figcaption class="caption-body">JAN POPIEL</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0033-05

<div class="byline">BY HARVEY POLLACK</div>NEW HAVEN&mdash;Blaine Rydman, defenseman of the New Haven Blades, is the center of an Eastern Hockey League playoff controversy which already has seen the Blades fined for using him.The Blades and Blazers went down to a seventh and deciding game in their best-of-seven Northern Division semifinal round after Syracuse had gone on top 3-0 in games before they blew. Johnstown Jets were awaiting the winner after disposing of Clinton in five games.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-01116/3046990-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="268" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bill Bannerman</figcaption></div>In the Southern Division, it was Charlotte Checkers and Greensboro Generals as expected in the best-of-seven final. The Checkers fought off a stubborn Sun Coast club to take their series 4-2 in a best-of-seven playoff while Greensboro did likewise to Roanoke Valley in the other series.Syracuse instituted the rhubarb by protesting New Haven&rsquo;s use of Rydman in the playoffs. The Blazers claim that Rydman is neither a junior nor intermediate player and president Tom Lockhard uphold the Blazers by fining New Haven $250 for using him in the first game and threatened additional $250 fines for any additional games in which he played.In addition, there is even the chance that should the Blades win any game in which Rydman plays, the league would forfeit such contests. Lockhart even says it&rsquo;s within his power to take the Walker Cup away from the Blades should they go all the way.Blades skipper Don Perry naturally is angry about the whole situation. The league says that each EHL team must carry three players born after Jan. 1,1951 (intermediates) and two more born after Jan. 1,1950. Rydman missed the dates by about two weeks but Perry claims the league made a mistake in setting up the rule.&ldquo;Last year we considered players juniors as those who were born in 1948-49. Now the league jumped one year, omitting 1949, and using 1950. It&rsquo;s their mistake. He&rsquo;ll play for us regardless of what Syracuse claims&rdquo; Don said.Apparently the Blazers were aware all along of Rydman&rsquo;s situation but they never yelped during the regular season after Rydman was secured from Charlotte in a late deal. They hided their time to claim the violation.Rydman incidentally was involved in a brawl with Dave Ferguson of Syracuse in the opening game of the series. They got into a shoving match, and then Ferguson speared Rydman in the face. The latter charged after Ferguson and pushed a linesman in an attempt to get at Ferguson.Both Ferguson and Rydman were ejected from the game a after only 3:35 of action in the opening session&mdash;Rydman for pushing the linesmen and Ferguson for attempting to injure another player. Lockhart had the power to inflict a fine and a three-games suspension if he desired.Perry complained about the Syracuse tactics both in the playoffs and also in the late season games with the divisional winners, he especially pinpointed Ray Schultz, Syracuse defenseman, for slapping Mike McNiven with his stick.Perry was upset also about a goal that was disallowed which might have changed the complexion of the first playoff game. It seems the puck struck goalie Pierre Sigman&rsquo;s shoulder and popped into the air in the goal crease. Sigman plucked it out of the air and the goal judge ruled it never crossed the goal-line.Jim Armstrong&rsquo;s knee bothered him in the regular season finale and Gunner Garrett tended the nets. Elgin McCann won most popular Blade trophy. Armstrong was chosen MVP Blade. Blades upset over delay in starting playoff&rsquo;s and loss of Sunday home date. Perry may join NewYork Islanders as scout. McCann bothered by elbow injury.LONG ISLAND: Ed Stankiewicz says he won&rsquo;t return as the Ducks skipper unless he gets more freedom in personnel acquisition. VP Jim Skidmore says no decision on next year&rsquo;s coach will be decided for a few weeks. Stankiewicz said the injuries to Jean-Marie Nicol and Reg Krezanski hurt his club&rsquo;s playoff hopes. Ex-Duck coach John Muckier rumored as getting post with New York Islanders.CLINTON: Bill Bannerman narrowly won club scoring laurels with 79 points, three ahead of Dennis Desrosiers. Pat Kelly said Mike Legge&rsquo;s acquisition and general team improvement enabled club to take third spot in North. Dave Lee playing in postseason play for first time. Bannerman chosen MVP and Borden Smith most sportsmanlike Comet.JERSEY: Goalie Pete Donnelly chose to be backup goalie with New Haven in playoffs rather than play weekends with Cincinnati. Gary Gresdal&rsquo;s 400 minutes in penalties were tops for organized hockey. Jamie Kennedy reached his 50&mdash;goal ambition and is expected to go to higher league next season. Bob Gerrard and Ted Scharf playing for Richmond. Club set EHL penalty mark.SYRACUSE: Ray Adduono wound up as all time EHL scorer with 165 points including 122 assists. Paul LaRose&rsquo;s 128 counters were next. Blazers had 21-game unbeaten home streak as regular season closed. Two playoffs wins over New Haven added to skein.CHARLOTTE: Frank Golembrosky&rsquo;s hat trick helped Checkers win playoff opener over Suncoast Suns. Rick Loe won $10 bet from ex-Checker Jim McNulty by scoring in playoff inaugural. Some folks claim Checkers are not as physical a team with the departure of Blaine Rydman.JOHNSTOWN: Rookie Vern Campigotto&rsquo;s hat trick sparked shutout win over Clinton in opening playoff game as Bob Vroman blanked the Comets for third time this year. Reg Kent out for season with eye injury. Jets attendance about 15,000 below last year&rsquo;s totals. Gene Peacosh&rsquo;s 106 points topped club scoring. Dick Roberge had string of 393 straight games at last count.ROANOKE: Goalie Gary Crigger is first Virginian ever to play pro hockey. Coach Colin Kilburn played nets in late season game when regular Roger Kosar developed severe nose bleed. Kilburn&rsquo;s idea to add personnel for playoffs was nixed by league and rivals.GREENSBORO: Don Burgess won club scoring title with 95 points. Brian Randall got into oral battle with Roanoke&rsquo;s Colin Kilburn but backed off when the skipper grabbed a stick. Carter claimed a punch on Kilburn&rsquo;s face. Burgess had third hat trick of season in final game. Karl Haggarty&rsquo;s return from injury list lifted club playoff hopes. &#9632;

