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.

November 5, 1976

The Hockey News November 5, 1976

<div class="byline">- BY BILL MAKI</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0013-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02814/3969312-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">LIVE ACTION&hellip;.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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IN THIS ISSUE

CARTOON CORNER

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-011004/3969350-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02837/3969343-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="2522" height="3355"></div> &#9632;

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WHA SCORING AND PENALTY STATISTICS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0020-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01534/3969522-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg"></div> &#9632;

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National League Summaries

<div class="byline">BY NORM MacLEAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01989/3968812-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">JEAN RATELLE&hellip; Not Available For Waiver Price (Photo by Robert Shaver)</figcaption></div>NEW YORK&mdash;The wires hummed with the news. Gilles Marotte, the New York Rangers' veteran defensemen, had been picked up on waivers by the St. Louis Blues. Marotte, 31, hadn't dressed in the Rangers' early games&mdash;and appeared to be in danger of being sent to the minors, as had already happened with another Ranger vet, defenseman Doug Jarrett.&ldquo;Insiders tell me that Marotte was picked up on a waiver price of $2,500, instead of the usual $30,000,&rdquo; said one NHL general manager. &ldquo;That happens when a veteran player with a big salary is in danger. If a player has more than 10 years in the NHL. This is done to give him a chance to stay in the league. Sometimes a team will take a chance on such a player, but they don't want to pay both the $30,000 waiver price and his salary.&rdquo;Marotte, who made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins in 1965-66, and partnered with Bobby Orr in 1966-67, had been with Chicago and Los Angeles before coming to the Rangers in a trade in November of 1973. Highly rated at one time, he was part of the famous trade sending Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge to Boston in June of 1967 with the Bruins parting with Pit Martin and goalie Jack Norris in addition to Gilles.&ldquo;Marotte is a solid veteran who will help the Blues,&rdquo; said Emile Francis, the St. Louis general manager-coach.There is no doubt of this, but his salary (estimated in the $100,000 plus area) discouraged many teams from inquiring about his services beyond just mere conversation.At this time of the season, the waiver route is the usual method of moving players from team to team. Most fans don't really know the in-tricasies of the NHL rules regarding waivers.Don Ellis, the director of central registry for the NHL, explained the workings of waivers.&ldquo;From Sept. 15 until the end of the season, a club may request waivers on a player with the right of recall, or without. Once a player has been recalled, that same player cannot be placed on waivers again with the right of recall. The second time around the waivers are irrevocable. If a claim is entered for a player, the player's team has 48 hours to withdraw the waivers, if they so desire,&rdquo; said Ellis.As most fans know, waivers work in the reverse order of the standings with last year's standings counting until Nov. 1. After that, the current season's results are what counts. However, the standings in your local paper aren't necessarilly the final criteria. At any given time, certain teams may have played less games than others. Points aren't the final determining factor. Percentage of wins and ties to games played are the numbers that count in waiver claims.After a player clears waivers, he can be used for five games and still be sent down. If he remains for the sixth game, he is considered to be &ldquo;up&rdquo; again&mdash;and in order to be sent out, must go through the entire waiver process once more.Last year, prior to 'The Trade' with Boston in which Phil Esposito, Carol Vadnais, Brad Park and Jean Ratelle changed uniform, Emile Francis, then the Rangers general manager, put almost his entire roster on the waiver list. He did it in order to shake up his players&mdash;but also in order to find out what expressions of interest he might have elsewhere in the NHL.&ldquo;You know you aren't going to get Ratelie for the waiver price,&rdquo; said Bill Torrey, the Islanders GM. &ldquo;But it might make you call and find out if he was available in a trade. Expansion teams, and teams in trouble, scan the waiver list trying to pick up bodies which can help them. The aging veteran with the high salary might just do the trick for a year or two. Also teams in the playoff fight in the stretch, try to gain the edge by picking up an Ed Van Impe or a player of that caliber. Sometimes trades are started by waivers which don't go through&mdash;but are consummated in other forms.&rdquo;The deadline for trades in the NHL is March 6, after which the only way a player may move is via waivers. Not much usually happens after this date, although there have been some surprising last minute swaps just before the trade deadline. The Frank Mahovlich trade to Detroit for Normie Ullman and Garry Unger took place just before the deadline on March 3. 1968.Waivers were designed to keep as many players as possible playing in the league and to give the teams lowest in the standings the first shot at them. This works to an extent, although the salary factor affects many transactions.Tommy Ivan, the Black Hawks' canny GM, explained another factor in the withdrawing of, or successful clearance of, a player on waivers.&ldquo;When a team needs a favor they may request courtesy waivers on a particular player. This is by word of mouth, and many times players are waived out for reasons such as these. In the old six - team NHL many players were sent to the minors for disciplinary reasons on this type of so - called 'courtesy' waivers".At other times, a player may be waived for the bargain price of $100, which amounts to an unconditional release. By setting a price as small as $100, the team owning the player is telling the rest of the NHL that they may claim him by simply paying his salary.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02853/3968805-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="620" height="1310"><figcaption class="caption-body">GILLES MAROTTE &hellip; Saved By Waivers</figcaption></div>The emergency recall rule is another which sometimes needs clarification. Ellis explained this, saying, &ldquo;If a team goes under 17 skaters and two goalkeepers, an emergency is said to exist. They may then recall a player to fill the gap. When a player is sent down, however, he must remain down seven days. In the past this was 14 days, before he could be recalled.&rdquo;The waiver system may not be perfect but it realistically keeps talent moving and it keeps veteran players in the league when otherwise they might be dropped.&ldquo;It is a sounding board by which a general manager knows what is going on with the personnel on other teams,&rdquo; says Torrey. &ldquo;However, contending teams are built via the draft, not the waiver route.&rdquo; &#9632;

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SALVATION OF HOCKEY VETS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01982/3968719-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Charlie Simmer has been knocking on the door of the NHL for a few years now without success. This season he has worked especially hard to make it with the transplanted Cleveland Barons. For details see page 9 (Photo by Steve Babineau)</figcaption></div><h2>FIRST PENALTY SHOT</h2>CHICAGO&mdash;Cliff Koroll of the Chicago Black Hawks had the distinction of scoring the first penalty shot of the new NHL season and it also turned out to be a memorable one in the Hawks' history.When Koroll slipped the puck past St. Louis goaler Eddie Johnston Oct. 24, it marked the first penalty shot scored by a member of the Hawks in 35 years. Joe Cooper did it last in 1941 against Montreal. Koroll's feat recalled two years ago when the Hawks had two penalty shots in the same game &mdash; Stan Mikita and Jim Pappin &mdash; and missed both against goaler Michel Belhumeur. There were 11 penalty shots called in the NHL last season and only one player &mdash; Bob Nevin of L.A. &mdash; scored against Chicago's Tony Esposito.<h2>TIGER UNDER FIRE</h2>TORONTO&mdash;The war signs are up again in Maple Leaf Gardens where Dave &ldquo;Tiger Williams carved his initials in Dennis Owchar's head and the Pittsburgh defenseman needed 22 stitches to close the cut.Penguins' brass Wren Blair and Al Savill are incensed over the affair. Blair charged there wasn't even a penalty called and he said that he and the rest ol the NHL teams are beginning to wonder where their teams stand when they come into Toronto to play. Charges are laid against visiting players (Dan Maloney of Detroit, the four Flyers &mdash; Joe Watson. Don Saleski, Mel Bridgman and Bob Kelly) but never against the home team claims Blair.<h2>REF MAY LOSE EYE</h2>WASHINGTON&mdash;NHL referee Ron Wicks is undergoing the most distressing part of a hockey official's life &mdash; the thought of losing an eye after being struck in a league game.Dr. Stephen M. Solomon said the chances of Wicks losing the sight of his right eye are 'remote', but the Washington physician added. &ldquo;But I have seen it happen in cases where the bleeding started again in the eye.&rdquo; Dr. Solomon said Wicks, who was speared by Harvey Bennett's stick in a freak accident during a Montreal-Washington game, is confined to hospital after suffering a hemorrhage in the interior chamber of the eye, lacerations of the lid and possibly some broken facial bones. Wicks, who is 36 and has been officiating 20 years, said it was the first time he had ever had a scratch in a game.<h2>SCORING MILESTONES</h2>MONTREAL&mdash;Scoring milestones are piling up around the NHL in the early stages of the 1976-77 campaign. Yvan Cournoyer recently sank his 381st goal to take over 14th place in the all-time NHL goal-scoring race from Ted Lindsay. Rod Gilbert also stroked his 379th goal to tie Lindsay for 15th spot. And John Bucyk scored his 534th NHL goal to pull ahead of Frank Mahovlich, who left the league with a career total of 533 goals. Bucyk now stands 5th on the all-time list.In other milestone events, Buffalo's Fred Stanfield shot his 200th NHL goal last weekend against Washington. Garry Unger scored his 290th. Pit Martin his 284th, Jacques Lemaire his 276th and Bobby Orr his 267th. Gilbert also notched his 571st NHL assist to also pass Mahovlich on the all-time list. &#9632;

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DEADLINE STOPPERS

CHICAGO&mdash;Will the $3,090,000 man become a part-time hockey player with the Chicago Black Hawks?It would seem Hawks' defenseman Bobby Orr could ultimately be relegated to such a role if a Toronto doctor's assessment is correct. Orr was examined thoroughly by Dr. John Palmer, who is convinced Orr's troublesome knees can't stand up to the daily wear and tear in the rugged National Hockey League.The Toronto surgeon pointed out that Orr has abused his knee by playing too much.Palmer recommended that Orr take a &ldquo;good rest&rdquo; and that perhaps he should play only two out of three games or rest one or two days every week. Orr will need a layoff of about five days, Palmer said.Dr. Palmer stressed that the knee flare-up would be a &ldquo;common occurrence&rdquo; for the rest of Orr's NHL career.The soreness in Orr's knee failed to disappear after the normal 24hour recuperative period following a recent game, making the examination necessary by Dr. Palmer.Orr, who has already had five operations on the knee, signed a multi-year $3-million contract with the Black Hawks last summer following 10 years with Boston Bruins.With Orr out of the lineup, the Hawks sputtered, losing 3-0 to Cleveland. 5-1 to Philadelphia and 4-3 to Minnesota.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-02892/3968774-1-eng-US/f0002-022.jpg" title="f0002-02" width="620" height="2916"></div> &#9632;

