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 8, 1974

The Hockey News March 8, 1974

<h2>The Deke</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-03110/3746308-1-eng-US/f0039-032.jpg" title="f0039-03" width="244" height="374"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-0493/3746301-1-eng-US/f0039-042.jpg" title="f0039-04" width="976" height="650"></div>The deke is one of the best moves a puck carrier can make. If you&rsquo;re approaching a defenceman you have the option of going to either side, stopping, then starting suddenly, or turning in a tight circle to throw him off balance.If you have two defencemen to beat, try swerving to one side as though you plan to go around one of them. As he moves over to stop you. cut back suddenly and try to go between them &mdash; straight at the goal.Another way to attack is to fake a shot right at either defenceman. He&rsquo;ll tense up. bracing for the shot and so give you that split second you need to swerve or perhaps dribble the puck past, to be picked up behind him.Remember, attackers nearly always have to advantage: surprise. The puck carrier knows what he&rsquo;s going to do. The defenders don&rsquo;t, and few defencemen are as quick as the lighter, flashier forwards. &#9632;

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IN THIS ISSUE

HOCKEY … For Minors

<div class="byline">BY ALEX HARDY</div>EDMONTON&mdash;Jim Harrison appears to have played his last game for the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association.It is questionable whether Harrison, who recently underwent surgery for a slipped disc in his back, will ever play hockey for Oilers again. If he does, it won&rsquo;t be until mid-April when he will be recovered from surgery. But by that time the playoffs will be underway and Oilers don&rsquo;t figure to be a power in the post-season round.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-01288/3745443-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="261" height="511"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andre Hinse</figcaption></div>Harrison, who has been feuding with general manager Bill Hunter of Edmonton over contract negotiations, has been outspoken in his demands for a new contract which he claims Hunter suggested but has since renaged on. Harrison said it was supposed to be a 10-year pact at a higher salary.Harrison said he wants more money or he wants to be traded. There is also a distinct possibility he will return to the National Hockey League&rsquo;s Toronto Maple Leafs, who own his rights.Harrison also claims Edmonton club directors wrote his lawyer saying they couldn&rsquo;t come up with a new contract because the future is uncertain. And he blasted Hunter for misleading the press and public over his many injuries this season. &ldquo;He felt the impression I could play but was faking injuries as a tool to get a new contract. There were times I was so hurt my wife begged me not to go to the arena, but I played anyway.&rdquo;Harrison, who is capable of playing great games but has almost as many terrible ones, isn&rsquo;t particularly popular. He has been thoughtlessly selfish to his Oiler temmates who earn less money. A former temmate of Harrison&rsquo; with Toronto Maple Leafs says. &ldquo;Nobody understands Harry except his wife Liz.&rdquo;HOUSTON: Aeros continued to play hot hockey. &ldquo;Don McLeod is the reason we&rsquo;re first,&rdquo; says Gordie Howe, referring to the hottest goalie in the WHA. Howe himself was going great guns. He long ago passed the 70-point mark he set as his goal at the start of the season. &ldquo;I get tired once in a while, and my wrist (arthritis) acts up occasionally, but as long as we keep winning&hellip;&rdquo;Meantime, Andre Hinse continues to be the league&rsquo;s top rookie. He is right up near the Top Ten in individual scoring. And coach Bill Dineen is smiling after being named Texas Coach of the Year ahead of such noteables as Tom Landry of Dallas Cowboys.MINNESOTA: Fighting Saints are a hot-and-cold team, make no mistake. At last word they were plenty hot, led by their most hot-and-cold performer, Mike Walton. Walton is center in the program but he was installed at right wing because, as coach Harry Neale puts it, &ldquo;he doesn&rsquo;t fore check worth a damn.&rdquo; But he can score points. He is now firmly entrenched in the Top Ten, and when he scores. Saints win. They are 5-1 against arch-rival Winnipeg but haven&rsquo;t beaten Houston.Meanwhile. Mike Antonovich has become father for the first time.WINNIPEG: Jets were playing only so-so, not well enough to seriously threaten Houston. Their shots total has dropped drastically recently. On nights when they were winning in a breeze, Jets habitually fired more than 100 shots toward the opponents&rsquo; net, though less than half required saves. Now that fig tire is down substantially. Two Jets who haven&rsquo;t been scoring are Dune Rousseau and Dan Spring.Playing coach Bobby Hull wants bench coach Nick Mickoski to assert himself more, even if it means contradicting Hull&rsquo;s line of thought. And defenseman Bob Ash is still feeling the effects of tom chest muscles. Goalie Joe Daley was happier after registering a win in his first start with his new pads.VANCOUVER: Coach Andy Bathgate still feels Blazers &ldquo;have enough muscle and can score enough goals&rdquo; to overtake Edmonton for the final playoff berth. The Danny Lawson line wasn&rsquo;t producing as well as it should, but the line of Claude St. Sauveur-John Migneault-Murray Myers was. St. Sauveur is top candidate for Rookie of the Year. Migneault came to Blazers as a defenseman but has made the change to forward easily. Myers is young and has potential.Blazers are still using six defenseman. Bathgate feels they&rsquo;re needed, especially on road trips. Defense is Blazers&rsquo; sore point. Winger Mike Chernoff is still hampered by a sore knee.LOS ANGELES: Marc Tardif leads Sharks in scoring. He has averaged .91 points per game, slightly ahead of runner-up Gary Veneruzzo&rsquo;s .84. Steve Sutherland is far and away the club penalty leader with 146. compared to only 87 for runner-up Jim Niekamp. Goalies Jimmy McLeod and Ian Wilkie have almost indentical G A marks Neither total is much to write home about.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-04113/3745436-1-eng-US/f0025-042.jpg" title="f0025-04" width="573" height="911"><figcaption class="caption-body">Photo by Steve BabineauJIM HARRISON &hellip;Returning To NHL?</figcaption></div><h2>WHA SCOREBOARD</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-02212/3745429-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg" title="f0025-02" width="589" height="492"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. Feb. 18Chicago 3 at Jersey 4Tue. Feb. 19Toronto 5 at Vancouver 4Cleveland 5 at Quebec 6Wed. Feb. 20Winnipeg 1 at Edmonton 4Jersey 2 at Houston 7New England 2 at Los Angeles 4Thu. Feb. 21Vancouver 4 at Chicago 5Fri. Feb. 22Toronto 3 at Winnipeg 4Minnesota 6 at Quebec 4Sat. Feb. 23Edmonton 2 at Houston 5Vancouver 3 at Cleveland 7New England 3 at Chicago 0Sun. Feb. 24Chicago 1 at Winnipeg 3Vancouver 1 at Houston 7Edmonton 5 at Los Angeles 3New England 0 at Toronto 2Jersey 4 at Quebec 7Minnesota 2 at Cleveland 1<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. Feb. 26Vancouver at HoustonWinnipeg at QuebecLos Angeles at ChicagoWed. Feb. 27Los Angeles at MinnesotaToronto at New EnglandThu. Feb. 28Cleveland at MinnesotaWinnipeg at TorontoVancouver at QuebecNew England at JerseyHouston at ChicagoFri. Mar. 1Houston at EdmontonMinnesota at WinnipegCleveland at ChicagoSat. Mar. 2Vancouver at New EnglandLos Angeles at JerseySun. Mar. 3Cleveland at EdmontonQuebec at WinnipegLos Angeles at MinnesotaNew England at HoustonVancouver at JerseyToronto at ChicagoTue. Mar. 5Cleveland at Los AngelesNew England at ChicagoWed. Mar. 6New England at MinnesotaEdmoton at HoustonThu. Mar. 7Cleveland at VancouverChicago at QuebecFri. Mar. 8Cleveland at WinnipegEdmonton at Los Angele<h2>WHA Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-03146/3745422-1-eng-US/f0025-032.jpg" title="f0025-03" width="601" height="935"></div> &#9632;

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Harrison’s Days With WHA Oilers In Doubt As Ice Star, Club Feud

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National Hockey League SUMMARIES

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01756/3744878-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02649/3744871-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="670" height="8356"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03519/3744864-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="633" height="2844"></div><h2>TOP NHL SCORERS</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04404/3744857-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="1235" height="1121"></div> &#9632;

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National Hockey League Scoring By Teams

EXHIBITIONS SEAL NHL&mdash;WHA PEACE PACT &mdash; Page 6HOCKEY WORLD SHOCKED BY DEATH OF TIM HORTON &mdash; Page 2<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/cover-01633/3746446-1-eng-US/cover-012.jpg" title="Cover-01" width="575" height="1533"><figcaption class="caption-body">TIM HORTON</figcaption></div>DANNY GRANT MINNESOTA &lsquo;IRON MAN&rsquo; &mdash; Page 3OILERS, TOP STAR TO PART IN WHA &mdash; Page 25<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/cover-02478/3746439-1-eng-US/cover-022.jpg" title="Cover-02" width="1712" height="1629"></div>TONY ESPOSITO SIZZLES IN BID TO WIN VEZINA &mdash; Page 14 &#9632;

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THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01927/3744240-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">TIM HORTON&hellip; Tragic Loss To Hockey (Hockey News Photo by Robert Shaver)</figcaption></div>BUFFALO&mdash;The world of hockey is mourning the death of one of its greatest competitors. Tim Horton.The 44-year-old Buffalo Sabres, defenseman was killed in a single car accident at approximately 4:30 a.m. Thursday Feb. 21 near St. Catharines, Ont. Horton was returning from visiting family and friends in Toronto following the Sabres 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs Wednesday night.Police said Horton&rsquo;s Italian-made sports car reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour before it left the highway. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.He is survived by his wife. Lori and their four daughters. Jeri, 21, Kim, 18, Kelly, 17, and Tracy, 13.Only hours before his death, Horton had been chosen third star in the game with Toronto. His death brought words of praise from many members of the hockey world.&ldquo;No finer person, teammate or hockey player ever lived.&rdquo; said George Armstrong, a former teammate of Horton&rsquo;s and currently a junior hockey coach. &ldquo;In his quiet way he was an inspiration. He didn&rsquo;t talk much, but when he did. it made sense.&rdquo;Clarence Campbell, president of the National Hockey League, said the news of Horton&rsquo;s death was a shock and what made it so was &ldquo;probably the impression of his apparent indestructability.&rdquo;Buffalo general manager Punch Imlach, who was more of a friend to Horton than a boss, said the accident was a great loss.&ldquo;It was a terrible loss, not only to his family and the team, but to the game of hockey,&rdquo; Imlach said. &ldquo;He was one of the greatest defensemen who ever played. an All Star, and it was fitting he was chosen as one of the three stars in his final game.&ldquo;He was the backbone of our team in Buffalo. He was not only an All Star defenseman. but he was a great person, too.&rdquo;Seymour Knox, chairman of the board of the Sabres, said that Horton should be remembered for his attributes as a man rather than a player.&ldquo;Tim Horton was not only one of the greatest players to play in the National Hockey League.&rdquo; Knox said, &ldquo;he was one of the finest gentlemen to play the game.&rdquo;The Sabres were scheduled to play the Atlanta Flames in Buffalo the night of Horton&rsquo;s death. The game was played with both teams wearing black arm bands in honor of Horton. Moments of silence were observed in various NHL arenas.King Clancy, Maple Leaf vice-president who coached Horton with the Leafs and in the minor leagues at Pittsburgh, termed the loss &ldquo;the greatest shock of my life.&rdquo;&ldquo;Horton was a tremendous competitor. a great person. Nothing was too much, no task too great. There were no ifs. Ands or buts. He did the job. injured or not.&rdquo;Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; general manager Sam Pollock described Horton as one of the cleanest players he had ever seen.&ldquo;He used his strength legally.&rdquo; Pollock said. &ldquo;He was never vicious.&rdquo;This season was Horton&rsquo;s 22nd in the NHL. For the past four seasons he had retired annually, only to be lured back for another season.He started his pro career with the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League during the 1949-50 season. He spent two seasons there before the Leafs promoted him in 1952.The next 17 seasons were spent in a Toronto uniform before he was traded in 1970 to the New York Rangers.While with the Leafs, he played on four Stanley Cup winners and was chosen to the first AU Star team three times. Horton was a second All Star team member three times as well.At the end of the 1970-71 season, he was claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the intra-league draft and the following year was claimed by the Sabres.He was a key figure in the Sabres&rsquo; drive to the playoffs last season, steadying an inexperienced defense and playing a major role in the development of rookie defenseman Jim Schoenfeld.Horton was successful off the ice as well. He was a partner in a chain of 30 Tim Horton Donut shops that are a great success across Ontario. &#9632;

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Hockey World Shocked By Death Of Great Defenseman Tim Horton

<h2>NHL Teams</h2>Atlanta &hellip; 20Boston &hellip; 15Buffalo &hellip; 21California &hellip; 11Chicago &hellip; 14Detroit &hellip; 18Los Angeles &hellip; 17Minnesota &hellip; 3Montreal &hellip; 10N.Y. Islanders &hellip; 15N.Y. Rangers &hellip; 22Philadelphia &hellip; 9Pittsburgh &hellip; 8St. Louis &hellip; 12Toronto &hellip; 13Vancouver &hellip; 23<h2>Other Leagues</h2>World Hockey &hellip; 24American &hellip; 27Western &hellip; 30Central &hellip; 32International &hellip; 34Southern &hellip; 35North American &hellip; 36Colleges &hellip; 37OHA &hellip; 38Western Canada &hellip; 40<h2>Columnists</h2>Ken McKenzie &hellip; 4Bill Libby &hellip; 8<h2>Other Features</h2>Fan Forum &hellip; 4Cartoon Corner &hellip; 9Player Moves &hellip; 12Crossword &hellip; 29Hockey Tips &hellip; 39Jr. Jottings &hellip; 39 &#9632;

WHERE YOU’LL FIND IT ALL

<div class="byline">BY DWAYNE NETLAND</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01932/3744302-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"></div>TWIN CITIES&mdash;In a season when the bright spots have been few and scattered for the Minnesota North Stars, perhaps it is time to take a look at Danny Grant&rsquo;s remarkable string of durability.Grant, at this writing, has participated in 420 consecutive regular-season games for the North Stars, a streak second only to Garry Unger of the St. Louis Blues among active players.The only game Grant missed since joining the North Stars in the summer of 1968 was a Sunday night engagement in Boston Garden just before Christmas in 1968. He had incurred a pulled groin muscle the night before in Toronto.&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t realize it was that long ago. &ldquo;Grant said recently. &ldquo;The years are going by too quickly. This is my sixth season in Minnesota, and yet it seems like yesterday that I came here.&rdquo;Grant was obtained, along with Claude Larose, in a deal with the Montreal Canadiens during the June draft meetings of 1968. The North Stars gave up an undisclosed amount of cash and some &ldquo;future considerations&rdquo; to get the pair. Larose teamed on a line with Grant and Danny O&rsquo;Shea for two years and then he returned to Montreal.Although criticized occasionally by the Minnesota fans for his lack of physical hockey. Grant has been a bastion of goal-scoring strength for the North Stars. He averaged 30 goals a season in his first five years with Minnesota, and is now on course to wind up-the 1973-74 campaign at about the same figure.Grant had his best season in 1972-73. leading the North Stars in seven offensive departments while scoring a personal high of 67 points.The other day he sat in the emptiness of Metropolitan Sports Center, after a morning practice, to discuss his hockey philosophy.&ldquo;I know some fans want me to check harder and hit more.&rdquo; Danny said. &ldquo;But a guy has to do what he does best. My strong suit is scoring, goals. If I did everything well. I&rsquo;d be a superstar, which I am not. Dave Schultz can go around beating people up, but that&rsquo;s his game. I made it into the NHL because I could put the puck in the net, and that&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;m still up here.&rdquo;Throughout his career at Minnesota. Grant has played for five coaches &mdash; Wren Blair. John Muckier. Charlie Burns. Jack Gordon and Parker MacDonald. Most of the time the man in charge has put him on the No. 1 offensive line. For a while it was with Larose and O&rsquo;Shea. Later it was with Bill Goldsworthy and Jude Drouin, and most of the season he has blended smoothly with Goldsworthy and Dennis Hextall.The game streak could have ended a number of times, were it not fora streak of stubborn persistence in Grant. He has played with aches and bruises, and suffered through a case of food poisoning late in the afternoon of a game earlier this season at Vancouver. That night Grant played, as usual.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to keep it going.&rdquo; Grant said. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;m afraid that streak won&rsquo;t much much if we miss the playoffs this year.&rdquo;NORTH STAR NOTES: Blair, MacDonald, president Walter Bush and executive assistant Jack Gordon held a summit conference recently in an attempt to revive the hockey club&hellip; No trades seem to be looming, although Blair is always receptive to the right deal. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not rushing into a short-term trade which might help us this year and hurt us in the long run,&rdquo; Blair said. &ldquo;Neither am I about to trade a king and a jack for a six and a five. If we don&rsquo;t make the playoffs, which could happen, we may have to tear the club apart and rebuild it. like we did in 1969&rdquo;&hellip; Lou Nanne and Tony Featherstone missed a few games with injuries&hellip; North Stars got 44 shots at Vancouver goalie Ed Dyck, including 21 in a scoreless third period, but had to settle for a 3-3 tie. It was a game the Stars figured they would win. since they had beaten the Canucks four straight times earlier this season&hellip; Veteran Gump Worsley played in nine off 11 games, his busiest stretch of duty in years&hellip; North Stars remained in the playoff race with a 4-2 victory at St. Louis. Grant commemorating his 420th straight game with two goals.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02798/3744295-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="572" height="1786"></div> &#9632;

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MINNESOTA ‘IRON MAN’

<div class="byline">&#x2014;NETLAND</div>TWIN CITIES&mdash;The Minnesota North Stars were given a little extra motivation to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.General manager Wren Blair, calling a special meeting with the team, promised the players and their wives a weekend in Florida at club expense at the conclusion of the season if the Stars wind up among the top four teams in the West Division.At the time of Blair&rsquo;s presentation, the North Stars were in sixth place, six points out of fourth.&ldquo;The choice is theirs,&rdquo; Blair said. &ldquo;They can either take a trip on us this spring, or else a lot of them won&rsquo;t be around to make the regular road trips next season.&rdquo; &#9632;

Florida Holiday Stars’ Reward If They Make Playoffs In West

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01984/3744378-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="465" height="464"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02940/3744371-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="330" height="475"><figcaption class="caption-body">JERRY BUTLER</figcaption></div>&bull; CLARENCE CAMPBELL says the decline of the California Golden Seals was caused when former owner Charles O. Finley panicked over the birth of the WHA. &ldquo;Perhaps $25,000 a man could have withstood the massive raid the WHA made on four or five of his players. They didn&rsquo;t want to leave but financially they had little choice:&rdquo;&hellip; Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; defenseman Pierre Boucharo wasn&rsquo;t worried when he heard that Vancouver Canucks&rsquo; forward Dave Dunn hits anything that moves. &ldquo;No problem.&rdquo; Pierre said. &ldquo;I won&rsquo;t move.&rdquo;&hellip; Claude St. Sauveur of the Vancouver Blazers and Andre Hinse of the Houston Aeros are making determined bids to win the WHA rookie awards&hellip; When New York Rangers&rsquo; rookie Jerry Butler heard that he had been drafted two years ago by the Rangers he thought a mistake had been made. &ldquo;I thought there had to be another Jerry Butler somewhere in Canada.&rdquo; he said. He scored only six goals as a right winger in his last season of junior with the Hamilton Red Wings&hellip; Lou Angotti, new coach of the St. Louis Blues, certainly got to St. Louis the hard way. The Blues had Angotti on their roster three times, trading him once, losing him in the draft once and then drafting him from Chicago&hellip; The race for the Calder Memorial Trophy should be an interesting one. There are many prime candidates for the rookie award, including Denis Potvin, Tom Lysiak, John Davidson, Borje Salming, Bob Dailey and Al Sims.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03835/3744364-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="323" height="463"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHN VAN BOXMEER</figcaption></div>&bull; MINNESOTA NORTH STARS, having a lean season, are starting to feel the breath of their restless fans. Cesare Maniago pointed out that one of the Minnesota defensemen got the opening faceoff and circled behind his net and waited with the puck for a moment or two to get his forwards into position. &ldquo;Some fans started booing,&rdquo; Maniago said. &ldquo;I looked up at the clock and only 17 seconds had elapsed. I know the tans are getting a little restless, but 17 seconds into the game&hellip;?&rdquo;&hellip; If rumors can be believed. 15 NHL players will jump to the World Hockey Association next year. One of them will probably be Gene Carr, who was recently traded to the Los Angeles Kings&hellip; The St. Louis Blues have not won a game in their last 16 visits to Madison Square Garden. Since entering the NHL in 1967 the Blues are l-17-l on the New York Rangers&rsquo; home ice&hellip; Philadelphia Flyer coach Fred Shero thinks Dave Schultz is one of the best fighters in the game. Alter Schultz dropped Montreal&rsquo;s John Van Boxmeer with one punch. Shero said. &ldquo;Schultz is the only person I&rsquo;ve ever seen in hockey who has knocked out four guys in two years with one punch. It&rsquo;s never happened before in hockey &hellip; The largest crowd to ever attend a college hockey game &mdash; 15.348 &mdash; turned out to watch St. Louis University defeat Ohio State 8-3&hellip; Ken Friedman reports that the Fort Worth Wings radio broadcasts are drawing many fans&hellip; Hockey fans everywhere mourn the untimely death of Tim Horton, veteran defenseman of the Buffalo Sabres.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04733/3744357-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="289" height="452"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOB PLAGER</figcaption></div>&bull; TORONTO MAPLE LEAF rookie Inge Hammarstrom will return to Sweden in the summer to operate a hockey school and spend time fishing&hellip; Bob Plager of the St. Louis Blues scored a goal against the Buffalo Sabres while sitting on the ice. While the Blues were killing a penalty, Plager received a pass just over the Buffalo blueline. The puck, Plager and Sabre goalie Dave Dryden crashed in a heap with the puck bouncing into the net&hellip; Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers was presented with THE HOCKEY NEWS Player of The Year award of 1972-73 recently on an NBC hockey telecast. Maurice Richard presented the award to Clarke&hellip; The recent run of injuries incurred by the Montreal Canadiens is the worst in the team&rsquo;s history&hellip; The WHA has decided to eliminate the intentional offside rule to help speed up the game. Face offs from off sides will take place at the blueline regardless of who caused it or whether it was or was not intentional&hellip; A Soviet midget team louring eastern Canada has had little trouble winning its games so far. The Russians have won by scores of 8-2. 21-1 and 11-1 over Quebec midget teams. Wrigleys Tournament champion Verdun Maple Leafs were dumped 8-2&hellip; Barry Stein, who operates a hair styling saion in Philadelphia, caters to members of the Flyers. &ldquo;They are the nicest people who come in here.&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;They are also the most congenial athletes who come to my shop.&rdquo; Rumors had California&rsquo;s Joey Johnston going to Chicago for Len Frig and Dave Kryskow. but the appointment of Johnston as captain of the Seals put an end to those stories&hellip; Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; netminder Michel Larocque is still having stomach problems. He gets sick prior to and during each game he plays&hellip; Hockey Canada. which was once Canada&rsquo;s voice in international hockey affairs, has closed its headquarters in Toronto and will move to smaller offices in Ottawa, assuming a lower role in Canadian hockey. Since Canada decided to bow out of amateur international hockey, the organization has had little to do&hellip; The Minnesota Fighting Saints have given a tryout to ex-convict Fern Tessier and have placed him on their negotiation list. Tessier. 28. has spent the last 11 years in prison and says he wants a new start in life. &#9632;

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PASSING THE PUCK

OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY Founded October 1st. 1947Published weekly except monthly June through September by W.C.C. Publishing Ltd., 1434 St. Catherine Street West. Montreal 107. Canada U.S. c/o W.C.C. Publishing Corporation, 150 E. 58th Street. New York. N.Y. 10022.Kenneth William McKenzie President. Publisher and Advertising DirectorCharlie Halpin Editorial DirectorChris Zelkovich Asst To EditorUnited States Advertising Representatives: Boston: Steve Ganak, Ad. Reps, 479 Statler Office Bldg. Boston. Mass. 02116. telephone (617) 542-6913 Chicago Hooper Jones A Associates. 3322 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago III 60659 telephone (312) 478-5544. New York: Daniel B. Turner National Sports Publishing Corp. 150 East 58th Street, New York. N.Y. 10022. Telephone (212) 593-2100.Yearly SUBSCRIPTION Rates: $8.00 in Canada $9.00 in the U.S.A, and $12.00 in Foreign Countries. Second class postage paid at New York NY 10001 and at additional mailing offices SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO 1434 St. CATHERINE STREET WEST, SUITE 217, MONTREAL 107, P.O. Second Class mail - Registration No. 1327 At: inquiries pertaining to subscriptions should be addressed to Subscrgition Dept. The Hockey News. 1434 St. Catherine St. W. Montreal 107. &#9632;

The Hockey News

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-05" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-05596/3744433-1-eng-US/f0004-052.jpg"></div><h2>Rangers Pussycats Say New-York Fans</h2>We have been New York Ranger fans forever 10 years and by now we are totally fed up with their inability to be physical with the hard-hitting teams in the NHL. namely Philadelphia, Boston, and St. Louis. It is for this reason that until now Rangers have yet to win a Stanley Cup in seven consecutive years of playoff competition.Led by captain Vic Hadfield, their lack of hustle has cost them, among many, two important games in the Montreal Forum both of which were laughers and both of which were prime examples of their lack of pride and their indifference to their fans who have been so loyal to them over the years.If Ranger attitudes don&rsquo;t change and their lack of hitting continues, Emile Francis dream of a Stanley Cup will remain only a dream.SAL SPINALE,Brooklyn, N.Y.<h2>Bruin Fans Pulled Through Lean Years</h2>In response to letters written by Bob Price and Bernard Alpern, I don&rsquo;t think they are justified in calling Boston fans down because of one game they saw.I&rsquo;ve been a Bruin fan for a long time and this was the first such outburst that I can remember and I watch every game.Back when the Bruins were in their lean years, the so-called &ldquo;worst fans&rdquo; supported them. Now that they are &ldquo;Orr-some and powerful&rdquo; should we love them any less? I think these gentlemen are a little jealous that they don&rsquo;t have the greatest team in the world to root for. They probably don&rsquo;t know that Frank Udvari, one of the supervisors of officials, was at the game to make a report on complaints about substandard refereeing by none other than Wally Harris. And I think any sincere hockey fan would have to agree that his refereeing was sub-standard in that particular game.BOB CAMARA,Fall River, Mass.<h2>Flyers Unfortunately Not Cup Material</h2>I disagree with Ken McKenzie&rsquo;s comment in his Feb. 8 Passing the Puck&rdquo; column. He believes that the Philadelphia Flyers have the best chance of winning the 1974 Stanley Cup. If they have any chance of winning, they must depend on the Chicago Black Hawks or the St. Louis Blues to defeat the Boston Bruins in the semi-finals. (I am assuming that the final standings of the West Division reads Philadlephia (1st). Chicago (2nd) and St. Louis (3rd). If the Bruins are eliminated in the semi-finals, then and only then, do the Flyers have their greatest chance.Another way that Philadelphia may win the Cup is if both Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito are injured and are unable to play in the finals. When both Orr and Espo are playing, the Bruins outmatch some of the other strong NHL teams.One thing the Flyers have in their favor is the law of averages. The only time that Philadelphia beat Boston ever was the first game that they ever played on November 12. 1967. Since that time, the best that Philadelphia was able to do was three ties. The last tie game was in the Spectrum on December 9,1973. The Bruins were losing 3-1 with less than two minutes to play, with Bernie Parent in goal. Bobby Orr scored to make it 3-2. The Bruins removed their goaltender for an extra skater. Phil Esposito tied the score with less than 30 seconds to go. As I mentioned above, when both Orr and Esposito are playing. the Bruins outmatch some of the other strong NHL teams.E. DRAYTONBrooklyn, N.Y.<h2>Canucks Trading Away Key Talent</h2>Blueprint for a hockey disaster:1. Trade your best goalie (Wilson) so that you have to swap your best forward (Tallon) to replace him.2. Give away a solid backliner (Korab) for a journeymen (Pratt) and an unknown quantity (Gould).3. Trade an All Star forward (Schmautz) for two forwards of very doubtful quality (Oddliefson and O&rsquo;Donnell).Is there any doubt that the Vancouver Canucks will be NHL doormats for years? Next week I suppose the Canucks will trade Guevremont to Montreal for some gas for their Zamboni.DENNIS ZNANIECKE,Queens, N.Y.<h2>Networks Taking Hockey Stranglehold</h2>There is no doubt that television has made a great contribution to hockey. However, its control of the game is alarming. In past years, we&rsquo;ve seen games start at 12 noon to clear the network for the Masters Golf Tournament and there have been many other time changes to suit programming with little or no regard for the fans or players.Bill Fleischman in Flyer Fillers (Feb. 15 issue) indicated that NBC-TV was infuriated that Philadelphia chose to play Bobby Taylor instead of Bernie Parent in the nationally televised game. This is the ultimate in arrogance. I thought Fred Shero coached the Flyers, but perhaps I&rsquo;m naive in believing so!JOHN CARLISLE,Kitchener, Ont. &#9632;