f0034-01

Blazers, Blades In Player Controversy; Charlotte-Greensboro South Final Set

<h2>NORTHERN DIVISION</h2>Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-0271/3047042-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="599" height="103"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Thur. March 9New Hoven 1 at Syracuse 5Sun. March 12New Haven 2 at Syracuse 5Tues. March 14Syracuse 5 of New Haven 3Thur. March 16Syracuse a! New HavenFri. March 17New Haven at SyracuseSun. March 19Syracuse 3 at New Hoven 4<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tues. March 21New Haven at Syrac use<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-0354/3047035-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg" title="f0034-03" width="598" height="104"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. March 8Clinton 0 at Johnstown 8Sat. March 11Clinton 3 at Johnstown 4Sun. March 12Johnstown 2 at Chicago 6Tues. March 14Johnstown 3 at Clinton 0Thur. March 16Clinton 1 at Johnstown 2<h3>SOUTHERN DIVISION</h3>Finals(Best-of-seven senes)Tue. March 21Greensboro at CharlotteWed March 22Charlotte at GreensboroFri. March 24Greensboro at CharlotteSun. March 26Charlotte at GreensboroTue. March 28Greensboro at Charlotte (if necessary)Fri. March 31Greensboro at Charlotte (if necessary)Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-0440/3047028-1-eng-US/f0034-042.jpg" title="f0034-04" width="608" height="100"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 7Sun Coast 1 at Charlotte 6Fri. March 10Sun Coast 3 at Charlotte 2Sun. March 12Charlotte 3 at Sun Coast 5Mon. March 13Charlotte 4 at Sun Coast 2Tues. March 14Sun Coast 1 at Charlotte 7Wed. March 15Charlotte 3 at Sun Coast 2<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-0532/3047021-1-eng-US/f0034-052.jpg" title="f0034-05" width="586" height="101"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 7Roanoke 2 at Greensboro 5Wed. March 8Greensboro 2 at Roanoke 3Mon. March 13Roanoke 3 at Greensboro 8Tue. March 14Greensboro 3 at Roanoke 4Wed. March 15Roanoke 3 at Greensboro 6Sat. March 18Greensboro 4 at Roanoke 0 &#9632;