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Medic Says Orr's Knee To Restrict His Action

<div class="byline">BY BOB VERDI</div>CHICAGO&mdash;The Chicago Black Hawks and Boston Bruins have declared a temporary truce in their haggling over who gets what in the controversial Bobby Orr affair.With the National Hockey League facing the spectre of having its name dragged through the courts again and the public media, the NHL board of governors moved swiftly into emergency session to settle the agrument urging the two teams to settle their differences later without going into court.NHL president Clarence Campbell closed the breach temporarily between the warring clubs by carrying a message from the governors to the teams and then going back to the governors before securing a written agreement from both sides to terminate litigation.Campbell said the Hawks and Bruins will have until June 1, 1977 to work out their problems and if they don't, an arbitrator&mdash;likely Campbell&mdash;will be appointed to decide what compensation the Bruins are entitled to for Orr.Meanwhile, off-ice warfare swirled around Orr, who probably never dreamed he would be caught up in such turmoil after becoming a free agent June 1 after playing 10 years with the Bruins.You probably thought it would be so simple when the Hawks paid $3 million for No. 4 last June and agreed, mutually, to settle &ldquo;compensation'' at a date to be named later.Well, simplicity gave way to confusion in mid-October when the Bruins sued the Black Hawks: either Bobby Orr stops playing hockey or we get a return CARE package in New England, and quickly.The suit, filed after Orr had played only one game for the Hawks, did not stop Orr from playing, nor did it stop the Black Hawks from turning right around and suing the Bruins. This charge was ' harassment.'' and the Chicago brass did get out of it a 10-day grace period during which no court could order Orr off the ice come hell or high water.Until that countersuit, there was a bit of uncertainty surrounding the Black Hawk contingent. The night after that lawsuit was filed by the Bruins, the Hawks were in Long Island for a game against the Islanders. Coach Billy (Kojak) Reay, taking no chances, did not leave his locker room&mdash;not even for his usual cup of coffee&mdash;until the opening buzzer.&ldquo;I'm sorry,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but I can't say anything.&rdquo;Neither did&mdash;or could&mdash;any of his players, all of whom were hermetically sealed in the bathhouse after their 2-1 loss to New York. A police line cordoned off the area from reporters, who were carrying no papers other than notepads.&ldquo;They have to leave the locker room sooner or later,&rdquo; giggled New York general manager Bill Torrey, &ldquo;they have a game in Chicago tomorrow night, don't they? &ldquo;They did leave, did the Black Hawks, but through a back door, saying not a word. Later Reay explained that he was merely taking every precaution against Orr, or any other member of the team, being served with an injunction. So the Hawks traveled incognito.&ldquo;New York is close to Massachusetts, you know,&rdquo; said Reay, who did break a league rule (and is subject to fine because of) by not opening his locker room to the media 10 minutes after the game.Lest you think the Black Hawks were on the defensive all along, four days later they took the baton and sued Boston &ldquo;asking the court to enter a judgement to restrain Boston from doing anything that would deprive the Black Hawks of the services of Bobby Orr.&rdquo;Arthur Wirta, Chicago chairman of the board, elaborated.&ldquo;Let me say this,&rdquo; he told the Chicago Tribune, &ldquo;the Jacobs family of Buffalo owns the Boston Bruins and before we signed Orr. I called Jeremy Jacobs. I've been friends with the family since 1932&mdash;what's that 44 years?&ldquo;And I said to him that on June I. Orr will become a free agent&hellip;and we do not want to step on your toes, but if you don't sign him, we'll try to.&ldquo;Jeremy Jacobs said if we can't sign him, we'll waive any rights to equalization.' And we signed Orr&hellip;and I have that understanding with Jacobs.&ldquo;I used every care to straighten out this before we signed him. The Jacobs family has a fine reputation and I have great respect for them. I'm sure they won't break their word to me. If fact, I would be surprised if the Jacob family broke their word.&ldquo;There was a telegram sent to the league&mdash;although I have not seen it&mdash;confirming this. The Boston club confirmed to the league and satisfied the league (on the waiving of arbitration.) There was a clear understanding between the Players' Association, the National Hockey League owners and Mr. Campbell (NHL president Clarence Campbell.)&ldquo;We did everything we could as far as the precautions&hellip;we could not have signed him unless we knew where we were going. I imagine their (the Jacobs') faces are red. When the club was sold to them, they promised to sign Orr But for some reason or another, they didn't. And he became a free agent.&ldquo;Considering the huge bidding for Orr's services by several major clubs. I can't understand why the management didn't sign him. We were kind of laughed at. But when you look at his dominating performance in the Canada Cup. I have to believe he's the greatest player in the league.&ldquo;We're just happy to have him. Jeremy told me we won't want any compensation.' I still feel he'll live up to it. &ldquo;And so, after all those ties they've accumulated in the past, the Black Hawks now have suits to go with them. &#9632;

Hawks, Bruins Declare Truce In Orr Compensation Affair

<div class="byline">Ken McKenzie's</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-011040/3968864-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="479" height="493"></div>&bull; SIGN OF THE TIMES: There are 300 professional hockey players not employed right now That's 300 less than for the same period a year ago&hellip; Big shakeup among the front office of the Indianapolis Racers with Paul Deneau. chairman of the board and Jim Browitt. president-general manager, both sidelined. New people have taken over the top spots and Jacques Demers will now be both coach and general manager Attendance at the home games of the new Birmingham Bulls has been tremendous to date&hellip;Cleveland Barons worried about Jim Neilson The veteran defenseman underwent knee surgery more than a year ago and only recently rejoined his team Bob Lorimer, outstanding NHL prospect is a tough luck guy. Bob suffered a ruptured spleen playing with Fort Worth and will be out of action a long time. Borje Salming. Sweden's gift to the Toronto Maple Leafs, suffering from headaches and dizziness of late. He had to leave a game recently against Canadiens for this reason. Only seven players who started the 1975-76 season with Indianapolis are with the club this year. Gabe DeNunzio doing a standout job doubling as business manager and public relations director of the San Diego Mariners.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02995/3968857-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="319" height="420"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jim Browitt</figcaption></div>&bull; WASHINGTON CAPITALS drew over 13.000 to their opening night win against Atlanta, one of the bigger opening crowds in the NHL. Guy Charron has been a big hit with the Caps, both on and off the ice&hellip;Center Gerry Meehan played his 500th NHL game recently and the Caps valued forward has yet, in 11 NHL seasons, to accumulate over 100 minutes in penalties&hellip;Washington, like the Russians and Czechs, are the only NHL team to run a &ldquo;hard' practice the afternoon of a game&hellip;Montreal's Concordia University Stingers will make a three-week tour of 'Czechoslovakia in mid-December. They will play six to eight games against top Czech junior and university teams&hellip;Chicago Standbys are the oldest NHL booster club&hellip;Allen Bonapart will announce the Mohawk Valley Comets games over Radio 107 WTLB-FM for the seventh straight year Philadelphia Flyer fans will be able to see all 40 road games over WTAF-FM, Channel 29, this season, In addition. PRISM the area's new pay cable-TV station, will televise 25 Flyer home games. &ldquo;It's the most comprehensive television package we've ever put together,&rdquo; commented Flyers' vice president Lou Scheinfeld. The Flyers, seeking to recapture the Stanley Cup, plan to do everything possible to make their games enjoyable for their viewers. &ldquo;Our relationship with Channel 29 has been an excellent one'', said Harlan Singer, Flyers' radio-TV director&hellip; Colorful Ted Garvin plans to have his Toledo Goaldiggers on top of the International League this season. Garvin has done a masterful job in selling hockey in Toledo and supplies the fans in that area with very exciting hockey&hellip;S. 'Kip' Farrington Jr., hockey historian and author, was recently honored as Long Island Sportsman of the Year by the Great South Bay Waterfowlers Association, Over 300 attended the dinner at Bayshore, LI&hellip;Frank Brimsek, one of hockey's all-time great goalies, recently retired from the railway and is living in Virginia, Minn. Frank, now 63, looks much the same as when he left the NHL with the exception of a few grey hairs&hellip;Mike McEwen, impressive rookie defenseman with the New York Rangers, might have had a future in baseball. He was the leading pitcher in a Toronto junior league this past summer.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03890/3968850-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="360" height="453"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mike McEwen</figcaption></div>&bull; DENIS POTVIN appears to be carrying the puck less this season for the Islanders. The Isles scoring potential increases 50 percent when he's on the ice&hellip;Bert Marshall, veteran Islanders' defenseman, is reputed to be the best tennis player among all of the hockey players. Rod Gilbert of the Rangers is a close second&hellip;The board of directors of the Cincinnati Stingers is composed of some of the most prominent citizens in that city&hellip;Bob Carse, longtime scoring star with the old Cleveland Barons, acts as the official scorer at all home games of the current Barons&hellip;Mike Christie, a defenseman with Cleveland, is the only Texas-born player in pro hockey&hellip; Atlanta Flames plan to sign Sweden's Kent Nilsson after he's served his seven months of compulsory military service back home&hellip;Marshall Johnston, formerly coach of the California Seals and currently assistant coach at Denver U. will coach the United States team at the world junior hockey championships in Czechoslovakia this winter&hellip;New York Rangers are worried about their porous defense. The two goalies, John Davidson and Gilles Gratton, have not played that poorly. It's just a case of the Rangers' defensemen losing control of the puck in front of their net&hellip;Gordie Howe has picked up one or more points in each of Houston's first seven games&hellip;Robbie Ftorek has been playing well for Phoenix and is one of the WHA super stars of the future&hellip;Veteran Bob Nevin wasted little time in joining the Edmonton Oilers after being released by the L.A. Kings.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04788/3968843-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="318" height="458"><figcaption class="caption-body">Robbie Ftorek</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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PASSING THE PUCK