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FAN FORUM

MONTREAL&mdash;National Hockey League president Clarence Campbell insists the agreement signed between the NHL and the World Hockey Association Feb. 19 is not a step towards a merger, but NHL Players Association executive director Alan Eagleson doesn&rsquo;t believe him. Eagleson wants a written promise that no merger is in line before he will allow NHL players to take part in the 15 intra-league exhibition games scheduled for this fall. The two leagues signed an agreement before U.S. District Court Judge Leon A. Higginbotham in Philadelphia. Judge Higginbotham approved the agreement which disposes of all litigation between the two leagues.Under the agreement, the WHA will respect the new NHL player option clause adopted in November, although still unapproved by the NHLPA. The WHA will also drop its suits against the NHL.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-011015/3744471-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="291" height="456"><figcaption class="caption-body">Clarence Campbell</figcaption></div>In turn, the NHL has committed itself to 15 exhibition games between teams in both leagues and will reimburse the WHA for $1.75 million in legal costs.Only one of the 28 major league teams, the Jersey Knights, refused to honor the agreement and the WHA has consented to reimburse the NHL in the event it incurs any liability in law suits with the Knights over the use of Madison Square Garden.A key to the signing of the agreement was the consenting of the WHA Toronto Toros to drop their request to play in Maple Leaf Gardens, home of the NHL Maple Leafs. The other NHL. teams agreed to allow WHA teams to use their arenas.Prior to Jan. 1, 1975 committees of owners from both leagues will meet to schedule more exhibition games and explore the possibility of intra-league games and an All Star Game.Both Campbell and WHA president Dennis Murphy insist that the agreement is in no way a merger.&ldquo;It would be wholly misleading to describe the settlement of this legal dispute as a merger.&rdquo; Campbell said. &ldquo;No such arrangement is contemplated.&rdquo;Murphy says the agreement is a step towards peaceful co-existence between the two leagues.&ldquo;It had been our position from the beginning that we can co-exist with the NHL and that both leagues can maintain their individuality.&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The lines of communication between the two leagues will serve to promote the interest of professional hockey. Elimination of what was a perpetual reserve clause (the NHL&rsquo;s) without having to go to trial represents a total victory over what we started.&rdquo;Eagleson, however, sees the agreement as a first step towards a merger.&ldquo;The position of the players is unchanged,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They will not participate in any exhibition games between the leagues until we receive written assurance there&rsquo;ll be no merger.&rdquo;Pit Martin of the Chicago Black Hawks, president of the NHLPA, says the problem can be worked out through negotiations.&ldquo;We asked the judge to take our position in this into consideration,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;and I hope that he did. But I don&rsquo;t know.&ldquo;There must be some other points in the agreement that we&rsquo;ll have to negotiate with the NHL, but we won&rsquo;t have to do it until after the season.The NHL, as part of the agreement, will pay $150,000 into the NHLPA fund and will not interfere with any negotiations between the NHL and WHA player associations for the purpose of encouraging exhibition games.The WHA had first made its proposal in mid-January. The NHL owners met during the All Star Game in late January in Chicago and finally ratified the agreement last week, with modifications.The 15-game exhibition schedule involves 25 teams, all 12 current WHA teams plus Indianapolis and Phoenix, which enter the league next season, and 11 NHL teams. Missing from the schedule are the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens. Chicago Black Hawks. Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-02785/3744464-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="528" height="797"><figcaption class="caption-body">ALAN EAGLESON&hellip;Opposes Merger</figcaption></div><h2>NHL-WHA Match-Ups</h2>New England (WHA) vs. Philadelphia (NHL) (site undetermined)Cleveland (WHA) vs. Pittsburgh (NHL) at PittsburghPittsburgh (NHL) vs. Cleveland (WHA) at ClevelandToronto (NHL) vs. Phoenix (WHA) at PhoenixVancouver (WHA) vs. California (NHL) at Lakeland, Cal.Edmonton (WHA) vs. Vancouver (NHL) at EdmontonAtlanta (NHL) vs. Winnipeg (WHA) at Winnipeg.N.Y. Rangers (NHL) vs. Quebec (WHA) at QuebecSt. Louis (NHL) vs. Houston (WHA) at HoustonDetroit (NHL) vs. Indianapolis (WHA) at IndianapolisChicago (WHA) vs. St. Louis (NHL) at MilwaukeeToronto (WHA) vs. Minnesota (NHL) at New Haven or TorontoMinnesota (WHA) vs. N.Y. Islanders (NHL) at CincinnatiLos Angeles (WHA) vs. Atlanta (NHL) at GreensboroJersey (WHA) vs. California (NHL) site undetermined) &#9632;

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NHL, WHA Finally Agree To Peace Pact

<div class="byline">By Bill Libby</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-011005/3744509-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="302" height="376"></div><h2>The Other Esposito&hellip;</h2>IN SEASON, Tony Esposito wears a slightly pained expression, as if he has just swallowed a puck. Which, of course, is what they other guys want him to do as they keep banging that hard, heavy hunk of black rubber at him. He does not like playing hockey. He does not like playing goal. But it is what he does best and what makes him the most money so he does it. &ldquo;To me.&rdquo; he sighs, &ldquo;it is not a game, but a job. I don&rsquo;t know anything else I could do that pays as well. I have a wife and two children and a future to worry about, so I make the most of hockey while I can&rdquo;.A few years ago. he observed, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tough, dangerous job. There is pressure every time you are in there. It was torture for me when I was a kid and it&rsquo;s still torture for me whenever the puck goes in. You can get hurt even with the mask, but that&rsquo;s not what scares you. Not doing your job scares you. The older you get, the more afraid you get.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02901/3744502-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="275" height="496"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tony Esposito</figcaption></div>&ldquo;To be playing well as a goalkeeper you have to be afraid. Not petrified, exactly, but you have to be afraid. Not afraid that you&rsquo;ll get hurt, but afraid they&rsquo;re going to score on you. &lsquo;Every time they come down the ice with that puck, I&rsquo;m afraid the puck is going to go in. When it goes in. you get blamed. If it goes in too often, your team gets beat and you get blamed.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s only natural to be afraid of getting hurt. That&rsquo;s what I hate about practice. In practice, you don&rsquo;t have the adrenalin going for you like you do in a game. In practice. I&rsquo;m physically afraid I&rsquo;m going to get hurt. I back up. I try to get out of the way. Maybe that&rsquo;s why I get hurt, backing up.&ldquo;Who likes to have pucks shot at them at a hundred miles an hour from 15 or 20 feet? I tell them in practice, take it easy, don&rsquo;t blast away but they do, they crank up from 10 or 15 feet out. If that puck goes into your mask at 120 miles an hour, it will ring your bell. A concussion, maybe. Hopefully it won&rsquo;t slash your face open, but there&rsquo;s still places exposed on your head that can get cut. Even having the mask banged against your face by a puck can break your bones.&ldquo;But in games I&rsquo;m only afraid of being scored on. I forget the fear of getting hurt. I push it out of my mind, it&rsquo;s there, but I don&rsquo;t think about it. I do what I have to do. It&rsquo;s giving up the goals, the getting beat that bothers me. It&rsquo;s being blamed that bothers me. It&rsquo;s a job. So I do it. But I don&rsquo;t like it.&rdquo;It has always been this way for him, even when he was growing up in Sault Ste. Marie with his brother. Phil. It is a job for Phil, too, but for Phil it is fun. He is offense. He scores goals. Lately, more than anyone ever. He has to work hard to do it. He gets banged around before he can do it. 1 But he is a glamor guy. A spectacular save is the most exciting play in hockey. but it is soon forgotten. The headline the next day goes to the guy who made the big goal the goalie didn&rsquo;t save.Their father once observed. &ldquo;Tony was always a worry wart, a very, very nervous boy. Phil took a loss better. He forgot about it.&rdquo; Tony says. &ldquo;1 never could forget a loss or a bad game.&rdquo; The brothers were playing hockey as soon as they could crawl. They used to pretend a rolled up stocking was a puck and play with it by slapping it at each other. They were very competitive. They fought frequently. Once they crashed a hole in a basement wall. &ldquo;Pop never found out because we covered it with a picture.&rdquo; Phil laughs.As the older brother he got to be the shooter, while Tony had to be the goalkeeper. In kids&rsquo; games, the other kids wanted Tony to play goal because he was good at it. He didn&rsquo;t want it, but he wanted to be wanted. It was a thankless job even then. He sighs. &ldquo;I can remember way back when. Phil and the other guys complaining and moaning whenever one got by me.&rdquo;He got beat by two long shots in a city tournament game and Phil cursed him until he began to cry. The father had Tony&rsquo;s eyesight checked and found he was nearsighted. He wears contact lenses now and this helps, though he still has more trouble with long shots than any others.There was no junior team in their home town. Phil quit school to play for a hockey team 200 miles away. Tony was happy to quit hockey and play for his school football team. But the next year they formed a junior hockey team in town and Tony was talked into returning to the sport. While Phil turned pro. Tony delayed by taking a hockey scholarship to Michigan Tech. He studied business administration and helped his team win an NCAA title. After graduation, he grudgingly gave in to pro hockey offers.He signed with Montreal, prepped in the minors, was called to the majors early in 1969, and was outstanding with the Canadiens. However, they are purists to whom style is essential. He is not a stylish goalie. He is the opposite of a &ldquo;stand-up goalie.&rdquo; He is a &ldquo;fall-down goalie. He drives and flops all over to make saves. He often is out of position, but is saved by his fast feet and hands. &ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t matter how you make a save, only that you make it,&rdquo; he shrugs.Drafted by the Black Hawks, he became the most consistent goaltender in the league. His first season with Chicago he set an NHL record with 15 shutouts. His third season, he led the league with a 1.76 goals-against average and earned the Vezina Trophy. After four seasons in Chicago, he had 36 shutouts and a 2.23 average in the majors.This season started with Bernie Parent, the gypsy goaltender who Jumped from the NHL to, the WHA and back again last season, and left his WHA team during the playoffs, trying to prove he was a good player if a bad guy. He got off to such a good start it seemed unlikely any goaltender could catch him as this season&rsquo;s All Star. His Flyers got away so far in front it seemed unlikely the Hawks could recapture the western pennant.Suddenly, it seems to be turning around. Philadelphia&rsquo;s physically-tough. Defensively styled Flyers provide Parent with more support than Esposito gets in Chicago, but turning into the stretch Tony had caught Bernie in shutouts and average and the Hawks were catching the Flyers. Tony had allowed only seven goals in his last nine games and the Hawks were unbeaten in those games, during which Tony had one stretch of 173 scoreless minutes and recorded his ninth shutout of the season. He followed up quickly with his tenth to tie Parent.The squat, dark, 30-year-old had started 53 of 55 games this season. Tony says. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a job. I&rsquo;m paid to play. They tell me to play. I play.&rdquo; Coach Billy Reay says, &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best, so I play him. He may complain that he doesn&rsquo;t like playing goal, but he doesn&rsquo;t complain about playing. It&rsquo;s his job and he does it. He&rsquo;s tough.&rdquo;Brother Phil&rsquo;s spectacular scoring had slowed some and it could be that the other Esposito had become the big player in the league at this time. Phil laughs at life. Phil is tough. But Tony is tough, too. It is one thing to be afraid. It is the bravest of all things to feel fear and face it down. Tony will not give in to it.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not as bad as it used to be,&rdquo; he sighs, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;m still very nervous before games, during games and after games. It takes me two or three hours to unwind after games. I&rsquo;m very intense. People wonder why I don&rsquo;t laugh more, like Phil. Well, Phil&rsquo;s not a goaltender. I don&rsquo;t find anything funny about playing goal.&rdquo;They playoffs are approaching and he has had his trouble in playoffs. In 1970. his brother scored three goals in one game and five in four games on him. &ldquo;1 love him like a brother, but I&rsquo;d score on my mother if I could.&rdquo; Phil laughs. In 1971 a long shot from mid-ice escaped him and turned the final game of the finals around in favor of Montreal. Last season, Chicago lost the finals to Montreal again, but play was so loose the high scores could not be held against either Tony or Ken Dryden. &ldquo;What happens in the playoffs, happens,&rdquo; Tony shrugs. &#9632;

f0008-01

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">BY TODD HILL</div>PITTSBURGH&mdash;Intimidation used to be a big factor in defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, but now the muscle is on the other side of the ice and Pittsburgh fans are coming out in record numbers to see the &ldquo;New Pittsburgh Penguins.&rdquo; I he transformation from 95-pound weakling to muscle man was made almost overnight. The acquisition of Steve Durbano and Bob &ldquo;Battleship&rdquo; Kelly and the promotion to regular duty of Bob Paradise and Jean Guy Lagace has helped turn the Pens into one of the toughest teams in the NHL.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03756/3744540-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="271" height="390"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bob Paradise</figcaption></div>Durbano and Kelly made their presence felt on two occasions in Philadelphia where the Pens won 5-3 and lost a heartbreaker 5-4. Besides winning a two-fisted donnybrook with ex-teammates Bob Plager and Bob Gassoff the two ex-Blues have been throwing their weight around quite well the past few weeks. Durbano missed three games with a knee injury, but returned to the lineup in time to help the Pens down Detroit 5-3 and California 7-3. Durbano saw action on left wing while regular port siders Kelly and Wayne Bianchin were sitting out long term penalties.Paradise, one of the first new faces to arrive on the local scene, has been seeing plenty of ice time and is becoming an important factor in the Pens&rsquo; drive for a playoff berth. The ex-Atlanta defenseman has been gaining plenty of confidence in coach Marc Boileau&rsquo;s system of &ldquo;dress &lsquo;em and play &lsquo;em&rdquo; type of coaching. In a recent 5-3 Joss in Chicago, Jim Pappin stole the puck from Paradise and scored late in the game, but Boileau wasone of the first to make the young defender forget about the costly goal. That kind of confidence and self assurance paid off three nights later when the Minnesota native set up the insurance goal against Detroit late in the game.Lagace, a part time performer most of the year, has really come into his own the past few games.His low hip checks have sent many forwards crashing to the ice. He has also handed out some of the hardest straight-on checks ever seen in the arena. Jean Guy enjoyed his finest hour as a Penguin when he scored a shorthanded goal and two assists against California. In the past two home games the popular backliner has been voted second star of the game.Another newcomer who is working well with the veteran players is Chuck Amason. He has already been responsible for two winning goals and shows potential of being one of the top scorers on the club. A regular shift on the ice is all that Chuck needs to regain his scoring eye from junior hockey.The newcomers have fit right in with veterans Dave Burrows, Syl Apps and Ron Schock and give the vets a new breath and desire to win. Burrows returned to the lineup from a shoulder separation and played his usual All Star brand of hockey, while Apps has really been motoring around the past few games, showing signs of his all around ability. Schock continues to give the club leadership as captain both on and off the ice. So far this year, Schock has thrown more get acquainted parties than the U.S.O.With a bigger defense keeping the puck in the offensive zone for longer periods of time, forwards such as Jean Pronovost and Lowell MacDonald have had a field day scoring. Pronovost is in with 25 goals and MacDonald 28.Two of the unsung heroes have been defensemen Ron Stackhouse and Ab DeMarco. &ldquo;Stackie&rdquo; has turned in the best defensive mark among players since coming to Pittsburgh from the Red Wings, while DeMarco continues to amaze fans with his puck control and heady play from the blueline during power play advantages.It&rsquo;s like a new season in Pittsburgh. There was no time to stop for a training camp, but the players are working twice as hard to overcome their problems from the start of the year.There certainly has been a change in Penguin hockey games lately and if it continues there is no question the Pens will catch the pack and make the playoffs. &#9632;

f0008-03

Penguin Newcomers Change Intimidated To NHL Intimidators

<div class="byline">BY BILL FLEISCHMAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0009-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01971/3744578-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg"></div>PHILADELPHIA&mdash;He&rsquo;ll be lucky to score 10 goals this season. He rarely plays regularly.Just some journeyman, bouncing from team to team? Hardly. Despite his spot-duty assignments. Bob Kelly is a valuable member of the Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; cast of characters. Almost every NHL team would gladly take Kelly off the Flyers&rsquo; hands.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02852/3744571-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="285" height="421"><figcaption class="caption-body">Bob Kelly</figcaption></div>What makes Kelly valuable is his willingness to bounce off anything &mdash; opposing players, sideboards. goal posts, even an occasional referee (inadvertently, of course). When Kelly leaps off the bench, the Spectrum crowd senses excitement. There goes Kelly after the puck-carrier. Wham! There he is, streaking across the ice toward the next puck-handler. Crunch! Back to the other corner where the opponent wisely passes the puck. But Kelly is still bearing down! The alarmed target quickly vacates the area as Kelly crashes into the boards, then jumps up and is off on another suicide mission.&ldquo;He (Kelly) is like a tornado out there.&rdquo; said teammate Simon Nolet. &ldquo;They know when he&rsquo;s on the ice they better look out.&rdquo;One of the few who didn&rsquo;t lookout was Toronto&rsquo;s Bobby Baun. Flyers&rsquo; GM Keith Allen fondly remembers some of Kelly&rsquo;s collisions with the retired Leaf defenseman.&ldquo;Most guys give him (Kelly) a clear path.&rdquo; Allen said, &ldquo;but not that Baun. When they&rsquo;d hit, you could hear it all over town.&rdquo;Like Baun, Kelly is as strong as a lumberjack&mdash;broad shoulders, a weightlifter&rsquo;s chest. Appropriately, the onetime high-school football fullback spent summers demolishing buildings.&ldquo;With your bare hands?&rdquo; he was asked.&ldquo;No, they&rsquo;d just tie me to the boom and swing it into the house.&rdquo;Kelly is effective using his hands, and fists. He&rsquo;ll take on anybody, from Ted Harris to Gary Howatt. He doesn&rsquo;t always win, but his jackhammer fighting style brings in more victories than losses.Last season, Kelly spiced a nationally televised game against St. Louis by charging off the bench and pounding Steve Durbano across the ice. Durbano had poked his stick into the mouth of assistant Flyers&rsquo; trainer Jim McKenzie.Just the other Sunday. Kelly dived into the pile-up involving Bobby Clarke and Montreal&rsquo;s Pierre Bouchard. That cost Kelly a one-game suspension, meted out by NHL president Clarence Campbell. Earlier, when he saw the Canadiens&rsquo; Larry Robinson send Clarke sprawling to the ice. Kelly rushed in as if shot from a catapult. This time, Kelly found himself on the ice. an occupational hazard he accepts.&ldquo;Hitting is a matter of timing.&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Sometimes you&rsquo;ll look foolish, but I know I&rsquo;ve got a job to do.&rdquo;When he was Clarke&rsquo;s regular left wing, he used to say, &ldquo;If anybody wants to get Bobby, they know they&rsquo;ll have to go through me.&rdquo;Few have volunteered to check with Clarke&rsquo;s appointment secretary.Against the Rangers. Kelly was at his bedlam-creating best. Besides setting up two goals on perfectly timed passes. the Flyer known as &ldquo;Hound&rdquo; and &ldquo;Mutt&rdquo; put some bite in the attack on one swarming shift with Dave Schultz and Orest Kindrachuk. Their reward was a resounding ovation and praise from coach Fred Shero.&ldquo;Maybe that shift gave us the lift we needed,&rdquo; Shero said. &ldquo;I think they petrified New York for a while.&rdquo;Ordinarily, low scorers like Kelly are candidates for trades or expansion drafts. But the feeling is Kansas City and Washington won&rsquo;t get their unsoiled mitts on the &ldquo;Hound.&rdquo;&ldquo;How do you buy what Kelly has. that kind of desire?&rdquo; asked Shero. &ldquo;If a lot of these so-called superstars had that kind spirit, they&rsquo;d be unbeatable.&rdquo;FLYER FACTS: The Flyers&rsquo; penalty killers, known as Bernie Parent and the Fight Bridade, continue their amazing work. Toronto scored just once in 10 power-play opportunities while Montreal was 0-for-8. Keith Allen: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to suggest to the rules committee that we play five against six all the time. We&rsquo;re that way so much we might as well practise it.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0009-01

He’s No Scorer, But Flyers Happy With ‘Hound’

<div class="byline">BY CHRIS ZELKOVICH</div>MONTREAL&mdash;The waking of the sleeping giant has been awaited with anticipation all season by the Montreal Canadiens, and with trepidation by opposing teams.What the Habs have anticipated and the opposition feared has finally happened. Frank Mahovlich has awakened.The past month has not been a happy one for the Canadiens. With almost every game producing an injury, the Habs have seen their chances of finishing first dwindle with each passing day. At last look the Boston Bruins, who have been winning with amazing consistency, had a 13 point lead over the second-place Montrealers.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-01993/3744609-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="570" height="1427"><figcaption class="caption-body">FRANK MAHOVLICH &hellip; Timely Comeback (Photo by Peter Woolley)</figcaption></div>But out of the shadows of gloom has emerged Frank Mahovlich. There have been other players supplying optimism. Yvan Cournoyer. Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe. Chuck Lefley and Pete Mahovlich. but by far and wide the most pleasing event has been the stirring of The Big M.The current season has not been one of Frank&rsquo;s better years. Up until the past month, it had to rank as one of his poorest.By mid-January Frank had totalled but 13 goals and his play was not the type expected from a man who had scored over 500 goals in, his career.It was when the injuries hit the Canadiens that Frank started to play like Frank Mahovlich can play. In the past month he has moved himself up to the 20-goal plateau. Not a torrid pace, but a steady one. His scoring, though, has not been entirely indicative of his play.He&rsquo;s moving the puck like only Frank Mahovlich can and his checking has been so effective he&rsquo;s been restored to penalty killing duties. The transformation has been phenomenal.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m playing a lot better than I was before.&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The injury slowed me down and kept me from getting in the best of shape.&rdquo;The injury Frank refers to was a groin injury that required surgery and kept The Big M out of action for seven games. It kept him out of shape for a while longer than that.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m getting more chances now. too.&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;The line you&rsquo;re one makes a big difference. If you get on a line with a guy that&rsquo;s hot. you look good. If somebody&rsquo;s off. everybody looks bad.&rdquo;What Frank failed to mention is that he has been the hot guy on his line. In recent games Frank has been teamed with Henri Richard and Murray Wilson. Richard and Cournoyer. Lefley and Cournoyer. Richard and Jim Roberts, and brother Pete and Guy Lafleur.The constant on all lines has been Frank.In a 3-2 loss last week to the &ldquo;powerful&rdquo; Atlanta Flames (they&rsquo;ve beaten the Habs three out of four this year) Frank started an aborted comeback in the third period by snapping Dan Bouchard&rsquo;s shutout.The Habs lost that one after trailing 3-0 going into final period, despite outshooting the Flames 20-4 over the last 20 minutes.Two nights later Frank was at his free-wheeling best as the Canadiens dumped he moribund Detroit Red Wings 9-4.He scored one goal on a rebound off a Guy Lapointe slapshot and another on a classic Frank Mahovlich play, deking both defenseman Brent Hughes and goaltender Doug Grant on a breakaway.With the schedule entering its final month and a half the Canadiens will welcome the services of a wide awake Frank Mahovlich.HAB-BITS: The loss of Yvan Cournoyer in the 2-2 tie with Philadelphia Flyers brought the Canadiens&rsquo; total of games missed, by injury to 110. They lead he league in that department&hellip; Until the injury. Cournoyer was the hottest Hab. scoring seven goals in the past two weeks. He is out with strained knee ligaments and will miss 10 days&rsquo; action&hellip; Rookie defenseman John Van Boxmeer scored his first NHL goal against Detroit. Feb. 15 on a shot from the point on a power play&hellip; Bob Gainey was sent to the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the American League for a two-week period &ldquo;When you&rsquo;ve scored only three goals you lose your confidence after a while.&rdquo; coach Scotty Bowman explained. &ldquo;We want to see if Bob can score.&rdquo;&hellip; The tie with Philadelphia was marred by a bench-clearing brawl which erupted at the end of the second period&hellip; Stability has been a key feature of the Habs over the past few seasons. There are only five players on the team who have been traded during their careers and two of them. Jim Roberts and Claude Larose, originally belonged to the Canadiens. were traded away and traded back&hellip; The Canadiens are 29 goals behind last season&rsquo;s Scoring pace and have allowed 28 more&hellip; Michel Larocque leads the goaltenders with a .690 winning percentage, Michel Plasse has .667 percentage and Wayne Thomas .615. &#9632;

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Habs Waver But Big M Coming On Strong

<div class="byline">BY GEOFFREY FISHER</div>OAKLAND &mdash;Marshall Johnston. 33-year-old defensive veteran who was named coach of the California Golden Seals when the NHL bought out Charles O. Finley in mid-February. will institute a hard-line disciplined system.In an exclusive interview with this HOCKEY NEWS correspondent. Johnston stated that the Seals have been so lacking in an organized approach to hockey &ldquo;that I think we will have to start from basics and go from there.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01956/3744647-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="292" height="436"><figcaption class="caption-body">Marshall Johnston</figcaption></div>Johnston, who replaced Fred (No Kid) Glover when Glover resigned the day before the NHL named Munson Campbell and Garry Young to run the Seals, said that there has been a total lack of leadership on the club.Glover had been coach of the Seals, along with holding the title of Executive Vice-President and General Manager, from the time Young resigned in a flurry of controversy 13 games after the start of the 1972-73 campaign.&ldquo;Glover never appointed a captain,&rdquo; said Johnston &ldquo;and we have needed a leader both on and off the ice. There are a lot of young players on this club who need and subconsciously want a leader to push them in practice and in the games. They need encouragement from someone they look up to.&ldquo;When a player who has been named captain conics over to you and says a good word or two it helps a young player gain confidence.&rdquo;Johnston says the lack of a team captain has hurt the Seals more than any other NHL club during the past two seasons.&ldquo;The club has been in limbo, lacking any kind of direction.&rdquo; he said.The day that Johnston was named to coach the club. Joey Johnston, (no relation) star left wing and the team&rsquo;s top scorer, was named captain.Johnston told this writer that the total lack of leadership had been disastrous.&ldquo;We had no disciplined style of playing and we had no discipline off the ice. We had players missing practice and nothing was done about it. I think a professional athlete should not have to be put to bed but there has been such poor self-discipline here that I think we will have to start from the beginning and use bed checks or whatever other means to get this club back on a professional basis.&rdquo;Declaring that he could appreciate the fact that Glover, serving in so many capacities under the severely inadequate staffing of ex-owner Finley, he was nevertheless critical of Glover&rsquo;s coaching policies.&ldquo;Glover took for granted that the players know more hockey than they did. We have so many young developing players on this club and they never did have a system to guide them. What vie have lacked in ability we must make up in something else and that something is a system that everyone understands and sticks to.&rdquo;Johnston said the Seals have a lot of ability on the club, and points to the fact that the Seals have played outstandingly in spots. But over a 78-game schedule it is essential to function with a set system that all the players can work into and understand just what their individual responsibility is.Johnston, who ran most of the practices during the last few months of last season when Glover was busy with other duties, said he would constantly have young players coming to him this season asking him what they were supposed to do.&ldquo;They were upset and confused because they wanted to get together with a system of play. They should not have to ask those questions.Johnston plans on being a non-playing coach.He admits that the change of ownership and coaches is not going to put the Seals in the position of Stanley Cup contenders &ldquo;but what we are going to do is take measures to use the excellent potential we have.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-02827/3744640-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="1130" height="1224"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOEY JOHNSTON&hellip; Can He Lead The Seals Back? (Hockey News Photo by Peter Woolley)</figcaption></div>Glover, who had a year and a half to go on his contract, stated that he had no immediate plans. He expressed satisfaction with the contractual settlement worked out with the change of Seals ownership. After a record-shattering 16-year playing career in the American Hockey League, he took his first NHL coaching job with Oakland in 1968. His entire coaching career in the NHL has been with Oakland with the exception of one season with Los Angeles in 1971-72. &#9632;

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Hard-Line Discipline Facing Californians In Changeover

<div class="byline">BY DONALD BERNS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01966/3744702-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">The St. Louis Blues&rsquo; new coach LOU ANGOTTI, left, said he hopes to return the team to its winning ways by employing outgoing coach JEAN-GUY TALBOT&rsquo;S early-season strategy of keeping the goals against down. Talbot opted out of the Blues&rsquo; job for health reasons and Angotti was named his successor. (Hockey News Photos by Peter Woolley)</figcaption></div>ST. LOUIS &mdash;The St. Louis Blues are keeping the same coaching philosophy in switching from Jean Guy Talbot to Lou Angotti.Angotti made that point clear the day he stepped out of his skates and went behind the Blues&rsquo; bench. At the time the Blues were winless in their last seven games with six losses and a tie.&ldquo;I have a few ideas.&rdquo; Angotti said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re having a problem of discipline on the ice.&lsquo;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to try to get the team back to the system under which we played some good hockey under Guy earlier in the season.&rdquo; Angotti said. &lsquo;We played well under Guy&rsquo;s system when we were concerned about goals against and defense. We&rsquo;ve gotten away from that.&rdquo;The Blues&rsquo; transition from one coach to another was expected to be smooth because of the circumstances under which Talbot stepped down. Talbot asked to be replaced and cited his health as the main reason.&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t sleep and couldn&rsquo;t eat and had pains in my chest.&rdquo; Talbot said. &ldquo;I took a cardiagram before training camp and didn&rsquo;t pass it. I&rsquo;m only 41 and I wanted to do this before it was too late.&ldquo;I love the game so much, but this has been tough on me.&rdquo; Talbot said.&ldquo;My body couldn&rsquo;t take it.&rdquo;.Talbot resigned from the position of coach but said he wants to remain with the Blues&rsquo; organization &ldquo;as long as I live.&rdquo;Sid Salomon III, president of the team, is happy to keep Talbot as an employee but admitted that he didn&rsquo;t know immediately what Talbot would be doing.&ldquo;Guy did an outstanding job last year in getting us into the playoffs.&rdquo; Salomon said. &ldquo;The resignation was strictly his decision, and hopefully he will remain with the Blues for a long, long time. It all happened so last that I don&rsquo;t know what his title will be. At first he&rsquo;ll be available for consultation with Lou. Guy&rsquo;s office will remain right next to mine.&rdquo;Talbot had coached the Blues since November of 1972. when he succeeded Al Arbour, now coach of the New York Islanders. Talbot had previously guided the Blues&rsquo; Denver farm team in the Western Hockey League. In his playing career as a defenseman he spent 12 full seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, then went to the Minnesota North Stars in the 1967 expansion draft. The same season he went to Detroit and then to St. Louis, where he played two more full seasons before ending his playing career with Buffalo in the 1970-71 season.Talbot was popular with his players, and they were sorry to see him step aside. Perhaps Talbot will be like his longtime Montreal teammate, Boom Boom Geoffrion, whose first coaching stint gave him a stomach disorder. Geoffrion later returned to coaching and has been successful with the Atlanta Flames.For Angotti, coaching is a new venture. He has played more than 600 NHL games for New York. Pittsburgh. Chicago and St. Louis. He spent the four previous seasons with the Black Hawks before the Blues grabbed him last spring in the intraleague draft. He was the Blues&rsquo; leading scorer for most of the first half of his season before Garry Unger, getting a slow start, passed him in total points.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always admired the great coaches of sports, such as Toe Blake and Vince Lombardi,&rdquo; said Angotti. I had discussed the possibility of coaching a year ago in Chicago with Billy Reay. But this latest development came to me as a shock. I didn&rsquo;t expect to be offered the coaching job of the Blues. Angotti was happy to accept the offer and gave indications that he would put great effort into the job.&ldquo;I plan to go with the same lineup.&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I want to use the talent we have for checking and skating.&rdquo;The new coach said he would use four defensemen and would like to evolve four forward lines.The Blues have been carrying several players above the limit and have no manpower problem with Angotti off the ice. Wayne Merrick returned from a bout with the flu to play center. Also at center for the Blues are Linger. John Wright and newcomer Ace Bailey, just obtained from Detroit in a recent sixplayer swap. &#9632;

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Angotti Wants More Ice Discipline But Says Talbot’s System Good Enough