f0034-02

EHL PLAYOFFS

<div class="byline">BY JOHN GUGGER</div>DAYTON&mdash;The Dayton Gems moved through the International Hockey League field this winter with the greatest of ease.They set a club record for victories, surpassing the previous mark of 44, and led the South Division from start to finish.But the way the Gems were finishing up the season wasn&rsquo;t the way they started it. They had failed in their bid to break the all-time IHL win mark of 50, and had dropped three straight games along the way, their longest losing streak of the season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-01104/3047073-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="264" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bryan McLay</figcaption></div>Muskegon finished ahead of Dayton in the final run to take the Huber Trophy. The Hawks had 100 points, two more than Dayton.Still some coaches would like to have the problems Dayton&rsquo;s Gerry Moore thought he had. Most felt the Gems were suffering a natural letdown after a strong effort.&ldquo;This team thinks things will change overnight and they&rsquo;ll begin to play well again in the playoffs,&rdquo; Moore said. &ldquo;That just doesn&rsquo;t happen. The way we played against Toledo one time we couldn&rsquo;t have beaten a junior team.&rdquo;The Gems&rsquo; three losses were to Flint by 4-3 and 4-0 scores and a 6-2 lacing suffered in Toledo, a team Dayton defeated in eight of 10 meetings. The Gems won seven of 10 games from Flint.Moore was disturbed with the play of nearly every team member, but wasn&rsquo;t particularly surprised the club couldn&rsquo;t defeat teams with less than 500 records to set a new league victory record.&ldquo;Hockey players are different these days,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t worry about records and things like that. Once they&rsquo;ve got the championship, that&rsquo;s it.&ldquo;They begin to think about other things and it&rsquo;s not hockey.&rdquo;Averaging over 4.000 per home date, the Gems finally ended the losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory in Columbus. Dayton rallied from a 3-1 deficit in that game for its 11th win without a loss against the Golden Seals.While the losing streak didn&rsquo;t mean much in relation to Dayton&rsquo;s status in the South Division, which it wrapped up for practical purposes sometime shortly after Christmas, it may have cost it the over-all IHL point championship.MUSKEGON: Ross Butler returned to action&hellip;Bryan McLay&rsquo;s overtime goal beat Port Huron&hellip;McLay led league in goals with 45&hellip;Gary Ford&rsquo;s 100th point was winning goal against Fort Wayne&hellip;Don Lie-semer runs hockey ranch for youngsters in off-season&hellip;Hawks could tie IHL win mark of 50 by sweeping final three games&hellip;PORT HURON: Goalie George Hulme called to Fort Worth on emergency basis&hellip;Wings scored goals five seconds apart to tie IHL record set twice previously by Toledo&hellip;Large crowds expected for first-round playoff with Flint, just 70 miles away&hellip;Wings averaged around 1,800 fans per game during regular season&hellip;Columbus took seven of its 30 points against Wings&hellip;Ex-Flag goaler Norm Jacques had heart attack&hellip;FLINT: Sandy Snow&rsquo;s goal with 22 seconds left beat Dayton&hellip;Gens had sellouts for 51 of last 53 home games&hellip;Pierre Farmer is a former pro fighter&hellip;Gens won three in row for first time since Nov. 24&hellip;Crowd of 3,100 braved blizzard to watch Flint-Muskegon exhibition in Saginaw&hellip;Bill Horton appointed team captain&hellip;TOLEDO: Howie Heggedal reached 20-goal circle&hellip;Greg Jablonski and Hal White were pushing for 30 goals&hellip;Rookie Dean Jeffrey saw more work in goal once club was officially eliminated from playoffs&hellip;Hornets averaged over 2,500 for last 12 home dates&hellip;Hornets wouldn&rsquo;t have had home ice available if they made playoffs&hellip;Jim Paterson was seven goals off all-time club record of 50&hellip;FORT WAYNE: Jim Boyd took over club scoring lead with nine points in three games&hellip;Tom McVie had 22 points in last nine games&hellip;Komets scored 40 goals against Toledo in five games here&hellip;Bernie MacNeil and Port Huron&rsquo;s Ralph Hopiavuori had spearing session and subsequent fight&hellip;Komets were assured of at least 500 record.&hellip;Player-coach Marc Boileau returned $25 fines after club swept three-game weekend&hellip;DES MOINES: Leafs had clothes and equipment stolen while dining in Kalamazoo, Mich., restaurant&hellip;Leafs have won 13 straight games here against Toledo&hellip;Jean Losier scored two goals in important road win at Flint&hellip;Corky Agar has helped offensively&hellip;Homeice mark of 24-9-1 kept team in battle with Fort Wayne for second place&hellip;Bob Kelly surprise with 25 goals&hellip;COLUMBUS: Dave Haley opened six-stitch cut on eye of Port Huron&rsquo;s Steve Sutherland in fight&hellip;Hart Monahan sent up to Baltimore for game where he scored a goal&hellip;Brent Taylor hit winner against Port Huron in Seals&rsquo; fourth road victory&hellip;Rod Lyons carried off ice on stretcher in Port Huron with leg injury&hellip;Coach Terry Gray set goal of 15 victories and club was one off mark with three games left&hellip;Seals have lost five times and tied twice in seven overtime games. &#9632;

f0035-01

Slumping Gems Miss Retord As Muskegon Grubs Title

<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>(Final Standings)NORTHERN DIVISION<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-0280/3047118-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="591" height="130"></div><h3>SOUTHERN DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-0356/3047111-1-eng-US/f0035-032.jpg" title="f0035-03" width="584" height="205"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 14Fort Woyne 5 at Port Huron 4Wed. March 15Columbus 3 at Dayton 6Des Moines 6 at Toledo 3Fri. March 17Toledo 4 at Muskegon 9Flint 2 at Des Moines 1Sat. March 18Dayton 1 at Fort Wayne 10Columbus 2 at Muskegon 7Toledo 2 at Port Huron 6Flint 0 at Des Moines 7Sun. March 19Des Moines 2 at Columbus 8Fort Wayne 2 at Dayton 5Muskegon 4 at Flint 4<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3>(Including games of Sun. March 12)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-0448/3047104-1-eng-US/f0035-042.jpg" title="f0035-04" width="586" height="568"></div> &#9632;

f0035-02

<h2>SERIES &lsquo;A&rsquo;</h2>(Best-of seven series)Wed. March 22Dayton at MuskegonSat. March 25Dayton at MuskegonSun. March 26Muskegon at DaytonWed. March 29Muskegon at DaytonSat. at April 1Dayton at Muskegon (if necessary)Thur. April 6Muskegon at Dayton (if necessary)Sat. April 1Dayton at Muskegon (if necessary)<h2>SERIES &lsquo;B&rsquo;</h2>(Best-of-five series)Wed. March 22Flint at Port HuronFri. March 24Port Huron at FlintSat. March 25Flint at Port HuronTue. March 28Port Huron at Flint (if necessary)Wed. March 29Flint at Port Huron (if necessary)<h2>SERIES &lsquo;C&rsquo;</h2>(Best-of five series)Tue. March 21Des Moines at Fort WayneWed. March 22Des Moines at Fort WoyneFri. March 24Fort Wayne at Des MoinesSat. March 25Fort Woyne at Des Moines (if necessary)Mon. March 27Des Moines at Fort Woyne (if necessary) &#9632;