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-05" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-05649/3968895-1-eng-US/f0004-052.jpg"></div><h2>Word Going Out On L.A.'s Hutchison</h2>Back in the final game of the 197475 playoff season between L.A. and Toronto. Dave Hutchison of the Kings came off the L.A. bench to attack Dave Williams of Toronto in the penalty box. Hutch's stick-swinging resulted in a five-game suspension at the start of the 1975-76 season.During the 1975-76 season, another re-match ensued resulting in another suspension as Hutch had promised revenge for the first episode.Then again during the 75-76 season. Hutch clubbed a Montreal player at the L.A. Forum, resulting in a game misconduct penalty.Dave tells the news media that there was nothing wrong with this in that the Montreal player was wearing a helmet.During a visit to the L.A. Forum by Buffalo, Hutch started at a Sabre player until the Sabre player threw his stick away to the opposite end of the rink, hoping to go at Hutch &ldquo;man to man.&rdquo; Dave backed off.Now in Philadelphia, he uses his stick again, causing a bench-clearing brawl. This time, he tells the media he has had bigger pimples on his face than the cut on the Flyer player's face.When Hutch came to the NHL from the WHA, he was tagged a man with muscle, but they forgot the part about his stick-swinging.Well, perhaps the NHL is reluctant to give any stiff penalties to his style of violence where an eye could be lost very easily, but at least the word is going around to the players about Hutchison's stick fighting and he'll receive justice from them.I do know though, whether it's on the ice or street, if someone attacks another with a stick, it's an assault and they may land in an L.A. courtroom.E. LEWANDOWSKI, Torrance, Calif.<h2>Tretiak Is Better Than Czech Goalie</h2>I'm sick and tired of hearing that Jiri Holecek is rated higher than Vladislav Tretiak in goal.I read a lot of sports pages and magazines anti every time they mention European goalies, they always write this.In the recent Canada Cup series, Holecek was pulled out of the net in at least three games. He was replaced by the Czechs' backup goalie. Vladimir Dzurilla, who could be rated as high as Tretiak.Holecek seemed to be the biggest flop in the tournament. Maybe Tretiak doesn't rate as high in European championships, but when he plays here, watch out.VERONICA ZIEGELBAUER, Bradford, Ont.<h2>Canadiens' Style Will Come Back</h2>I have been a hockey fan for close to 20 years. I have seen hockey when only six teams were in the NHL and that was excellent hockey.When the league expanded to 12 teams, the brand of hockey started to be watered down. Today, the league has only four major teams&mdash;Montreal, N.Y. Islanders, Boston and Philadelphia.I watched all three of the Canada-European series. After watching these three series, it makes the NHL look very weak. After watching Philadelphia play the Soviet Red Army and Montreal play the same club, Philadelphia may have beaten the Russians by score, but the Canadiens beat them by skating and also in every other department.After watching the Stanley Cup finals, Montreal against Philadelphia. I think people are beginning to see the style of hockey which we should be watching.I believe the Flyers' style of hockey is coming to an end. Montreal's style of hockey is going to take over as it has in the past. They are the champions because they stick to the basics. That's what hockey is all about.LINDSAY ATKINSON, St. Mary's, Ont.<h2>Views On Series Totally Distorted</h2>I am writing this letter in answer to a letter written by Jack Bucholtz in the Oct. 15 issue of The Hockey News.Mr. Bucholtz, I think your views on the Canada Cup series are totally distorted. All members of the Canadian team from the Montreal Canadiens earned their positions, namely Bob Gainey and Steve Shutt.Gainey was one of the main reasons that Team Canada only had two power play goals scored against them. He was also a member of the Sittier line which was one of the most dominant lines in the tournament.Shutt was a sparkplug during the series and his line of Shutt, Mahovlich and Lafleur was one of Team Canada's best.In regards to your comments on the bilingualism in the tournament, I think the Canada Cup organizers were justified in using their French policy. Since Canada is bilingual by law. French and English go hand in hand. I am part French and very proud of the fact.JEFF DeDEKKE Prescott, Ont.<h2>Bruins In The Wrong Regarding Orr Deal</h2>I read with interest the articles about the Bobby Orr situation. I am an avid hockey fan and Chicago is my favorite team.Apparently, the Bruins owners, the Jacobs, waived compensation rights. It was stated by Jerry Jacobs that they would waive rights to equalization.He must not have told his coach. In Jack McCarthy's article, Don Cherry said he should at least get Phil Russell to &ldquo;start with.&rdquo;Don Cherry can drop dead. If he thinks that Tommy Ivan will give up any player, much less one of hockey's best defensemen, he's wrong, because Bobby's contract declares him a free agent if players change hands. So, it looks like Boston's been had.LYNN NEWMAN, Birmingham, Ala. &#9632;

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FAN FORUM

<div class="byline">BY NORM MacLEAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-01902/3968926-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">DON MURDOCH&hellip; Jubilant After 5-Goal Game (Photo by Rich Pilling)</figcaption></div>NEW YORK&mdash;Don Murdoch wears white suits and is 19 years old. He was the New York Rangers' first draft choice last June after scoring 88 goals in junior hockey. His open - necked ensemble turns the eye of more than one pretty young thing. And he scored five goals against the Minnesota North Stars on Oct. 12, something no other Ranger in history had ever done and something only one NHL rookie, Howie Meeker of the 1947 Toronto Maple Leafs, had ever accomplished.&ldquo;Is he ever a natural goal scorer,&rdquo; exulted general manager-coach John Ferguson. &ldquo;The kid has a lot of natural talent.&rdquo;Don was so excited after his big night, which lifted him into the NHL goal scoring lead with eight, that he couldn't sleep after arriving home from Minnesota in the wee hours of the morning.&ldquo;I telephoned home to Cranbrook, British Columbia to my mother, but she had already heard. But I was so excited I just couldn't sleep. You have to be lucky to score five goals. Esposito set me up with five seconds to play. I got the shot off, but (Gary) Smith stopped it. Then the rebound came back to me near the blueline and I let it go. Was I happy when it went past him. Wow, five goals in the NHL. You dream of something like that, but it almost never happens.&rdquo;&ldquo;The kid is terrific,&rdquo; insisted Espo as he tried to force Murdoch to pay for the beers to celebrate. We'll get him to buy on a West Coast trip. The kid has so much natural talent. He gets the puck away fast and is very accurate. With him, we've got a heck of a club.&rdquo;Murdoch plays on a line with Walter Tkaczuk and Greg Polis. But on power plays he teams up with Esposito and Hodge, as Ferguson sits down Pat Hickey.&ldquo;I've always had a pretty accurate shot,&rdquo; said Don. &ldquo;When I was a kid I built a steel and plywood goal cage in my backyard and shot 200 pucks at it every day.&rdquo;The New Yorkers quick opening foot, giving them three wins in the first five games, has quickened the pulse of Ranger watchers. The dismissal of veteran defenseman Gilles Marotte, on waivers to St. Louis, means that Ferguson is sticking to his game plan and going with the kids.This may cost him, as it did in St. Louis on Oct. 9, when rookie Dave Farrish made a mistake which led to the winning goal as the Blues and Emile Francis beat the Rangers 2-1. But it will also add up to the tumultous excitement of Murdoch beating a symphony of goals on the Minnesota net in the 10-4 win on Oct. 12.&ldquo;My penalty killing is worrying me a bit,&rdquo; admitted Ferguson, after the Rangers had lost to Boston 2-1 on Oct. 13. &ldquo;We'll have to work on it. Their power play goals killed us tonight.&rdquo;With right winger Billy Fairbairn not playing and apparently on the block, the Rangers penalty killing is left up to Tkaczuk, Polis and sometimes Peter Stemkowski and Mark Heaslip. But the rawness of the defense can also cause problems, which will only be overcome with game experience.On some nights the Rangers will be murder, both to the opposition and to their own fans, as they alternately skate someone into the ice and then confuse the issue with rookie mistakes. But this is a growing period. On other nights Murdoch will do his thing, or Espo and Hodge will break loose. Gilles Gratton will stop the other guys, and the team will look pretty good.John Evangelista, the president of the Rangers Fan Club, pleaded, &ldquo;Give this team some time. Give John Ferguson some time and he'll produce a winner. And more important give it support and maybe even some love, and the kids will come along.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0005-01

Old Rangers, Ferguson Impressed By Murdoch's Natural Scoring Talent

<div class="byline">BY DICK JOHNSTON</div>BUFFALO&mdash;Round one in the battle for goaltending jobs on the Buffalo Sabres went to the incumbent, Gerry Desjardins.Before the season started, coach Floyd Smith said he would keep three goaltenders, play them all and the two who proved they were best would stick with the club and handle the two netminding jobs.Did this mean, Smith was asked, that Desjardins started on the same level with Al Smith and Bob Sauve?Yes, replied the coach, it does.Desjardins had been the club's No. 1 netminder last season and through the playoffs of 1975 and '76. Smith joined the club midway through last season and played in 14 games.Sauve, No. 1 draft choice of the Sabres in 1975, was with the club through the first two months of the 1975-76 season, then went to the minors, dividing his time between Providence of the American League and Charlotte of the Southern League.The rookie proved the most popular goalie with the Buffalo fans in pre-season exhibitions, when the three posted almost identical records. Each worked two full games in pre-season games and part of a third.Desjardins and Smith each gave up seven goals, Sauve yielded eight.The rookie, however, played his two full games against the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens and then blanked the runner-up Philadelphia Flyers for 30 minutes in his other appearance.He started the first game of the exhibition schedule, in Montreal, and the Sabres won it. They lost the other game against the Canadiens but Sauve played well and won many Buffalo rooters with his performance.Desjardins, who did not have an impressive training camp, finished up after Sauve left the Philadelphia game, last on the pre-season schedule, and he shut out the Flyers the final 30 minutes.Coach Smith picked Al Smith to play in the Sabres' regular-season opener, against the Red Wings in Detroit. The Sabres did not play a good game. They were blanked, 4-0, in veteran goaltender Ed Giacomin's 52nd career shut out.Smith played well for Buffalo, however. Three of the Wings' goals came on the powerplay, the other was a shorthanded goal. He stopped two breakaways.Desjardins played the next game, the next night against none other than the Canadiens. Desi did a terrific job as the Sabres won, 3-1. The Canadiens outshot the Sabres by 18-6 in the opening period but it ended 1-1 as Desi made save after save.He stopped Doug Risebrough on a breakaway in the third period.After the game came the inevitable questions as to whether the 32-year-old veteran thought he had secured a regular job through his performance. Desi showed he didn't particularly like the questions or the situation that brought them on.&ldquo;There are two spots open on the club,&rdquo; said he, &ldquo;and I think I'm pretty well assured of one of them. I'm working for a job and I have it. All I strive for is to go out and do my best and if that isn't good enough. I'll hang up my gear. &ldquo;Next team to come into Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium was the New York Islanders, only club still unbeaten in the league at the time. Sauve got his National Hockey League baptism in this game.Not so good. The Sabres lost, 4-3, and Sauve made one of the defensive mistakes that contributed to all four Islander goals.He went behind the net to clear the puck shortly after the Sabres had tied the score. 1-1, in the opening period. He misplayed it, lost it to Billy Harris and Harris passed it out to Clark Gillies at the goalmouth for the score that put the Islanders ahead for good. &#9632;