Following are the latest player movements in hockey:<h2>NATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>TORONTO: George Ferguson, forward, recalled from Oklahoma City of CHL.BUFFALO: Jim Schoenfeld, defenseman, recalled from Cincinnati of AHL as replacement for Tim Horton, defenseman. Gary Bromley, goalkeeper and Tim Regan, goalkeepers, returned to Cincinnati.DETROIT: Tom Mellor, defenseman, and Danny Gruen, forward, recalled from Virginia of AHL. Nelson Debenedet, forward, returned to Virginia. Tim McQuiston, goalkeeper, recalled from Flint of IHL and assigned to Tulsa of CHL on loan.BOSTON: Rich Leduc, forward, recalled from Boston Braves of AHL. Al Simmons, defenseman, returned to Braves.MINNESOTA: Terry Holbrook, forward, recalled from New Haven of AHL. Jerry Byers, forward, returned to New Haven.PITTSBURGH: Yvon Labre, defenseman, returned to Hershey of AHL.ST. LOUIS: Glen Patrick, defenseman, and Butch Williams, forward, returned to Denver of WHL.CALIFORNIA: Brent Meeke, defenseman, returned to Salt Lake of WHL. Paul Shakes, defenseman, Larry Patey and Wayne King, forwards. recalled from Salt Lake.<h2>WORLD HOCKEY ASSN</h2>QUEBEC: Mike Rouleau and Rejean Giroux, forwards, recalled from Maine of NAHL.CLEVELAND: Jim McMasters, defenseman, recalled from Jacksonville of AHL on emergency basis and returned. Bill Heindl, forward, recalle from Jacksonville.EDMONTON: Howie Colborne and Ron Andrson, forwards, recalled from Winston-Salem of SHL and returned. Jim Graham, defenseman, assigned to Jacksonville of AHL.NEW ENGLAND: Bruce Landon, goalkeeper, assigned to Jacksonville of AHL. Bill Berglund, goalkeeper, recalled from Jacksonville as standby and replacement for Landon. John Cunniff, forward, recalled from Jacksonville. Kevin Ahearn, forward, sent to Jacksonville.CHICAGO: Bob Whitlock, forward, traded to Los Angeles in exchange for Jim Watson, defenseman, and Don Gordon, forward, and future considerations.MINNESOTA: Bob Boyd, defenseman, recalled from Winston-Salem of SHL. Blaine Rydman, defenseman, assigned to Winston-Salem as replacement.LOS ANGELES: Jerry Zrymiak, defenseman, recalled from Greensboro of SHL.<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>BALTIMORE: Bob McMahon, defenseman, recalled from Muskegon of IHL.BOSTON: Pat Flaherty, goalkeeper, assigned to Cape Cod of NAHL. Virgil Gates, defenseman, called up from Cape Cod on 5-game pro trial.CINCINNATI: Dan Sullivan, goalkeeper, recalled from Charlotte of SHL on 5-game pro trial. Don Uren, goalkeeper-trainer, signed to pro contract and placed on active roster.NEW HAVEN: Tom Thompson, defenseman, called up from Saginaw of IHL on 5-game pro trial.VIRGINIA: Ken Murray, defenseman, assigned to Seattle of WHL on loan in exchange for Gene Sobchuk, forward.<h2>WESTERN LEAGUE</h2>SEATTLE: Larry Gould, forward, placed on disabled list for rest of season after undergoing knee surgery.PORTLAND: John Haight, forward, assigned to Toledo of IHL.<h2>SOUTHERN LEAGUE</h2>GREENSBORO: Gary Williamson, forward, secured from Houston of WHA on loan from disbanded Macon team. Norm Metcalfe, forward, and George Gendron, defenseman, secured in draft of Macon players.CHARLOTTE: Norm Schmitz, defenseman, secured in draft of Macon players.WINSTON-SALEM: Mike Penasse, forward, secured in draft of Macon players.<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>DES MOINES: Frank DeMarco, forward, returned by Omaha of CHL.FLINT: Jim Edgeworth, defenseman, secured from Charlotte of SHL. Gene Strate, and Rod Cox, defensemen, Garry Derksen and John Rutherford, forwards, placed on waivers and released.COLUMBUS: Wes Wiseman, forward, placed on disabled list for rest of season with injury.FORT WAYNE: Guy Denoncourt, goalkeeper, secured from Syracuse of SHL as backup netminder. &#9632;

Movements of Players

<div class="byline">BY DAN PROUDFOOT</div>TORONTO &mdash;The Maple Leafs are understandably used to criticism, after years of failing to live up to their fans&rsquo; demands.Imagine how they felt the other week, though, cruising along as secure in fourth-place as they have been most of this season. when the boo they heard wasn&rsquo;t from the cheap seats of the Gardens. but from much higher up &mdash; from the executive level, to be exact.Harold Ballard, owner and president of the team. was specific in his criticism after a loss in the Gardens to Philadelphia Flyers.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01935/3744733-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="280" height="430"><figcaption class="caption-body">Harold Ballard</figcaption></div>&ldquo;You could spell our performance against Philadelphia as C-H-I-C-K-E-N,&rdquo; said Big Harold, in an interview with Dick Beddoes of the Globe and Mail. Big Harold went on to explain how he was ready and eager to take Jim Harrison back from Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association &mdash; where he had wandered back in the days when Big Harold was much less expansive with his money, and hi criticisms.Now it&rsquo;s true that any of the Leafs would welcome the 26-year-old Harrison back. &ldquo;Max.&rdquo; as he was known during his three seasons here, had many things, going for him. His muscular style, to which Ballard finds himself attracted. was only one feature. He also can score goals: he had the neatest sheep-dog in the NHL and all the players&rsquo; kids liked him (Max was his name, too): and finally Harrison is a good fishing partner.No, it wasn&rsquo;t Max being involved that bugged the Leafs. It was their boss&rsquo;s suggestion that they were somewhat lacking in courage.When the team defeated Altanta Flames in their next game, even coach Red Kelly was sarcastic in reference to his boss&rsquo;s remark. &ldquo;Maybe this was the chicken league.&rdquo; the coach told reporters. He became angry at the suggestion the Flames had played poorly.&ldquo;That&rsquo;s how it is around here. When we lose, it&rsquo;s because we re chicken. When we win. it&rsquo;s because the other team played badly.&rdquo;Ballard&rsquo;s remark was discussed in the dressing room, in a private session. &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t like it one bit.&rdquo; said one player. &ldquo;Maybe we don&rsquo;t have a team that pushes people around, but were certainly not chicken.&rdquo;Darryl Sittier was, as usual, level headed in his reaction. &ldquo;I let it go in this one and out the other,&rdquo; he said, pointing to his ears. &ldquo;I thought we played well against the Flyers, but they had good goaltending from Bernie Parent and that made the difference.&rdquo;Ballard&rsquo;s thinking undoubtedly went back to the second game of the season, back in October, when Leafs played in Philadelphia and lost 2-0. Their lack of effort, after a couple of early bumps from the Flyers, was conspicuous.Ballard has issued periodic statements ever since, judiciously-timed so as to gain maximum headline space, about the team needing more physical players. What the boss says, of course, isn&rsquo;t merely a policy statement, but an attempt at a psyche-job about as subtle as the Lincoln Continental Big Harold drives. The idea, with every statement, is to stir up the troops. If they get the idea the boss is about to order a trade to get a tougher player, maybe they&rsquo;ll get tougher&rsquo; themselves to avoid getting traded, Right?Leafs haven&rsquo;t satisfied Ballard, though, despite consistently good play against Boston Bruins, the team that used to intimidate them every time in Boston. When Ballard saw, or at least thought he saw. Leafs backing down from Flyers, it was time to make a move.Ballard says he&rsquo;s glad to hear Harrison is dissatisfied in Edmonton. He says he&rsquo;ll be glad to give Harrison what he can&rsquo;t get from the Oilers. &ldquo;I hear Harrison wants a 10-year contract for $2 million. The fact that Edmonton won&rsquo;t pay it suggests to me that the WHA is running out of money&hellip;&rdquo;Ballard may be forgetting that when Harrison did play for Leafs, he often was criticized for inconsistent drive. Or, he may simply be remembering that Harrison hit more often than most Leaf&rsquo;s, and that he&rsquo;s a young center, a position at which Leafs are aging. &#9632;

f0013-01

Ballard Attempting To Stir Up Leafs With ‘Chicken’ Rap

<div class="byline">BY BOB VERDI</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-01949/3744764-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Being No. 1 runs in the ESPOSITO family. Brothers, PHIL, left, and TONY, are at the top of their respective races with Boston Phil the leading scorer. Chicago Tony heads the NHL netminders in goals-against and is tied in shutouts. While Phil was shooting his 50th goal of the year last week, Tony was hanging up shutout No. 10, both on the same night.</figcaption></div>CHICAGO&mdash;Sure, Tony Esposito would like to win the Vezina Trophy. He may be a goalie, but he&rsquo;s still human. And besides, there&rsquo;s a little cash involved.There&rsquo;s a catch, however. If he collects such an honor, yet the Black Hawks do not finish first, the Vezina Trophy will look to Tony Esposito just like a slab on unsterling silver. A piece of tin, insignificant tin, if you will.&ldquo;It would be nice.&rdquo; says he. &ldquo;but it won&rsquo;t mean a thing if we don&rsquo;t wind up on top. Ever since I came here in 1969, we&rsquo;ve finished in first place, and I don&rsquo;t think I could get used to finishing second.&rdquo;That is vintage stuff for Esposito, who not only leads the National Hockey League in parsimony, but in humility. When the Chicago Black Hawks lose a game, it is his fault. When the Chicago Black Hawks win a game &mdash; like perhaps a shutout &mdash; it is THEIR shutout.&ldquo;His attitude is terrific,&rdquo; said coach Billy Reay. &ldquo;Everybody respects him for that. He never blames anybody else, just gives credit when it&rsquo;s due. A great team player.&rdquo;And a workhorse. If, in fact, the Hawks ate to catch and pass the Philadelphia Flyers in the West Division, the onus will clearly be placed on the shoulders of Esposito, who plays and plays and plays.Well, too. In the first half of February, he double-handedly led the Hawks on a nine-game unbeaten streak, during which he etched four shutouts and yielded but seven goals.At one point, he blanked the opposition for 173 minutes. 43 seconds &mdash; a stingy streak which fell shy of his personal high: 188:07 in 1970, his rookie year with the Hawks. After 56 games, of which he had started 53, Esposito&rsquo;s goals against mark was a spiffy 1.93 and he had authored 10 whitewashes.&ldquo;My record is pretty good. I guess,&rdquo; said he, guessing right. &ldquo;But don&rsquo;t forget that I have a pretty good club in front of me, too. It would be a lot tougher to play goal, for instance in Oakland. You&rsquo;d face a lot more difficult shots. A lot more shots, period. This club thinks defensively, and that&rsquo;s a tremendous help to a goalie.&ldquo;We all have our bad games, games when you just don&rsquo;t feel right. Players in other positions may be able to get by, but if a goalie has a bad game, everybody in the building sees it.&rdquo;Even on those days when he has the &ldquo;blahs,&rdquo; Esposito comes to work. Far be it from him to acquiesce to an injury, let alone admit to one. He has played hurt before &mdash; like in the Stanley Cup finals which Chicago lost to Montreal three seasons ago &mdash; but you can&rsquo;t get him to discuss same.&ldquo;Look, I play the most important position on the team, right?&rdquo; he tells you. &ldquo;So what would it to do to the rest of the team if I decided the day of a game that I didn&rsquo;t feel well. You can&rsquo;t pick your spots, in this business. You just play.&rdquo;And play he has. almost without interruption, thus sending qualified chaps like Gary Smith and Mike Veisor to the unemployment lines.&ldquo;In a game the other night against Pittsburgh (a 5-3 Hawk victory Feb. 10), I wasn&rsquo;t feeling particularly good. The team sensed that and played real well in front of me, like they usually do.&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve been good to me here,&rdquo; said Esposito, who was pilfered from the Montreal Canadiens in the 1969 draft. &ldquo;I had a little contract hassle last year. I didn&rsquo;t think I was getting what I was worth. I told them I would play, but not necessarily be happy about it. If I hadn&rsquo;t gotten what I thought I deserved on this new contract I signed, I would have considered going to the other league.&ldquo;But it all worked out. I&rsquo;m signed for five years, and I have some security for my family. Billy Reay has been terrific to me ever since I got here. I was happy to leave Montreal. Claude Ruel was the coach there and he used to drive me crazy. He&rsquo;d always get on you if you let in a bad goal, and there was, always pressure from him. Billy just lets you play.&rdquo;And play and play and play.PARTING SHOTS: Jim Pappin collected his fifth career hat trick in Chicago&rsquo;s 4-1 triumph over the Maple Leafs Feb. 10. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d have rather gotten &lsquo;em against Buffalo.&rdquo; said Pappin. Punch Imlach runs the Sabres, of course, as he&rsquo;s the chap who dealt Pappin from the Leafs to the Hawks in 1968. &ldquo;Actually, I&rsquo;m just helping Imlach by scoring goals against Toronto because that&rsquo;s the team Buffalo&rsquo;s trying to catch&hellip; Pat Martin, wife of Hawk center Pit, gave birth to the couple&rsquo;s third child &mdash; a baby girl &mdash; in mid-February&hellip; Dale Tallon had the playing cast removed from his left wrist, where he sustained a fracture just before Christmas. &#9632;

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Tony-O Continues To Turn Hot Hand In Quest For His Third Vezina Trophy

<div class="byline">BY HARRY KLAFF</div>&ldquo;All right. Will the real Billy Smith please stand up?&rdquo;Sounds like something Bud Collyer used to say on &ldquo;To Tell the Truth&rdquo; back in the 1950s. Actually it&rsquo;s a question that Islander coach Al Arbour would like to have answered as soon as possible.Is it Billy Smith No. 1? That&rsquo;s the goaltender who got into more fights last year than any other Islander, and set a new NHL record for his position by collecting 42 minutes in penalties. He&rsquo;s the one that took care of Rod Gilbert and Bill Flett, and assorted members of the Buffalo Sabres last season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01916/3744795-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="284" height="473"><figcaption class="caption-body">Billy Smith</figcaption></div>Is it Billy Smith No. 2? He&rsquo;s the one who helped the Islanders score successive Saturday victories over the Rangers and Bruins early in the season with his spectacular netminding. Also the same Billy Smith who helped the Islanders build a streak on the road a month ago.Oris it Billy Smith No. 3? Well No. 3 is the one that Arbour and the Islanders could do without. That&rsquo;s the Billy Smith that has been removed from the nets twice recently in the second period. On the first occasion he was lifted with the Islanders leading in the game.Bill but he has had some problems of late, is goals against average is still well below the 4.16 mark he compiled a year ago. That figure is deceptive, as the 23 year-old native of Perth, Ontario was called on many times to stop upwards of 50 shots or more.But Billy&rsquo;s headlines last term were in the fighting ring, not the goaltender&rsquo;s crease. With little defensive help to remove the opposition from his doorstep. Smith took it unto himself to dispose of the trespassers.As a result, Billy was an instant hit with the fans, who didn&rsquo;t have too much else to cheer about. But there were the embarrasing moments, too. like the time Smitty left the crease to check an opponent, only to see the puck trickle into the empty cage behind him.Last October, Billy found himself as the No. I goaltender because Gerry Desjardins was out of the lineup nursing a knee injury. Billy met the challenge head-on, and played the best goal of his career during that month stretch. Fora while his goals against average stood at about two and a half goals per game, about half what it was an a coincident point last season.Then things started to sour. Desjardins came off the sick list and played well, eventually working himself to an equal footing with Smitty. Then as Gerry&rsquo;s hot hand continued. Billy found himself observing from the sidelines with increasing frequency.On January 15th Billy was ordered to the bench after giving up three questionable goals to the Atlanta Flames. What made this benching different was that the Islanders were ahead 4-3 at the time. Desjardins then stepped in preserved the win.&ldquo;I told Billy that it was just one of those nights, and that it could happen to anyone,&rdquo; said Arbour following the game. &ldquo;Everyone has an off night, but I thought it best to try to preserve the win.&rdquo;When the Islanders made a West Coast swing in early February, the Islanders announced that rookie Glenn Resch would be recalled from Fort Worth in the Central League for a look-see. Smith interpreted the move as the handwriting on the wall.But Arbour used Smith twice on the trip, playing well against Los Angeles and Vancouver. Resch was used a couple of times the following week, but it was clear that Smith&rsquo;s position wasn&rsquo;t in jeopardy.Such is the up-and-down young career of Smith. He&rsquo;s given up fighting, and hopes that people will think of him as a goaltender, nothing more. He&rsquo;s got the talent to star in the NHL. &#9632;

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Islanders Hope Goaler Shows His True Form

BOSTON &mdash;Another dreaded West Coast swing has come and gone and when the Boston Bruins returned East they found themselves a full 13 points ahead of the Montreal Canadiens. the leading threat to the Bruins&rsquo; first place standing.The Bruins swept all three games on the coast and in the process picked up a full three points on the Canadiens. who were having their problems with the Atlanta Flames and Philadelphia Flyers.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02760/3744826-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="286" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andre Savard</figcaption></div>The west coast swing (Vancouver, Oak kind and Los Angeles) is one of the most taxing of hockey&rsquo;s road trips and teams often consider themselves fortunate to return home with a split. The Bruins came home with a full six points, opening their first place lead large enough that it seems no one will catch the Bruins for the Prince of Wales Trophy this year.The Bruins opened the swing by spotting the California Golden Seals a 4-1 lead and bouncing back to win 9-6. The game saw Bobby Schmautz score his first goal in a Boston uniform.It also saw Ross Brooks&rsquo; miniscule goals against average go over the 2.00 mark.Gregg Sheppard was the hero the next game, working on a line with Schmautz and Johnny Bucyk, as the Bruins dumped Vancouver 4-2.Sheppard scored twice and played a strong two-way game to lead the Bruins&rsquo; charge.One night later it was Don Marcotte who assumed the hero&rsquo;s role as he scored twice in the Bruins&rsquo; 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.Marcotte&rsquo;s pair gave him 19 for the season, putting him just one short of his second straight 20-goal year.The west coast sweep stretched the Bruins&rsquo; winning streak to six, the last loss coming in a stunning 6-2 defeat in Toronto.BRUIN NOTES: Rookie Andre Savard scored twice on the western trip to raise his season&rsquo;s total to 13&hellip; Bruin coach Bep Guidolin and Derek Sanderson continue to feud. Sanderson, sidelined with a foot injury, complained about the unavailability of ice time in the Boston Garden. Guidolin retorted that other injured players found ice time and that Sanderson wasn&rsquo;t even showing up for exercise periods in the Boston Garden training room. Guidolin then added insult to injury by commenting that he would rely on four centers for the rest of the season: Phil Esposito. Gregg Sheppard. Andre Savard and Rich Leduc. &#9632;

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Coast Swing Pushes Bruins Farther Ahead

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>LOS ANGELES &mdash;Playing well, but losing three straight games through the 19th week of the 26-week NHL regular season, the Los Angeles Kings were locked in a four way fight for the last two playoff spots in the West Division with St. Louis Minnesota and Atlanta. Owner Jack Kent Cooke and general manager Jake Milford made a bid to strengthen themselves by obtaining Gene Carr from the New York Rangers for &ldquo;future considerations.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02561/3744916-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="276" height="477"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gene Carr</figcaption></div>&ldquo;Future considerations&rdquo; has been around, having been involved in deals with every team that&rsquo;s ever been in the majors. On a big league basis he should be banned for he is at the heart of every undercover manoeuvre that shades the sport.Wren Blair once told us his security as manager of Minnesota, whatever it is, stems from being the only man in the organization who knew where all the strings were that eventually would tie up a dozen complicated arrangements with other teams.As usual, the insiders in this one are keeping their secrets, but an agent who flies over NHL towns in Gary Powers&rsquo; old plane has just developed his photographs and they suggest the Rangers will get one of the second round amateur draft choices the Kings have or have coming to them from other deals this year or next and there will be an exchange of goaltenders in an intraleague draft eventually.Living in New York temporarily these days, Cooke called Carr a &ldquo;Golden Boy&rdquo; and said he now had a new chance to prove he was as good as he was supposed to be not so long ago.Carr is from Nanaimo. British Columbia. He scored 36 goals and totalled 104 points his last season as an amateur with Flin Flon. He was the fourth player in the 197l amateur draft, but early in his first season with St. Louis, he, Jim Lorentz and Wayne Connelly were traded to the Rangers for Mike Murphy. Andre Dupont, Jack Egers and &ldquo;A Player To Be Named Later.&rdquo; another guy who&rsquo;s been around.He scored 11 goals in 64 games with the two teams that season, nine goals in 50 games with the Rangers last season and one goal in 29 games with the Rangers this season before this trade. Emile Francis said when he got him. &ldquo;Carr could be a superstar for the next 15 years,&rdquo; but now his Rangers are the second team to have given up on him in a hurry.In December of last season he. scored a hat-trick in one game, then suffered a broken collarbone the next game. Early this season he and Murphy both were injured when their cab st nick a police car. When he recovered. Carr was sent to Providence for three weeks to skate himself back into shape.Last season, Carr played left wing. Early this season, he centered a line with wingers Murphy and Tom Williams. The Kings started to surge into playoff contention when Murphy. Williams and Sheldon Kannegeisser were obtained in trade from the Rangers Nov. 30. Now, Carr may be reunited with his old linemates. Milford worked in the Ranger organization for years and his appraisal of the potential of these players has been partially behind these deals.Carr is mod and handsome with a lot of blonde hair, but he is not regarded as a wild kid. He is an exciting player because he may be the swiftest skater in the sport. But he is a well-rounded player who checks aggressively, hits hard in the comers and digs defensively. He held super-skater Yvan Cournoyer scoreless in six games during the 1972 playoff series with Montreal. One knock on him is that he has not seemed an outstanding shotmaker.He was married last summer and at 22 the 5-11, 185-pound left-hander could settle in and establish himself with steady duty. He has not played many games and has not played much in many of those games in less than three full seasons as a pro.The Rangers were deep at center and Carr hopes to find more hopenings at center with the Kings. &ldquo;I like center best.&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I think I can skate with anyone in the NHL. I know I can get the puck out of our end and make good plays.&rdquo;The Kings traded away their first-round draft choices for years, but Carr now becomes the second first-rounder to land on the club. The other was Dan Maloney, picked by Chicago in 1970.An undefeated fighter this season. Dangerous Dan also is becoming a big player. He is hitting the comers hard. And he is so strong that when he takes a position in front of the net. he can&rsquo;t be moved away. He has six goals in the last 12 games.Kannegeisser has been the surprise of the other trade. He has been belting people and playing excellent all-around defense.The Feb. 16 sellout of 16,005 was the second this season and fifth in the Kings&rsquo; history, all with visits by the Bruins. Rogie Vachon, starting his 27th straight game in net, had given up only 20 goals in 11 games before being beaten by five by Boston.In Buffalo, trainer John Holmes advised coach Bob Pulford that Sabre goalie Rocky Farr&rsquo;s stick-blade was illegally wide. Pully picked his spot to protest and associate trainer Peter Demers produced the device to measure it that finally proved it. It helped the Kings to a two-man advantage late in the game, but didn&rsquo;t help produce a tie.<h2>Looking At NHL Goalers</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01649/3744909-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="643" height="2130"></div> &#9632;

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Kings Locked In Playoff Dogfight, Grab Carr From Rangers For Depth

MONTREAL&mdash;While Boston center Phil Esposito would appear headed for his fourth straight National Hockey League scoring championship, the race for points leader in the second half of the season is wide open&hellip; and Esposito is not the leader.Center Darryl Sittler of Toronto Maple Leafs is currently the point leader in this half of the season and, with a fifth-place ranking in the over-all race, is the highest a Leaf has been this late in the season since Frank Mahovlich finished the 1962-63 season with 73 points. Sittler has 67 points, including 32 goals. In 20 games during the second half of the season, he has scored 16 goal and 17 assists for 33 points.If Sittler maintains that 20-game average for the remaining 19 games of the season, he will have a club record of 98 points, 13 more than the current record of 85, set in 1970-71 by Norm Ullman. Now in his fourth season with Toronto, the 23-year-old Sittler, a native of Kitchener, Ont., has the third-highest four-season point total ever recorded by a Toronto Maple Leaf. The all-time club leader is Dave Keon, who recorded 232 points in his first four seasons. Second is Frank Mahovlich. who had a total 208 points during his first four terms with Toronto. Sittler has 197 points on 86 goals and 108 assists in 260 games, since being Leafs&rsquo; first choice in the 1970 Amateur Draft and eighth over-all.Second to Sittler in this half of the season in points is a defenseman but it is not Bruins&rsquo; Bobby Orr: rather Brad Park of New York Rangers, who has 27 points in 20 games. Park has moved into seventh place in the over-all parade with 62 points. 11 short of the Ranger club record which he set in 1971-72.Center Bobby Clarke of Philadelphia Flyers, whose lead atop the West Division has shrunk to two points over Chicago Black Hawks, is third in this half-season&rsquo;s scoring with 26 points. Then follow the two over all leaders. Esposito and Orr. with 25 points each. Marcel Dionne of Detroit and Joey Johnston of California are next with 24 points each, followed by Ken Hodge of Boston with 23. Mickey Redmond of Detroit with 22 and John Bucyk of Boston with 21.Esposito, who has 108 points for the season, went over the 50-goal mark last week for a fourth straight season. He now has 51. In this half, however, he ranks fifth in goal-scoring with 11. Leader for the half is Redmond with 17 goals in 20 games, followed by Sittler&rsquo;s 16. Clarke&rsquo;s 14 and Hodge&rsquo;s 13.In the over-all scoring race. Orr is second with 92 points, including a league-leading 67 assists. Hodge is next is next with 81 points and Richard Martin of Buffalo is fourth with 68.In the Vezina Trophy race, Tony Esposito of Chicago continues to lead with Hawks holding a nine-goal lead over Philadelphia and Esposito is now tied with Bernie Parent in shutouts with 10 each. &#9632;

NHL WEEK — In Review

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01664/3744978-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="577" height="827"><figcaption class="caption-body">JEAN HAMEL &hellip;Has Youth</figcaption></div>DETROIT&mdash;Trying to find a positive note in the Red Wings&rsquo; goings and comings this season (mostly goings) has been next to impossible.But after the latest move of Billy Collins, Ace Bailey and Ted Harris to St. Louis for Bryan Watson. Chris Evans and Jean Hamel, Red Wing Public Relations director John Bell and statistician Morris Moorawnick came up with this bit of positive news: the Red Wings are getting younger.They started the season as the third oldest team in the league, based on average age. Then they started wheeling and dealing, scattering players to the four corners of the world (some went to the London Lions) and Roy Edwards. 36, and Alex Delvecchio, then 41, retired.Denis DeJordy, 35, was up for a game and then dispatched. Gary Bergman. 34, was replaced by Ted Harris, 37, in an upward age movement that was taken care of when Harris was sent to St. Louis in a deal that involved Evans. 27, and Hamel, 21.Collins, who also went, was 30 years old.Finally, through all the dealing and retiring, the average age. Bell and Moorawnick computed, is 26.2, down 10 months from the beginning of the season average.The New York Rangers remain the oldest team, as they were at the beginning of the campaign with a 29.1 average, and the New York Islanders remain the youngest at 24.9.And Detroit, from third oldest, now is seventh youngest&hellip; or is that 10th oldest?Whatever, the Red Wings remain bogged down near the bottom of the East Division and the way things went on their five game trip from Vancouver to Montreal and stops in between, they may get bogged down even further like seventh or eighth place.No longer is lip service even paid to making the playoffs&mdash;and this marks the seventh time in the last eight seasons Detroit has failed. Now the concern is about falling behind the seventh place Islanders and the eighth place Canucks.A 2-1 defeat in Buffalo in the final game of the trip made it eight in a row without a victory, on the road or at home. The only thing the Wings had to show for the three week stretch was a tie in Toronto.It was hoped that the reacquisition of Watson, a popular player here in the 1960&rsquo;s. would put some combativeness into the Wings but there was some question whether the entire Israeli army could do it.Delvecchio paired Watson with Hamel as soon as they joined the club in Montreal, without benefit of a practice, and they had a tough night as the Canadiens clubbed Detroit, 9-4, racing to a 5-0 first period lead and scoring with the game only 10 seconds old.Meanwhile the search for a new general manager went on quietly and while Ted Lindsay&rsquo;s name topped them all&mdash;and he&rsquo;d be the people&rsquo;s choice in Detroit&mdash;other names have been mentioned&hellip; Jackie Gordon, Fred Glover, Donnie Graham, Ray Miron&hellip; but Lindsay is the one the fans talk about.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02534/3744971-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="620" height="532"></div> &#9632;

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Trades Making Detroiters Younger If Nothing Else

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0019-18" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1850/3745215-1-eng-US/f0019-182.jpg"></div> &#9632;