IHL PLAYOFFS

BOSTON&mdash;Boston University hockey coach Jack Kelley has been a winner throughout his long college career. So, it seems only fitting that he leaves the collegiate ranks a champion in his final game behind the BU bench.Kelley, who will become the general manager-coach of the fledgling New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, guided his Terriers to a successful defense of their National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey crown here with a convincing 4-0 shutout of the highly-rated Cornell Big Red in the championship match.The B.U. squad, second-place ECAC Division One finishers, parlayed outstanding netminding by substitute Tim Regan and two-goal performances by Ron Anderson and Rick Jordon into their victory over Cornell, whom the Terriers had upset in the ECAC playoffs a week earlier. BU gained a path to the NCAA title game with a 4-1 semi-final victory over the Wisconsin Badgers while Cornell defeated the other western representative, Denver, in the other semi-final matchup by a 7-2 count.Regan, who accompanied the U.S. Olympic team to Sapporo, was outstanding in the semi-final contest as well and earned tournament most valuable player honors.The 4-0 blanking of the Cornell side also marked the first shutout registered against the Big Red since 1964 (225 games previous) when Brown University handed them a 8-0 whitewashing.Commenting on his team&rsquo;s second straight national crown, a jubilant Kelley said: &ldquo;This is Utopia. How sweet it is. We won the Nationals last year and played great. We won again this year but this has to be the greatest. The guys played terrific. I&rsquo;m just lost for words.&rdquo;Goaltender Regan added: I didn&rsquo;t beat Cornell. The whole team together did it. I&rsquo;m just happy that I was able to contribute something to our win.&rdquo;In the consolation game, Gary Winchester&rsquo;s hat trick paced Wisconsin to a 5-2 victory over the Denver. Pioneers, who had edged them for the regular season WCHA championship after a year-long battle between the two clubs that went down to the final weekend of the schedule.In the western playoffs, the Badgers took two-game, total points series from Michigan Tech and North Dakota by 9-6 and 6-2 scores respectively. Denver, on the other hand, had an easier post-season schedule, recording one-sided series triumphs of 11-5 and 11-4 over Notre Dame and Michigan State. &#9632;

Boston U. Repeats As NCAA Champions

<div class="byline">By Tom Burke</div><h2>BU Did &lsquo;Homework&rsquo; Beating Out Cornell</h2>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know&rdquo;, mused Jack Kelley in the Boston Garden locker room. &ldquo;Maybe teams just do this sort of thing for retiring coaches.&rdquo;Second seeded Boston University had just thumped Cornell 4-1 to win the ECAC playoff championship for the first time ever in Kelley&rsquo;s tenth and final year as BU coach. Defending national champs despite their third place finish in the same tourney last year, the Terriers has already lost twice to the Big Red in &lsquo;71-72 and were decided underdogs. But the surprising use of four lines allowed the aroused BU sextet to match Cornell&rsquo;s usual four-line style throughout the game.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never seen a BU team play like this, not this well,&rdquo; said chagrined Cornell coach Dick Bertrand. &ldquo;They just did their homework on us, took our game away from us and outplayed us using our own style.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-0196/3047197-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="273" height="446"><figcaption class="caption-body">John Danby</figcaption></div>Indeed, the checking and emphasis on defense was the difference between this BU club and last year&rsquo;s, even though the present club lost four games to two by the &lsquo;70-71 team. Last season, BU stormed through the college ranks pulverizing opponents by five, six, seven-goal margins. But at times they seemed more intent on merely outscoring the foe, while this time around they had many wins by closer but peaked into a super two-way outfit when it counted most.The power play, widely acclaimed last year as perhaps the most potent in a long time, was somewhat of a disappointment this year, but it took care of most of the goal sniping in these playoffs.In the Harvard game, John Danby collected two power play scores and added another on a four-on-four situation to pace BU&rsquo;s 3-1 win. His power play tally against Cornell gave BU some breathing room by forging a two-goal cushion at 16:11 of the second period. It was the only man-advantage BU hd all night, and they made the best of it.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d say our line of Billy Flynn, Ray Cournoyea, and Larry Abbott enabled us to play Cornell line-for-line, exulted Kelley. &lsquo;With that extra breath for our forwards we were able to put together that kind of effort you need to beat such a great team as Cornell.&rdquo; , ,For the first time in four years, Clarkson didn&rsquo;t make the Garden weekend playdowns along with Harvard. BU, and Cornell. I he sixth-seeded Golden Knights dropped a 6-5 overtime decision at Harvard in the quarter final round the previous Tuesday.The fifth-seeded University of New Hampshire grabbed off the low playoff berth for the semifinals and acquitted themselves well. After a 5-3 win at Penn in the qualifying round, UNH bowed 6-3 to Cornell in the semis but rose to the occasion in the consolation game the next night to whip Harvard 4-1. &#9632;