Veteran Desjardins Wins Round One In Fight For Sabres' Netminding Job

Following are the latest player movements in hockey:<h2>NATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>LOS ANGELES &mdash; Mike Corrigan, forward, traded to Pittsburgh for 1977 amateur draft choice. Mario Lessard, goaler, and Larry Brown, defenseman, assigned to Fort Worth of CHL.BOSTON &mdash; Ray Maluta, defenseman, recalled from Rochester of AHL Joe Zanussi, defenseman, sent to Rochester as replacement.COLORADO &mdash; Denis Dupere, forward, recalled from Rhode Island of AHL. Jim McElmury, defenseman, and Larry Skinner, forward, sent to Oklahoma City of CHL. Bill Oleschuk, goaler, recalled from Baltimore of SHL and reassigned to Rhode Island Larry Johnston, defenseman. and Gary Coalter, forward, sent to Maine of NAHL.WASHINGTON - Pete Scamurra, defenseman, recalled from Springfield as replacement for Rick Green, who is on disabled list with groin injury.TORONTO &mdash; Don Ashby, forward, recalled from Dallas of CHL as replacement for George Ferguson, who is on disabled list with bruised thigh.PITTSBURGH &mdash; Eddie Gilbert, forward, sent to Hershey of AHL.VANCOUVER &mdash; Jim Wiley, and Brad Gassoff, forwards, sent to Tulsa of CHL.ATLANTA &mdash; Larry Romanchych, forward, sent to Tulsa of CHL.PHILADELPHIA - Bill Collins, forward, signed as free agent. Jerome Mrazek, goaler, returned to Springfield of AHL. Dave Kelly, forward, recalled from Springfield and reassigned to Rhode Island of AHL.BUFFALO &mdash; Michel Deziel, forward, sent to Rhode Island of AHL.MINNESOTA - Alain Langlais, forward, sent to Tulsa of CHL. Scott MacPhail, forward recalled from New Haven of AHL and reassigned to Baltimore of SHL. Doug Rombough, forward, recalled from New Haven and reassigned to Erie of NAHL.CHICAGO &mdash; Mike Dumas, goaler, recalled from Dallas of CHL as standby replacement for Gilles Villemure, Dan Hinton, defenseman, sent to Dallas.RANGERS &mdash; Gerry Teeple, forward, recalled from Rhode Island of AHL and reassigned to Springfield of AHL.DETROIT &mdash; Peter McDuffe, goaler, and Bob Krieger, forward, recalled from Kansas City of CHL and reassigned to Richmond of SHL.ST. LOUIS &mdash; Dave Hrechkosy, forward, placed on Blues' active roster.<h2>WORLD HOCKEY ASSN.</h2>EDMONTON &mdash; Bob Nevin, forward, signed as free agent after jum'ping from Los Angeles of NHL. Ken Baird, defenseman. released to become free agent.INDIANAPOLIS &mdash; Michel Dion, goaler, assigned to Mohawk Valley of NAHL.CALGARY &mdash; Rick Jodzio and Tom Serviss, forwards, recalled from Tidewater of SHL.SAN DIEGO &mdash; Bob Blanchet, goaler. Norm Cournoyer, Tim O'Connell and Gord Titcomb, forwards, assigned to Charlotte of SHL.MINNESOTA &mdash; Jacques Caron, goaler, assigned to Syracuse of NAHL. Dave Hanson, defenseman, assigned to Hampton of SHL.BIRMINGHAM &mdash; Jerry Rollins, defenseman. traded to Phoenix.<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>HERSHEY &mdash; Don Lemieux, defenseman. placed on disabled list.RHODE ISLAND - Bob Murray, forward, removed from active roster.ROCHESTER &mdash; Peter Sturgeon and Steve Langdon, forwards, removed from active roster.SPRINGFIELD - Bob Sauve, forward, sent to Baltimore of SHL Paul Nicholson, forward, sent to Dayton of IHL.<h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE</h2>DALLAS &mdash; Ted Bulley, forward, sent to Flint of IHL. Rejean Giroux, forward, sent to Beauce of NAHL.FORTH WORTH - Mike Usitalo, forward, sent to Muskegon of IHL.TULSA &mdash; Elmer Ray, Mike Will and Dale McMullin, forwards, sent to Fort Wayne of IHL.OKLAHOMA CITY &mdash; Buzz Schneider, forward, from U.S. Olympic team, signed to 10-game pro tryout.<h2>SOUTHERN LEAGUE</h2>BALTIMORE &mdash; Ron Serafini, defenseman, sent to Winston-Salem of SHL, Gerry Pion, forward, signed to pro contract.TIDEWATER &mdash; Pete McNamee, forward-defenseman, signed as free agent.RICHMOND - Willy Brossart, defenseman, signed as free agent after reconsidering Baltimore offer.GREENSBORO - Jim Edgeworth, defenseman, signed as free agent. &#9632;

Hockey Players On The Move…

<div class="byline">BY PAT THOMPSON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0007-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01956/3969005-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY SMITH&hellip; Bombarded by Rangers (Phto by Steve Babineau)</figcaption></div>TWIN CITIES&mdash;Just when things started to look promising, the Minnesota Malady struck the North Stars.Downhill (offensively), they skate like fiends. Uphill (defensively), well&hellip;let the fourth game of the season fill you in.The North Stars met the New York Rangers in their second game at home, a game picked for local television to showcase all the new North Star talent.Final score: Rangers 10, North Stars 4. New York rookie Don Murdoch had half the goals to tie Howie Meeker's record for most goals in a game by a rookie.But the biggest disappointment, as far as the North Stars were concerned, was that five of New York's 10 goals came with center Tim Young's line on the ice.That showing put a considerable shadow on Young's fine start this season. In the first week, the 21-year-old center moved atop the NHL scoring statistics with four goals and five assists. It did not seem to matter after the New York game that he scored one of his team's four goals to give him five goals in his first four games in what is the fastest start ever by a Minnesota player.Young cannot bear the sole blame for lack of defense, nor can his linemates Pierre Jarry and Dean Talafous nor any one defenseman nor goalie Gary Smith.It was a team effort, this Minnesota Malady.Smith was bombarded by 49 Ranger shots, just three nights after he recorded his first victory as a North Star in Minnesota's 43-shot, 4-1 victory over Colorado.Coach Ted Harris was perplexed, and fuming. &ldquo;Bad defensive hockey&hellip;no defensive hockey at all,&rdquo; he muttered, then outlined what he hoped would be corrective measures.&ldquo;In our case, it is a matter of starting all over, just like training camp,&rdquo; Harris added. &ldquo;We have to correct a number of mistakes. We're losing too many faceoffs and missing too many checks. You'll see this happen to one or two guys a game, but that was the whole bloody team.&rdquo;Harris called for twice daily workouts the next three days, and replayed the video tape to point the individual mistakes.The North Stars were trailing in the game, 5-4, as late as 12:31 of the second period when Murdoch took sole control by scoring four of New York's last five goals.Overlooked in such a drubbing were the first career goals for two promising North Star rookies, Swedish center Roland Eriksson and No. 1 draft choice Glen Sharpley, also a center.But it was a disappointing night all round. The crowd of 6,378 was the smallest North Star regular season crowd in their history of nine-plus NHL seasons.STAR DUST: Tom Youhghans, another of the six rookies still with the club, scored his first NHL goal against Colorado, a shorthanded one at that&hellip;The North Stars sent two more players to New Haven, veteran center Blake Dunlop and rookie letf wing Jim Roberts&hellip; Defenseman Tom Reid, who missed the first three games, returned to action against the Rangers after recovering from a severe skin rash&hellip;The North Stars scored only two short-handed goals in their first three games after getting only two all of last season ..A sprained right knee has kept left winger Richard Nantais out of action&hellip; All but three North Stars are wearing helmets this season. The exceptions are defenseman Dennis O'Brien, center Sharpley and left wing Ernie Hicke. The North Stars have an average age of 24.90 years. &#9632;

f0007-01

Defensive Letdowns Hurt As Stars 'Starting Over'