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NHL Team Rosters

<div class="byline">BY TONY PETRELLA</div>ATLANTA&mdash;Despite his hulking frame and a reputation for toughness, Eric Vail was just like most rookies when he first came to the Atlanta Flames last September. He was scared. Outwardly, he exuded confidence and talked of playing left wing on a regular shift from the very first game. Inwardly, he didn&rsquo;t know what to expect from the National Hockey League, and he wasn&rsquo;t sure about the reception he&rsquo;d get from his teammates if he tried to control the puck too much.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01482/3745253-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="288" height="469"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eric Vail</figcaption></div>Besides that, he was overweight by 10 pounds and needed constant prodding from coach Bernie Geoffrion to skate hard and dig for the puck in the corners.Eventually, after playing in five games, Vail was banished to Omaha of the Central League. But he left with the rejoinder, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be back, I&rsquo;ll make you bring me back.&rdquo;In the end, Vail was right. Atlanta&rsquo;s second-round draft choice was recalled Jan. 30, and joined with center Bobby Leiter and right wing Larry Romanchych to become the Flames&rsquo; most productive line in February.I was pretty disappointed at first,&rdquo; Vail said of his demotion to the minors. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t think I should have been sent down, but now I can see that maybe it was the best thing for me in the long run.&ldquo;Going to Omaha brought my confidence back. I got a lot of playing time, and that&rsquo;s the only thing I felt I needed to play in the NHL. I was sure I&rsquo;d be back with the Flames once I got some experience.&rdquo;While Vail was in Omaha, Geoffrion was keeping a close watch on the NHL standings and Vail&rsquo;s performance. When the Flames started sinking in the Western Division, Geoffrion met with general manager Cliff Fletcher and decided to shake the Flames&rsquo; roster.&ldquo;I liked the way Vail looked me in the eye and said. &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll make you take me back&rsquo;. I told him I&rsquo;d be waiting,&rdquo; Geoffrion said. &ldquo;The only thing Vail needed was to get moving. He had a tendency to get lazy unless I was on his back every minute.&ldquo;But he&rsquo;s the kind of guy I want on my team. He&rsquo;s big and tough and he&rsquo;s not afraid to use this,&rdquo; Geoffrion said, doubling his right fist. &ldquo;Now he&rsquo;s doing exactly what I want. He&rsquo;s rough, he&rsquo;s skating and he&rsquo;s making the play.&rdquo;skating and he&rsquo;s making the plays,&rdquo; with Leiter and Romanchych after being recalled, their line was absolutely torrid. Leiter had seven goals and four assists, Romanchych had five and three and Vail had six assists.Two of those assists by Vail came against Montreal on Feb. 13, and they were pretty impressive. He outmuscled the Canadiens&rsquo; Jim Roberts to set up both Leiter and Romanchych, and eventually was named the game&rsquo;s No. 1 star. It was the first time in several years a rookie had been accorded that honor in the Montreal Forum.To make matters even better, Vail&rsquo;s father was watching that game against Montreal on television at his home in Schumacher, Ont.According to Vail, the change in his performance has come because he knows what&rsquo;s expected of him.&ldquo;Bobby and I talked for a long time one day when I first came back from Omaha,&rdquo; Vail said. &ldquo;The plan is for him to be in the slot, or somewhere close to it, while I go in the comer and get the puck out to him.&ldquo;I found out, too, that to play in this league you&rsquo;ve got to stay on your wing and mind your own business. When the puck comes my way, then I can do something. Until then, I&rsquo;ll stay on my side of the ice, right where Bemie wants me.&rdquo;<h2>NHL SCOREBOARD</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02357/3745246-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="633" height="615"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tue. Feb. 19Montreal 3 at N.Y. Islanders 5Vancouver 4 at Los Angeles 3Atlanta 1 at St. Louis 7Wed. Feb. 20Buffalo 2 at Toronto 4Boston 5 at Minnesota 5Philadelphia 3 at Detroit 1California 0 at Chicago 3St. Louis 1 at Pittsburgh 1Thu. Feb. 21Vancouver 2 at Montreal 5N.Y. Rangers 5 at Los Angeles 3Atlanta 4 at Buffalo 4Fri. Feb. 22N. Y. Rangers 4 at California 3Sat. Feb. 23Los Angeles 4 at Montreal 4Vancouver 4 at Toronto 2Boston 6 at Pittsburgh 2St Louis 3 at Detroit 5Philadelphia 1 at Chicago 3Atlanta 5 at Minnesota 3Sun. Feb. 24St Louis 2 at Montreal 3Los Angeles 3 at Toronto 3Philadelphia 2 at N.Y. Rangers 3N.Y. Islanders 3 at Detroit 5Boston 2 at Buffalo 3Pittsburgh 4 at Chicago 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. Feb. 26Montreal at AtlantaToronto at DetroitVancouver at N.Y. IslandersWed Feb. 27Vancouver at N.Y. RangersChicago at MinnesotaLos Angeles at PittsburghSt. Louis at CaliforniaThu. Feb. 28Pittsburgh at MontrealToronto at N. Y. islandersDetroit at BostonChicago at BuffaloMinnesota at PhiladelphiaLos Angeles at AtlantaSat. Mar. 2California at MontrealN. Y. Islanders at TorontoN.Y. Rangers at MinnesotaBoston at DetroitBuffalo at PhiladelphiaVancouver at PittsburghSt. Louis at Los AngelesSun. Mar. 3Montreal at PhiladelphiaToronto at BostonCalifornia at N.Y. RangersN.Y. Islanders at BuffaloChicago at DetroitVancouver at AtlantaTue. Mar. 5Pittsburgh at N.Y. IslandersBoston at AtlantaCalifornia at Los AngelesWed. Mar. 6Montreal at N.Y. RangersBoston at St. LouisBuffalo at MinnesotaChicago at CaliforniaThu. Mar. 7Pittsburgh at TorontoDetroit at PhiladelphiaChicago at Los Angeles &#9632;

f0020-01

Vail Makes Impact On Boomer After Recall

<div class="byline">BY DICK JOHNSTON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0021-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01326/3745284-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">The Buffalo Sabres have been harassed by injuries and misfortune this season but it didn&rsquo;t stop them from carrying on. The NHL club rushed in two Cincinnati goalkeepers, ROCKY FARR, right, and GARY BROMLEY, and both performed admirably in the crisis.</figcaption></div>BUFFALO&mdash;The injury parade continues for the Buffalo Sabres but coach Joe Crozier finally received a couple of pleasant surprises.Goalie Dave Dryden and center Don Luce joined the Sabre injury list after the club returned from the West Coast for a late February home stand. With goalie Roger Crozier still recovering from his third hospital visit of the season, Rocky Farr was called upon to tend goal. He was the first pleasant surprise. But then he got hurt.So Gary Bromley was called up from Cincinnati Swords to take over the netminding duties. And he was a pleasant surprise, too.Farr actually entered the picture of the West Coast trip. He took over from Dryden in the first game, a loss to Los Angeles. Rocky went all the way against California and won, then went the route against Vancouver and lost.When the Sabres returned to Buffalo to play five of six games on home ice, Dryden was scheduled to start the first one, against Los Angeles. But he hurt his back in practice.Farr moved in again, with Bromley called up from the Swords as backup man. Rocky turned in an outstanding performance as the Sabres beat the Kings 4-2. He had a shutout until Los Angeles scored fluky goal &mdash; pass from behind the goal hit a Sabre &ldquo;defenseman and deflected into the net &mdash; at the halfway point of the final period and followed it with power play goal.Farr, who last September had left training camp to return to his Ft. Worth home and sell insurance, felt he finally was proving himself as a National Hockey League goaltender.After a short time back at his summertime insurance job he told Buffalo general manager Punch Imlach he wanted to play hockey. He got a new contract and was sent to Cincinnati at the start of the season. When Crozier was hospitalized. Rocky was called up to the Sabres.Two days after the Los Angeles game, during a Saturday practice, Fair was hit by one of Jerry Korab&rsquo;s lightning shots. The puck hit Rocky&rsquo;s mask and caused the top of the mask to cut his forehead just above his right eye for 19 stitches. The eye closed up so that he could not see the next day, when the Sabres were scheduled to play Detroit.Another hurry-up call for Bromley. The slender netminder known as Bones had returned to Cincinnati Friday and played for the Swords that night. He flew back to Buffalo Saturday and started in the nets against the Red Wings Sunday night. Tim Regan, his backup man in Cincinnati, accompanied him.Like Farr. Bones did a spectacular job. He blocked 36 shots as the Sabres won 2-1 &ldquo;I knew I had to play a good game,&rdquo; said the young netminder, &ldquo;or they might have lost me in the minor league system.&rdquo;ICE CHIPS: Roger Crozier, on doctor&rsquo;s orders, was to rest a month after being released from the hospital midway through February&hellip; Luce suffered ligament damage to his left knee. After missing three games, he returned and scored one of the two goals against Detroit while doing part-time duty.Defenseman Jim Schoenfeld and left winger Larry Mickey, sent to Cincinnati to play themselves back into shape after bing sidelined by serious injuries, had been expected to rejoin the Sabres for the stretch drive in which the club hoped to overtake Toronto fora playoff berth but Tim Horton&rsquo;s untimely death forced the Sabres to rush Schoenfeld back ahead of time. &#9632;

f0021-01

Sabres Overcome Injury Jinx By Rushing In Fresh Farmhands

<div class="byline">BY NORM MacLEAN</div>NEW YORK &mdash;The Rangers had just been tied by the Philadelphia Flyers 4-4, after holding three goal lead &mdash; and the New York dressing room was quiet and subdued. New York had led 3-0 and then 4-1, before a freak goal have Philadelphia a shot. But there was another reason for the quiet &mdash; the Rangers had just sent forward Gene Carr to the Los Angeles Kings for future considerations. Carr, the Golden Boy of the 1971-72 season, joined his training camp linemates. Tommy Williams and Mike Murphy as Kings general manager Jake Milford rebuilds his team. Milford, who worked under Emile Francis, the Rangers&rsquo; general manager-coach, had previously dealt Gilles Marotte to New York for Murphy and Williams.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01354/3745322-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="289" height="458"><figcaption class="caption-body">Vic Hadfield</figcaption></div>&ldquo;We wish Gene well in Los Angeles and hope that with ice time he will develop as hoped for.&rdquo; said Francis. &ldquo;He will never be forgotten here in New York for the great job he did in stopping Yvan Cournoyer in the 1971-72 quarter finals. Because of this we advanced that season and eventually reached the finals.&rdquo;As if reacting to the move on Carr, the Rangers demolished the Vancouver Canucks Feb. 16,9-4, with rookie flash Jerry Butler scoring twice, while operating on a line with Jack Egers and Bobby Rousseau. Dale Rolfe, working once more with Brad Park, scored his second goal of the season. Marotte served as the fifth defenseman in the Philadelphia game but all five blueliners rotated in the Canucks contest.Steve Vickers scored again in the Vancouver game, bringing his total to 22 &mdash; and giving him a fine chance to reach the magic 30 that won him the rookie award last year.Vickers actually took Carr&rsquo;s spot at left wing on the Walt Tkaczuk Billy Fairbairn line last season when the pressure to score became too much for the youthful British Columbia native. Gene was picked fourth amongst the 1971 amateur draft by the St. Louis Blues and traded to the Rangers in November. He was fast and flashy, but couldn&rsquo;t score from the slot when given numerous opportunities. This season he had scored only once in 29 games. He was part of the taxi accident in Boston in which Murphy was also injured, before being traded and spent considerable time on the bench.Bill Chadwick, the Ranger TV color man once said. &ldquo;Carr can&rsquo;t put the puck in the ocean.&rdquo;Gene wants to play center and may get his chance with the Kings, perhaps with Williams and Murphy.In sense, when Francis took over the club from Larry Popein Jan. 11, he challenged his veterans, with the idea being that if they couldn&rsquo;t do it for him. some of them would move qn. They have responded well, with a 10-2-3 record. The losses were to Montreal and St. Louis, with the ties coming with Philadelphia. Detroit and Minnesota. The loss in Montreal and the tie in Philly hurt, but overall the team has played well.They are now entering the crucial phase of their schedule with 12 of the final 20 at home. Although many think the Rangers are going with the same old guys, key players such as Park, 25, and Tkaczuk, 26 represent the New York future. The GAG Line, which did not score in the Vancouver fun fest, is the veteran unit, with Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield 33 and Rod Gilbert 32.Bruce MacGregor has recovered from his knee injury and rejoined checking linemates Pete Stemkowski and Ted Irvine. The ages herein are 32, 30 and 29.Egers has recovered nicely from his knee surgery and reports, &ldquo;I can skate better than in five years.&rdquo; Jack, 25, has a big shot, but previously seemed to lack skating and stamina.Butler, the pride of the Rangers farm system, was an unheralded draft spick in June of 1971 after scoring just six goals with Hamilton of the OHA. But he has learned his trade at Omaha and Providence and hustles like the blazes. His Ranger record shows two goals for his first nine games.In the wings is right wing Rick Middleton. scoring with skill at Providence of the AHL. On some teams Rick would be fighting for the rookie of the year award in the NHL.None of this means the Rangers will win the big prize that has eluded them since 1940 &mdash; the Stanley Cup. line on this may be obtained in the three games remaining with Montreal. March 6, and April 7 and the two contests with Boston March 17 and 27.BLUE CHIPS: In four games with the Flyers. New York is 1-1-2&hellip; With Gilles Marotte and Dale Rolfe both available. Ron Harris, the hero of the quarter finals versus Boston last Spring, is not being rushed into heavy action. He has a knee problem, and Emile Francis is blessed with the chance to let it heal properly. This is vastly different from the desperate situations the, Ranger defense has been in. in previous March injury crisis the past five seasons.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02269/3745315-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="579" height="1011"><figcaption class="caption-body">STEVE VICKERS &hellip;Aims For 30</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0022-01

Rangers Going All Out For Stretch Run

<div class="byline">BY HAL SIGURDSON</div>VANCOUVER-Even when things are going relatively smoothly both on the ice and in the front office, peculiar things keep happening to the Vancouver Canucks, the Wednesday child of the National Hockey League. Take recent piece of their history. On Feb. 12 general manager-coach Phil Maloney and the Canucks were in St. Louis where they were to meet the Blues that night. Suddenly everyone&rsquo;s phone started going beserk Players were being called by friends, relatives and newsmen wondering how they felt about their impending trades. Maloney phone just never stopped ringing.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-01334/3745353-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="285" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body">Phil Maloney</figcaption></div>&ldquo;It was crazy,&rdquo; Maloney said. &ldquo;At one stage I was trying to take a nap and I never even got to close my eyes. Before the game had to get all the players together and tell them there just weren&rsquo;t any trades happening and if there were they would be the first to know. I don&rsquo;t know where these things start, but they can have a very unsettling effect on a hockey team.&rdquo;What had happened, apparently, was the handiwork of some nut with an itchy dialing finger.A man who identified himself as a reporter with a Minneapolis area radio station called nearly every newspaper and radio station in Vancouver claiming to know all about a major trade involving the Canucks. Minnesota North Stars and Philadelphia Flyers.He also called reporters in St. Louis and Philadelphia and even tracked down this reporter in his St. Louis hotel room.According to this character, the Canucks were going to trade Josh Guevremont. Don Tannahill and Paulin Bordeleau to Minnesota for Dennis Hextall. Buster Harvey and Tony Featherstone. Then they were going to swap Hextall to Philadelphia for Bill Clement and Bob Kelly.Not only was this deal totally ficticious, but so was the guy peddling it. A check on him disclosed that there is no such radio station as the one he claimed to work for and that no one in Minneapolis had heard of reporter by the name he was using.The Canucks shook off these unfounded rumors and went on to defeat the Blues 3-2 and hold the North Stars to a 3-3 tie the next night, thanks to a sensational goaltending job from Ed Dyck.However, the Canucks&rsquo; problems with &lsquo;phone phreaks&rdquo; wasn&rsquo;t over.Before the their home game against the Boston Bruins Feb. 15, some local character got on the phone, identified himself as Andre Boudrias and informed a dozen or so people that as part of a goodwill campaign the Canucks were presenting them with two free tickets.Publicity director Greg Douglas was left with the unhappy task of explaining to these people that it was all a hoax when they showed up at the Pacific Coliseum looking for their tickets.To top it off, Boston coach Bep Guidolin disclosed that the trade that sent Bobby Schmautz to the Bruins in exchange for Chris Oddleifson and Fred O&rsquo;Donnell nearly didn&rsquo;t come off and almost wound up as an arbitration case for league president Clarence Campbell.It seems special scout Larry Regan had earlier agreed to a somewhat different deal. Regan&rsquo;s version would have sent Schmautz and Don Lever to the Bruins for Oddleifson, Dave Forbes and Richie Leduc.The trouble was that Regan has no authority to complete trades. Investigate and initiate them, yes; complete them, no.&ldquo;I would have quit if that trade had gone through.&rdquo; Maloney said.Eventually Maloney and Boston general manager Harry Sinden were able to work out the deal that did go through and Maloney and Regan had a long chat in president Coley Hall&rsquo;s office.Regan remains as a special scout, but he won&rsquo;t be making any more trades on Vancouver&rsquo;s behalf.But just to round things off, the Canucks lost 4-2 the Bruins, then dropped a 9-4 decision to the New York Rangers.CANUCK CAPERS: O&rsquo;Donnell still hasn&rsquo;t reported to the Canucks, but Oddleifson looks like a valuable addition&hellip; Captain Orland Kurtenbach has reinjured the knee that kept him out of action for month earlier in the season&hellip; He may not play again this year&hellip; In the meantime. Maloney is keeping him busy with scouting assignments. &#9632;

f0023-01

Canucks Victims Of Mischief By “Phoney” Pranksters

<div class="byline">BY NORM MacLEAN</div>CHERRY HILL&mdash;The Jersey Knights may be down but they&rsquo;re not out.All but left for dead on the road, Harry Howell&rsquo;s athletes rallied in the comfy confines of the Cherry Hill Arena and rolled to three straight wins to take a new lease on life in the World Hockey Association.The transplanted Knights are battling for their hockey lives but Howell is confident they have the momentum to make it to the final playoff spot. Time will tell.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01342/3745391-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="273" height="457"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gary Kurt</figcaption></div>The Knights warmed up for the WHA stretch battle by rolling over Cleveland 6-2, Quebec 10-2 and Chicago 4-3 on home ice.The 10 goals in the Quebec game were the most ever scored by the Raiders. Golden Blades or Knights. The previous high was nine, set several times. The Knight are an even 20-20-0 in Jersey, with their 6-12-2 record in New York still keeping them out of the playoffs.win on the road in the next two weeks,&rdquo; said Howell.It was Andre Lacroix, last season&rsquo;s WHA scoring champ who won the big game with Chicago and put the Knights ahead of the Cougars. Andy missed a on February 18. Andy missed, a breakaway, close in chance from the slot and another good opportunity, but he stole the puck in the comer and passed into the slot to Gene Peacosh who drilled home the winner, breaking a 3-3 tie. For Peco it was his second goal of the contest.In the funfest over Quebec, the Knights&rsquo; Wayne Rivers, Brian Bradley. Mike Laughton and Brian Morenz each got two goals with Bob Brown and Craig Reichmuth getting singletons. Howell has retained Gary Kurt and is going with Kurt and Jersey Joe Junkin. with Junkin being the regular.&ldquo;Howell is a marvel on defense and could still make any team in hockey, at least as a fifth defenseman,&rdquo; says Lacroix.TORONTO: Toros managed to move into a first place tie over the Feb. 16-17 weekend, but fell out again when they lost to Edmonton Oilers via Allan Hamilton blueline shot with two seconds left in overtime. It was a bitter 3-2 defeat for the Toronto team, which had led 2-1 going into the final period only to see Edmonton force OT in the fifteenth minute. Hamilton scored his goal off goalie Les Binkley, who replaced No. 1 Gilles Gratton. The latter pulled a leg muscle with four minutes remaining in the second period.Tom Martin&rsquo;s three goals had paced Toronto to a grim 5-4 win over Chicago on February 16 as the Toros played it tough on the road. Binkley was in the nets for that one. On February 12 at Ottawa the Toros and Quebec battled to a 4-4 tie with Billy Harris sextet overcoming three goal deficit. Tom Simpson got two markNews of the peace between the WHA and NHL may mean the Toros have a shot at playing some games in Maple Leaf Gardens next winter. Harold Ballard. the Leaf president says he wants $15,000 rental, which is $5.000 more per game than John Bassett of the Toros offered.NEW ENGLAND: The Whalers won their biggest game of the year, on the road, edging the Jets in overtime, at Winnipeg. John Cunniff got the overtime sudden death manner for his second goal of the game. Vancouver Blazers trounced the Whalers 9-4, making coach Ron Ryan mumble something about &ldquo;playing like bushers on the road.&rdquo; Amazingly the Whalers outshot the Blazers 40-28. Bruce Landon was the New England goaler.Two nights later, stung by the criticism, the Whalers bounced back with a 7-3 win over Edmonton in Alberta. New England got four in the first period, including two by Tom Earl. Larry Pleau and John Cunniff also scored in the opening period as the Oilers removed goalie Chris Worthy. The Edmonton game and the Winnipeg clutch win are typical of New England, who seemingly play just as good they have to stay on top.CLEVELAND: The Crusaders won twice at home and lost their only road game. 6-2 to Jersey. The loss came with the two wins on successive evenings after that. Jim Wiste put on a one man crusade which got Cleveland past Quebec 5-2. Jim scored at the 20-second mark, and finally wound up with a hat trick in four minutes and 47 seconds, topping the mark set by teammate Ron Ward with the 1972-73 New York Raiders Gerry Pinder assisted on all three Wiste goals. Garry jarret got the other two Cleveland markers.The next night it was Ward who led a tight 6-5 win over the Chicago Cougars with a hat trick and help from Jarrets&rsquo; three assists. Ward capped come from behind triumph late in the third period. The win kept Cleveland with some breathing room over Jersey and Chicago and still in the three way fight for second place with Toronto and Quebec. A hot streak could have the Crusaders making it a four way fight for first as. they were only seven points from first place New England.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02269/3745384-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="589" height="659"><figcaption class="caption-body">JIM WISTE &hellip;Sets Record</figcaption></div>CHICAGO: After beating Edmonton 3-2 at home the Cougars lost four straight including an International Amphitheatre decision to Quebec 5-2. Then came three straight one goal losses 5-4 to Toronto (in Chicago) and 6-5 and 4-3 to Cleveland and Jersey on the road.&ldquo;We have to do something.&rdquo; said Pat Stapleton. &ldquo;We have all those games in hand but that doesn&rsquo;t mean anything unless you win them.&rdquo;QUEBEC: The Nordiques won one, lost two and tied one in topsy turvy week with all games being played on the road. Jacques Plante knows he has a problem with the Jersey Knights who once more trounced Quebec, this time 10-2. Other results were a 4-4 tie with Toronto, a 5-2 win over Chicago, and a 5-2 loss to Cleveland.&ldquo;We have survived the road trip and still are close. If we got moving again we can take it all,&rdquo; said Plante.On the business front, Paul Racine, president of the Nordiques revealed he is trying to re-negotiate his lease with the City of Quebec for the use of the Quebec Coliseum. &#9632;