f0036-01

DOWN EAST

<div class="byline">BURKE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-0258/3047252-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg" title="f0036-02" width="566" height="822"><figcaption class="caption-body">JACK KELLEY&hellip;Going Out Winner</figcaption></div>BOSTON&mdash;They call him &ldquo;Jake the Snake&rdquo; around Boston University, the story goes, because one of his favorite pastimes during practice&rsquo;s leisure moments is to charm three or four would-be poke checkers into chasing him around the ice, trying to take the puck of his Koho. They can never do it.Whether you call him Jake or John Danby, the Terrier captain proved to a near-sellout ECAC playoff crowd at Boston Garden that he&rsquo;s one of the finest college hockey players in the land and an inspirational captain as well. Beset with nagging injuries through most of the season to wrist, back, and groin, Danby either shucked them off or ignored them long enough to play the leading role in BU&rsquo;s first ECAC playoff crown ever.For his part, Danby was selected Most Valuable Player for the tournament. Others on the all-tourney first team were BU goalie Dan Brady, defenseman Bob Brown, and wings Dave Wisener and Toot Cahoon who tied in the voting by the Boston press. Cornell wing Larry Fullan and defenseman Jim Higgs rounded out the squad.The second team included goalie Bob Smith and wing Guy Smith of New Hampshire, Cornell forwards Carlo Ugolini and Bill Hanson, BU rearguard Trie Jordan, and Harvard defenseman Mark Noonan.PLAYOFF PICKINGS: Har vard&rsquo;s 6-5 overtime win over Clarkson was a game in which the team with just one more break than the other emerged the winner&hellip;.&hellip;RPI came to play at BU for the second year in a row and got manhandled again, 8-2, thanks largely to a five point night for BU&rsquo;s Bob Brown&hellip;UNH&rsquo;s Bob Smith had 19 saves in the second period at Penn while his mates were out-scoring the Quakers 3-1 enroute to a 5-3 upset win. &#9632;

f0036-02

BU’s Danby Named MVP Of Tourney

<h2>NCAA PLAYOFFS</h2>Boston University 4, WisconsinCornell 7, Denver 2(semi-final round)Wisconsin 5, Denver 2(Consolation game)Boston University 4, Cornell 0(Championship game)<h2>CANADIAN PLAYOFFS</h2>St. Mary&rsquo;s 4 Alberta 3Toronto 5, Sir George Williams(Semi-final round)Alberta 5, Sir George Williams &lsquo;(Consolation game)Toronto 5, St. Mary&rsquo;s 0(Championship game)<h2>ECAC PLAYOFFS</h2><h3>DIVISION ONE</h3>Cornell 11, Providence 1Boston University 8, RPI 2Harvard 6, Clarkson 5New Hampshire 5, Pennsylvania(Quarter-final Round)Cornell 6, New Hampshire 3Boston University 3, Harvard 1(Semi-final round)New Hampshire 4, Harvard 1(Consolation game)Boston University 4, Cornell 1(Championship game)<h3>DIVISION TWO</h3>Buffalo 9, Boston State 5Vermont 7, Lowell Tech 0Merrimack 4, Salem State 2Massachusetts 5, St. Anselm&rsquo;s 3(Quarter-final round)Buffalo 4, Vermont 0Massachusetts 4, Merrimack 2(Semi-final round)Massachusetts 8, Buffalo 1(Championship game)<h2>WCHA PLAYOFFS</h2>Michigan State Tech 5, Wisconsin 3Wisconsin 6, Michigan Tech 1(Wisconsin wins two-game total-goal series 9-6)Denver 4, Notre Dame 3Denver 7, Notre Dame 2(Denver wins two-game total-goal series 11-5)North Dakota 5, Michigan 1North Dakota 10, Michigan 2(North Dakota wins two-game total-goal series 15-3)Michigan State 4, Minn-Duluth 2Michigan State 4, Minn-Duluth 2(Michigan State wins two-game total-goal series 8-4)Denver 2, Michigan State 1Denver 9, Michigan State 3(Denver wins two-game total goal series 11-4)Wisconsin 1, North Dakota 1Wisconsin 5, North Dakota 1(Wisconsin wins two-game total-goal series 6-2)<h2>NAIA PLAYOFFS</h2>Gustavus Adolphus 5, St. Thomas 3Lake Superior 12, Wisconsin State 2(Quarter-final round)Winconsin State 8, St. Thomas 3(Consolation game)Lake Superior 9, Gustavus Adolphus 3(Championship game)<h2>CCHA PLAYOFFS</h2>St. Louis 6, Bowling Green 5Ohio State 7, Ohio University 1(Semi-final rdund)Bowling Green 7, Ohio University 6(Consolation gom)Ohio State 3, St. Louis 0(Championship game) &#9632;