<div class="byline">BY ALAN TRUEX</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0008-03" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03808/3969074-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">HILLIARD GRAVES&hellip; Leads Flames' Scorers</figcaption></div>ATLANTA-If there was one area the Atlanta Flames expected to improve this season, it was the power play.Ever since he became coach of the Flames in 1975, Fred Creighton has been saying. &ldquo;We've got to improve our play with the man-advantage.&rdquo;Last season the Flames ranked only 11th in the National Hockey League in power play efficiency.While the team directly ahead of them in the standings, the New York Islanders, scored on 32 per cent of their man-advantages, the Flames succeeded on just 19 per cent. This meant a 36-goal difference and accounts for the margin of offensive superiority which Long Island had over Atlanta.Creighton had expected to build a strong power play last year. But he felt the problem was, &ldquo;The two players we had counted on to improve our power play, Guy Chouinard and Richard Mulhern, just weren't ready yet.&rdquo;But this season, rookies Mulhern and Chouinard have been ruled ready. And this season the Flames' power play was the only one in the NHL which was still scoreless after four games. After five games, it was one for 13.Yet Creighton, normally not one to minimize a problem, did not sound overly concerned. He believes the club's power play is in fact improved, even if the statistical evidence doesn't support this contention.&ldquo;We've been getting good chances, really,&rdquo; Creighton said. &ldquo;I don't think we're playing it that badly.&rdquo;He believes the team will develop a more potent power play as Chouinard and Mulhern become more familiar with major-league hockey. Chouinard, a centerman, has the passing ability and Mulhern, a defenseman, has the heavy shot from point that characterize all good power plays.Furthermore, the Flames are also getting encouraging production from the right wing, a position which has hampered the power play&mdash;and the rest of the team's offense&mdash;in prior years.Last year, the Flames' biggest scorer at right wing, Hilliard Graves, played most of the power plays and scored only two goals, with 19 total.But this year, Graves had scored four goals&mdash;most on the team&mdash;after five games, and he had the Flames' only power play goal.Kenny Houston, a rookie last year, and Rick Bowness, a rookie now, also have been playing well at right wing to upgrade this persistently troublesome area.In the early going, the Flames appeared to be a better offensive team than in prior seasons, even with Chouinard and Mulhern not yet playing up to their anticipated level.The team's most pressing problem appeared to be an unlikely one&mdash;goaltending. Dan Bouchard and Phil Myre have both been inconsistent in the pre-season and early regular season.However, Myre appeared to snap out of his slump with an extremely sharp 4-2 victory in Cleveland Oct. 13.After that game, Creighton was asked if he intended to keep alternating his goaltenders, as the team has in the past. The coach replied. &ldquo;Last year Danny was the sharper of the two. But it looks like Phil has his act together now. If Danny can get his act together I'll be happy to alternate em.&rdquo;NOTES: Eric Vail sprained his left wrist in a game on Long Island Oct. 12. He missed only one game and then returned, wearing a light cast&hellip;Captain Pat Quinn did not play until the fifth game, when he rejoined the team during Vail's one-game absence. Quinn, a regular for four years with the Elames, is the sixth defenseman. But Creighton is going with a five-man defense. &#9632;

f0008-03

Flames' Power Play Better This Season

<div class="byline">-BY BILL LIBBY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-011062/3969043-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="454" height="511"></div><h2>The Quiet Man&hellip;</h2>HIS FACE LOOKS like it was carved in granite, but he is not a hard man inside. As a player, Jack Evans was as quiet off the ice as he was noisy on it. When with the Rangers, he roomed with the equally-reserved Andy Bathgate and it was said that a season passed without a word between them. An old-fashioned defensive defenseman, Evans tended to mind his own business on the ice, but when someone started some monkey business he found out Evans was no one to monkey with.Stafford Smythe, the Toronto immortal, once included Jack on a select list he drew up of the toughest players he ever saw in his sport. Fernie Flaman, the old Boston bully, once named Evans as one of the few ever to defeat him in a fight. Jack's most famous fight came in the Western League in the early 1950s when he and Larry Zeidel slashed at each other with their sticks until they broke, then jabbed at each other with the jagged ends. Each received 40 stitches as a result of that bloody brawl.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02955/3969036-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="871" height="1187"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jack Evans was never considered a great player but he has demonstrated good qualities as a coach, who commands respect from his players.</figcaption></div>Jack is best remembered by it, but he says, &ldquo;I prefer to forget it. It was a long time ago. It was not typical of my career. I was tough, but clean. I never wanted to hurt anyone and we were lucky we lived through that one. I've been as mad many times since, but never had another one like that one.&ldquo;I wasn't a great player, but I believe I was a good, solid player. I couldn't play offense, but I played defense. I was a big guy and I played the body. I got penalties, but not the way they get them these days. I guess I averaged 80 or 90 minutes a season at my peak, but I left the NHL with 11 less than a thousand and never had a desire to get the rest.&rdquo;He played professionally 22 years and in the majors 12 years, seven with the Rangers and five with the Black Hawks. He says they were ''pretty good years". The first few with the Rangers weren't so good, but they became contenders in the late '50s and the Hawks were contenders when he was with them. In fact they won the Stanley Cup in 1961.&ldquo;That was my big moment,&rdquo; he recalls. &ldquo;In the final game against Detroit I got the clinching goal. It was satisfying, to say the least.&rdquo;After moving out of the majors, he was a player-coach with Buffalo in the American League one year, but he wasn't successful. He was a player-assistant coach with San Diego in the Western League four years. Retiring as a player, he became head coach of the club and was successful two years. He didn't win any championships, but won more games than he lost.WHEN THEWestern League folded, he moved into the Central League as coach of the California Seals' farm club in Salt Lake City and was voted coach-of-the-year after he took his team to the pennant and Adams Cup playoff crown. Last season he moved up to the Seals as coach and while he suffered his first losing season in four consecutive years of coaching, he made marked improvement over the team's prior record.All around the league rivals remarked at how hard the Seals played and how hard they were to handle. It was a young team, but one which showed spirit, toughness and determination. His players really like him. Like another quiet man. Bob Pulford, he has become a coach who commands respect.Veteran Jim Neilson said, &ldquo;I don't mean to imply that Jack walks on water, but if you can't play for him you can't play for anyone. He treats you with respect and gets respect in return. He works hard so you don't mind when he works you hard.He stresses defense, but doesn't overlook offense. He teaches a system which is sound and which will work if everyone follows it. His players follow him. He is a natural leader.&rdquo;Young Al MacAdam adds, &ldquo;Jack doesn't have a lot to say, but you soon learn everything he says makes sense and everything he does is for a good reason. You learn a lot from him. He gives you confidence in yourself. When he tells you to do something, you want to do it.&rdquo;TEX, AS HE OFTENis called, says, &ldquo;I guess a coach has to have the respect of his players before he can lead them. I don't know how you get that, except you have to be fair with your players and can't play favorites. You have to get along with the guys. I wasn't a star so I don't expect ny players to be stars, though I have some who are or soon will be. All I ask is that they make the most of themselves.&ldquo;I work them hard because conditioning can make the difference between being good or ordinary. I try to prepare the players properly and after that you have to hope they perform for you. Some games are won before they're played, but not many are won from behind the bench. If a guy puts out for me, I'll be patient with him and give him a chance to develop his full potential.&ldquo;We had seven or eight rookies on our roster at times last season in Oakland. Now these guys-can play with experience in Cleveland and along with a few veterans make up a team that can make the playoffs. That's what we're shooting for. We've made a start and that would represent progress.&rdquo;After nine frustrating years in Oakland after last-ditch efforts to build a bigger arena in San Francisco fell through again, the franchise shifted to Cleveland this season and the Seals became the Barons. Cleveland and Denver are new cities in the NHL this season and it remains to be seen if they will succeed. Early returns on attendance are discouraging.Evans says, &ldquo;I can't concern myself about that. We have maybe the most beautiful arena in hockey and our fans seem enthusiastic. My job is to build a winner. If we do, maybe we'll build up business. But I'm a coach, not a businessman. I don't even want to know the salaries of my players. They say today's players are so highly paid they won't put out, but my players put out or they don't play.&rdquo;Born in Garnant. South Wales, in April of 1928. William John Evans was four when his family moved him to Wayne, Alberta. He has known hard times. His father worked underground in the coal mines. As a boy Jack worked above ground and says there was no way he would go below. He found an easier way to make a living, but it has not been easy. Tex has a sister who is widowed, a brother-in-law and a brother who are with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, one brother who is a fireman, another who has a bulk oil business, another who has a country hotel.Jack, now 48, coaches because it was a way to stay in hockey. He has a wife. Margaret, and daughters Leslie and Louise and a son, Jack Jr., who are in high school and so are not with him because he did not want to move them. &ldquo;That is the hard part of hockey life. This is our third town in three years and it is better that I am lonely than that they are uprooted. But we're buying a home here and we'll get together. I like coaching. There's no feeling like winning. It almost makes up for losing. Anyway, I haven't been fired yet,&rdquo; he concluded. &#9632;

f0008-01

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">BY RICH PASSAN</div>CLEVELAND-When Charlie Simmer was selected in the third round of the amateur draft in 1974 by the California Golden Seals, it was thought he would pay quick dividends.After all, the center iceman was coming off a 45-goal, 54-assist season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the fast Ontario Hockey Association. He had all the makings of a fine hockey player.He had the size (six-foot-three, 195 pounds), better than average shot and lots of strength. But something happened to Charlie Simmer on the way to the major leagues.He wound up in the minor leagues at Salt Lake City of the Central Hockey League. However, he did come back up with the Seals and showed well in his half a season.The 1975-76 campaign was almost a carbon copy. First it was Salt Lake City and then back up to the Seals for penalty-killing chores.So when Simmer reported to training camp this season, it was not only with a new team (the Cleveland Barons, who inherited the Seals over the summer), it was also with a new attitude.This time, he was determined to show the brass he belonged in the National Hockey League. &ldquo;I began bearing down and concentrating from the first day,&rdquo; said the native of Terrace Bay, Ont.It has paid off. Simmer opened enough eyes to make the team and has continued his fine play into the regular season.He scored just one goal in his first four games, but he and linemates Ralph Klassen and Fred Ahern made things happen. While the statistics don't bear this out, this trio made it plenty rough on the opposition.The only trouble they had was finishing off some of the prettiest passing plays seen at the Richfield Coliseum in a long time. That, according to coach Jack Evans, will come with more experience.Another important reason for the change in Simmer in his waistline. It's a little slimmer because be began pushing himself away from the table with more frequency.At the end of last season, he weighed 217. He is now playing at 205 and enjoying it more. His quickness has improved greatly.A summer spent with his 10-speed bike did the trick. &ldquo;What happened before was my own fault,&rdquo; the mustachioed pivot said. &ldquo;I didn't like to work hard in the summer. &ldquo;In training camp, Simmer's major competition was Vern Stenlund, the No. 2 pick of the club in the 1976 draft. Stenlund was given a good opportunity to win a spot on the roster.Simmer rose to the challenge and plain took it away from the rookie with his fine play. With one exception, he was outstanding.And now he's hoping the elevator ride to Salt Lake City is at an end.BARONS' BITS:The Simmer line has been dubbed &ldquo;Charlie's Angels&rdquo; by their teammates after the lovely looking trio of female detectives on television&hellip; Rookie defensemen Greg Smith and Bjorn Johansson continue to sparkle with Johansson proving that Swedes do hit&hellip;After an opening-game tie and victory in their second game, the Barons finally tasted defeat in Boston with the Bruins squeezing by, 4-3. But not without a struggle as Boston goaltender Gerry Cheevers was brillant with 32 saves&hellip;A few nights later, the Barons dropped their first home game, 4-2, to the Atlanta Flames before a meager turnout of 3,812 &hellip; The Barons have drawn a little over 18,000 in their first three games in a building that seats, 18,600 &hellip; The Cleveland power play, strong last season, hit on only four of its first 22 opportunities.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-011027/3969112-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="622" height="830"><figcaption class="caption-body">CHARLIE SIMMER &hellip; New Attitude</figcaption></div><h2>NHL Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02883/3969105-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="659" height="1050"></div> &#9632;