f0024-01

Jersey Knights Down But They’re Not Out Yet

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-01293/3745600-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="583" height="111"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-2026/3745607-1-eng-US/f0026-202.jpg" title="f0026-20" width="207" height="247"></div><h2>Sun. Feb. 17 TORONTO 2 at EDMONTON 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties Barrie 6:25. Kirk 10:54. Anderson 12:24, Cunningham 19:35.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Toronto. G. Gibbons (Cuddie, King) &hellip; 4:272&mdash;Edmonton. MacDonald (Lunde. Barrie) &hellip; 14:273&mdash;Toronto. Cuddie (Leduc. Dillon) &hellip; 19:02Penalties: None.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Edmonton. Hamilton (MacDonald. Wall) &hellip; 14:34Penalties: Gibbons 4:19, Carlyle 6:57, King 10:39, B. Gibbons 13:57. Climie. Kirk 14:27.<h3>OVERTIME PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Edmonton. Hamilton (Perkins) &hellip; 9:58Penalties: Cuddie 1:10, Brewer 4:32, Toronto bench (served by Martin) 7:05.<h2>N. ENGLAND 3 at WINNIPEG 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;New England. Sheehy (Green) &hellip; 8:10Penalty: Charlebois 19:12.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Winnipeg. McDonald (Gratton. Johnson) &hellip; 5:42Penalties Green 10:56. Snell 17:44<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;New England. Cunniff (Dorey. Pleau) &hellip; 6:004&mdash;Winnipeg. Hull (Woytowich. Bordeleau) &hellip; 14:48Penalty: Dorey 16:08<h3>OVERTIME PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;New England. Cunniff (Sheehy. Pleau) &hellip; 5:52Penalties: None<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02237/3745593-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg" title="f0026-02" width="591" height="116"></div><h2>CHICAGO 5 at CLEVELAND 6</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Cleveland. Brindley (P. Shmyr. Pinder) &hellip; 5:092&mdash;Chicago. Popeil (Mavety Sicinski) &hellip; 6:223&mdash;Cleveland, Jarrett (Ward. Andrea) &hellip; 6:494&mdash;Chicago. Paiement (Sicinski) &hellip; 9:415&mdash;Cleveland. Ward (Andrea. Jarrett) &hellip; 10:436&mdash;Chicago, Popeil (Paiement) &hellip; 16:37Penalties Morris 4:45. Jarrett 15:02.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Chicago. Mavety (Stapleton) &hellip; 2:478&mdash;Cleveland. Ward (Edur. Jarrett) &hellip; 5:299&mdash;Chicago. Paiement (Mavety. Sicinski) &hellip; 7:11Penalties: Andrea 1:50, Hardy 4:20. Mavety 4:47. McMasters 7:07, Stapleton 15:01. Pinder 18:51, Popiel 19:15.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>10&mdash;Cleveland. Erickson &hellip; 10:4411&mdash;Cleveland. Ward (Jarrett. Edur) &hellip; 16:33Penalty Maggs 11:31.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-03198/3745586-1-eng-US/f0026-032.jpg" title="f0026-03" width="590" height="113"></div><h2>MINNESOTA 6 at HOUSTON 1</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Houston. G. Howe (Mark Howe. Sherrit) &hellip; 5:512&mdash;Minnesota, Johnson (Gallant. Walton) &hellip; 9:07Penalties: Smith 10:45. Cardwell 17:17.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Minnesota. Christiansen (Connelly) &hellip; 0:134&mdash;Minnesota. Connelly (Christiansen. Smith) &hellip; 4:445&mdash;Minnesota. Johnson (Walton. McMahon) &hellip; 11:51Penalties Heatley 7:03. Sherrit 15:09.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Minnesota. Connelly (Morrison) &hellip; 1:117&mdash;Minnesota, Connelly (Morrison) &hellip; 7:10Penalties None<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-04152/3745579-1-eng-US/f0026-042.jpg" title="f0026-04" width="585" height="115"></div><h2>Mon. Feb. 18 CHICAGO 3 at JERSEY 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Jersey. Brown (Bradley. Ferguson) &hellip; 2:402&mdash;Jersey. Morenz (Peacosh Lacroix) &hellip; 6:253&mdash;Jersey. Peacosh (Lacroix) &hellip; 11:25Penalties: Proceviat 0:18. Maggs 4:22. Morenz 11:46.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Chicago. Hardy (Whitlock) &hellip; 13:10Penalties Brown 3:19. Perry 5:36, Harris Morenz, 6:32. Morris 10:00.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Chicago. Benzelock (Coates. Mavety) &hellip; 5:356&mdash;Chicago, Liddington &hellip; 7:537&mdash;Jersey, Peacosh (Lacroix, Morenz) &hellip; 12:39Penalties: Brown 17:30.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-05120/3745572-1-eng-US/f0026-052.jpg" title="f0026-05" width="589" height="118"></div><h2>Tue. Feb. 19 CLEVELAND 5 at QUEBEC 6</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Cleveland. Clearwater (Wiste) &hellip; 4:212&mdash;Quebec. Parizeau (Bernier. Giroux) &hellip; 6:19Penalties: Ward 2:17. Bernier 3:33. Clearwater 5:56, Shmyr 14:09. Wiste. Rouleau 18:50, Roy 19:16.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Quebec. Hoganson (Rouleau) &hellip; 6:324&mdash;Quebec, Gaudette (Roy, Guindon) &hellip; 9:245&mdash;Cleveland. Erickson (Clearwater, Krake) &hellip; 10:246&mdash;Cleveland. Pinder (Wiste. Hillman) &hellip; 11:147&mdash;Quebec, Gaudette (Desjardme) &hellip; 17:11Penalties Roy 12:32.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Quebec. Parizeau (Beaule. Giroux) &hellip; 0:589&mdash;Cleveland. Jarrett (Buchanan. Ward) &hellip; 5:4110&mdash;Cleveland. Pinder (Wiste) &hellip; 7:04Penalties: Lacombe 3:54.<h3>OVERTIME PERIOD</h3>11&mdash;Quebec. Parizeau (Giroux. Lacombe) &hellip; 5:01Penalties: Cheevers (game misconduct) 5:01.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0692/3745565-1-eng-US/f0026-062.jpg" title="f0026-06" width="584" height="114"></div><h2>TORONTO 5 at VANCOUVER 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties: Cardiff 4:16. Sentes 6:30: Amodeo 8:42: Carleton. Beaudoin 15:54; Hutchison 16:19.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Vancouver. Beaudoin (Plumb. McKenzie) &hellip; 1:562&mdash;Vancouver. McKenzie (Plumb. Beaudoin) &hellip; 17:50Penalties: Martin. Campbell 0:27 Amodeo 2:17. MacSweyn 4:34; Cardiff 12:20 Beaudoin. Gibson 14:05.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Vancouver. Migneault (Cardiff) &hellip; 3:024&mdash;Vancouver. Lawson (O Donoghue Beaudoin) &hellip; 4:135&mdash;Toronto. Hickey (Kirk. Cunnigham) &hellip; 10:166&mdash;Toronto. Simpson (Kirk. Hickey) &hellip; 10:477&mdash;Toronto. Carleton (Sentes. G. Gibbons) &hellip; 15:338&mdash;Toronto. Selby (Cunnigham. B. Gibbons) &hellip; 15:19Penalty Beaudoin 8:38.OVERTIME PERIOD9&mdash;Toronto. Selby (Gibson, Cunnigham) &hellip; 5:56Penalties: None.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0781/3745558-1-eng-US/f0026-072.jpg" title="f0026-07" width="592" height="117"></div><h2>Wed. Feb. 20 WINNIPEG 1 at EDMONTON 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Edmonton. Baird (Fonteyne Perkins) &hellip; 8:15Penalties: Falkenberg 1:28: Stephanson 12:30: Rousseau 18:24.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties Baird 1:42; Hornung 9:22<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Edmonton. Lunde (Carlyle) &hellip; 6:463&mdash;Winnipeg. Bordeleau (Beaudin) &hellip; 14:194&mdash;Edmonton. Fonteyne (Perkins. Hamilton) &hellip; 19:51Penalties: Hull 6:14.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0872/3745551-1-eng-US/f0026-082.jpg" title="f0026-08" width="587" height="111"></div><h2>JERSEY 2 at HOUSTON 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Houston. Hughes (Lund. Hinse) &hellip; 6:412&mdash;Houston. Hall (Schella. Labossiere) &hellip; 13:483&mdash;Houston. Lund (Hughes. Hinse) &hellip; 18:49Penalties: Reichmuth 5:55. Lacroix. Lund 6:59. Schefla 8:22; Taylor. Lacroix 19 59.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Houston, Mark Howe (G. Howe. Hale) &hellip; 1:005&mdash;Jersey. Herriman (Rivers. Block) &hellip; 3:116&mdash;Houston. Howe &hellip; 8:067&mdash;Jersey. Laughton (Rivers Herriman) &hellip; 10:52Penalty Boylan 7:08.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Houston. Sherrit (G. Howe. Mark Howe) &hellip; 6:179&mdash;Houston Marty Howe (Hinse) &hellip; 17:34Penalty: Reichmuth 12:10.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-0966/3745544-1-eng-US/f0026-092.jpg" title="f0026-09" width="588" height="112"></div><h2>N. ENGLAND 2 at ANGELES 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Los Angeles. White (Odrowski. Veneruzzo) &hellip; 17:17Penalties. Dorey. Tardiff (minors, majors) 3:41: Ley 10:49; White 11:22; Whitlock 17:43. Odrowski 19:53.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;New England. Blackburn (Seiwood, Harris) &hellip; 5:423&mdash;Los Angeles. Whitlock (Hodgson, Tardif) &hellip; 7:094&mdash;Los Angeles. Thomas (Young) &hellip; 15:11Penalties: Veneruzzo 4:34, Dorey 11:37.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Los Angeles. White (Veneruzzo. Leblanc) &hellip; 5:416&mdash;New England. Blackburn (Williams, Harris) &hellip; 18:54Penalties None.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1062/3745537-1-eng-US/f0026-102.jpg" title="f0026-10" width="582" height="112"></div><h2>Thu. Feb. 21 VANCOUVER 4 at CHICAGO 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Chicago. Paiement (Proceviat) &hellip; 7:342&mdash;Vancouver. Jones (Lawson. B. Campbell) &hellip; 16:50Penalties: Morris 1:57. C. Campbell 2:57, Proceviat 8:15, Jones 17:41<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Vancouver. Migneault (St. Sauveur. Meyers) &hellip; 3:154&mdash;Chicago. Gordon (Backstrom. Stapleton) &hellip; 11:565&mdash;Chicago. Morns (Stapleton, Maggs) &hellip; 12:226&mdash;Vancouver. St Sauveur (Myers) &hellip; 16:507&mdash;Chicago. Gordon (Backstrom. Mavety) &hellip; 18:45Penalties McKenzie 4:23. Beaudqin 11:16: Mavety. Hutchison 11:52. Campbell 13:04. Paiement 14:03. Hutchison 18:22.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Chicago. Popeil (Paiement. Mavety) &hellip; 7:269&mdash;Vancouver. Myers &hellip; 10:53Penalties Cardiff 2:15; Liddington 3:59.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1158/3745530-1-eng-US/f0026-112.jpg" title="f0026-11" width="582" height="110"></div><h2>Fri. Feb. 22 TORONTO 3 at WINNIPEG 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Toronto. Dillon (Leduc. Cunningham &hellip; 3:332&mdash;Winnipeg. Huck (Asmundson) &hellip; 3:533&mdash;Winnipeg. Hargreaves (Gratton. Zanussi) &hellip; 13:06Penalties: Asmundson 7:24.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Winnipeg. McDonald (Johnson, Gratton) &hellip; 14:42Penalties: Simpson 4:24, Trottier 11:11. Huck 19:44.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Toronto, Trottier (Sentes. Martin) &hellip; 1:336&mdash;Toronto. King (Cuddie. Selby) &hellip; 1:237&mdash;Winnipeg. Hull (Beaudin, Bordeleau) &hellip; 18:00Penalties Cuddie 9:00. Huck. Cunningham 10:34.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1252/3745523-1-eng-US/f0026-122.jpg" title="f0026-12" width="584" height="112"></div><h2>MINNESOTA 6 at QUEBEC 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Minnesota. Johnson (Walton. Gallant) &hellip; 11:382&mdash;Quebec. Bernier &hellip; 13:213&mdash;Minnesota. McMillan (Arbour, Walton) &hellip; 19:44Penalties. Cardwell 13:38<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Minnesota. Walton (Hampson, McMillan) &hellip; 2:315&mdash;Minnesota, Christiansen (Morrison. Ball) &hellip; 5:336&mdash;Quebec. Bernier (Caron, Tremblay) &hellip; 12:16Penalties None.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Quebec. Gaudette (Leclerc. Guindon) &hellip; 4:038&mdash;Quebec. Caron (Beaule) &hellip; 9:309&mdash;Minnesota. Antonovich (Connelly) &hellip; 14:4810&mdash;Minnesota (Morrison) &hellip; 9:18Penalties. Gallant (minor, major) Bernier (major) 1:27.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1351/3745516-1-eng-US/f0026-132.jpg" title="f0026-13" width="584" height="116"></div><h2>Sat Feb. 23 EDMONTON 2 at HOUSTON 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Houston, Lund (Hughes. Marty Howe) &hellip; 2:052&mdash;Houston. Hinse (G Howe) &hellip; 7:293&mdash;Edmonton. Anderson (Perkins. Hamilton) &hellip; 8:22Penalties: Climie 11:22, Popiel 11:54. Lund 14:59. Climie 15:27.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Houston. Schella (Lund, Hughes) &hellip; 15:255&mdash;Edmonton. Wall &hellip; 17.486&mdash;Houston. Lund (Hinse) &hellip; 18:41Penalties: Taylor 16:27.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Houston. G. Howe (Hughes) &hellip; 6:41Penalties: McCrimmon 5:20, Taylor 9:13. Baird 9:39, Schella 14:20. McAneeley 19:47.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1447/3745509-1-eng-US/f0026-142.jpg" title="f0026-14" width="586" height="111"></div><h2>VANCOUVER 3 at CLEVELAND 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Cleveland. Jarrett (Ward. Andrea) &hellip; 0:302&mdash;Vancouver. Lawson (Cardiff. Hutchison) &hellip; 3:253&mdash;Cleveland, Clearwater (Buchanan) &hellip; 12:194&mdash;Cleveland, Pinder (Shmyr) &hellip; 17:44Penalties MacSweyn. B. Campbell (major, misconduct) 6:00. Donoghue 11:59.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Cleveland. Erickson (Buchanan. Muloin) &hellip; 2:466&mdash;Vancouver. Lawson (Burgess) &hellip; 3:107&mdash;Vancouver. McKenzie (Walton) &hellip; 7:49Penalties: Erickson 12:33.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>8&mdash;Cleveland. Krake (Jarrett. Buchanan) &hellip; 1:289&mdash;Cleveland. Heindl (Pinder. Brindley) &hellip; 18:3110&mdash;Cleveland. Krake (Edur) &hellip; 19:38Penalties: St. Sauveur 5:56.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1544/3745502-1-eng-US/f0026-152.jpg" title="f0026-15" width="590" height="115"></div><h2>N. ENGLAND 3 at CHICAGO 0</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;New England. Karlander (Dorey) &hellip; 2:022&mdash;New England. Byers (French. Seiwood) &hellip; 5:35Penalties: Mavety 8:56. Ley 11:12, Hardy 14:03. Danby 20:00.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;New England. Byers (French, Karlander) &hellip; 16:41Penalties: Jordan 4:41. Ley. Gordon (majors) 19:19, Karlander (minor, major) Backstrom (major) 19:33.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties Benzelock. Cunniff (minors, majors) 4:14. Ley 14:09.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1636/3745495-1-eng-US/f0026-162.jpg" title="f0026-16" width="590" height="117"></div><h2>Sun. Feb. 24 CHICAGO 1 at WINNIPEG 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Winnipeg, Beaudin (Bordeleau. Hornung) &hellip; 8:28Penalties Morris 0:35. Chicago bench (served by Coates) 7:13. Daley (served by Beaudin) 9:44. Woytowich 18:39.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Winnipeg, Hull (Bordeleau, Gratton) &hellip; 1:293&mdash;Chicago, Sicinski (Paiement. Popeil) &hellip; 16:23Penalties Zanussi (double minor) Maggs (doubleminor) 9:36. Mavety (minor, misconduct, game misconduct) 10:24<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Winnipeg. Hull (Bordeleau. Beaudin) &hellip; 19:31Penalties: Maggs 11:56<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1732/3745488-1-eng-US/f0026-172.jpg" title="f0026-17" width="586" height="115"></div><h2>VANCOUVER 1 at HOUSTON 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Houston, Popiel (Mark Howe. Kannegiesser) &hellip; 8:362&mdash;Houston, Schella (Taylor, Hall) &hellip; 17:57Penalties: Hutchison 3:30, Popiel 5:21. Taylor 6:08. McKenzie. Lund 7:45. Sherrit 16:19.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Houston, Lund (Hinse) &hellip; 4:154&mdash;Houston, Mark Howe (Kannegiesser) &hellip; 8:36Penalties. Sherrit 1:15. Beaudoin. Marly Howe 11:22. Schella C. Campbell 12:13, Hale 13:01, Cardiff 19:08.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Houston, Hale (Mark, Howe. G. Howe) &hellip; 4:466&mdash;Vancouver. Jones (Migneault. Lawson) &hellip; 11:087&mdash;Houston. Hall (Popiel. Labossiere) &hellip; 19:028&mdash;Houston. Taylor (Labossiere) &hellip; 19:30Penalties: Taylor 2:34, Hall 9:46.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1831/3745481-1-eng-US/f0026-182.jpg" title="f0026-18" width="586" height="113"></div><h2>JERSEY 4 at QUEBEC 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Jersey. Lacroix (Morenz. Block) &hellip; 0:312&mdash;Quebec. Bernier (Tremblay. Parizeau) &hellip; 2:153&mdash;Jersey. Bradley (Herriman) &hellip; 10:234&mdash;Jersey, Lacroix (Block) &hellip; 14:20Penalties: Herriman 7:53, Parizeau 15:59. Herriman, Roy 19:36.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Jersey. Morenz (Lacroix. Brown) &hellip; 0:396&mdash;Quebec. Hoganson (Bernier, Tremblay) &hellip; 1:257&mdash;Quebec. Parizeau (Bernier, Hoganson) &hellip; 7:318&mdash;Quebec, Beaule (Houle, Caron) &hellip; 9:169&mdash;Quebec, Tremblay (Parizeau. Bernier) &hellip; 17:51Penalties: Lacroix 1:09. Reichmuth 10:08. Beaule 13:10. Block 17:05.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>10&mdash;Quebec. Guindon (Leclerc. Beaule) &hellip; 14:0311&mdash;Quebec. Dufour (Tremblay. Roy) &hellip; 17:54Penalties: Herriman. Leclerc 1:16, Speer 16:35.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-1929/3745474-1-eng-US/f0026-192.jpg" title="f0026-19" width="588" height="114"></div> &#9632;

f0026-01

World Hockey Association Summaries

<div class="byline">BY HANS TANNER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-01273/3745652-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="561" height="737"><figcaption class="caption-body">ART STRATTON &hellip;Leading Candidate</figcaption></div>ROCHESTER &mdash;There have been repeat winners of the Les Cunningham Plaque which goes to the American Hockey League&rsquo;s most valuable player, but never more than two years apart.Never until this year, that is.Art Stratton, the 38-year-old center of the Rochester Americans, is the leading candidate for that award as the season winds down. Being voted a most valuable player would be no new experience for the crafty pivot. He won that honor while with Buffalo in the AHL in 1964-65 and took back-to-back awards in the Central League while with St. Louis in 1965-66 and 1966-67.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-03159/3745645-1-eng-US/f0027-032.jpg" title="f0027-03" width="283" height="447"><figcaption class="caption-body">Murray Kuntz</figcaption></div>Should Stratton take the Cunningham Plaque this spring, he&rsquo;d be the fifth player in AHL history to win it more than once. Freddy Glover, a right wing with Cleveland, won it in 1959-60, 1961-62 and 1963-64; Johnny Bower, a goalie with Providence, was the winner three straight years &mdash; 1955-56, 1956-57 and 1957-58; Carl Liscombe, a left wing with Providence, won in 1947-48 and and Gilles Villemure, a goalie with Buffalo, was the 1968-69&rsquo; and 1969-70 winner.Twenty-one different players have won the award, and 13 of them have been centers.Coach Don Cherry of the Amerks has proven himself a sharp spotter of a bargain. He picked up Stratton in the reverse draft of NHL-owned players by American and Western League teams in June.But he had to wait until his second chance to do it because he selected Murray Kuntz on the first round. Kuntz passed the 40-goal mark in mid-Febmary and has a chance at the all-time AHL single season goal record of 55. There were 20 players, not including Kuntz, taken before the Amerks grabbed Stratton.Art was stunned when called from Montreal and told he&rsquo;d been left unprotected in the reverse draft and taken by Rochester.&ldquo;I&rsquo;d had pretty good year for the Virginia Red Wings,&rdquo; he recalls. (He played in all 76 games and scored 30 goals while assisting on 50 others.) &ldquo;I&rsquo;d been given reason to believe something was in the works for me in the Detroit organization, maybe in the coaching line. There were to be a couple of vacant positions, and I thought I&rsquo;d be considered.&rdquo;But Stratton soon got over his anger and has had much to do with the Amerks&rsquo; climb to first place in the North Division, a feat they finally achieved with a victory in Jacksonville Feb. 17.&ldquo;I voted for Art as the most valuable player in the league last year because he took the faceoffs, killed penalties and took his regular shift for Virginia.&rdquo; Cherry said early in the season.And Stratton has done exactly the same for the Americans this season. In his role as penalty killer, he has scored four goals and set up two others. He&rsquo;s among the league leaders in points and assists and his assist on the game-winning goal in Jacksonville on the 17th was the 511th of his AHL career putting him alone in fourth place on the all time list.CINCINNATI: One place the Cincinnati Swords appeared especially solid this season was in goal. After all. the parent Buffalo Sabres had Roger Crozier and Dave Dryden, and the Swords had Gary Bromley and Rocky Farr.But just when Cincinnati was making a run at first-place Hershey in the South Division, coach Floyd Smith suddenly discovered the cupboard was bare of goalkeepers.Crozier was out of the Buffalo lineup with an illness, meaning Farr went up. No problem, Tim Regan, who had played well for him early in the season, was summoned to Cincinnati. Then Dryden was injured. Farr was hurt during a practice. Exit Bromley and Regan.Smith borrowed Danny Sullivan from Charlotte of the Southern League, and the 26-year-old responded with a 2-1 victory over Virginia to keep the Swords hot after the Bears Sullivan had by far the best goals against average in the SHL, owning a 2.78 average while posting a 10-3 record for Roanoke Valley and a 2.06 average winning his first five games for Charlotte after being dealt to the Checkers. He had five shutouts in his 20 games, too.Smith has had only two players &mdash; Billy Inglis and Hap Myers &mdash; for all the Swords&rsquo; games this season. And it was a good thing he had Inglis for the Feb. 17 win over Virginia. Only 14 seconds remained when Inglis snapped a 1-1 tie with the winning goal.NOVA SCOTIA: Sudden failure of the Voyageurs to win at home has cost coach Al MacNeil&rsquo;s team its chance to repeat as divisional champions.Nova Scotia had an amazing 31 wins, four ties and three losses on home ice last season and was 18-2-5 for its first 25 games in Halifax this season.But the Vees dropped a 3-1 shocker to Virginia Feb. 6, a 7-4 decision to Hershey Feb. 10 and, after beating Jacksonville 6-4 Feb. 14. the Voyageurs were routed by last-place Springfield. 6-3, Feb. 17.MacNeil was still operating without three key defensemen. but refused to blame the losses on that. He was still waiting for the return of or replacements for Richard Wilson. John Van Boxmeer and Jean Lemieux, all called up to the NHL.His defense quartet of Greg Hubick, Guy Delparte, Len Cunning and Gary Geldart held Jacksonville to two shots on goal (one of them went into the net) in the third period of the Feb. 14 game.Bob Gainey. Montreal&rsquo;s first choice in June&rsquo;s amateur draft and the eighth player selected overall, joined the Vees for an expected two-week stint before returning to the Canadiens. Gainey, known primarily as a defensive forward, scored a goal in his first game the loss to Springfield.Eddie Gilberton the 14th and Mickey Oja on the 17th became the second and third Voyageurs to reach the 20-goal mark. Larry Fullan was the first.JACKSONVILLE: Inability to hold a lead is still causing the Barons a lot of trouble as they struggle to stay in the race for a playoff spot in the South Division.During one recent eight-game stretch, coach John Hanna&rsquo;s club led in five of the games, but didn&rsquo;t win any of them. It started in Baltimore Feb. when the Barons had to settled for a 2-2 tie after leading 2-1 In Virginia, the team the Barons have to beat out. Jacksonville scored the opening goal on the way to a 5-4 defeat.But things got even worse. Playing at home against Boston on the 12th, Jacksonville led 2-0.3-1,4-2 and 5-3. But the Braves scored the tying goal with 37 seconds to play.In Nova Scotia on the 14th, the Barons were ahead 3-2, but eventually lost 6-4 decision as they had only two shots on goal in the final period.And on the 17th. the Barons owned 2-0 lead with 21 minutes to play on home ice against Rochester. But the Amerks bounced back for a 4-2 decision that really hurt the Baron&rsquo;s playoff chances.Hanna was able to obtain defenseman Jim Graham from Edmonton and figured that would let him go back to being mostly a bench coach. But injuries and recalls again reduced his blueline corps to three others, so Hanna played a lot in the Rochester loss.&ldquo;What courage he showed.&rdquo; Rochester coach Don Cherry said after the game. &ldquo;He must have played 50 minutes. He&rsquo;s just amazing.&rdquo;<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02217/3745638-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="596" height="534"></div>(Affiliations: 1&mdash;Montreal 2&mdash;Detroit 3&mdash;Boston. 4&mdash;N. Y. Rangers. 7&mdash;Los Angeles. 8&mdash;Pittsburgh 9&mdash;California. 19&mdash;Philadelphia. 11&mdash;Minnesota. 14&mdash;Buffalo 15&mdash;N Islanders 17&mdash;Cleveland (WHA). x-lndependent.)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tue. Feb. 19Richmond 5 at Nova Scotia 2Springfield 0 at Baltimore 13Rochester 7 at Jacksonville 3Wed. Feb. 20Rochester 5 at Hershey 4Nova Scotia 7 at New Haven 5Cincinnati 2 at Providence 7Fri. Feb. 22Virginia 3 at Baltimore 6Cincinnati 3 at New Haven 3Providence 3 at Richmond 4Boston 3 at Springfield 5Sat. Feb. 23Providence 3 at Baltimore 3Rochester 1 at Cincinnati 4New Haven 1 at Hershey 2Nova Scotia 5 at Springfield 3Sun. Feb. 24New Haven 2 at Cincinnati 6Virginia 5 at Jacksonville 3Boston 3 at Nova Scotia 8Springfield 2 at Providence 4Hershey 3 at Richmond 3Baltimore 1 at Rochester 4<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. Feb. 26Baltimore at BostonVirginia at JacksonvilleWed. Feb. 27Virginia at CincinnatiRichmond at HersheySpringfield at New HavenThu. Feb. 28Baltimore at Nova ScotiaFri. Mar. 1Richmond at CincinnatiNew Haven at RochesterBaltimore at SpringfieldSat. Mar. 2Nova Scotia at BostonRochester at HersheyJacksonville at SpringfieldRichmond at VirginiaSun. Mar. 3Boston at BaltimoreSpringfield at Nova ScotiaNew Haven at ProvidenceCincinnati at RichmondJacksonville at RochesterTue. Mar. 4Springfield at JacksonvilleWed. Mar. 5Cincinnati at HersheySpringfield at JacksonvilleProvidence at New HavenThu. Mar. 6Rochester at Nova ScotiaFri. Mar. 7Springfield at BaltimoreNew Haven at Rochester &#9632;

f0027-01

Stratton Headed For Another MVP Honor

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div>NORFOLK&mdash;General manager Bob Lemieux has returned to the coaching podium with the Virginia Red Wings.It marks Lemieux&rsquo;s third time at the helm of the Wings since coming from Fort Worth of the Central League two years ago. Lemieux fell into the Virginia job by his own design. He fired Ted Garvin as coach of the Wings, who have been stuggling to stay ahead of Jacksonville in the battle for fourth place in the AHL&rsquo;s South Division.Lemieux said he took it upon himself to relieve Garvin of his coaching job. Garvin insisted the decision came from Detroit, a claim Lemieux has denied, he said he made the move to oust Garvin, who was emphatic in his charge the Detroit organization wanted him out.Meanwhile, Dan Gruen led the Red Wings scorers with 49 points, 23 coming on goals, while Robbie Ftorek was only two points behind at 47. Ftorek had 18 goals. The Wings are headed for quite a race with Jacksonville for fourth place and a Calder Cup berth. The Wings, with two games in hand over the Barons, found themselves in a deadlock at 44 points with Jacksonville after the first weeks of February. The club that gets the best goaltending in the stretch undoubtedly will earn the playoff position. The Wings rate the edge in this phase.Goalie Denis Herron has been nothing short of brilliant with his netminding acrobatics since joining the Hershey Bears Jan. 24 after the parent Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Gary Inness.Inness departed as the American League&rsquo;s top goalie with a 2.90 average and winning record of 11-4-4.On came Herron from Salt Lake City where he had been shipped by Pittsburgh which decided the young goaltender wasn&rsquo;t rady for the National LeagueNo matter. In Herron&rsquo;s first six starts he skated off a winner in every game by allowing only 19 goals Four of the wins came on the road.Coach Chuck Hamilton continues his alternating goalie routine with veteran Bob Johnson sharing the duties with Herron.Johnson also has winning log of 14-13-5 and in one stretch this season went through seven games without a setback.Winger Robin Burns, who had been in a slump, came out ot it with a bang, notching five goals from Feb. to the 14th &mdash; five game stretch.However, the hottest line of late has been center Jim Wiley and wingers Hank Nowak and Jim Pearson. In an 11-game span, the trio collected 42 points, 17 coming on goals. The line had five game winners as the Bears went 8-3 in that stretch.RICHMOND: Mike Nykoluk. assistant coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, recently had to take over the Robins&rsquo; coaching reins because Larry Wilson was forced to return to Windsor, Ont., where his father was gravely ill. It marks the second time this season that Nykoluk was assigned to Richmond. In an earlier stint, he coached the team to a pair of wins and a loss. Barring a miracle comeback, the Robins appear to be out of the running for a Calder Cup berth. The club showed only 14 wins in its first 55 games and was mired in the Southern Division cellar with 35 points.BALTIMORE: Goalie Ken Lockett was the league&rsquo;s third best goalie in average at last look. In 24 games, he had played 1354 minutes and showed a 2.66 average with two shutouts. He won 14, lost and tied 1. The league&rsquo;s top netminder is Nova Scotia&rsquo;s Jim Shaw with a 2.47 average, while close behind was Lyle Carter, New Haven, at 2.50. Marc Dufour continues to hand in their in race for individual scoring honors in the league. After 50 games he had 66 points, nine behind the leader, Steve West, New Haven.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-01260/3745697-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="571" height="1003"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOB LEMIEUX &hellip;Made Decision</figcaption></div><h2>Looking At AHL Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-02188/3745690-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg" title="f0028-02" width="603" height="955"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-03139/3745683-1-eng-US/f0028-032.jpg" title="f0028-03" width="595" height="973"></div> &#9632;

f0028-01

Garvin Axed As Lemieux Takes Over Wings

<h2>Thu. Feb. 7 JACKSONVILLE 4 at VIRGINIA 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Jacksonville. Hanna (Cournoyer, Sarrazin) &hellip; 7:442&mdash;Virginia. Ftorek (McLeod. Gruen) &hellip; 8:153&mdash;Virginia. Newell (Mellor. McKenzie) &hellip; 10:59Penalties Jacques 0:21. Hoptavouri (major misconduct) 19:59.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Jacksonville. Cournoyer (Cunnitf. Sarrazin) &hellip; 2:215&mdash;Virginia. Mellor (Ftorek. Boxer) &hellip; 6:336&mdash;Virginia. Fontaine (Ftorek. Gruen) &hellip; 8:58Penalties: Hanna 8:13. Lavender 13:15; Ftorek 17:58.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;Jacksonville, Jacques (Hanna. Buetow) &hellip; 8.368&mdash;Jacksonville, Hanna (Warr) &hellip; 12:039&mdash;Virginia. Klewchuk (Bonnar. Mellor) &hellip; 14:27Penalties Hopiavouri 0:43. Nistico (major). McKenzie (major) 8:36.Saves. Gray (Jacksonville) 32. McKenzie-Hulme (Virginia) 26.Attendance: 2,533.<h2>Fri. Feb. 8 PROVIDENCE 5 at SPRINGFIELD 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Springfield. Chernecki (Lachance. Healey) &hellip; 9:202&mdash;Providence. Blanchard (Dennis) &hellip; 15:07Penalties Van Horlick 1:22: Legge 5:14.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Springfield. Webley (Hoene. Heaslip) &hellip; 8:084&mdash;Providence. Lagamere (Curtis. Peloffy) &hellip; 13:48Penalties None.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Springfield. Hoene (Heaslip. Van Horlick) &hellip; 4:066&mdash;Providence. Legge (Dennis) &hellip; 4:227&mdash;Springfield. Lachance (Harasym) &hellip; 9:488&mdash;Providence. Horbul (Middleton) &hellip; 13:119&mdash;Springfield. Heaslip (Hoene) &hellip; 15.5210&mdash;Providence, Horbu (Teeple) &hellip; 16:46Penalties: None.Saves: McDuffe (Providence) 20. Germain (Springfield) 39.Attendance: 3,784<h2>JACKSONVILLE 1 at BALTIMORE 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Baltimore, Gilmour (Houde) &hellip; 3:462&mdash;Baltimore. Douglas (Foley) &hellip; 6:42Penalties: Pulkkinen 10:41.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Jacksonville, Cournoyer (Hanna) &hellip; 6:214&mdash;Baltimore. Rivard (Menard. Mikkelson) &hellip; 7:245&mdash;Baltimore. Pulkkinen.&hellip; 9:01Penalties: Kemp 0:44.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Baltimore. Gilmour (Dufour, Murphy) &hellip; 5:457&mdash;Baltimore, Sokoll (Houde, Pulkkinen) &hellip; 6:448&mdash;Baltimore. Dufour (Gilmour, Douglas) &hellip; 10:40Penalties: NoneSaves: Belanger (Jacksonville) 31. DeJordy (Baltimpre) 41.<h2>NEW HAVEN 3 at RICHMOND 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Richmond. Wright (McCulloch. Boland) &hellip; 10:342&mdash;New Haved. Rogers (Chinnick) &hellip; 17:50Penalties. Rogers. Cook 13:38: Ahrens (minor, major). Bignell (minor, major) 14:57. Boland 18:09.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Richmond. Laieunesse (Schock) &hellip; 6:244&mdash;Richmond. MacAdam (Wright) &hellip; 8:54Penalties Pesut 3:23. Langlais 4 41. Plager 10:59; McCulloch 15:04; Cook 18:29.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;New Haven. West (Dunlop Holbrook) &hellip; 8.506&mdash;New Haven, West (Ahrens. Langlais) &hellip; 16 39Penalties: New Haven bench 5:00 Mcllhargey 6:59: Bignell 9:57; Bignell (minor, misconduct) 18:24Saves Carter (New Haven) 30. Belhumeur (Richmond) 32.<h2>CINCINNATI 2 at ROCHESTER 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties: Smulders 6:16: Graham 11:17; Hajt 13:27: Myers (major), Graham (major) 19 08.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Rochester, Pagnutti (Ellett, Ferguson) &hellip; 1:202&mdash;Rochester. Ellett (Pagnutti) &hellip; 8:15Penalties: Gauthier 15 54 Gauthier 18:25.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Rochester. Graham (Stratton. Pagnutti) &hellip; 10:164&mdash;Cincinnati. Robertson (Nichols) &hellip; 13:135&mdash;Rochester. Butler (Stratton. Graham) &hellip; 15.096&mdash;Cincinnati. Noris 15:46Penalties: None.Attendance: 5.290.<h2>Sat. Feb. HERSHEY 2 at BOSTON 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Boston. Corkery (Gibson. Hynes) &hellip; 2:332&mdash;Hershey. Burns (Rupp. Pearson) &hellip; 19:44Penalties Bird 2:01; Wiley 6:47; Gates 9:36: Bird 17:17<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Boston. Anderson (Gryp. Simmons) &hellip; 5:584&mdash;Hershey. Harvey (Owchar) &hellip; 6:385&mdash;Boston. Sarner (Stirling) &hellip; 19:45Penalties. Gates 2:41; Keller 7:22.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Boston. Stirling (Murphy. Boehm) &hellip; 14:317&mdash;Boston. Hynes (Corkery. Gibson) &hellip; 14:46Penalties: Jones 3:43 Gates 7:45: 16:03.Saves: Johnson (Hershey) 19. Reece (Boston) 30.Attendance. 4.557<h2>CINCINNATI 3 at SPRINGFIELD 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Springfield. Kinch (Seagrist Healey) &hellip; 9:52Penalties: Smith 19: Hajt 10:06. Brennan 13:29: Heaslip Richardson 15:450<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Cincinnati Titanic (McNab) &hellip; 0:073&mdash;Cincinnati Korzack (Robertson. Inglis) &hellip; 5:344&mdash;Springfield. Healey (MacGuigan. Lachande) &hellip; 11:12Penalties Healey 3:43.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Cincinnati. Richardson &hellip; 7:17Penalties: Lachance (minor, major). Hajt (minor, major) 9:14; Hoene (misconduct) 15:24Saves: Bromley (Cincinnati) 34. Rexe (Springfield) 30.Attendance 2.721.<h2>Wed. Feb. 13 HERSHEY 1 at NEW HAVEN 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;New Haven. Langlais (West. Anderson) &hellip; 1:222&mdash;New Haven. Burns (Rogers. Colley) &hellip; 3:093&mdash;New Haven. West (Plager. Chinnick) &hellip; 8:194&mdash;New Haven. Dunlop (Lee. Anderson) &hellip; 16 045&mdash;Hershey, Nowak (Wiley) &hellip; 18:196&mdash;New Haven. Patterson (Thompson. Burns) &hellip; 19:40Penalties: Keller 8:38: Rogers (major). Sheremeta (major) 15:42.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>7&mdash;New Haven. Patterson (Thompson. Ahrens) &hellip; 13:588&mdash;New Haven. Thompson (Ahrens) &hellip; 19:02Penalties: Keller6:30: Labre 12:53; Shaw 17:41<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>No scoringPenalties. Ahrens 6:11: Sheremeta. Ewasiuk (major). Ahrens 9:50; Sheremeta 18:27.Saves: Johnson-Herron (Hershey) 36. Parsons (New Haven) 31.Attendance: 6.554. &#9632;

