Bourne And His Pack Ignite Blades’ Run At Playoff Spot

SASKATOON — The Captain and his Pack have finally rearranged the puzzle in Bladetown. The Captain is Bob Bourne, a 19-year-old centerman who has survived the frustration of a slow start. The PACK is four youthful performers named Price, Arndt. Chapman and Klassen who have given the Saskatoon Blades enough firepower to return to respectability in the Eastern Division of the Western Canada Hockey League. Blades have fluctuated above and below the .500 mark most of this season. with more ups and downs than a runaway roller coaster. There was a time when their apparent destiny was fifth place in the eastern race. But with six weeks remaining in the WCHL schedule, the defending division champions had finally pushed past the Brandon Wheat Kings into the fourth and final playoff position. Much of the…

Islanders Learn Fans Won’t Support Loser

LONG ISLAND— As far as local hockey fans were concerned, the N.Y. Islanders of 1972-73 were a charming new toy. It was “their team,” and the rooters backed them with an increasingly growing passion. Over 11,000 of them drifted into the Nassau Coliseum from all parts of the Island, fully realizing that they were not going to see the Stanley Cup champions in action. But it didn’t matter. These hockey-starved patrons would have settled for anything that had an NHL aura about it. Consequently; the crowd acted like the drowning man searching for some straw to cling to. They would cheer anything — a goal, a body check, a save. As the Islanders buried themselves further and further into the basement, the greater the support from the gallery. But things have been different…

NHL Team Rasters

Detroit - St. Louis Swap 16th Of Season

MONTREAL — Ted Harris and Bryan Watson have a lot in common. Both are veteran defensemen and both are among the three NHL players who have seen action with three teams this season. Harris and Watson joined Real Lemieux in that exclusive club last week when they were involved in a six-player deal between the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. Watson, forward Chris Evans and defenseman Jean Hamel went to the Wings in exchange for Harris, Garnet Bailey and Bill Collins. Watson had gone to the Blues less than a month ago from Pittsburgh while Harris joined the Red Wings early in the season in a deal with the Minnesota North Stars. Lemieux has played with Los Angeles, New York Rangers and Buffalo this year. The trade, combined with the deal that sent Gene…