f0009-01

Off-Season Training Pays Dividends

<div class="byline">BY FRANK ORR</div>TORONTO&mdash;The optimism&mdash;and perhaps the magnitude of it was a mite unrealistic&mdash;which the Toronto Maple Leafs carried into the 1976-77 National Hockey League season was based on the presence of a half dozen premier players backed up a pack of improving youngsters.Now, at least one of those kids must develop into a big shooter very quickly if the Leafs are to maintain those bright hopes. They need somebody to take up the slack in their attack because Errol Thompson, the top Leaf shooter last season with 43 goals, will miss at least two months' activity with a busted wrist.Left winger Thompson smashed the wrist in the Leafs' third game of the season when he was checked by Los Angeles Kings' defenseman Ab DeMarco in a game at Toronto. Surgery was required to set the wrist-break properly.The loss of Thompson (a) deprives Leafs of their best goal scorer; (b) breaks up the team's most productive forward line of Thompson, Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald; (c) forces coach Red Kelly into a juggling act to fill Thompson's spot because left wing is a position where the Leafs are thin.Kelly's aim was to fill in for Thompson without a general shuffle in the forward lines.First candidate for Thompson's spot was defenseman Ian Turnbull, although that shift meant breaking up the Turnbull-Borje Salming defense pair, the Leafs' most effective backline combination.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03638/3969181-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="633" height="989"><figcaption class="caption-body">ERROL THOMPSON &hellip; Out Two Months</figcaption></div>Another possibility was shifting Sittler from center to left wing and inserting either Jack Valiquette or Stan Weir between Sittler and McDonald.Sittler spent his first two NHL seasons on the flank and he played well enough at that position part of the time with Team Canada to be named the All Star left winger in last month's Canada Cup tournament.&ldquo;It doesn't matter to me if I play center or the wing,&rdquo; Sittier said. &ldquo;The whole thing now is to make up some of the loss of Thompson, which won't be easy. You just don't replace 43 goals.&ldquo;I don't think people realize just how good Thompson really is. There aren't many faster skaters in the NHL and when you play on a line with that speed, it allows the other guys on the line to do things.&rdquo;&ldquo;The opposition has to be thinking of Thompson all the time because he can turn it on and be in the clear at any time.&rdquo;Thompson made the big breakthrough into the front lines of NHL snipers last season. He started the '75-76 campaign slowly, then in the last two-thirds of the schedule scored regularly, especially after he was united with Sittler and McDonald.He's continued that clip through Leafs' pre-season games and the early portion of the schedule.&ldquo;What he accomplished last season gave Thompson great confidence, which was what he needed all along because he always had the physical equipment,&rdquo; Kelly said.&ldquo;We might have to do a little experimenting to find the right combination without him.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0010-03

Leafs Hoping Kids Produce Big Goals With Thompson Out

<div class="byline">&#x2014;BY HUGH DELANO</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-011049/3969150-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="354" height="543"></div>&ldquo;I love young talent. Give me some scratchers and fighters. Give me some guys who make $15,000 and want to make $30,000. You keep the $100,000 players. Give me the ones who want to win.&rdquo;&mdash;Leo Durocher.THE FORMER baseball I manager would love the way I Mark Heaslip and Dan Newman I hay hockey: with gusto, vigor, enthusiastic hustle and aggressiveness and with team play placed above individual heroics.&ldquo;They're the kind of young players I want around to rebuild this team.'' said John Ferguson, who has a lot of the fiery characteristics of Leo Durocher and the Yankees' Billy Martin.Heaslip and Newman are two of the bright new faces in the Rangers' lineup this season. Do not confuse them with some of the self-satisfied, me-first fat cat types who did their only checking at the bank and contributed to the decline of the Rangers. They are proof that perseverance wins. They are proof that you don't have to be a highly publicized, highly paid first-round amateur draft choice to reach the NHL and succeed.They were anonymous names invited to Ranger rookie camp on Sept. 8 in Pointe Claire. Quebec. They were strictly walk-ons. They were free agents without professional contracts who were given tryouts. No promises. No guarantees. No security. Just a chance to prove they belonged.&ldquo;They played so well we had to bring them to our regular training camp in Long Beach,&rdquo; said Ferguson.They played so well in training camp and in pre-season games that the Ranger general manager-coach offered them NHL contracts less than 24 hours before the opening game of the season on Oct. 6.&ldquo;IF WE HADN'T held a rookie camp, we'd never have known what they could do.&rdquo; said Ferguson. &ldquo;We figured Heaslip would make an ideal captain for our American League team in New Haven. We figured that's where Newman would end up playing, too.''Heaslip, a five-foot-ten. 190-pound right wing, was judged by many Ranger-watchers as the best ropkie in training camp. He scored one goal and had four assists in seven exhibition games. He made a hit with Ranger supporters with his aggressive body-checking and by setting up rookie Nick Fotiu's winning goal in a 7-5 conquest of Boston on Sept. 23.The American-born athlete from Duluth. Minn., played the first six games of the season as the Rangers' fourth-line right wing with veteran Pete Stemkowski and Fotiu flanking him on the left. He did his best work as a penalty-killer with Stemkowski. disrupting many enemy power plays with his buzzsaw checking.&ldquo;The thing I like about him, aside from his enthusiasm, is that he finishes off his checks; he just doesn't go by his man,&rdquo; said Ferguson. &ldquo;He's got a good shot and he's a fast skater. He fits in well on the line with Stemmer and Nicky.&rdquo;Newman, a six-foot, 195-pound left wing, opened the season on the line with Wayne Dillon and Rod Gilbert, replacing Steve Vickers who was in hospital traction with a back ailment. He scored the lead goal on opening night that gave the Rangers a 4-3 advantage en route to a 6-5 victory over the North Stars in Madison Square Garden.&ldquo;I'll always remember that moment,&rdquo; said the rookie. He was unchecked near the left post when he shot through a crowd. He leaped off his skates when the goal-light flashed red. &ldquo;I lost sight of the puck. I was afraid it hit somebody and didn't go in,&rdquo; he said.NEWMAN SET UP the first of rookie Don Murdoch's Ranger record of five goals on Oct. 12 in a 10-4 triumph in Minnesota. He also assisted on Gilbert's 378th career goal. He executed a brilliant defensive play by back-checking to break up a three-on-one rush against St. Louis, ramming the Blues' Jerry Butler into the boards and handling himself well in the ensuing fight. He had a 1-2-3 scoring line and was plus-four in four games as Vickers' replacement.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-02851/3969143-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="1190" height="1332"><figcaption class="caption-body">MARK HEASLIP&hellip; Best Rookie In Camp (Photo by Rich Pilling)</figcaption></div>&ldquo;I felt glad for him,&rdquo; said Vickers. &ldquo;He and Mark Heaslip worked hard to get where they are today.&rdquo;Ferguson smiled his approval. &ldquo;Dan isn't the kind of player who stands around and watches things happen. He's up and down his wing. He goes into the corners and he's a tough hockey player.&rdquo;Heaslip's biggest thrill came in Minnesota. The former University of Minnesota-Duluth athlete played before many friends and relatives.&ldquo;Could I buy 30 tickets for the game?&rdquo; he asked John Halligan.&ldquo;You must have a big family,&rdquo; said the Rangers' business manager and public relations director.&ldquo;Just your average Irish Catholic family,&rdquo; said Mark Patrick Heaslip. whose friendly manner has helped dissolve what once was a hostile image toward the news media and public by many Rangers.Like Newman, Heaslip never was drafted by the NHL. He played two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and then joined the Los Angeles Kings' organization, spending the 1973-74 and '74-75 seasons with the American League Springfield Kings. He divided last season in the Central League with Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. The Rangers acquired him last April in a minor league trade with Los Angeles for John Campbell.&ldquo;Ronnie (Ranger player personnel director Ron Stewart) suggested we take him,&rdquo; said Ferguson. &ldquo;Mark was the captain when Stewie's Springfield team won the Calder Cup. His contract was up and we invited him to rookie camp for a tryout with the idea that he'd be able to play in New Haven.&rdquo;Newman, who like Heaslip is 24, had an even more difficult climb to the NHL. He had only modest scoring statistics while playing for Port Huron of the International League during the 1972-73, '73-74 and '74-75 seasons. Last season, however, he blossomed into a 39-goal, 84-point scorer and demonstrated aggressiveness with 114 penalty minutes.BOB McCAMMON, Port Hurons' player-coach, recommended Newman to the Rangers and Dan was invited to rookie camp.&ldquo;I was beginning to think I'd never get a chance to make an NHL team,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I figured I'd give it all I had and if I didn't make it I'd play one more year in Port Huron and then, maybe, pack it in and go back to work on my dad's farm in Ontario.&rdquo;Newman never played Junior A hockey. There was no team in his hometown so he played Tier II and studied automotive engineering at St. Clare's College.Now he is a / Ranger. Like Heaslip, he came up the hard way. Which proves there's always a chance to reach the top if you're willing to work hard and wait for the right break. &#9632;