American League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY GREG FARLEY</div>BOSTON&mdash;Almost six months have passed since opening night when Braves&rsquo; coach Matt Ravlich forecast that fan support would reflect favorably or unfavorably on his club&rsquo;s performance, but suddenly it&rsquo;s beginning to look like the man knew what he was talking about.The Tribe has endured more than its share of lumps both on and off the ice this season, yet no one has shown any sympathy or interest. Worse yet, no one has shown &mdash; period.Perhaps the lowest blow of all was struck when a mere 600 hearty souls braved blizzard last month to view a Saturday matinee loss to the Swords at Boston Garden.Under the circumstances, the turnout was downright respectable, but it seemed drastically smaller later that night when it was reported that 7,000 Hub hockey disciples had made it to the Garden to watch the Whalers.Granted the Howes were in town, and the advance was well over 10.000, but the glaring discrepancy in attendance figures shed some pretty bad light &mdash; and publicity &mdash; on the Braves.&ldquo;Judging from much of what I&rsquo;ve read,&rdquo; remarked Ravlich. &ldquo;some people can&rsquo;t get rid of us quickly enough.One week later, however, Ravlich had his night, or in this case, day to howl, when 5,000 Braves&rsquo; backers turned out on a Saturday afternoon to watch the stirred up Tribe do a number on those Hershey grizzlies, 5-2.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve said all along that having the fans behind you can make all the difference in the world,&rdquo; beamed Matty Joe after the victory, &ldquo;and what happened out there today proves it.&ldquo;Hershey came in here with the best record in the league and fresh off a win at Rochester, and we came in here with six straight losses.&rdquo;So maybe the Bears took the Braves too lightly?&ldquo;Possibly.&rdquo; mused Matty, &ldquo;but I won&rsquo;t buy that. Those guys have been playing better hockey on the road than at home, and (Hershey coach Chuck) Hamilton&rsquo;s got them geared up to win their division.&ldquo;They just ran into a determined team today, that&rsquo;s all. Our guys saw those fans out there and gave it their best shot, because they want them to come back.&rdquo;Best guess, however, is that all Braves&rsquo; stories next season will be preceeded by either a Fitchburg, Braintree or Manchester dateline.NEW HAVEN: Nighthawks&rsquo; scoring ace Steve West, gradually pulling away from the pack, is chalking up points at a pace which would make him the 23rd player in league history to accumulate 100 or more in single season, and also has an solid shot at becoming the league&rsquo;s 11th 50 goal man. With those kind of credentials. West would be a shoo-in for All-Star honors at center&hellip; Entering last Saturday&rsquo;s meeting in Hershey, the Hawks owned an impressive 3-0-2 slate against the South Division pace setters, including two winson Bear grounds.PROVIDENCE: Red&rsquo;s rookie gunners Pierre Laganiere and Rick Middleton, frontrunners for the Dudley &ldquo;Red&rdquo; Garrett rookie-of-the-year award, were being pressured by Boston&rsquo;s Doug Gibson and Dave Hynes at last check, with New Haven&rsquo;s Blake Dunlop a longshot possibility. Red&rsquo;s rookie goaler Curt Ridley, pried last summer from the Boston organization, looms as a &ldquo;sleeper&rdquo; in the balloting. Ridley kept the Reds in the race when Pete McDuffe was summoned by the Rangers for six weeks&hellip; Reds already boast seven 20 goal plus men, and could easily count 10 by season&rsquo;s end.SPINGFIELD: In an effort to bolster their sagging defenses. Kings dispatched right winger Doug Volmar to Richmond in exchange for blueliner Roger Pelletier, a nine year AHL veteran who can play right wing should the situation arise&hellip; Defenseman John Van Horlick was loaned to the Kings&rsquo; WHL affiliate in Portland, while blueliner Jim Atamanenko was recalled from the same club. Atamanenko is a 20-year-old situation arise. &#9632;

Fans Spur Braves To Victory In A Rare Show Of Interest

<div class="byline">BY JOHN ARNOLD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-01224/3745776-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="824" height="1086"></div><h2>SOLUTION IN MARCH 15 ISSUE</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;Pictured player.8&mdash;Former NHL coach.9&mdash;Wears No. 14 for Toronto.10&mdash;One of the Bruins, (init.)12&mdash;Denotes scoreless tie.13&mdash;Hull of Winnipeg answers to this.16&mdash;Number worn by Guy Lafleur.18&mdash;Fontaine answers to this.20&mdash;Nickname of pictured player.21&mdash;Skating requisite.22&mdash;Goaltenders protect this.23&mdash;One of the Seals.27&mdash;Chicago are perennial winners in this division.28&mdash;Former NHL defenseman.30&mdash;Fontaine of Virginia answers to this.31&mdash;Ken Hodge wears this number.34&mdash;All players are this, (abbr.)<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;One of the Chicago Cougars.2&mdash;Initials of former Hawk Balfour.3&mdash;High scoring Red Wing forward.4&mdash;Initials of former forward Litzenberger.5&mdash;An NHL referee.6&mdash;15th and 5th letters of the alphabet.7&mdash;High10&mdash;Negative reply.11&mdash;One of the Rangers, (init.)14&mdash;A New York Rangers forward.15&mdash;One of the Flyers.17&mdash;Twin vowels.19&mdash;Former nickname of Quebec in AHL.24&mdash;Avenue, (abbr.)25&mdash;Finished 3rd in the east last year.26&mdash;Versus, (abbr.)27&mdash;A former Red Wing defenseman.29&mdash;One of the Bruins answers to this.30&mdash;Former NHL forward Labine. (init.)32&mdash;One of the Blues. (init.)33&mdash;Initials of one of the Kings<h2>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S ANSWERS</h2><h3>ACROSS</h3>1&mdash;MACGREGOR7&mdash;DOAK8&mdash;KENNEDY11&mdash;EGAN12&mdash;YES14&mdash;TED16&mdash;TIM17&mdash;ICE19&mdash;LL20&mdash;ERR21&mdash;LL22&mdash;BROWN25&mdash;SLOAN27&mdash;GA29&mdash;SPENCER31&mdash;GEE32&mdash;PAT<h3>DOWN</h3>1&mdash;MCKENZIE2&mdash;CONACHER3&mdash;EDDY4&mdash;GOYETTE5&mdash;OA6&mdash;RK9&mdash;EG10&mdash;NN13&mdash;SEILING15&mdash;DM18&mdash;CRISP22&mdash;BONE23&mdash;RACE24&mdash;ONE26&mdash;LEG28&mdash;ART29&mdash;SS30&mdash;RP &#9632;

f0029-01

HOCKEY CROSSWORLD

<div class="byline">BY DOUG MCCONNELL</div>SEATTLE &mdash;The Western Hockey League player of-the-week award isn&rsquo;t really for the player-of-the-week.It&rsquo;s an award for the forwards and goaltenders. Mostly it&rsquo;s for forwards. with only three goaltenders breaking their domination this season.Denver goaltenders Bill Yeo and Jim Watt and Phoenix&rsquo; Gary Simmons were recognized for their play, but like the forwards, their exploits are measured in statistics.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-01255/3745814-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="279" height="450"><figcaption class="caption-body">Art Jones</figcaption></div>Only once in the last two years, however, has a defenseman been named player-of-the-week and that was for a hot scoring performance.Jim Atamanenko, the rookie defenseman traded by Portland recently to Springfield in the American League, was honored in the first week of the season for his five points in two games, all on power plays.To attempt to give the defensemen some recognition. Karen Eversole, the secretary to the WHL president, first requested before Christmas that all scorekeepers include the game&rsquo;s three-star selection on the scoresheet, then asked the public relations directors to send it on the Telex along with scoring reports.The response, so far, has not been overwhelming and the award continues to go to the forwards.A review of the player-of-the-week selections to date this season:Jim Atamanenko, rookie defenseman for Portland, scored five points in two games, including two goals and two assists in 5-5 tie with Phoenix to take first week scoring lead.Mike Lampman. Denver left wing now with Seattle, scored eight points during week, including three goals and three assists in 8-6 win over Salt Lake.Art Jones, veteran Portland center, took over scoring lead with 10-point week, including seven point performance against Salt Lake, one point shy of WHL single game record held jointly by Phil Maloney and Jackie McLeod.Bill Yeo. Denver goaltender, allowed three goals and stopped 51 shots in two victories.Gary Gambucci, since promoted to the Minnesota North Stars, had an eight point week for Portland (five goals-three assists), including a hat trick against Seattle, raising season output to 15 points in eight games.Jim Watt. Denver goalie, registered wins over San Diego. Portland and Phoenix while allowing six goals and stopping 84 shots.Paul O&rsquo;Neil, rookie Seattle center, in four games scored four goals and two assists, including fourth game-winning goal.Paul Sheard, Seattle left wing, scored three goals and three assists as Totems defeated Denver. Salt Lake and Phoenix to move into three-way tie for first.Gary Simmons. Phoenix goaltender, allowed five goals in recording three victories, two in overtime, to reduce goals against average to league leading 2.82.Bob Courcy, veteran San Diego right wing, scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in three San Diego victories.Ken Campbell. Portland center, recorded his first hat trick of the season and added an assists in 5-2 win over Phoenix and totaled six points (four goals, two assists) for the week to mark his return after a 21-game injury absence.Dan Gloor, Seattle center, accumulated nine points (five goals, four assists) in four straight victories, including his second hat trick of the season.Courcy of San Diego scored five goals in victories over Salt Lake and Denver, including four goals against Denver.Larry Patey, rookie Salt Lake center, counted seven points (five goals, two assists) in three games, lifting himself from tenth to third in scoring race.Kerry Bond, who has played every position but goal for San Diego, filled in for injured Bob Courcy and scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) in four garpes, including second hat trick of season and moved into tie for 10th in WHL, scoring.Ron Huston, Salt Lake center and last season&rsquo;s WHL most valuable player, scored seven points&rdquo; in two games, six on four goals and two assists in a 9-3 rout of Phoenix.Mike Bloom, San Diego center, accumulated six points in two San Diego victories over Phoenix to increase Gulls&rsquo; WHL leadership to eight points. His two goals and four assists moved him into a tie for third in individual scoring with 48 points in 45 games.Gordie Brooks, Denver right wing, scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) in three games, including a hat trick and three assists for a six-point performance in 7-6 victory over Salt Lake.Lyle Bradley, Salt Lake center, scored nine points in three Salt Lake victories, including a hat trick in 11-1 thrashing of San Diego to extend his scoring lead to 12 points.Murray Keogan. Phoenix center, scored three goals and three assists for six points in two victories, including the winning goal in overtime against Denver.<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-03152/3745807-1-eng-US/f0030-032.jpg" title="f0030-03" width="585" height="274"></div>(Affiliations: 6&mdash;Toronto. 7&mdash;Los Angeles. 9&mdash;California. 10&mdash;Philadelphia 12&mdash;St. Louts 13&mdash;Vancouver.)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tue. Feb 19Phoenix 4 at San Diego 3Wed. Feb. 20Denver 3 at Seattle 6Fri. Feb. 22Salt Lake 3 at Seattle 7Phoenix 3 at Denver 1Sat, Feb. 23Salt Lake 5 at San Diego 2Sun. Feb. 24Portland 3 at San Diego 2Phoenix 1 at Denver 2<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Wed. Feb. 27Phoenix at PortlandSalt Lake at DenverFri. Mar. 1San Diego at Salt LakePhoenix at DenverSat. Mar. 2Seattle at PortlandSun. Mar. 3Seattle at San DiegoSalt Lake at PhoenixTue. Mar. 5Salt Lake at San DiegoWed. Mar. 6Denver at PortlandSeattle at PhoenixThu. Mar. 7Phoenix at Salt LakeFri. Mar. 8San Diego at Phoenix &#9632;

f0030-01

Forwards Monopolizing WHA Award

DENVER&mdash;The Denver Spurs lost two overtime games in three nights to run their season&rsquo;s records to four wins and seven losses under the overtime rule, which was returned to the Western Hockey League this season.The last two were fall-from-ahead losses.The Spurs built a 3-1 lead in Phoenix but gave up two third period goals and the winner to ex-Spur Murray Keogan at 3:16 of overtime.The Spurs had a 3-2 lead over the first place Salt Lake Golden Eagles when Dave Hrechkosy&rsquo;s long slap shot tied the score with four seconds remaining. Defenseman Paul Shakes scored on a rebound at 3:37 of the extra period.The Spurs are the only WHL team without a tie on their record this season.Jim Stanfield has found a home in the Mile High City, scoring a point-a-game since joining the Spurs from San Diego. He has seven goals and nine assists in 16 games as a Spur for an overall season&rsquo;s record of 11 goals find 23 assists in 48 games.Stanfield hooked up on a line recently with Bob Collyard and Phil Roberto.Roberto scored four goals and four assists in the first four games since joining the Spurs from the St. Louis Blues.Collyard, a slick center, scored 10 goals and 12 assists over a six-game stretch before being shut out by San Diego and Salt Lake City.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-02198/3745845-1-eng-US/f0030-022.jpg" title="f0030-02" width="568" height="585"><figcaption class="caption-body">PHIL ROBERTO &hellip; 4-Goal Start</figcaption></div>Collyard is the team leader with 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points in 47 games. It is his first 20-goal season in three years of pro hockey.The Spurs got two players back from the parent Blues, captain and defenseman Glenn Patrick returning after dressing for one game with St. Louis, and Butch Williams after a longer stint.Williams had three goals and seven assists in 18 games with St. Louis. He scored a goal in his first game back with the Spurs for a total of 12 plus nine assists in 36 WHL games. &#9632;

f0030-02

Denver Unproductive In Overtime Action

<div class="byline">BY DOUG McCONNELL</div>PHOENIX&mdash;The Weyburn Red Wings aren&rsquo;t doing badly in the Western Hockey League these days.The junior team from the small town in Saskatchewan which gave the Phoenix Roadrunners Don Caley, currently the hottest goaltender in the WHL, has also given the Roadrunners Murray Keogan and Darwin Mott, currently one of the hottest scoring combinations in the WHL. and Wendell Bennett, the right wing who has dropped back to give the Runners another rugged defenseman.Caley. 28, who graduated from the Red Wings to the pro ranks in 1966, has allowed just four goals in his last three games.Keogan. 24, and Mott. 23, who came along with Bennett. 23, a couple of years after Caley, combined for 10 goals and 23 points as the Roadrunners completed a successful six-game home stand, 6-0.Keogan had three goals and three assists, including the winning goal in an overtime game with Denver, for a six-point, two-game week and was named WHL player-of-the-week.Keogan leads the team and is fourth among WHL scorers with 61 points.Mott scored four goals and five assists in the six games for a 30 point (13 goals) season&rsquo;s total.This is Bennett&rsquo;s fourth season in pro hockey, the third for Keogan who played two seasons for the University of Minnesota (Duluth) and the first for Mott who captained Michigan Tech last year.It was Keogan&rsquo;s recommendation which brought Mott to the Roadrunners to fill one of the two required rookie berths and it was a rash of injuries which, says coach Sandy Hucul, gave Mott the ice time to develop.It has been the help and advice of Wayne Hicks, says Mott, that has enhanced that development.Hicks, 36, collected a goal, his 22nd of the season, and four assists in the last two games as Keogan&rsquo;s right wing.&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been showing me when to pass and when not,&rdquo; said Mott. &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m holding onto the puck a little more. I was throwing it away before, trying to make things happen too last, although in pro hockey you&rsquo;ve got to do everything faster than in college.&rdquo;The Roadrunners haven&rsquo;t been doing everything quickly, in fact start slower than any other club in the WHL.They&rsquo;ve scored the opening goal just 21 times in 56 games, but have come on in the third period for most of their 30 victories and are unbeatable in overtime.The Roadrunners have gone into overtime nine times, won seven and tied two. Their most recent extra period victory was Feb. 15 by 4-3 over the Denver Spurs (with Keogan scoring the winner) after trailing 3-1.Their other overtime victories: 2-1 over San Diego in Phoenix. Oct. 6: 5-4 at Portland. Oct. 10: 4-3 at Denver. Nov. 2: 2-1 at Denver Dec. 2. 3-2 over Denver at Phoenix. Dec. 2. 8-7 over Seattle at Phoenix. Jan. 30. They also played to a 5-5 tie at Portland Oct. 5 and a 4-4 tie with Seattle at Phoenix Oct. 17.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-01234/3745876-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="571" height="601"><figcaption class="caption-body">MURRAY KEOGAN &hellip; Top Runner</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0031-01

Weyburn Products Deliver For Phoenix Roadrunners

<h2>Fri. Feb. 1 PORTLAND 1 at PHOENIX 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Portland, Lewis (Haggarty, McNabb) &hellip; 12:11Penalties: Wilson 3:42: Woodley 5:34 Peters 17:37.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>No scoring.Penalties Woodley 5:11<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Phoenix, Keogan &hellip; 3:243&mdash;Phoenix, Barber (Hyndman. Young) &hellip; 534&mdash;Phoenix, Keogan (DeCloe. O&rsquo;Shea) &hellip; 15:37Penalties: Murray 0:17: Abgrall (major) 16:05. Thiffault (major) 16:05.Saves: Caley (Phoenix) 24. Vrxnan (Portland) 28.Attendance: 7,883<h2>SEATTLE 4 at SALT LAKE 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Seattle. Gloor (Gould, Stone) &hellip; 1:182&mdash;Salt Lake, Hustort (Meeke) &hellip; 7:37Penalties: Mair 6:47.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Seattle. Stone (Gould. Gloor) &hellip; 2:094&mdash;Salt Lake. Hrechkosy (Shakes) &hellip; 5:575&mdash;Salt Lake. Huston (Coalter, Holt) &hellip; 15:49Penalties: Girard 4:55: McCord 17:04: Patey 17:83: Monahan (double minor), Sheard (double minor) 17:56.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Seattle. Gloor (Stone. Gould) &hellip; 3:207&mdash;Seattle. Folco (O&rsquo;Neil) &hellip; 17:08Penalties: None.Saves: Brady (Seattle) 37. Champoux (Salt Lake) 39.<h2>SAN DIEGO 3 at DENVER 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;San Diego, Lafreniere (Miszuk, Bloom) &hellip; 0:462&mdash;Denver, G. Brooks (McPherson, Collyard) &hellip; 4:08Penalties: Stumpf 4:34: Hurlburt 6:16.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Denver, Stumpf (Stevens, Spring) &hellip; 5:204&mdash;Denver. Forey (Stevens, Slater) &hellip; 11:175&mdash;San Diego. Bloom (Kennett. Miszuk) &hellip; 18:40Penalties: Collyard 4:52: Goyer 4:52 Denver bench 8:42<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Denver. Stanfield (G. Brooks) &hellip; 3:367&mdash;San Diego, Lafreniere (O&rsquo;Ree) &hellip; 10:098&mdash;Denver. Stumpf &hellip; 11:309&mdash;Denver. Brooks (Stanfield, Coilyard) &hellip; 18:2010&mdash;Denver. Stumpf (Borotsik, Spring) &hellip; 19:03Penalties: None.Saves: Adams (San Diego) 36. Yeo (Denver) 31.Attendance: 3.612<h2>Sat. Feb. 2 PORTLAND 3 at SAN DIEGO 5</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Portland. Hughes (Campbell, Wilson) &hellip; 10:102&mdash;San Diego, Goyer (Trevelyan)&hellip; 12:39Penalties: Campbell 3:46<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Portland. Campbell (Jones, Hebenton) &hellip; 1:38Penalties Madigan. Gianinm. Bond (major). 1:35 Trachsel 14:24; Ree 17:07.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Portland. Hebenton (Campbell. Hughes) &hellip; 0:505&mdash;San Diego, Trevelyan (O Ree. Miszuk) &hellip; 4:186&mdash;San Diego. Gagnon (Madigan) &hellip; 8:377&mdash;San Diego, MacNeil (Gagnon. Hurlburt) &hellip; 13:098&mdash;San Diego, Bond (O&rsquo;Ree, Bloom) &hellip; 14:40Penalties Wilson 29 4:37: Campbell (major, misconduct) 4:37. MacNeil 16:34. Lafreniere 18:19 Miszuk 19:30.Saves: Charron (Portland) 33. Adams (San Diego) 37.Attendance 12,057.<h2>SALT LAKE 6 at DENVER 7</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Salt Lake. Patey (Shakes. Hrechkosy) &hellip; 10:232&mdash;Denver. Collyard (Stevens. Stanfield) &hellip; 10:393&mdash;Denver, McCord (G. Brooks. Collyard) &hellip; 17:39Penalties None<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Salt Lake. Hall &hellip; 1:445&mdash;Salt Lake. Bradley (Holt. Serafini) &hellip; 2:446&mdash;Salt Lake. Monahan (Patey) &hellip; 4:517&mdash;Denver. Stanfield (Collyard, G. Brooks) &hellip; 6:278&mdash;Denver, G. Brooks (Collyard) &hellip; 12:129&mdash;Denver. G. Brooks (Stanfield. McCord) &hellip; 18:0510&mdash;Salt Lake. Hrechkosy &hellip; 19:18Penalties: Hamel 7:01: Shakes 18:26<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>11&mdash;Salt Lake. King (Shakes) &hellip; 6:2212&mdash;Denver. G. Brooks (Stanfield. Collyard) &hellip; 12:3613&mdash;Denver, Collyard (McCord. Brooks) &hellip; 15:44Penalties: Holt 15:05Saves: Headley (Salt Lake) 32. Yeo (Denver) 20.Attendance: 3,906.<h2>Sun. Feb. 3 SALT LAKE 6 at PORTLAND 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Salt Lake. Monahan (Hrechkosy) &hellip; 12:39Penalties: Patey 18:48.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Salt Lake. Hrechkosy (Monahan) &hellip; 1:413&mdash;Salt Lake. Bradley (Hrechkosy, Shakes) &hellip; 2:594&mdash;Salt Lake. Coalter (Bradley. Girard) &hellip; 17:42Penalties: Buhr 12:34.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>5&mdash;Portland. Hughes (Hebenton. Trachsel) &hellip; 1:026&mdash;Portland. Giannini (Jones. Wilson) &hellip; 3:557&mdash;Salt Lake. Holt (Bradley) &hellip; 6:068&mdash;Salt Lake. Patey (Shakes) &hellip; 18:40Penalties: Patey 18:53.Saves: Champoux (Salt Lake) 34. Kelly (Portland) 38.Attendance 3.337<h2>Tue. Feb. 5 DENVER 1 at PHOENIX 2</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>No scoringPenalties: Stevens 15:19. O&rsquo;Shea 17:06.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Denver. Brooks (Collyard. Stanfield) &hellip; 17:192&mdash;Phoenix. Mott (Keogan. Woodley) &hellip; 19 41Penalties. Hyndman 13.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>3&mdash;Phopnix. Young (Hyndman, Woodley) &hellip; 8:45Penalties: None.Saves: Yeo (Denver) 23. Caley (Phoenix) 17.Attendance: 6,520.<h2>Wed. Feb. 6 SAN DIEGO 1 at PORTLAND 3</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Portland Haggarty (McElmury, Peters) &hellip; 6:51Penalties: Kennett. Campbell 13:11. Miszuk 15:03.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>No scoringPenalties: Poffenroth (major, misconduct) 19:11.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Portland, Hebenton (Campbell. Hughes) &hellip; 0:463&mdash;San Diego. Trevelyan (Goyer, Courcy) &hellip; 2:054&mdash;Portland. Campbell (Hughes. Wilson) &hellip; 12:26Penalties: NoneSaves: Adams (San Diego) 29. Charron (Portland) 28.Attendance: 2,845<h3>Thu. Feb. 7 PORTLAND 2 at SALT LAKE 3</h3><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;Portland. Hebenton (Hughes. Campbell) &hellip; 11:31Penalties: Trachsel 1:51 Buhr 13:31 Patey 17:15.<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>2&mdash;Portland. Poffenroth &hellip; 12:203&mdash;Salt Lake. Bradley (Holt. Coalter) &hellip; 14:18Penalties: Hughes 5:06 McElmury 11:09 Serafini 14:46: Meeke 16:41.<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Salt Lake. King (Hall. Patey) &hellip; 12:29Penalties Monahan 6:30: Trachsel 10:42: Jones 11:39.OVERTIME PERIOD5&mdash;Salt Lake. Patey (Hall) &hellip; 25Penalties: None.Saves: Charron (Portland) 26. Champoux (Salt Lake) 34.Attendance: 2.986<h2>Fri. Feb. 8 SAN DIEGO 2 at SEATTLE 4</h2><h3>FIRST PERIOD</h3>1&mdash;San Diego. O&rsquo;Ree (Bloom. Bond) &hellip; 13:492&mdash;Seattle, Gould (Gloor. Stone) &hellip; 19:153&mdash;San Diego. Goyer (Miszuk. Trevelyan) &hellip; 19:57Penalties Westner 48 Bloom 52 Wilcox 16:41 Bloom 18:34: Hurlburt (major). Lampman (major) 19:10<h3>SECOND PERIOD</h3>4&mdash;Seattle, Stone (McIntyre, Gloor) &hellip; 12:525&mdash;Seattle, O&rsquo;Neil (Foldo. Seguin) &hellip; 15:18Penalties: Wisener 17:53<h3>THIRD PERIOD</h3>6&mdash;Seattle, Gould (Stone) &hellip; 7:34Penalties Gould 0:28 Madigan 18 Goyer 16:30 MacNeil (misconduct) 20:00.Saves: Adams (San Diego) 27, Brady (Seattle) 32.Attendance: 8,276. &#9632;

Western Hockey League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY JIM PALMER</div>ALBUQUERQUE&mdash;Late in challenging first year. Six-Gun coach John Choyce sees fresh hope blossoming. It may be too late to finish any higher than last this year, but next season is a different story.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking forward to next year as being a bumper year, and I think it&rsquo;s going to be the indicating year &mdash; the one that&rsquo;s going to say whether hockey is going to be a big thing in Albuquerque or not,&rdquo; said Choyce.The Six-Guns, owned by the soon-to-be-iced Kansas City Scouts, entered the Central League this season before an opening-night throng of 9,000-plus at Tingley Coliseum, and settled back in last place.Players, most notably from the New York Rangers and Boston, were loaned to Choyce, and in the middle of February things started clicking for the guns.Since late last month Albuquerque has been playing at a 500 clip, and now boasts the league&rsquo;s top goaltender in Wayne Wood.&ldquo;Realistically we haven&rsquo;t had a great season, but there&rsquo;s great confidence for the stretch.&rdquo; Choyce said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, and we think somebody is going to get knocked out We figure we can lose only a very few games from now until the end of the season.Despite some mid-season rumors to the contrary, Choyce envisions a bright hockey picture for Albuquerque.&ldquo;I think our reception here was very good. Being in New Mexico in the middle of the desert you had people who had never been exposed to the game before. We probably have pretty close to 2,500 hard-core fans here now.&ldquo;They are making improvements in the building &mdash; putting in 6,600 new-type seats. The building is an 11,372-seat facility. We think Albuquerque is going to be a great hockey town. We have to educate the people, and when we do I think we might be the biggest draw in the Central League.&rdquo; Choyce said.&ldquo;Our crowds have been good until our last two week-night games at home. Prior to that week we&rsquo;d been putting in 2,800-3,200. I believe it&rsquo;s going to be a 6,000-8,000-people city.&ldquo;The key here is going to be next year. We have to draw some people here. Our cost of operation is probably higher than anybody else&rsquo;s, because we can&rsquo;t bus anywhere, we have to fly everywhere we go. It costs a little more to do business in Alquerque and you need a few more people coming to the games,&rdquo; noted Choyce.Choyce said emphatically, &ldquo;My understanding is there will be hockey in Albuquerque next year. The media has been giving us good coverage lately, and I think they&rsquo;re ready to give us their support.&rdquo;Choyce himself has been the object of rumors that say he may become the first coach of the Kansas City Scouts. Choyce, who worked for Scout GM Sid Abel three years under the St. Louis banner, says; &ldquo;Everybody&rsquo;s goal is to coach in the NHL. I&rsquo;m sure if it were offered to me I&rsquo;d have difficult in saying no. As of this date there&rsquo;s been nothing said&hellip; just speculation.&rdquo;Recalling the beginning of a the season, Choyce said, &ldquo;We had to make some changes. We were a little weak in a couple of areas, mainly inexperience of defense. Now all of sudden we were able to come up with Terry Clancy. Of course. Wood was with us at the beginning of the year, but he went to Providence when Peter McDuffe was called up. That left us with only one goaltender (Ray Reeson). It&rsquo;s tough to go with just one goalkeeper with the type of team we had in front of him.&ldquo;Now that we&rsquo;ve got Wood back we can alternate goalkeepers and they don&rsquo;t get ovetired.&rdquo;Wood&rsquo;s injury before being returned to Providence wasn&rsquo;t the only crippler Choyce faced.&ldquo;We lost our captain, Nick Polano, when he returned to Providence. That sort of took the heart of our hockey club. That left us with all young players in the back end. Now with Clancy we&rsquo;ve recovered. He&rsquo;s the kind of guy who can get you out of trouble.&rdquo;Clancy had been playing with Detroit&rsquo;s London Lions, and his arrival in Albuquerque was an unexpected windfall for Choyce.Although in last place all season the Six-Guns really haven&rsquo;t done that badly. Ties plagued the Guns the early part of the season, and Albuquerque has now tied almost enough to match a league record.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-03120/3745945-1-eng-US/f0032-032.jpg" title="f0032-03" width="555" height="825"><figcaption class="caption-body">TERRY CLANCY &hellip;Arrival Timely</figcaption></div>&ldquo;And we&rsquo;ve lost about 16 games by one goal,&rdquo; Choyce points out.&ldquo;We&rsquo;re thankful to these National League organizations who were as kind to us as they were in giving us players to start off with. We got some terrific ones. said Albuquerque&rsquo;s coach.League observers consider the last-place Six-Guns, along with first-place Omaha, the most improved teams in the league.Choyce has coached three teams in the Central League (Kansas City. Fort Worth and Albuquerque) as well as Denver in the Western League most of last season.&ldquo;The Central League has always been the league for a young player to play in. It&rsquo;s skating league and always has ranked number one for aggressive play and hard work,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;I think you&rsquo;ll see next year or the year after maybe an eight or 10-team league. It&rsquo;s more than a possibility next year.&rdquo;While Choyce painted a glowing picture of the hockey situation in Albuquerque. he didn&rsquo;t forget the player who have helped establish the sport.&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve all had a lot of guts and no gotten discouraged.&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;If Ken Davidson had not gotten hurt I think he would be challenger for the league scoring lead. Right now Ken Ireland&rsquo;s our leader. I think Dale Yutsky is as improved as anybody in hockey. And our defenseman Larry O&rsquo;Connor is worthy of the all-star team.&rdquo; Choyce said.Kansas City&rsquo;s first step has been successful one. and with any luck at all. the success story will continue in Albuquerque.<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2>(Affiliations: 5&mdash;Chicago. 6&mdash;Toronto. 15&mdash;N. Y. Islanders. 16&mdash;Atlanta.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-01235/3745938-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="594" height="279"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tue. Feb. 19Omaha 3 at Dallas 3Wed. Feb. 20Tulsa 2 at Fort Worth 5Fri. Feb. 22Albuquerque 2 at Dallas 4Fort Worth 7 at Omaha 5Oklahoma City 5 at Tulsa 6Sat. Feb. 23Dallas 2 at Fort Worth 4Albuquerque 3 at Oklahoma City 8Omaha 2 at Tulsa 4Sun Feb 24Fort Worth 3 at Oklahoma City 7Tulsa 4 at Omaha 3<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Wed. Feb. 27Tulsa at DallasOklahoma City at Fort WorthFri. Mar. 1Omaha at Fort WorthDallas at Oklahoma CityAlbuquerque at TulsaSat. Mar. 2Fort Worth at DallasAlbuquerque at OmahaOklahoma City at TulsaTue. Mar. 3Tulsa at Fort WorthWed. Mar. 4Omaha at Oklahoma CityFri. Mar. 5Tulsa at DallasOklahoma City at Omaha<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02175/3745931-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg" title="f0032-02" width="601" height="673"></div> &#9632;

f0032-03

Albuquerque Expects Fortunes, Crowds To Pick Up

DAYTON &mdash;The Dayton Gems aren&rsquo;t about to permit Lefty McFadden to get out of town without proper tribute.They&rsquo;ve set aside March 24 as Lefty McFadden Day to honor the onetime minor league baseball pitcher who did even better as a minor league hockey executive.Some Dayton fans might not recognize him as Edgar McFadden but they know what Lefty has done.When he helped bring the Gems to Dayton for the 1964-65 season, McFadden learned hockey as he went along. Hisskills not only made the team successful on the ice but also at the box office.Except for being a consultant, he has relinquished duties with the Gems after nine seasons and part of a 10th as general manager.On May 15 he becomes assistant general manager of the new Washington, D.C., Capitols in the National Hockey League. &#9632;