College Playoff Picture

<div class="byline">BY LYNDON LITTLE</div>SHERBROOKE&mdash;The powerful Varsity Blues from the University of Toronto left observers here wondering when it would all end as they swept to their fourth consecutive national hockey title&mdash;and their sixth in the past seven years&mdash;in Canadian college play.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0187/3047314-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="254" height="455"><figcaption class="caption-body">John Wright</figcaption></div>For the third straight year the St. Mary&rsquo;s University Huskies from Halifax were the victims in the championship game as the fast-skating, smooth-passing Blues dominated every facet of the title match on the way to a 50 blanking of the Maritime conference winners.The Toronto team, Ontario conference champions, put up a stiff defense in front of former Harvard University net star Bruce Durno that limited the Huskies to only 20 shots on goal&mdash;only a handful of the dangerous variety.The majority of the offensive&middot; load for the Blues was carried by four-year star center John Wright who scored once and set up two scores by linemate Pat Healey and one by Bob Munro, Rookie right winger Kent Ruhnke notched the final Toronto goal in the title game.St. Mary&rsquo;s veteran goaltender Chuck Goddard was outstanding in the nets for the Huskies, who advanced to the finals with a 4-3 victory over Western champion Alberta, as he kept his team in the game for two periods with sensational puck stopping.In the consolation final. Alberta defeated Sir George Williams University of Montreal 5-1. The Georgians were losers to Toronto in the other semifinal by a 5-2 count.Wright, a former star with the Toronto Marlboros&rsquo; 1967 Memo rial Cup Junior championship team before he moved into college ranks, capped off his outstanding play with selection as the tournament most valuable player as well as nailing down the All Star team center spot.Toronto defenseman and captain Dave McDowal and right winger Bob Munro were other Varsity players named to the tournament All Star squad. St. Mary&rsquo;s captain Tim Ripley joined McDowal on the defense while Goddard was selected in goal and Alberta left winger Jack Gibson completed the forward unit.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0265/3047307-1-eng-US/f0037-022.jpg" title="f0037-02" width="1770" height="1028"><figcaption class="caption-body">Goaler BILL McKENZIE of Ohio State receives trophy as most valuable player in recent CCHA Tournament in which McKenzie allowed one goal nights of competition defeating Ohio University 7-1 and St. Louis 3-0 as Buckeyes took championship. Making presentation to netminder is LARRY ALBUS, St. Louis University athletic director.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0037-01

Toronto Grabs Sixth National Hockey Crown As Wright Shows Way

ST. LOUIS&mdash;The St. Louis University Billikens completed their season with a second place finish in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament losing to Ohio State 3-0.The Buck eyes, who won the CCHA league championship as well as the tournament, halted the Billiken 9-game undefeated streak and finished with an impressive 24-5 record. St. Louis, despite the loss, recorded a 15-15-3 slate in only their second season of collegiate competition against a very formidable schedule.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0342/3047345-1-eng-US/f0037-032.jpg" title="f0037-03" width="246" height="434"><figcaption class="caption-body">Rick Kennedy</figcaption></div>Although disappointed by his team&rsquo;s lack-luster performance against the Buckeyes, Billiken coach Bill Selman is already looking ahead to next year&rsquo;s campaign with eager anticipation. &ldquo;We aimed for a 500 season so we can&rsquo;t be disappointed, but if we are to build towards national championship, we must keep progressing,&rdquo; said Selman. Selman has in mind the primary acquisition of several top defensemen to fill the Billiken major weakness. Selman&rsquo;s use of the word progression also entails the utilization of the word experience next season. &ldquo;From now on,&rdquo; says Selman, &ldquo;experience will win for us, not lose&rdquo;.A capsule look at the 1971-72 campaign exemplifies the remarkable past season the Billi-kens enjoyed:St. Louis scored 28 more goals and 103 more points in 1971-72 than in 1970-71. They also gave up 9 fewer goals in 3 more games.Goaltenders Carl Sapinsky and Ralph Kloiber bettered their goals against averages from respective 5.10 and 5.09 marks to 4.72 and 4.49.All-American candidate John Nestic maintained his two year goal a game pace as he set records for most goals in a season&mdash;33 and most points in a season 56. His old record was 30-23-53. Nestic also added two more hat tricks to increase his two season total to 5.Second leading scorer Sean Coghlan, a freshman from Downsview, Ontario, broke the record for most assists in a season with 33 as well as for most goals and most points with 50 at right wing.Freshman left wing Robert Sykes from Sudbury, Ontario, set the marks for most goals and points by a let wing with 16 goals and 39 points as the 3rd leading Billiken scorer.Sophomore defenseman JimPeck from Windosr, Ontario, established defensive records for most assists and points by a defenseman qith respective 26 ans 31 marsk.Freshman center Rick Kennedy, who came on very strong in the second half of the season, recorded the only Billiken 4 goal game in two years against Bowling Green on Feb. 26th. Kennedy is from Weston, Ontario, and finished the season as the 4th leading scorer with 17-19-36. &#9632;

f0037-03

St. Louis Looking Ahead To 1972-73

SUPERIOR&mdash;&ldquo;Our primary goal this season is to win the NAIA National tournament&rdquo;. There were the words echoed by coach Ron Mason, head mentor of the LSSC hockey Lakers, all season.The Lakers achieved their goal by winning two straight games and gaining the NAIA National Hockey Championship.Coach Mason has been after the national crown for the past five years but could only gain the runner-up spot on three different occasions. This year was completely different as the Lakers completely dominated the tournament, dumping Wisconsin State of Superior, 12-2, in the semi-finals then routing Gustavus Adolphus of St. Peter, Minn., 9-3 in the championship game.Don Muio, the Lakers outstanding goalie, was named the tournament&rsquo;s most valuable player. Muio kicked out 38 drives in the final game compared to 33 for Andy Micheletti of Gustavus Adolphus.Wisconsin State topped St. Thomas of Minnesota, 8-3, in the consolation game.The all-tournament team was: goalies, Don Muio (LSSC) and Andy Micheletti (GA); defense, Bill Slewidge and Tom Davies (LSSC), Greg Lein (Wis), and Dennis Troolen (GA); frowards, Jeff Boeser (ST), Mas Fukushima (Wis, Julio Francella (LSSC), Gene Motuzas (LSSC), Gerrie Currie (LSSC), Jim Meter (GA), and George Roberts (GA), Most Valuable Player, Don Muio (LSSC). &#9632;