f0010-01

HOCKEY BEAT

<div class="byline">BY JACK MCCARTHY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0011-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-011004/3969212-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">STAN JONATHAN&hellip; One Of The New Breed (Photo by Rich Pilling)</figcaption></div>BOSTON-Once upon a time, the Bruins were studded with names like Orr, Esposito and Hodge, and pucks were whizzing into the nets like crazy. No more, however, although the points have been mounting in the standings.The roster is now studded with names like Mike Milbury, and Stan Jonathan, and they are getting the job done. Coach Don Cherry likes players who are what he calls, &ldquo;trampers and grinders", players who tramp up and down the wings and grind it out in the corners and on defense.Cherry works with his players, also, staying on the ice at practices, correcting the little things&mdash;the turns, going after the puck in the corners. etc. And he has the young guys who want to learn this stuff.Terry O'Reilly made it in the NHL by hard work, oriented particularly toward improving his skating, and Milbury, for instance, is in the same mold.He first burst upon the Bruins scene for any amount of notice in the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, when he played very well indeed.This season, he made the club in camp, and his best effort of the early season was the winning goal against Montreal in a 5-3 shocker in Boston Garden which put the Bruins well on top of the Division Four standings before they embarked on a six-game, 17-day safari while Messrs. Barnum and Bailey were in the Garden.This was his first goal in the National Hockey League, made more pleasing by the fact that it was a game-winning shot against hockey's greatest club, and past Ken Dryden at that.Milbury, a six-foot-two, 203-pound defenseman, is an American from nearby Walpole, Mass., who never even tried skating until he was 13 years old.He was recruited by Colgate University as a football player, but opted for hockey when he discovereu he couldn't play both.Through his senior year in college, he had never given pro hockey any thought. But, one night three Bruins scouts were in the stands at a college tournament in Syracuse, and Mike was signed with the Braves of the AHL.Mike played at Rochester for a season; in three regular-season games with the Bruins last season, and in all playoff games. This year, perhaps because of the loss of Orr and the late signing of Dallas Smith, he got a real good look in camp, although Cherry had seen him before.Milbury helped himself mightily by skating on his own for six weeks in the summer. He played for Team USA in the Canada Cup, and that helped, also.Says, Cherry, &ldquo;Another thing in his development was the work he did at my hockey school in Rochester. He was there two summers, and every morning he would be on the ice before seven o'clock with his wife. I had told him that if he wanted to make it in the NHL, he had to learn to turn in the corners, so he had his wife out there with him on skates, shooting the puck into the comers for him&hellip;&rdquo;Jonathan, a blocky, 21-year-old winger from the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, is a physical-type player who is a member of the Tuscarora tribe.He is the son of a high steel worker, and Stan works the steel in the summer, himself.&ldquo;You don't think about the heights,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;I've never really worked above 125 feet anyway.&rdquo;He played for Dayton in the IHL last year, and he played the man in Sinden-Cherry style.Couple of good ones for Boston. &#9632;

f0011-01

New Name Era Dawning For Bruins With influx Of Rookie Performers

<div class="byline">BY TOM HINE</div>QUEBEC CITY&mdash;While the New England Whalers have started slowly, the Quebec Nordiques are off and running the way most expected they would.The Nordiques won their first four games of the season, dropped one to Dan Diego, but rebounded to win their next two. The scoring is there, the goaltending is there, and so, too, is the potent Quebec power play, credited with seven goals in its first 23 chances.Real Cloutier scored 9 goals and assisted on five others in the Nordiques' first seven games and accounted for four of his goals on power plays. Serge Bernier was close behind in the Nordiques' scoring race with eight goals and five assists.Marc Tardif got off to a slow start&hellip;slow, that is. for a Marc Tardif. The WHA's Most Valuable Player and 1975 scoring champion had two goals and seven assists, but. as predicted by doctors after the Rick Jodzio incident last spring, needed frequent rests when the schedule became heavy.Tardif played only partially when the Nordiques played their third game in three nights and was expected to need further rest when Quebec played six games in 12 days. The Nordiques chose not to take Tardif to Calgary, home city of Jodzio, the man who attacked Tardif in the playoffs last year.The Nordiques have apparently cast their lot with goaltenders Richard Brodeur and Serge Aubry, sending veteran Mario Vien to their farm club in Lewiston. Maine.But, it's obvious that the famed Quebec attack is rolling again, and fans seem more eager than ever to see their favorite hockey team. The Nordiques averaged 9,197 through their first four home games, an increase of nearly 1.000 from a year ago.NEW ENGLAND WHALERS: New England Whalers' coach Harry Neale had said before his season started that he was worried about scoring goals and. with four games behind him. Neale was right.The Whalers scored just four goals and allowed 15 in their first three games, but showed signs of breaking their slump when they picked up their first point in a 4-4 tie with Houston.Tom Earl, with two goals against the Aeros, and Ralph Backstrom, Thommy Abrahamsson, and Gordie Roberts, each with two assists, were the early season scoring leaders.&ldquo;You can't score goals in games if you don't score goals in practice,&rdquo; analyzed Christer Abrahamsson, the third-year Swedish goaltender who made it look easy in the Whalers' early season practice grinds.Abrahamsson was more spectacular than Dave Dryden when the Edmonton Oilers blanked the Whalers, 2-0, in the season opener, and was sharp enough to be named the game's third star despite New England s 5-2 loss in Winnipeg.But, he and his teammates came completely unglued in their embarrassing 8-2 loss to Quebec in their regular season home opener in Hartford. Abrahamsson gave up four goals before being removed at the end of the first period and back-up Bruce Landon allowed four more on just seven Quebec shots through the middle period.&ldquo;I don't know what's wrong,&rdquo; said Neale. ''I can't figure it out. Everything we've worked on and all the long, hard days we've put in, and we can't generate anything. You're never as good as you think you are and, maybe, you're never as bad as you think you are either. We've got a lot of work to do, but I still don't think we're that far from being a good hockey team.&rdquo;MINNESOTA FIGHTING SAINTS: Minnesota was off to a disappointing 2-5 start, losing two of three at the beginning of a five-game home stand. Most of the scoring has come from one line, and that hurt the Saints.Dave Keon, Mike Antonovich, and John McKenzie accounted for 13 of the Saints' first 24 goals with Keon claiming five of them and Antonovich and McKenzie four each.McKenzie missed most of Minnesota's sixth game of the year and all of it's next two after he was hit with a puck above the right ankle.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-02864/3969250-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="624" height="914"><figcaption class="caption-body">SERGE BERNIER &hellip;Hot Starter</figcaption></div><h2>WHA Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-011023/3969243-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="651" height="1731"></div> &#9632;

f0012-02

Nordiques Turn On Power Early; Whalers Hindered By No Scoring

<div class="byline">BY DOUG MCCONNELL</div>HOUSTON&mdash;&ldquo;This is the kind of defense we've been looking for.&rdquo; declared Houston Aeros' coach Bill Dineen, following his club's 2-1 victory over the Calgary Cowboys.Houston goaltender Ron Grahame only had to deal with 22 shots on goal as the Aeros won their second game, against one loss, leaving them in a tie for the World Hockey Association Western Division lead.&ldquo;We're kind of an explosive team, but we're trying to stay-back a little bit more on defense,&rdquo; said Houston defenseman Marty Howe, the older of Gordie Howe's two teammate sons.Marty scored the winning goal on a power play in the second period, with Gordie assisting.&ldquo;I didn't expect to get my first goal for a while,&rdquo; said Marty, who scored 14 times last season. &ldquo;It was a good shot and it just went in.&rdquo;The other Houston goal came from newly acquired winger Cam Connor, who joined the Aeros in a trade with the Phoenix Roadrunners for Bob Liddington in time for the season opener.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01985/3969281-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="626" height="1364"><figcaption class="caption-body">MARTY HOWE &hellip; Scored Winner</figcaption></div>&ldquo;I just closed my eyes and shot,&rdquo; said Connor. &ldquo;I saw the defense standing up and decided to shoot.&rdquo;Dineen has been pleased with the big winger's performance.&ldquo;I know that Cam hadn't been playing regularly for a while,&rdquo; said Dineen, &ldquo;but he has already made his presence felt around here. He's a big, strong kid and I like the way he plays the game.&rdquo;The Aeros, meanwhile, were 4-2 victims to the Bulls in the World Hockey Association s introduction to Birmingham, an introduction witnessed by 12,776 fans, and continued their domination of Connor's old Roadrunner teammates.It was by the power play, as it was last season, that the Aerbs dominated the Roadrunners.The Aeros had three power play advantages and scored on two of them in a 5-3 victory over the Roadrunners for their fourth successful home opener in WHA play.Rich Preston and John Tonelli scored the power play goals for the Aeros, Preston's second and third goals of the season.The Aeros won nine of 10 from Phoenix last season, mainly because they piled up 20 of the WHA record 89 power play goals surrendered by Phoenix. &#9632;

f0013-01

Aeros Cutting Down Goals As Team Makes Good Start

HOUSTON-Despite the battle for playoff berths in the CFL, the early season optimism of the NFL and the gigantic television audiences of the World Series, the World Hockey Association has drawn 115,722 more people than last season. After the second week of league play, the WHA has played before 227.404 for an average crowd of 8,121, compared to 7, 560after the first 28 games last season.Saturday, Oct. 16, marked the 30th anniversary of Gordie Howe's first major league goaland the Houston Aerosl celebrated by shutting out the Birmingham Bulls 3-0 in Houston. The only goal they needed was scored by 21-year-old Mark Howe with an assist going to his father Gordie. Roni Grahame, for his efforts, recorded his ninth career WHA shutout and stands third on the all-time WHA shutout list behind Gerry Cheevers (13) and Ernie Wakely (11), and leads all WHA goalies with a 1.68 goals-against average, having played five consecutive shutout periods in the Houston net.New WHA anti-violence rules put into effect for the first time this season seem to be working. After two weeks there have been an average of 23.8 minutes in penalties per game, compared to 29.6 for last season. A reduction of 19.5 percent per game. Butch Deadmarsh, of the Minnesota Fighting Saints, became the first player disciplined under the new rules when he was assessed a $1.000 fine and suspended for threegames following a fight in St. Paul when referee Bill Friday gave him a match penalty for kicking. The fine and suspension are automatic.Home teams continued to dominate in league games losing only four of 16 games this week. After two weeks the home teams held a 22-win 4-loss and 2-tie record. The Quebec Nordiques are the only WHA team to have a winning record on the road, having won the only road game they have played thus far, by defeating the New England Whalers 8-2 at Hartford.The Stinger line of Rich Leduc, Blaine Stoughton and Rick Dudley averaged three goals a game in the first three Cincinnati games of the year. Both Leduc and Stoughton had three goals and four assists with Dudley scoring two goals and assisting on three others.The Phoenix lightning line of Robbie Ftorek, Del Hall and John Gray combined for seven goals and eight assists in the Raodrunners first two games. &#9632;