Gems Set To Honor McFadden

<div class="byline">BY LEN HOYES</div>FLINT &mdash;Some of the &ldquo;experts&rdquo; in the International Hockey League shook their heads in dismay last summer when the board of governors injected a &ldquo;wild card&rdquo; system into the selection of teams for the Turner Cup playoffs.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-01228/3745990-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="279" height="443"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jeff Ablett</figcaption></div>As it turned out, that decision may be one of the smartest moves in the IHL&rsquo;s 29-season history.Picking the &ldquo;wild card&rdquo; means selecting a seventh team, the best of two North Division clubs and one in the South Division with the best record. The top three teams in each division automatically join the playoff scramble.Although a seven-team format appears unwieldy, it was the best solution to handling a nine-team league which had five teams in the North and only four in the South. It also appeared the best solution last summer to a major complaint about the 1972-73 playoff picture.Fourth-place Muskegon in the North Division had more points than third-place Des Moines of the South but didn&rsquo;t qualify for the playoffs. Fifth-place Saginaw of the North equalled Des Moines&rsquo; record but also was on the sidelines.So, the &ldquo;wild card&rdquo; was introduced.It appears that the scramble to get it may be as wild as its name.INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUETwo major slumps, a major victory string and two mini-successes created the scramble.For a period starting last Nov. 24 and ending on Feb. 9, the South Division foursome could laugh at the North&rsquo;s predicament. The South&rsquo;s last-place team had more points than the North&rsquo;s No. 2 club, practically guaranteeing the will card berth to the South.Suddenly the Fort Wayne Komets went into a tailspin, losing 10 Komets went into a tailspin, losing 10 straight. Meanwhile, the Saginaw Gears had an 11-4-1 record for 16 games, including a 7-1-1 period, to anchor themselves in the North&rsquo;s runner-up spot.The Toledo Hornets won only once in nine games, losing a seemingly comfortable hold on No. 2 in the North. The Port Huron Wings, considered hopelessly last, won five and tied once in seven games. The Flint Generals, with the worst home-ice record, came to life with four victories in five games.The end result was a three-division race.Muskegon of the North and Des Moines of the South were battling for the over-all point championship and the Huber Trophy. Saginaw was locked in a struggle with Columbus and Dayton of the South for over-all third place and a prefered playoff position.Fort Wayne, with its best playoff chance seemingly in the wild card battle, was trying to fight off Toledo, Flint and Port Huron who had their own scramble for third place in the North as well.The in-fighting produced some notable comments from the coaches.First-year coach Bobby McCammon of Port Huron said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a good tough hockey club. Our guys just don&rsquo;t know it yet.&rdquo; McCammon, who two weeks earlier admitted a playoff berth was remote, suddenly was back in a fighting mood.Toledo coach Skip Burchell said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;d rather lose to any other club in the league than Flint because those games mean so much to a playoff position.&rdquo; He also took veterans Ken Sutyla and Bill Staub to task for listless efforts.But the roughest words of all came from Ted Wright, the rugged one-time defenseman who became coach of Fort Wayne on Feb. 8.He took over after Marc Boileau, who led the Komets to the Turner Cup in 1973, was promoted to coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins.Wright inherited a three-game losing streak and was lauched into a rugged series of seven games in nine day, all except one on the road.The Komets Jost all seven and were outscored by 37-15. Four of the seven were lost by one goal. Four games at Des Moines finished the drought and after being outscored by 25-7, Wright unloaded.MUSKEGON: Mohawks&rsquo; magic number for clinching North title dwindled to eight&hellip; Darrell Knibbs scored 10 goals in nine-game span, picked up first two assists since returning from Suncoast&hellip; Record of 11-4 since All Star break included three-game winning streak on road.DES MOINES: Yvon Bilodeau scored 13th goal in 5-3 setback at Flint, coming within one of club record for defensemen&hellip; Pete Mara boosted personal totals to 35 goals, 59 assists, for 94 points, a cinch to break club record of 100 points&hellip; Frank DeMarco, league&rsquo;s top sniper, bagged Caps&rsquo; 17th shorthanded goal&hellip; Steve Coates scored first goal six times in eight-game span&hellip; Harvey Bennett scored game-winner in 4-3 overtime success at Fort Wayne.COLUMBUS: Norm Cherrey produced game-winning goal in 5-4 triumph at Port Huron to help 2-2 split in four straight road games&hellip; Goalie Ray Marthynuik picked up assists in back-to-back games at Port Huron and Saginaw&hellip; Rugged winger Gary Gresda! obtained from Denver to bolster big for overall third place.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-03134/3745983-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg" title="f0034-03" width="555" height="737"><figcaption class="caption-body">DARRELL KNIBBS &hellip; On Scoring Spree</figcaption></div>SAGINAW: Three goals in 2:21 helped important 4-3 victory over Flint&hellip; Jim Johnston&rsquo;s final-second goal earned 5-4 triumph at Fort Wayne&hellip; Johnston piled up eight goals in five-game span for 24&hellip; Sam Clegg played goal for 11 straight games.DAYTON: Newly-arrived Fred Comrie placed on line with Garry MacMillan and Dana Johnson. Trio responded with five goals, seven assists in three games.FORT WAYNE: Broken hand in home accident sidelined All Star goalie Robbie Irons for two weeks&hellip;Guy Denoncourt, secured from Syracuse as backup netminder, played three straight games and made strong bid for regular job on eve of cutdown date.TOLEDO: John Vanderburg ended goal drought emphatically with two two-goal games and seven goals in five-game span&hellip; Season high of 4,240 fans viewed Feb. 8 overtime win against Dayton, Hornets&rsquo; only success in nine-game span&hellip; Winger John Haight obtained from Portland of WHL, scored goal in first week end.FLINT: Tim McQuiston secured from Port Huron as reserve goalie during Merlin Jenner&rsquo;s three-game suspension&hellip; Newcomer Bill Flynn scored season&rsquo;s first hat trick by Flint forward, but wasn&rsquo;t enough in 4-3 loss to Saginaw&hellip; Rookies Gene Starte, Gary Doerksen. John Rutherford waived in cutdown to final 18 players&hellip; Defensive standout Brian McBratney back from injury list&hellip; Bob Perani&rsquo;s goaltending important in 4-1 record for five games.PORT HURON: Jim Watt scored game winner in 2-1 triumph over Fort Wayne, spoiling Ted Wright&rsquo;s coaching debut with Komets&hellip; Red Malinoski hampered by shoulder injury&hellip; Ken Mann scored 18th goal for Wings in 27 games, boosted season total to 25&hellip;<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02175/3745976-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="575" height="497"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Wed. Feb. 20Dayton 0 at Des Moines 4Saginaw 2 at Columbus 4Flint 5 at Fort Wayne 7Fri. Feb. 22Des Moines 7 at Port Huron 6Saginaw 4 at Dayton 7Toledo 3 at Flint 2Columbus 4 at Fort Wayne 3Sat. Feb. 23Des Moipes 3 at Fort Wayne 1Flint 1 at Muskegon 9Columbus 3 at Port Huron 0Saginaw 4 at Toledo 3Sun. Feb. 24Fort Wayne 1 at Columbus 4Muskegon 2 at Flint 5Port Huron 5 at Toledo 6Des Moines 2 at Dayton 6<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Wed. Feb. 27Columbus at ToledoFort Wayne at SaginawFlint at Port HuronFri. Mar. 1Toledo at Des MoinesDayton at FlintColumbus at MuskegonSaginaw at Port HuronSat. Mar. 2Fort Wayne at MuskegonDayton at Port HuronToledo at Des MonesFlint at SaginawSun. Mar. 3Flint at ColumbusPort Huron at Fort WayneMuskegon at DaytonToledo at SaginawWed. Mar. 6Muskegon at Des MoinesPort Huron at SaginawColumbus at Fort WayneFri. Mar. 8Fort Wayne at DaytonMuskegon at Port HuronSaginaw at ToledoColumbus at Flint &#9632;

f0034-01

IHL ‘Wild Card’ Playoff Format Box Office Smash

<div class="byline">BY DAVID LAMM</div>GREENSBORO&mdash;While the news of the collapse of the Macon Whoopees&rsquo; Southern Hockey League franchise saddened the hockey world, at least one team will temporarily benefit from the Whoopees&rsquo; death.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-01219/3746066-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="281" height="421"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gary Williamson</figcaption></div>The Greensboro Generals acquired three Whoopee players &mdash; and they just might give the Generals enough manpower to make a strong showing in the upcoming playoffs. The injury-riddled Generals, third in the SHL and preparing for a first-round series with second-place Charlotte, picked up center Norm Metcalfe and defenseman George Gendron in a draft of Macon-owned skaters and then obtained right Winger Gary Williamson, who was assigned to the Gens by the Houston Aeros when the Macon franchise was dissolved because of financial difficulties.&ldquo;Losing another team.&rdquo; said Norman Curtis, who doubles a president of the SHL and the Generals, &ldquo;is damaging not only to the SHL but professional hockey everywhere. I&rsquo;m confident, however, we can recover and find new areas which will find professional hockey an attractive addition to their communities.&ldquo;For the moment, at least, the Generals will benefit because we get three new players. Because of injuries and call-ups by the parent club (the&rsquo; Los Angeles Sharks) we were hurting with a lack of able bodies. However, if I&rsquo;d had a choice in this matter, we&rsquo;d continue to have a shortage of players and the Whoopees would still be playing.&rdquo;For the record, it appeared certain the Whoopees would not qualify for the playoffs. They had slipped into a fourth-place tie with Winston-Salem, which has been playing well in recent weeks and had a much more favorable season-ending schedule than Macon.Since a mid-season hot streak pushed them into second place, the Generals have rarely been able to ice a complete team. Ron Hindson has been slowed or completely stopped much of the year because a knee injury. Nelson Leclair has suffered knee problems. Doug Hearns was in and out of the lineup with hand injury. He finally underwent surgery and now the Gens can only hope he&rsquo;ll return in time for the playoffs. The L.A. Sharks have had to rotate players regularly in and out of Greensboro. The latest call-up was defenseman Jerry Zrymiak. the Gens&rsquo; most consistent rearguard and a player of considerable importance to coach Ted Lanyon&rsquo;s attack.In addition to everything else, the Generals had to suspend two players &mdash; Guy Hildebrand and Nick Haramis &mdash; for leaving the club. And goalie Mike Ralph was slowed for several weeks because of a stomach ailment.The three newcomers promise immediate help. Williamson ranked among the SHL&rsquo;s top scorers and best clutch performers during his stay with the Whoopees. Metcalfe developed into a consistent performer after being picked up by the Whoopees when he was waived, ironically, by the Generals early in the season. Gendron is a rookie with potential.&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t count us out of the playoffs &mdash; not now,&rdquo; said Curtis.CHARLOTTE: The Checkers&rsquo; defense is the best in the SHL and it should get stronger with the acquisition of defenseman Norm Schmitz, a veteran performer signed by Charlotte after Macon folded&hellip; The Checkers are making it more evident every-day that they&rsquo;ll give regular-season champion Roanoke Valley a run for the Rebels&rsquo; money should the top two clubs advance to the final round of the playoffs. The Checkers stopped the Rebels&rsquo; 12-game winning streak Feb. 14 with a 6-4 win at Roanoke. Three days later Charlotte blanked the Rebels 6-0 at home&hellip; When the Checkers won in Roanoke, the winning goalie was Danny Sullivan, the SHL&rsquo;s top netminder, who was trade by the Rebels in January. &ldquo;This game really means something to me.&rdquo; said Sully after beating his former teammates. &ldquo;I was really glad to get the win here. &ldquo;&hellip; Steve Hull rejoined the team following the death of his father&hellip; California recalled Paul Tantardini&hellip; Defenseman Jim Edgeworth was waived to make room for Schmitz&hellip; Garry Swain remains No. 2 in scoring behind Roanoke Valley&rsquo;s Claude Piche, but the Checker center has taken over the league lead in assists, having picked up 56 as of Feb. 18.One of the most promising rookies in the SHL is the Checkers&rsquo; young Wayne Chrysler, who has 77 points in his first 59 games. He is the No. 5 man in the scoring race.ROANOKE: Coach Gregg Pilling and club president E.A. (Gene) Hawthorne both went in the shower after the Rebels clinched the regular-season title Feb. 10&hellip; After running their win streak to a club record of 12, the Rebels dropped three straight and found points 99 and 100 hard to get&hellip; Pilling was angered by the Rebel fans when they booed their club as it was en route to losing for the first time in 13 games. The Rebels have led the SHL since opening day, dominating the league in just about everything. &ldquo;We just won 12 straight,&rdquo; said Pilling. &ldquo;These fans seem to have short memories. Sure I want to see us win. but what I&rsquo;m trying to do is get us ready for the playoffs.&rdquo; Since clinching the regular-season crown, Pilling has been doing some experimenting with his younger players and giving some of his veterans a little time off the ice.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-03136/3746059-1-eng-US/f0035-032.jpg" title="f0035-03" width="571" height="631"><figcaption class="caption-body">WAYNE CHRYSLER&hellip;Rookie Impresses</figcaption></div>WINSTON-SALEM: &ldquo;I hated to see Macon fold,&rdquo; said general manager-coach Don Carter of the Polar Twins, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;m convinced we would have beaten the Whoopees out for the final playoff spot.&rdquo; The day the Whoopees were disbanded the Polar Twins beat Roanoke Valley and moved two points ahead of Macon. The schedule for the remainder of the season heavily favored the Polar Twins of finishing fourth&hellip; The Twins obtained rookie defenseman Mike (The Chief) Penasse from the Whoopees. Penasse, versatile enough to play left winger, may be the rugged performer the Polar Twins need to make a strong playoff showing. The full-blooded Indian is third in the league in penalty minutes&hellip; The Twins added even more muscle when the Minnesota Fighting Saints sent them big defenseman Blaine Rydman and called up rookie rearguard Bob Boyd.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-04110/3746052-1-eng-US/f0035-042.jpg" title="f0035-04" width="594" height="555"></div><h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02183/3746045-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="592" height="310"></div>(*Suspended operations)Affiliations 21&mdash;Vancouver (WHA) 22&mdash;Los Angeles (WHA) 26&mdash;Edmonton (WHA). x&mdash;Buffalo & California (NHL)<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. Feb. 18Charlotte 3 at Greensboro 4Tue. Feb. 19Roanoke 6 at Greensboro 3Winston-Salem 4 at Charlotte 6Thu. Feb. 21Roanoke 9 at Greensboro 3Charlotte 0 at Winston-Salem 4Fri. Feb. 22Greensboro 0 at Charlotte 8Sat. Feb. 23Charlotte 2 at Greensboro 6Winston-Salem 2 at Roanoke 7Sun. Feb. 24Roanoke 3 at Charlotte 10<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. Feb. 26Charlotte at GreensboroRoanoke at Winston-SalemThu. Feb. 28Greensboro at Winston-SalemFri. Mar. 1Greensboro at RoanokeWinston-Salem at CharlotteSat. Mar. 2Charlotte at RoanokeSun. Mar. 3Charlotte at Roanoke &#9632;

f0035-01

Collapse Of Macon Whoopees Brightens Playoff Hopes For Greensboro Generals

<div class="byline">BY DEREK KNIGHT</div>SYRACUSE&mdash;Right winger Bill Goldthorpe of the Syracuse Blazers has received his second major suspension of the season. The most recent one. announced on Feb. 19. cost Bill five games for &ldquo;molesting a linesman.&rdquo; Earlier in the season Goldy received a 10-game suspension for a similar offense.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-01197/3746111-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="272" height="417"><figcaption class="caption-body">Andre Gill</figcaption></div>The Maine Nordiques lost two of their star players to the parent Quebec Nordiques. Called up to the WHA club were center Mike Rouleau and right winger Rejean Giroux. The Quebec club had some injury problems and dipped into their development club for replacements.Both Rouleau and Giroux were expected to rejoin their Lewiston-based teammates shortly.Meanwhile, Broome&rsquo;s defense has not been giving their goaltender Roger Kosar all that much protection. In a three game span Kosar faced 47,41 and 51 shots. However, the big Duster goaltender allowed only six to get by him as the Dusters picked up five out of a possible six points with a win over Mohawk Valley and a victory and a tie against Syracuse.Coach Wayne Kitchingman has been spotting former N.Y. Ranger Dave Balon, getting him ready for possible playoff action. Another newcomer Bill Gratton, recently reacquired by the Dusters, picked up eight points in his first eight games, three goals and five assists.Rod Bloomfield, having an amazing year, has registered 15 power play goals, six game winners, and two shorthanded scores for the Dusters who are selling out their arena on a regular basis because of players like Bloomfield. The building holds 4.721 fans.LONG ISLAND: Andre Gill has been great in the Long Island nets. In 12 games played Andre had a fine goals against average of 2.70&hellip; After dropping five straight games the Cougars came back as a team by solidly trouncing Binghamton 6-1. Gary Connelly, up to 28 goals for the season, scored twice for the Long Island club&hellip; The Cougars&rsquo; defense has picked up their share of points with Wally Olds leading all NAHL defenseman with 13 goals. Olds has added 30 assists for 43 points to rank second to captain Jim Pritchard&rsquo;s eight goals and 41 assists for 49 points. Pritch, the team leader, is enjoying his finest season&hellip; Larry Billows continues his tine play. Larry is up to 21 goals and 28 assists for the season but his second half of the season has bettered his first half performance&hellip; Cougars expect to end their regular season before larger crowds with two of their last four games against Syracuse and Maine.CAPE COD: Cubs came up with a big weekend sweep over the Nordiques, coming up with winning scores of 9-6 and 6-5. In the Cubs 9-6 win, Rick Molinaro scored the hat trick while Yvon Bouillon and Luc Simard notched two apiece. The second victory saw Simard hit for two more and Molinaro one. Molinaro, on a hot streak, notched his 35th goal&hellip; Mike DeMarco is the Cubs&rsquo; iron man. DeMarco has played in every Cubs game since Cape Cod&rsquo;s inception&hellip; Cubs 7-8-9 line of John Raynak, Yvon Bouillon and Rick Molinaro picked up 16 points in the first Maine game. The line&rsquo;s name denotes the respective numbers of the linemates&hellip; In shorthanded goals, Cubs held a 19-3 edge over opponents. Of the 19, 10 were scored by Simard and five by John Raynak&hellip; Cub right winger Bobby Guindon, known as a good defensive forward, scored his 30th goal, despite the fact that he&rsquo;s been injured a few times.MAINE: Nordiques dropped four straight after clinching second place on Feb. 12. &ldquo;When you lose the two leading scorers in the league it has to hurt you,&rdquo; said coach Mike Harvey of Rouleau and Giroux. The classy coach once again had to reactivate himself as his club suffered from a shortage of players&hellip; Nordiques skated with only three defensemen in a double loss to Cape Cod as Norm Descoteaux was sidelined briefly with foot problems. Al Globensky, the Nordiques&rsquo; biggest defender, has been coming along according to his coach. Says Harvey, &ldquo;It takes time to come back from a knee injury but right now he&rsquo;s been playing well for us.&rdquo;JOHNSTOWN: Jets came alive against the Nordiques in a Feb. 13 game. Down 2-1, the Jet offense came up with a four-goal third period to down Maine. Guy Ross was chosen as the game&rsquo;s first star. Ross, a defenseman all season long with both Mohawk Valley and Johnstown, has been moved up front as a left wing on a line with Tony McCarthy and Norm Descoteaux&hellip; Descoteaux is now second on the club in penalty minutes with 120 after 62 games. Team leader Vern Campigotto has 149 in 63 games. According to sources in Johnstown, the play of Bobby Thompson and Guy Ross has resulted in more ticket sales in Johnstown. Jets had over 2,700 fans screaming with a 6-1 trouncing of the Syracuse Blazers&hellip; Former Blazer Thompson, on loan to Johnstown, scored seven points (four goals and three assists) in his first five games&hellip; Left winger Dave Johnstown leads club in goals scored with 37, after 64 games. Eight of his goals have come on the power play while three are shorthanded.MOHAWK VALLEY: Comet scoring race could go down to the wire as Bob Murphy held a seven point lead over nearest rival Jim Lebar with only eight games remaining. Rugged Murray Worley now leads the Comets in penalty minutes with 103 after only 24 games. Paul Laplante was next with 88&hellip; Peter Marrin continued his fine play. The young right winger counted 17 points in 16 games. Jerry Welsh, another find addition, scored 11 goals in his first 24 games.SYRACUSE: The Blazers were hurt by Goldthorpe&rsquo;s suspension. Goldy, without his two major suspensions, would more than likely have had a 30 goal season&hellip; Eight players have scored over 20 goals in a Blazer uniform. There&rsquo;s a good chance that nine Blazers will reach that plateau by seasons end as Carlo Ugolini was only two away with nine games left&hellip; Claude Chartre has just had an unbelievable season. Because of nagging injuries Chartre has missed much of the 1973-74 season, however, after 38 games the star center had scored 38 goals. Chartre has been skating between Jamie Kennedy and Ugolini.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02147/3746104-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg" title="f0036-02" width="561" height="593"><figcaption class="caption-body">RICK MOLINARO&hellip;Four-Goal Splurge</figcaption></div><h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-03109/3746097-1-eng-US/f0036-032.jpg" title="f0036-03" width="586" height="308"></div>Affiliations: 12&mdash;St. Louis. (WHA) 20&mdash;Chicago (WHA). 23&mdash;Toronto (WHA). 24&mdash;Quebec (WHA). &lsquo;&mdash;Independent. &ldquo;&mdash;New York & Boston (NHL).<h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. Feb. 18Broome 2 at Long Island 6Tue. Feb. 19Cape Cod 2 at Mame 8Wed. Feb. 20Syracuse 4 at Broome 3Mohawk Valley 5 at Johnstown 7Thu. Feb. 21Syracuse 3 at Cape Cod 5Fri. Feb. 22Syracuse 4 at Long Island 3Johnstown 3 at Mohawk Valley 4Sat. Feb. 23Long Island 4 at Cape Cod 5Broome 3 at Johnstown 5Syracuse 1 at Maine 7Sun. Feb. 24Johnstown 2 at Broome 5Maine 7 at Long Island 5Cape Cod 5 at Mohawk Valley 1<h3>GAMES TO COME</h3>Tue. Feb. 26Johnstown at Cape CodLong Island at SyracuseWed. Feb. 27Johnstown at MaineCape Cod at Mohawk ValleyThu. Feb. 28Mohawk Valley at Long IslandMaine at Syracuse &#9632;

f0036-01

Nordiques Lose Stars, Double To Cubs

<div class="byline">BY STEVE KLEIN</div>SOUTH BEND &mdash;Minnesota coach Herb Brooks has his own theory as to why it has taken people so long to realize just how good his Gophers really are.&ldquo;When you suit up 19 Minnesota hockey players.&rdquo; says the Gophers&rsquo; second-year coach &ldquo;you have to play well 10 times before anybody notices you.&rdquo; Like John Mariucci. Glen Sonmor and Ken Yackel. the coaches who preceded him at Minnesota. Brooks believes in the Minnesota boy who develops in the state hockey program. Brooks himself is a product of that system, having played high school hockey at St. Paul Johnson, college hockey for Minnesota from 1956 through 1959 and amateur hockey for the United States National team throughout the 1960&rsquo;s.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-03104/3746163-1-eng-US/f0037-032.jpg" title="f0037-03" width="269" height="398"><figcaption class="caption-body">Rick Quance</figcaption></div>He took over a Gopher team two years ago that had finished last in the Western Collegiate Hockey Assn, and led them to a third-place finish. This year, the Gophers have surprised everyone &mdash; except possibly Brooks himself &mdash; by staying near the top all season. With 30 points and four games remaining, the Gophers are tied for second with Denver and have an excellent chance to finish in the top two for home ice in both rounds of the post-season playoffs. But Brooks isn&rsquo;t thinking second &mdash; he&rsquo;s thinking first.&ldquo;We still have a mathematical chance,&rdquo; says Brooks, whose team trails Michigan Tech by six points. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be tough We need some help from Duluth (which hosts tech the Feb. 22-23 weekend) and we have to sweep at Tech the final weekend of the season.&rdquo;That&rsquo;s a tall order, but so it the job that will probably earn Brooks coach-of-the-year honors in the WCHA. Rather than give up on the Minnesota high school recruit when he took over. Brooks recruited harder than ever, bringing in outstanding state players like defensemen Dick Spannbauer and Brad Marrow and forwards Buzz Schneider, Warren Miller and Pat Phippen.But more than talent, Brooks instituted a style of play that makes full use of Williams&rsquo; Arena&rsquo;s large ice surface (some say it is 210-by-85, others 220-by-90). Minnesota hustles, plays sound positional hockey and total team defense. Although the Gophers&rsquo; fore-checking isn&rsquo;t quite as tenacious at Michigan Tech&rsquo;s. Minnesota&rsquo;s back-checking is the best in the WCHA. That makes the defense happy and has helped make senior Brad Shelstad the league&rsquo;s leading goaltender with a 3.2 goals-against average.&ldquo;No doubt about it &mdash; goaltending is the key down the stretch.&rdquo; Brooks says of the final two weeks of the WCHA race. &ldquo;Brad really held us in there in our series against Notre Dame.&rdquo;The Gophers increased their record to 16-10-4. 13-7-4 in the WCHA, over the Feb. 15-16 weekend by sweeping the faltering Irish. 7-2 and 6-3. Minnesota had very little trouble with the Irish in the first game, building a 5-0 lead on the way to the victory. Freshman John Sheridan, who scored twice, is a Minnesota boy who came to the Gophers by a new route &mdash; from high school to the Midwest Junior A league to the university.The Irish made things a little tougher for the Gophers the next night, despite breakaway goals by Sheridan and junior Mike Polich that gave Minnesota a 4-1 lead after two periods. Ian Williams and Larry Israelson scored quick third period goals to narrow the lead to 4-3. but Polich came back with a shorthanded breakaway goal and Sheridan scored on a two-on-one while Shelstad was making 36 saves to backstop the victory.If Brooks is happy with his goaltending. however, imagine how Michigan Tech&rsquo;s John MacInnes must feel. MacInnes has been splitting his goaltenders down the stretch drive, using senior Rick Quance one night and sophomore Jim Warden the next. Quance, who leads the WCHA with two shutouts, very nearly had his third against North Dakota in a 4-1 victory. North Dakota&rsquo;s Jim Cruise ruined the shutout in the third period as shorthanded goals by Bob Lorimer and Scott Jessee were the offensive difference. The next night Warden got his first shutout, 10-0, as Bill Steele and Mike Zuke each scored two goals and assisted on three others.Michigan sophomore Robbie Moore isn&rsquo;t among the league&rsquo;s leading goaltenders. but he is one of the best and has been instrumental in four straight victories. the latest 5-3 and 7-4 over Colorado College, that have lifted the surprising Wolverines into sixth place.First year coach Dan Farrell, who served for five years under MacInnes at Tech, has Michigan playing his kind of hockey now, and the Wolverines have a 17-12-1 record as a result.Doug Lindskog scored the winning goal for Michigan in the first game and freshman Pat Hughes scored four goals in the second as Michigan scored four third period goals to turn around a 4-3 CC lead.Michigan State moved into fourth place, the last spot that carries home ice in the first round of the playoffs, with 6-2 and 5-1 victories over Minnesota-Duluth. Centers Steve Colp (three goals, two assists) and Tom Ross and defenseman Chris Murfey (two goals, three assists each), provided the offensive punch, but it is State&rsquo;s sudden defensive improvement, starting with freshman Gary Carr in goal, that his turned the Spartans around. In the last three games. State has allowed just five goals.In non-league action, Denver had a little trouble with Eastern visitors Northeastern, winning 5-4 in overtime before coming up with an easier 7-2 victory. The big surprise was in Madison, however, where St. Louis was talking NCAA tournament again after Charlie Labelle&rsquo;s five goals helped the Billikens to an 8-4 victory.COLLEGE HOCKEY SCENE<h2>College Races</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-01178/3746156-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="595" height="395"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Michigan Tech 10. North Dakota 0Michigan Tech 4. North Dakota 1Minnesota 7. Notre Dame 2Minnesota 6. Notre Dame 3Michigan State 6. Minn-Duluth 2Michigan State 5. Minn-Duluth 1Michigan 5. Colorado College 4Michigan 7. Clorado College 4<h3>NON-CONFERENCE GAMES</h3>St. Louis 8. Wisconsin 4Denver 5. Northeastern 4Denver 7. Northeastern 2<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-02138/3746149-1-eng-US/f0037-022.jpg" title="f0037-02" width="602" height="1090"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3><h4>Division I</h4>Northeastern 4. Boston College 3Harvard 5. Boston University 4Cornell 7. Yale 4Providence 10. Dartmouth 7New Hampshire 4. RPI 1St Lawrence 8. Colgate 5Brown 7. Northeastern 3Clarkson 4. Boston College 2Brown 7. Northeastern 3Clarkson 4 Boston College 2Brown 3. Princeton 2Harvard 8. Colgate 6Cornell 6. Dartmouth 4Providence 2. New Hampshire 1Penn 4. Yale 0St. Lawrence 5. Boston College 2Boston University 9. RPI 2Clarkson 5. Dartmouth 1Princeton 4. Yale 3Penn 4 Brown 3Harvard 7, Cornell 4<h4>Division II</h4>Boston State 8. New England College 3Salem State 5. Ithaca 1Suffolk 8. Emerson 4Framingham 8. Maine 1Boston State 10. Bridgewater 1Vermont 10. AIC 2Massachusetts 7. Connecticut 1Salem State 6. Bowdoin 3Massachusetts 6. Colby 3Merrimack 3. Williams 3Army 4. Norwich 3Williams 4. Middlebury 2St Anselm&rsquo;s 6 Wesleyan 4Bowdoin 5. Massachusetts 2Framingham 5, New England 4<h4>NON-DIVISIONAL GAMES</h4>Vermont 5. Clarkson 1<h2>NEW YORK COLLEGES</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0568/3746142-1-eng-US/f0037-052.jpg" title="f0037-05" width="600" height="511"></div> &#9632;