Lake Superior Lakers Romp To NAIA Crown

<div class="byline">BY JACK GATECLIFF</div>ST. CATHARINESWith the 315-game schedule nearing the end only three teams in the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior A League were certain of their immediate future.Toronto&rsquo;s hot Marlboros have won the pennant in the 10-team group, Montreal Canadiens and Hamilton Red Wings won&rsquo;t make the OHA playoffs.A spectacular streak extending from mid-January to early March in which they lost only one of 21 games assured Coach Frank Bonello&rsquo;s Marlboros of first place after Oshawa Generals had held the No. 1 spot for better than half the season.Although they ran into a minor slump&mdash;losing to London Knights and Oshawa Generals and playing to a tie with Niagara Falls&mdash;the offensive minded Marlies were far out of sight of second place Oshawa and had no real worries about finishing first.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-01108/3047407-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="289" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body">Frank Bonello</figcaption></div>Every member of their potent Bill Harris-Dave Gardner-Steve Shutt line scored over 50 goals and the Marlies were within shooting distance of the record 353 goals they scored last season as a team.The Generals appear reasonably certain of being runners-up but between third and eighth positions there is still a real scramble.Peterborough, Kitchener and Ottawa are fighting for third and fourth place, all trying desperately to escape the fifth position which would pit them against the Toronto club in the first playoff round.Niagara Falls Flyers have a fair edge for sixth position but are still being threatened by St. Catharines Black Hawks and London who have been staging a dog fight all season for seventh and eight spots.TORONTO: Junior A hockey, which has not drawn too well in Toronto since St. Michael&rsquo;s College Majors pulled out 11 years ago, is suddenly the &ldquo;in thing&rdquo; thanks to the colorful play of the Marlboros&hellip;In their last three games the Dukes have averaged more than 10,000 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens including more than 13,000 in a key game against Oshawa which they won 12-5.OSHAWA: First would have been better but second isn&rsquo;t too bad was the reasonable reaction in Oshawa where the Generals have had a sensational season after finishing out of the playoffs four of the past five years&hellip;Coach-manager Gus Bodnar has done a fantastic job in rebuilding the Generals with youthful stars such as Rick Middleton, Steve West, Doug and Bob Ferguson plus the stabilizing influence of veteran defensemen Mike Amodeo and Jack Lynch.PETERBOROUGH: The Petes have a history of starting quickly in the schedule, then gradually fading&hellip;This season coach Roger Neilson has reversed the process&hellip;The Petes had a hesitant beginning but come on strongly in the stretch and could be the club to give the Marlies the most difficulty in the playoff&rsquo;s&hellip;As usual, few stars but good, solid positional hockey has given the Petes a good shot at third place.OTTAWA: With outstanding defenseman Denis Potvin back after a hand injury and superb goaltending from Bunny Larocque the 67s are starting to play the way many predicted before the season started&hellip;The Ottawa club under coach-manager Bill Long was upset by Hamilton but defeated St. Catharines three nights later and still have designs on that third position&hellip;Bryan McSheffrey, Peter Gaw and Blake Dunlop give them plenty of offensive strength to go with their firm defense and goaltending.KITCHENER: So far it&rsquo;s still a disappointing season for Kitchener Rangers who were rated one of the teams to beat&hellip;They have good goaltending from two Noranda natives Glen Seperich and Bob Blanchette, a better than average defense headed by United States&mdash;born Rick Chartraw and Chris Meloff and some of the most promising forwards including Al Blanchard. Bill Barber and Tom Cassidy&hellip;However coach Ron Murphy has had much difficulty with consistency&hellip;He hopes the fortunes will change in the playoffs.NIAGARA FALLS: The Flyers will qualify for the playoffs for the first time in three years but owner Hap Emms had hoped for a better finish than sixth after a good start early in the season&hellip;Don Lever the big gun for the Flyers but, like several other teams, steady goaltending has been lacking and except for Jim Schoenfeld the defense not exceptional&hellip;But. like the Generals, making the playoffs is the first step on the road back to respectability.ST. CATHARINES: Black Hawks ended five-game losing streak with tight 6-5 win over Kitchener&hellip;Captain Bob MacMillan returned after three week absence because of a knee injury and assisted on four of the six goals&hellip;Center Jeff Jacques out indefinitely after being struck over the head by Dan Hinton of Kitchener and suffering concussion and badly lacerated ear&hellip;Jacques had missed previous games with knee and shoulder problems&hellip;Paul Shakes playing exceptionally well on defense while 16-year-old rookie Dave Gorman leads club in goals with 30&hellip;Coach Frank Milne predicts great future for Gorman who played minor hockey in Toronto before family moved to St. Catharines.MONTREAL: It&rsquo;s a case of &ldquo;wait &lsquo;til next year&rdquo; for the Canadiens who will miss the playoff for the first time since entering the Ontario league 11 years ago&hellip;And the future looks bright for Roger Bedard and his club&hellip;They won four of last five games but started their charge too late to catch either London or St. Catharines for final playoff spot&hellip;A young team with no super-stars but should have good balance in 1972-73.HAMILTON: The Red Wings under rookie coach Jim Neale will join the Canadiens on the sidelines when the playoffs open&hellip;A major rebuilding program is still required by owner Nick Durbano if the Wings are to improve next season&hellip;It&rsquo;s been a bleak year both on the ice and in the stands where attendance has fallen sharply.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0266/3047400-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="564" height="586"><figcaption class="caption-body">RICK CHARTRAW&hellip;A Yank In The OHA</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0038-01