f0037-03

Gophers Thriving On Homebrews As Minnesota Eyes Lead In WCHA

<div class="byline">BY TOM BURKE</div>CAMBRIDGE &mdash;Harvard University hockey coach Billy Cleary just might request his school&rsquo;s authorities to make mid-year examinations a bi-weekly event.You couldn&rsquo;t blame him if he did. The Crimson, not content with three wins the week after hitting the books, threw the book at three more foes in the second week of February, and the opponents flunked all three tests against the hyped up Harvard forecheckers.First came the game which redefined the word &ldquo;classic&rdquo; &mdash; a 5-4 triumph over lordly Boston University for the Beanpot Tournament title on Monday. Then, a rally from a 4-1 deficit to beat Colgate 8-6 in Hamilton on Friday night. And finally, a convincing 7-4 win over Cornell at Ithaca for the Crimson&rsquo;s first success in Lynah Hall in 10 years.Harvard thus stretched its win skein to six for a 12-5 ECAC Division One slate, good for a second place tie with BU and an almost certain home ice seed tor the playoffs. All from a team which many thought would miss the playoffs altogether.Riding the crest of an eight game win streak in search of its fifth consecutive Beanpot, BU hopped out to a 2-0 lead before the 5:00 mark of the first frame on easy goals by Terry Meagher and Bill Bishop. Kevin Can got Harvard on the board with a power play tally but Meagher upped it to 3-1 at 4:38 of the second.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-0484/3746194-1-eng-US/f0037-042.jpg" title="f0037-04" width="267" height="416"><figcaption class="caption-body">Kevin Carr</figcaption></div>That was enough of a deficit for the Harvards, who proceeded to dazzle the BU breakout formations with a blitzkrieg forecheck that led to a 12-3 periodshot total and three straight goals. Leigh Hogan tipped in a Jim Thomas rebound at 7:42. and Jim McMahon scored from Thomas at 11:00to tie the game. Eventual MVP Roth &mdash; who later admitted he was only part of a superlative team effort caught the Terrier defense napping and batted home a Bob Goodenow faceoff pass when Harvard was a man down.ever Bill Burlington, Rick Meagher, and Bill Robbins from in close. BU defenseman Vic Stanfield made a dipsy-do move behind Murray and stuffed the disc in at 15:16 to tie up the game with 4:44 to go. but then let Roth wiggle by him for the clincher about two minutes later. The Plattville. Ont., junior stepped around Stanfield and blasted a 30 foot screamer through covering defenseman John McClellan. The puck whizzed under goalie Ed Walsh&rsquo;s arm and Harvard had its sixth Beanpot crown in the 22 year history of the event.Northeastern kept its playoff hopes alive and all but eliminated Boston College when they won the consolation game from the Eagles 4-3. Disciplined checking game which kept BC shooterson the periphery, coupled with a 42 save show by Tod Blanchard, propelled NU to its first win in Beanpot competition in six years. Two nightslater, however, it was Brown, under new coach Dick Toomey, whipping NU 7-3. thanks to a five goal output by the sophomore line of Jari Stromberg, Steve Menich and Bob Mars.BC went on to lose two more in the North Country. 4-2 at Clarkson and 5-2 at St. Lawrence, despite a combined save total of 86 for goalie Ned Yetten. Clarkson, very much alive now at 8-9-1, got a goal and an assist from frosh Gary Swenson. St. Lawrence, eking out a plus &mdash; .500 divisional mark for the first time at 7-6-1. was bolstered by another of its young&rsquo;iins. sophomore Jeff Dillon. His second goal of the night, a low 40 foot slapshot off a 3-on-l break, iced the rough game for the Saints.But back to the barnstorrrting Harvardians. In a shootout at Colgate. Roth came through with a hat trick and Hogan scored a pair to match the last place Red Raiders&rsquo; Neil Abbott and Rick Mirabelli with three and Two, respectively. Five straight scores put Harvard up 6-5. but Mirabelli tied the game once more at 3:54 Hogan netted the winner at 9:36.Again, the Crimson fell behind by a pair but rallied and staved oft any third period uprising with Jim Murray&rsquo;s 19 saves effectively shutting the door on Big Red. Cornell retained a tie for fourth place at 9-6-1 alongside Providence thanks to wins of 7-4 over Yale on Monday and 6-4 over Dartmouth on Friday, with both games played at home. &#9632;

f0037-04

Streaking Harvard Crew Rolls Into Second Spot

<div class="byline">BY RICH BERCUSON</div>MONTREAL &mdash;With the Canadian college champions due to be decided in only three weeks, the tension of playoffs is reaching its peak. And with that tension comes the invariable list of upsets.In Quebec, the Loyola College Warriors, at one time considered serious threats to win the collegiate crown especially after edging Toronto 3-2 in a December exhibition match, were eliminated from further playoff action when the Sir George Williams Georgians defeated them 5-4 in a semi-final sudden-death contest at Loyola.The Georgians, third place finishers in the QUAA. had advanced to the semi-final by trouncing the Bishop&rsquo;s Gaiters 9-2. Loyola, by virtue of finishing first, had received a bye into the round along with the Three Rivers Patriots. Three Rivers, however, was also upset in the semi-finals by Sherbrooke 8-5. As a result, Sherbrooke will meet Sir George in a best-of-three series to determine the Quebec champions.In the Loyola-Sir George contest. Ken Brown scored three goals for the Georgians with Maurice Desfosses and Brian Martin getting singles. Brown&rsquo;s tallies all came in the third period and broke a 2-2 deadlock. For Loyola, all four goals were scored by a single line with Mike Culleton getting two and Don Morris and Doug Lynch each scoring once.Sir George coach Bob Philip was ecstatic over the win that was sparked mainly by the incredible goaltending of Bernie Wolfe, who is now being thought of as All Canadian material. Philip commented. &ldquo;Before the game I told the guys just to work hard. We knew we were the underdogs but we were confident because we had already beaten them twice in a row. A lot of people will say it was an upset, but it was no fluke. We&rsquo;d already proved we could beat them.&rdquo;A dejected Loyola coach. Paul Arsenault, was visibly disappointed at the lack of effort from many of his players, yet lauded the play of the line that carried the team throughout the game: &ldquo;Only one line was working. We kept scoring, that line would get off the ice. and then they&rsquo;d score again. A team as good as ours shouldn&rsquo;t have lost to them.&rdquo;The winner of the Sir George-Sherbrooke series will then take on the winner from the Maritime conference to represent Eastern Canada in the national final. &#9632;

Canadian College Hockey…

<div class="byline">BY JACK GATECLIFF</div>KITCHENER&mdash;Kitchener Rangers continued their charge towards the top of the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior A League as the 385-game schedule headed into the final month. The Rangers had been a disappointment to their fans, their coach and their huge board of directors (about 50 at last count) early in the season but have come on like gangbusters since the New Year.The club went 17 consecutive games without a loss, threatening the 22-game undefeated record set by the Memorial Cup champion Toronto Marlboros before they were finally nudged 6-4 in Ottawa by the 67s.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-03119/3746270-1-eng-US/f0038-032.jpg" title="f0038-03" width="260" height="475"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dan Djakalovic</figcaption></div>It was only their second loss since Jan. 1 when they were edged 5-4 in Sudbury.&ldquo;I honestly thought we had the material even in training camp&rdquo;, said coach Eddie Bush, obviously pleased that his team has finally put it all together. &ldquo;But we just lacked consistency. Now all the kids are playing well and while I&rsquo;m not making any predictions I really think we have a shot at the title. The league is so close though that any of the top seven or eight teams could win it and I&rsquo;d say it&rsquo;s one of the best-balanced seasons in years.&rdquo;Bush should know what he speaks as he previously coached Junior A teams in Guelph and Hamilton, then took over Kitchener after a brief stop with the pros. He is a former National Hockey League defenseman with Detroit Red Wings.The Ranger string of success was even more remarkable as one of their top scorers, 19-year-old Doug Risebrough, has been sidelined with knee problems for a month.However brilliant goaltending by Don Edwards (three shutouts) and steady scoring by players such as Danny Djaklovic. Paul Evans and Jerry Badiuk plus a tough defense headed by Rick-Chartraw have given them power all the way down the line.Perhaps this season, at long last, the Ranger followers will have a championship club to call their very own.PETERBOROUGH: Peterborough is still clinging to first place, a position they have held almost, all the season. but the pitter-patter of little feet they hear behind them is the sound of the on-rushing Kitchener Rangers&hellip; The Petes, who have won innumerable close games, took another 2-l over London Knights on a goal by Bill Evo in the second period which snapped a 1-1 tie&hellip; They then sat on their one-goal margin the rest of the way in front of just under 3,000 home fans&hellip; On their Northern Ontario swing over the weekend they suffered their first back-to-back losses. 7-4 in Sault Ste. Marie and 2-l to Sudbury. The twin losses left them just a couple of points above Kitchener and four ahead of St. Catharines and London.LONDON: The Knights nudged briefly ahead of St. Catharines Black Hawks into third place but still aren&rsquo;t playing consistent hockey&hellip; Dennis Maruk scored three goals in 6-2 victory over Ottawa 67s but Knights then dropped that 2-1 decision in Peterborough and 24 hours later were upset 5-l by the 67s in Ottawa&hellip; Ron Zanussi scored the only goal in Peterborough and also scored the first goal in Ottawa but the 67s then came back with five straight&hellip; Back home again with Oshawa they won 6-l with goals from Bern Stenlund. Jim Beauchamp, Paul Nicholson, Tom Rowe, John Held and Rick McIntyre.ST. CATHARINES: Black Hawks ended a long string of defeats on the road with 6-2 win in Kingston as captain Rick Hampton, moved from defense center, scored his 19th and 20th goals&hellip; Wilf Paiement, a highly-rated right winger from Earlton, Ont., had a goal and assist to go over the 100-point mark&hellip; Center Rick Adduono had passed that plateau earlier in the week&hellip; Hawks have won only three of their last 13 away games but haven&rsquo;t lost at home in 20 starts, dating back to Nov. 4&hellip; The record in front of their own fans during that span is 17 wins and three ties&hellip; After challenging for the lead the team has dropped off but should finish among the top four&hellip; Entire club is healthy for the first time in three months&hellip; Dave Gorman had five goals in an 11-3 trouncing of Kingston at Garden City Arena.TORONTO: Proof of the Marlboros improvement was a 2-2 tie in Kitchener the first point given up by the Rangers at home or away in 10 games&hellip; Marlies can thank goaltender Steve Bosco for the draw as he faced 56 shots, missing only two from Paul Evans and Pete Sturgeon&hellip; Mark Napier and John Tonelli were the Marlboro marksmen but the No. 1 star was Bosco&hellip; Toronto spoiled Hamilton Red Wings&rsquo; debut in Niagara Falls with a 6-3 win with Brad Winton and John Anderson turning the tide on powerplay goals&hellip; Marlie also welcomed back defenseman Greg Neeld who lost an eye, the result of a high stick in Kitchener Dec. 7&hellip; The 18-year-old wore a special face mask and played well despite Marlies being upset 4-2 by the lowly Red Wings.SUDBURY: Wolves are not playing nearly as well in the second half of the schedule as in the early part as demonstrated by their 8-1 thrashing suffered at the hands of Kitchener right on their own home ice&hellip; A bomb scare before the game delayed the start while Sudbury arena was searched, but it proved to be false alarm&hellip; After that all the bombs were fired by the Rangers who led 4-0 and 7-1 by periods&hellip; Jerry Badiuk and Danny Djaklovic had two each for the powerful visitors&hellip; Bob Russell of the Wolves ended Kitchener goaltender Don Edwards&rsquo; hope for a fourth shutout with a goal early in second period&hellip; Glen McLeod scored the winner in a 2-1 decision at home over Sudbury after Bill Best, back from an injury, had scored the other goal in the first period.OSHAWA: Generals and Wolves are still scrapping over sixth place&hellip; Oshawa helped their own cause with a 6-5 win over Kingston, ending a three-game losing streak before 1,879 hometown fans&hellip; Tom Newston&rsquo;s second goal with less than four minutes to play was the winner&hellip; On the weekend Generals won big and lost big, triming Toronto 10-5 then losing 6-1 in London&hellip; Against Marlies, Generals scored six times in the last 12 minutes with Bill Lochead, Greg Malone, Bud Stefanski and Brian Kinsella scored a pair each.OTTAWA: It was a long struggle but Ottawa 67s appear to have clinched the final eighth playoff position and are unlikely to rise higher or drop lower&hellip; They lost 6-2 in London where the Knights are usually at their best, then came back to post a surprise 5-1 win over the London team at home&hellip; Peter Lee, consistent all season, scored twice in the victory. Tom Price and Bruce Baker were the marksmen in the setback&hellip; The club could cause a few surprises in the playoffs as they are improving every game out as evidenced by their 6-4 win against Kingston, ending the Ranger undefeated streak at 17 games&hellip; As well as Derek&rsquo;s Smith&rsquo;s two goals. Tim Young had a goal and five.SAULT: Greyhounds just can&rsquo;t seem to get a streak going which will move them close to Ottawa despite the scoring heroics of the league&rsquo;s top marksman. Jack Valiquette, and Cary Farelli and Charlie Simmer who are in Top 10&hellip; Valiquette appears on his way to breaking the rookie record for goals, assists and points and the 17-year-old has a spectacular future in pro if he continues the way he has been playing in top-flight amateur&hellip; He should finish with well over 60 goals in his first year of Major Junior A&hellip; However, the Hound bench is weak and home-ice loss by 7-4 to Kitchener was not unexpected. Farelli, the cherubic-looking forward, has gone over the 40-goal mark and is another fine prospect&hellip; Despite the unexpected 7-4 win over Petes, with Bruce OGrady scoring twice, Soo remained nine points out of playoff spot.KINGSTON: Kingston dropped a close 6-5 decision to Oshawa, then were trimmed at home 6-2 by St. Catharines after leading 2-0 in the first period&hellip; Canadians have had several serious injuries, especially heart breaking for a first-year club&hellip; Latest was a skull fracture suffered by first string goalie Mike Freeman who was hit just above the ear and behind the face mask by a rising slap shot in the Canadians&rsquo; 5-4 win over Sudbury&hellip; He may be allowed to return however in a couple of weeks&hellip; Alex Forsyth is also out with the mumps.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-0480/3746263-1-eng-US/f0038-042.jpg" title="f0038-04" width="544" height="607"><figcaption class="caption-body">CARY FARELLI&hellip;Tops 40 Goals</figcaption></div>HAMILTON: Red Wing owner Nick Durbano has already written off this season as another disaster, the fourth year in succession the club won&rsquo;t make the playoffs&hellip; He&rsquo;s searching fora new home and tested Niagara Falls which hasn&rsquo;t had a team since the franchise was sold to udbury two years ago&hellip; More than 2.300 turned out to see the Wings dumped 6-3 by Marloboros and stretch their winless treak to 14 games&hellip; Durbano was impressed with the crowd but is not certain whether it would remain that way on a year-long basis&hellip; He&rsquo;s also considering Galt, Guelph and Brantford.OHA MAJOR HOCKEY LEAGUE<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-01210/3746256-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="583" height="426"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Tue. Feb. 19Hamilton 2 at Kingston 8St Catherines 2 at Oshawa 4London 1 at Kitchener 5Wed. Feb. 20Sudbury 5 at Sault 4Thu. Feb. 21Toronto 4 at Peterborough 4Fir. Feb. 22Toronto 4 at Kitchener 6Sault 4 at Kingston 11Sudbury 5 at London 5St. Catharines 9 at Hamilton 4Oshawa 0 at Ottawa 1Sat. Feb. 23Sault 4 at Peterborough 1Sun. Feb. 24Sault 2 at Kitchener 6Kingston 3 at London 3Peterborough 4 at St. Catharines 6Hamilton 3 at Oshawa 5Ottawa 7 at Toronto 4<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02159/3746249-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="612" height="1588"></div><h3>GAMES COMPLETED</h3>Mon. Feb. 18Hill 8 at Laval 6Tue. Feb. 19Laval 4 at Hull 3Shawinigan 2 at Sorel 18Chicoutimi 3 at Trois-Rivieres 8Thu. Feb. 21Montreal 4 at Cornwall 9Sherbrooke 4 at Drummondville 5Sorel 7 at Laval 4Shawinigan 0 at Quebec 15Fri. Feb. 22Hull 0 at Chicoutimi 5Sherbrooke 4 at Sorel 11Cornwall 7 at Montreal 5Sun. Feb. 23Shawinigan 5 at Montreal 4Drummondville 5 at Chicoutimi 7Quebec 7 at Cornwall 6Sorel 4 at Hull 6Sherbrooke 2 at Trois-Rivieres 5 &#9632;

f0038-03

Rangers Unbeaten String Ended At 17; Hounds’ Valiquette Heads For 60 Goals

<div class="byline">&#x2014;BY HERB MYERS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-0574/3746353-1-eng-US/f0039-052.jpg" title="f0039-05" width="311" height="405"></div><h2>Centennial Cup Playoffs</h2>All Junior A Leagues are winding up long seasons and the participating clubs starting their league playdowns are doing so with one eye on a possible final berth in the Centennial Cup competition, emblematic of the Junior A (two) championship of Canada.Newfoundland and Maritime AHA champions will kick off cup play on Mar. 22 with a best-of-five series to be played in the Maritime Branch, with the winner of this series advancing against the New Brunswick champion. On Mar. 25, the Central Ontario Jr League winner, representing Ottawa District, open a best-of-seven series at home against Quebec District competition supplied by the playoff champ of the Quebec Jr A League. These eliminations will provide two semi-finalists in the East with the other two participants being the Thunder Bay and Ontario District winners. Western Cup play has a later start with both semi-final series opening on Apr. 10. On that date the British Columbia District champions visit Alberta and Saskatchewan entertains Manitoba.<h2>Central Ontario League</h2>With six games remaining in the tough 50-game schedule, only three points separate the top four clubs. The Smiths Falls Bears, winning again under new Coach Glen McKenney, were top two points in front of Doug Barkley&rsquo;s Ottawa Nepean Raiders with Gloucester and Pembroke only a point behind. No single team seems able to win consistently and jump into the lead. The Bears, with Barry Kerfoot scoring twice, knocked off Gloucester Astros 7-4 but then dropped a 3-1 decision to Pembroke. Dave Dixie&rsquo;s hat-trick paced Gloucester&rsquo; to an 8-7 win over Nepean but then the Astros lost to Pembroke. Then Pembroke, with a chance to move up, dropped a 5-3 decision to Nepean as Sid Tanchak hit twice for the Raiders. In fifth and sixth place, and definitely out of the playoffs, Rockland&rsquo;s Gilbert Lecavalier and Rick Bordeleau of Brockville are waging a battle for the scoring lead. Lecavalier picked up his 51st goal of the year to tie Bordeleau at 88 points. In the goaltending department. Bill Courchaine of Nepean and Pembroke&rsquo;s Tom O&rsquo;Toole lead the rest of the netminders.<h2>Alberta League</h2>Terry Wittchen, captain of the league-leading Red Deer Rustlers, joined a select group of all time scorers in the Alberta Junior Hockey League as he recorded his 100th goal in a two-game sweep of the weekend series with Lethbridge. The Rustlers&rsquo; center joined St. Louis Blues&rsquo; Garry Unger, former Chicago Cougars&rsquo; Darryl Knibbs and Ryan Wecker, now with Medicine Hat Major Jrs, as the league&rsquo;s only scorers to reach the century mark. Wittchen moved into a tie forthe league scoring lead with Drumheller&rsquo;s Roger Mitchell and five points ahead of Red Deer teammate Brian Sutter. However, Mitchell, the brilliant 17-year-old in his second season, suffered a broken collarbone and will be out for the balance of the season. Coach Cec Swanson&rsquo;s powerful Rustlers now hold a 12-point advantage over Calgary Canucks and Edmonton Mets and should repeat as league champions. Rookie Bob Haldane picked up two points against Lethbridge to become the 11th Red Deer player over 30 points. John Chapman&rsquo;s Pass Red Devils strengthened their hold on the fourth and final playoff spot with a 5-3 win over challenging Drumheller on Wayne Turner&rsquo;s two goals and singles by rookie Stan Alstad and 18-year olds Brent Sims and Brian McLean.<h2>U.S. Junior Leagues</h2>NEW ENGLAND LEAGUE: Weymouth C&rsquo;s, stretching their win streak to seven, moved ahead of the Tyngsboro Huskies into first place with victories over Newton and Fitchburg. Goalies Mike Pergamo of Fitchburg and C&rsquo;s Jim McWade turned in outstanding performances until Jack McDonough&rsquo;s final period goal gave Weymouth the 3-2 decision. The Springfield Olympics moved ahead of Newton and North Smithfield into fourth place with convincing wins over North Smithfield Rhody Ringers 9-2 and Tri-Valley 12-1 as Lincoln Flagg and Mike Caporale each contributed a pair of goals in win over the Ringers. The league&rsquo;s All Star team has scheduled two games with the U.S. National Team for mid-March to be played in Newton and Springfield.NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE: Norm Defelice&rsquo;s Buffalo Blades rapped the Erie Lions 7-3 to remain undefeated at their new suburban home in Wheatfield to move within 11 points of the leading Syracuse Jr. Blazers. The Blades, led by two goals from Mike Bates and Brad Hinterberger, have 11 home games remaining to make a run at the Blazers. Syracuse&rsquo;s Steve Eccles leads the scoring race with 49 points, including 30 goals, in 21 games to stay 10 points in front of Rochester&rsquo;s V. J. Stanley. The league expansion committee is exploring possibilities in Albany, Clinton, Orchard Park and Niagara Falls in New York State in addition to Cleveland and Pittsburgh.COAST INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE: Seattle Jr. Totems hopes of catching 1st place Vancouver Norwest Caps and 2nd place Surrey Stampeders were side-tracked by Coquitlam Comets who broke the Totes three game win streak 6-3 as Johnny Carr lit the light four times for the Comets. Scoring for Seattle were Rod Chiupka with two and one by Dev Anderson.<h2>Southern Ontario League</h2>Windsor&rsquo;s high-scoring Scott Miller blasted his 65th goal of the season to tie a league record while leading the Spits 6-4 over Buffalo. The 18-year old winger equalled the two-year old mark set by Bob Dobek, now at Bowling Green University, and with nine games to play should add to his total, Windsor also topped Michigan and Guelph to stretch their lead over the faltering Welland Sabres to five points. Bob Hurtibise, coach of the league leading Sabres, left the club because of management differences and took over the reins of the sixth place Niagara Falls Flyers. The New-Look Flyers, 4-1-1 under Hurtibise. invaded Welland and spanked the Sabres 6-3 and moved one point ahead of Detroit in fifth place. Cam Botting led the Falls&rsquo; attack with a pair of goals while Craig Lohsen, Dave Gareau, Reg Lahey and Randy Spencer added singles.<h2>Looking At The Races</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-01192/3746346-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="609" height="801"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02142/3746339-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg" title="f0039-02" width="639" height="3925"></div> &#9632;

f0039-05

JUNIOR JOTTINGS

<div class="byline">BY BOB STRUMM</div>WINNIPEG&mdash;If positive thinking was worth points in the Western Canada Hockey League, Winnipeg Clubs&rsquo; coach Gord Pennell would have his team right in the thick of the pennant chase in the Eastern Division.Unfortunately for Pennell, most of the WCHL experts call his Clubs the team of the future. Only five of this particular Winnipeg aggregation graduate following this season, leaving Pennell and general manager Gerry Brisson with a spotlight on the future.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-01144/3746384-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg" title="f0040-01" width="277" height="453"><figcaption class="caption-body">Kelly Greenbank</figcaption></div>As a matter of fact, three of the Clubs are only 16 years old and another four are only 17. This season, then, has been a learning process.&ldquo;Sure our kids have experienced a cram course,&rdquo; admits Brisson. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a pretty good club right now. But I&rsquo;d say realistically, we&rsquo;ll be at the Memorial Cup in 1976.&rdquo;Still, the Clubs entered the final six weeks of the WCHL schedule in contention for the fourth and final playoff spot despite their last-place standing in the Eastern Division. They trailed the fourth-place Saskatoon Blades by 11 points.&ldquo;The playoffs are what any league&rsquo;s all about. We wouldn&rsquo;t be here if we didn&rsquo;t feel we could make the playoffs,&rdquo; was Pennell&rsquo;s outlook towards the home stretch.His Clubs were equal to Pennell&rsquo;s words with back-to-back games right in Saskatoon. The Winnipegs escaped with a pair of 5-5 tiesand returned home to ready themselves for another two contests with the Blades.&ldquo;We have the advantage from here on in,&rdquo; maintained Pennell. &ldquo;We have 11 of our remaining games at home&hellip; Saskatoon has 11 contests on the road.&rdquo;Yet, the philosophy backfired on the rookie Club coach when it counted most. The Blades strode into the Winnipeg Arena and dumped the Clubs-6-3.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m disappointed, very disappointed,&rdquo; was Pennell&rsquo;s reaction.Though he hasn&rsquo;t totally written off the season, Pennell has a certain amount of consolation. His leading scorer. Kelly Greenbank, returns next season.His tough guy. Paul Baxter, is also only 18 and Baxter plays pretty well on the blueline as well. The forward line of Laurie Deprez. Gord Blumenschein and Gary Wagner wears the tag of &lsquo;The Silver 17s&rsquo;&hellip; the three of them are only 17 years old.Pennell isn&rsquo;t totally certain he&rsquo;ll be back, but he&rsquo;s hoping that his relative successes have been noticed. The Winnipeg juniors are a respected outfit this season, whether they make the playoffs or not, and most of it is due to Pennell and Brisson.The enthusiastic twosome took over the Winnipeg franchise this season. And remember, there&rsquo;s more daylight up ahead.REGINA: The Pats&rsquo; second consecutive victory over the Swift Current Broncos has put them in relative control of the tight Eastern Division race&hellip; A couple of the lesser lights. Rob Laird and Glen Burdon, paced the offensive barrage with two goals apiece&hellip; For Burdon, it was his first multiple goal game of the season although he&rsquo;s played well for the Pats&hellip; Dennis Sobchuk reached the 100-point level with two goals and two assists&hellip; Pats also dumped Flin Flon 5-3 to discourage a recent surge by the Bombers.SWIFT CURRENT: The Broncos have had trouble substantiating their own claim to the WCHL&rsquo;s Eastern Division title&hellip; Two straight losses to the Regina Pats have left the Broncos reevaluating their role in the home stretch&hellip; The absence of defenseman Rod Tordoff. out with a ruptured leg muscle, has affected the play of the defense&hellip; Broncos have given up 26 goals in their last five games.FLIN FLON: Bombers&rsquo; road record hasn&rsquo;t been all that impressive this season, but they won a big contest in Calgary&hellip; Down 5-2, the Bombers came back with four goals in the third period to win 6-5&hellip; The winning goal came from Ray Maluta with only six seconds remaining in the game&hellip; The goal was Maluta&rsquo;s 32nd of the season.SASKATOON: Blades have gradually gained control of the race for fourth position&hellip; A 6-3 triumph over Winnipeg in Winnipeg was labelled by coach Jack McLeod as a turning point&hellip; Much improved defense man Ron Ashton contributed two goals in the victory&hellip; Rookie Blair Chapman had 14 points in four games.BRANDON: The Wheat Kings continued to struggle as injuries plagued their drive towards a playoff spot&hellip; Captain Ron Chipperfield, the league&rsquo;s leading scorer, missed a 5-1 loss to Flin Flon with assorted injuries&hellip; Wheaties have lost seven of their last eight games.CALGARY: The Cents&rsquo; 24-game unbeaten string was ended by Flin Flon in the Bombers&rsquo; 6-5 victory&hellip; Mike Rogers and Danny Gare continued to carry the Cents&rsquo; offence&hellip; Rogers, the hottest WCHL scorer, raised his season&rsquo;s totals to 56 goals and 53 assists in the defeat&hellip; Gare contributed a hat trick to raise his goal total to 53.MEDICINE HAT: Jerry Thomas produced two super performances in goal as the Tigers defeated New West 6-1 and Winnipeg 4-1&hellip; Ed Johnstone continued his torrid pace, raising his season&rsquo;s goal total to 44&hellip; Left winger Boyd Anderson also maintained his rejuvenated play with a pair of two-goal games to lift his output to 26 goals.EDMONTON: The Oil Kings bought some fourth-place insurance by upending the Victoria Cougars 8-2&hellip; It was the third consecutive win for the Oilies over Victoria in Edmonton. Three Edmonton scorers have creeped into the top 40 scoring race&hellip; Rocky Maze, and Terry McDonald have become big guns from Ken Hodge&rsquo;s club.VICTORIA: The Cougars handed Edmonton a 5-3 defeat on the island but couldn&rsquo;t return the favor in Edmonton&hellip; The winning goal came from Mark Lomenda, a rookie with 54 points.KAMLOOPS: The only thing to talk about in the B.C. interior is 19-year old centre Gord Stewart&hellip; Stewart has earned at least one point in 17 consecutive hockey games.. His output includes 10 goals and 33 points during that time. &#9632;

f0040-01

Winnipeg Clubs Building A Winner With Young Stars

<div class="byline">&#x2014; STRUMM</div>NEW WESTMINSTER&mdash;Bruins&rsquo; maintained the only undefeated record in the league at 26 games&hellip; Their latest triumph was a 4-3 victory over Edmonton&hellip; One of the hottest prospects in the Bruin lineup is rookie Brian Shmyr&hellip; The first-year forward scored five goals in the span of four games&hellip; Bruins remained in contention for the Western Division pennant three points back of Calgary. &#9632;

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March 8, 1974

HOCKEY … For Minors

Harrison’s Days With WHA Oilers In Doubt As Ice Star, Club Feud

National Hockey League SUMMARIES

National Hockey League Scoring By Teams