Marlies In, Habs Out But Rest Of Clubs Battling Down To Wire For Playoff Spots

<h2>NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR</h2>(Final Standings)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0344/3047473-1-eng-US/f0038-032.jpg" title="f0038-03" width="583" height="107"></div><h2>LEADING SCORERS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0436/3047466-1-eng-US/f0038-042.jpg" title="f0038-04" width="582" height="728"></div><h2>UNITED STATES LEAGUE</h2>(Standings on Thur. March 16)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0529/3047459-1-eng-US/f0038-052.jpg" title="f0038-05" width="587" height="153"></div><h2>LEADING SCORERS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0625/3047452-1-eng-US/f0038-062.jpg" title="f0038-06" width="580" height="336"></div><h2>ALBERTA JUNIOR LEAGUE</h2>(Final Standings)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0722/3047445-1-eng-US/f0038-072.jpg" title="f0038-07" width="576" height="193"></div><h2>LEADING SCORERS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0816/3047438-1-eng-US/f0038-082.jpg" title="f0038-08" width="590" height="1374"></div> &#9632;

f0038-03

<h2>ONTARIO MAJOR JUNIOR</h2>(Standings on Tuas. March 21)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0913/3047595-1-eng-US/f0038-092.jpg" title="f0038-09" width="587" height="297"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tues. March 14Ottawa 1 at London 1Montreal 4 at Toronto 5St. Catharines 5 at Hamilton 3Thur. March 16Hamilton 3 at Peterborough 5Montreal 1 at Oshawa 7Fri. March 17Ottawa 1 at Niagara Falls 6Hamilton 3 at Kitchener 3St. Catharines 2 atToronto 9Oshawa 5 at Montreal 3Peterborough 3 atLondon 3Sun. March 19St. Catharines 4 at Oshawa 1Niagara Falls 5 at Hamilton 2Peterborough 5 atToronto 6London 6 at Montreal 4Kitchener 6 at Ottawa 4<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-1012/3047588-1-eng-US/f0038-102.jpg" title="f0038-10" width="595" height="552"></div><h3>GOALKEEPERS&rsquo; RECORDS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-1110/3047581-1-eng-US/f0038-112.jpg" title="f0038-11" width="589" height="191"></div><h2>QUEBEC JUNIOR LEAGUE</h2>(Standing on Mon March 20)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-129/3047574-1-eng-US/f0038-122.jpg" title="f0038-12" width="587" height="284"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. March 13Shawinigan 7 at Laval 1Tue. March 14St. Jerome 5 at Versun 8Thurs. March 16Sherbrooke 2 at Cornwall 10Fr. March 17Quebec 4 at Verdun 5Trois-Rivieres 3 at Sorel 2Drummondville 7 atShawinigan 2Sun. March 19Quebec 1 at Drummondville 12Cornwall 4 at St. Jerome 2Sherbrooke 5 at Shawinigan 10Laval 1 at Sorel 15Trois-Rivieres 4 at Verdun 6<h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-136/3047567-1-eng-US/f0038-132.jpg" title="f0038-13" width="591" height="282"></div><h2>NEW YORK METRO LEAGUE</h2>(Final Standings)<h3>Eastern Division</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-144/3047560-1-eng-US/f0038-142.jpg" title="f0038-14" width="574" height="154"></div><h3>WESTERN DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-153/3047553-1-eng-US/f0038-152.jpg" title="f0038-15" width="580" height="102"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-162/3047546-1-eng-US/f0038-162.jpg" title="f0038-16" width="581" height="595"></div><h2>NEW YORK COLLEGE LEAGUE</h2>(Final Standings)<h3>EASTBIN DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-17/3047539-1-eng-US/f0038-172.jpg" title="f0038-17" width="602" height="184"></div><h3>WESTERN DIVISION</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-18/3047532-1-eng-US/f0038-182.jpg" title="f0038-18" width="584" height="180"></div><h2>BRITISH COLUMBIA JUNIOR</h2>(Standings on Fri. March 10)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-19/3047525-1-eng-US/f0038-192.jpg" title="f0038-19" width="603" height="187"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-20/3047518-1-eng-US/f0038-202.jpg" title="f0038-20" width="576" height="308"></div><h2>NEW BRUNSWICK JUNIOR</h2>(Final Standings)<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-21/3047511-1-eng-US/f0038-212.jpg" title="f0038-21" width="585" height="160"></div><h3>LEADING SCORERS</h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-22/3047504-1-eng-US/f0038-222.jpg" title="f0038-22" width="581" height="314"></div> &#9632;

Search for your favorite player or team

March 31, 1972

The Hockey News OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY

Central Hockey League Summaries

Massachusetts Wins Division II Honors

Player Of The Week