WHA WEEK … In Review

<div class="byline">By Doug McConnell</div>SAN DIEGO&mdash;When coach Ron Ingram picked up Gary Veneruzzo from the Phoenix Roadrunners in the offseason, he said he would pair the veteran left wing with the World Hockey Association's all-time scoring leader Andre Lecroix and Wayne Rivers.He said he would be very disappointed if Veneruzzo didn't score at least 35 or 40 goals this season. After all, the sturdy 33-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont., had scored 115 goals in his first three seasons in the WHA before a disappointing total of 22 last season, after starting the season in Cincinnati and winding up in Phoenix.Veneruzzo started out as if determined not to disappoint Ingram, scoring a hat trick in the Mariners' first WHA game under the new ownership of Ray Kroc, the McDonald's Hamburger king who also owns the San Diego Padres baseball franchise.Ingram was disappointed, however, but with his team's defensive game. The Mariners had to settle for a 7-7 tie with the fast shooting Cincinnati Stingers.He called a rare Sunday practice, but it showed no immediate evidence of value as the Mariners got a pair of first period goals from Norm Ferguson and took a 4-2 lead in the first period only to lose 6-4 to the Nordiques in Quebec City.Veneruzzo counted his fourth goal, Lacroix had a four-assist night and John French scored his first two goals of the season as the Mariners, in their third game, became the first WHA team to win on the road this season, pulling their record to 1-1-1.An hour or so later, the defending Avco World Trophy champion Winnipeg Jets, became the second, whipping the Oilers 6-1 at Edmonton.The Mariners added one player and dropped five others in last minute shuffling prior to the season opener.Legge, a free agent after playing at Cleveland in the WHA and Mohawk Valley in the North American League last season.Sent to Charlotte in the Southern League were goaltender Bob Blanchet, center Norm Cournoyer and winger Tony Cassolato and Tim O'Connell. Goaltender Ken Holland went to Binghamton in the NAHL.The changes left the Mariners with 19 players, one over the limit any team can dress for a WHA contest.Michel Cormier proved he hasn't forgotten how. Del Hall learned to count to three over the summer and the Roadrunners may have a new look but have an old problem.Cormier, playing a regular shift for the first time in 10 months, scored the winning goal with 15 seconds remaining in a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Fighting Saints which moved Phoenix into a three-way tie for the World Hockey Association Western Division leadership.Hall, who authored 47 goals for the Roadrunners last season and 13 times had two-goal games, had never scored a hat trick in five seasons of play-for-pay hockey.Not until opening night of the 1976-77 season in Phoenix.Hall counted a hat trick in an 8-6 shootout victory over the Cincinnati Stingers.Cormier's goal, on a Jim Niekamp rebound, staved off what seemed like certain overtime and was his first goal since last January when he underwent surgery for torn knee ligaments. He was back on the operating table in July after tearing a cartilage during his rehabilitation program.&ldquo;It still hurts,&rdquo; he grinned, unstrapping his specially fitted knee brace, &ldquo;but not so much right now.&rdquo;&ldquo;It couldn't happen to a better guy.&rdquo; said Rollins, following the game. &ldquo;It should give him a big lift. If it had come earlier in the game, maybe not, but being that dramatic has to do a lot for him.&rdquo;When Rollins took over the club, he declared he intended to coach a more wide open and exciting style and to cut down on the power play goals against.He's accomplished the first. The jury is still out on the second.Through their first three games, the Roadrunners allowed five power play goals in eight shorthanded situations, a pace which would result in 133 power play goals in an 80 game schedule.There have been extenuating circumstances, however, such as two of the goals coming while the Roadrunners were two men short.Two of the shorthanded goals came in Houston, by Rich Preston and John Tonelli, no particular surprise since Houston counted 20 power play goals against the Roadrunners last season, while winning nine of 10.Robbie Ftorek, worrying that his weight had dipped under 150, and still hurting from a partial shoulder separation suffered in training camp for Team USA, said the injury took away his backhand.He had scored four goals, plus three assists, through the first three games, however, and all four goals were off his backhand.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01968/3969405-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="618" height="874"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY VENERUZZO &hellip;Fired Hat Trick</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0015-01

Veneruzzo Hot But Mariners Cool; New Runners Still Have Old Problem

<div class="byline">BY GREG NOBLE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01810/3969436-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">The WHA season was officially launched in Cincinnati's $20 million Riverfront Coliseum by Ken McKenzie, publisher of THE HOCKEY NEWS, who is shown here dropping the first puck between Minnesota's Ron Ward, left, and Cincinnati scoring hero Rick Dudley. Stingers went on to win their home opener 7-2.</figcaption></div>CINCINNATI&mdash;One hockey writer had this thought: nickname the Cincinnati Stingers The Big Yellow Machine.Of course, the Cincinnati Reds baseball team, with all its home run sluggers and 300 hitters, is known as The Big Red Machine. But the Reds don't have the only high-powered offense in town.After the first two weeks of the season, the Stingers were the top-scoring team in the World Hockey Association. Richie Leduc and Rick Dudley were the league's leading scorers and Pierre Guite was the top goal scorer. On the average, the Stingers were scoring over six goals per game.&ldquo;I think our forwards are as good as any in the league,&rdquo; said coach Terry Slater. And Slater claimed that no team can match the Stingers' strength at center ice, where Leduc, Jacques Locas, Dennis Sobchuk and Greg Carroll patrol.The Stingers probably don't have a player capable of 70 goals in one season, but their key is balanced scoring. The team has seven players who could score 30 goals or more this year. And only Winnipeg, Quebec and Houston had as many as 30-goal scorers last year.Leduc, Dudley, Guite, Locas, Sobchuk, Blaine Stoughton and Claude Larose figure to be the Stingers' top lamp-lighters.After a weak showing in preseason, the Stingers exploded for 32 goals in their first five games. Guite had seven, including a hat trick against Birmingham. Leduc had five, and Dudley and Stoughton four apiece. Leduc and Dudley both had 10 points.One measure of the Stingers' forward strength is the fact that Sobchuk, who had 32 goals last year, didn't have a regular spot on any of the three lines.But Slater said it wasn't that Sobchuk couldn't crack the lineup. Rather, Slater was using him as a utility man.&ldquo;I've been using Dennis probably more than any other forward,&rdquo; Slater said. &ldquo;I used him to kill penalties and on the power play. One night I used him at right wing, left wing and center ice. Nobody can play more positions than Dennis. He gives me a little freedom when the other guys aren't playing well.&ldquo;The guy who has been having a little problem,&rdquo; Slater said, &ldquo;is Peter Marsh.&rdquo; A 75-goal scorer in junior hockey last year and the team's No. 1 draft pick, Marsh was still looking for his first major league goal after five games.&ldquo;He's struggling a little bit. He's a little frustrated,&rdquo; Slater said. &ldquo;He's not playing badly. He's just trying to do too much instead of using his shot. When he's in position to shoot the puck he should shoot it. But he wants to move it closer and they're taking him out of the play.&rdquo;The Stingers' young defense was also struggling in the early going, giving up 30 goals in five games.Ron Plumb, the team's only veteran blueliner, was plus-10 and John Hughes was playing well, but the rest of the defense was having problems.It was then the Stingers acquired 21-year-old Barry Legge from Minnesota for future considerations. Legge, six-foot-one and 187-pounds, is a defensive defenseman. He played for Denver and Cleveland as a rookie last year.The Stingers played three straight overtime games, all on the road. They tied San Diego and Birmingham, but lost a thrilling 6-5 decision at Indianapolis.INDIANAPOLIS: The Racers and Stingers locked up in one of the most thrilling hockey games ever played in Market Square Arena. Both goaltenders, Indianapolis' Jim Park and Cincinnati's Paul Hoganson, were spectacular, but the night belonged to the goal scorers.The lead moved back and forth. Each team scored one goal in the first period and two in the second. By then both teams were playing wide-open, race-horse hockey. In the third period the Stingers pulled ahead 4-3. but the Racers drew even, then moved ahead.The 10,00-plus Racers' fans were delirious. But Cincinnati's Dennis Abgrall scored with four minutes left to send the game into overtime.Finally Indianapolis' Frankie Rochon provided the climactic ending, carrying the puck from his own blue line through the Stingers' defense for the winning goal at 4:36.In the first game of the season Rochon set a new club mark for consecutive games scoring goals. Before breaking his wrist last year Rochon tied the record by scoring a goal in five straight games, then he set the new mark (six) with a goal in the opener this season.BIRMINGHAM: When the Bulls followed coach Gilles Leger's system they usually were successful. When they didn't, they suffered the consequences.Take the-Bulls' back-to-back losses to Houston and Minnesota. They played the Aeros to a scoreless tie for two periods by keeping in position, but then they opened up, and lost 3-0. And Minnesota clobbered them 6-1.Mark Napier, last year's rookie of the year, carried over his torrid scoring pace. Napier had five goals in the first five games, including a hat trick in a 7-7 tie with Cincinnati. Frank Mahovlich, who had one goal and seven assists, missed two games with a swollen ankle. &#9632;

f0016-01

Stingers Unleash Top Offense In WHA

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0017-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01701/3969467-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg"></div> &#9632;

f0017-01

World Hockey Association Summaries

<div class="byline">BY GEORGE BILYCH</div>WINNIPEG&mdash;Despite a rash of pre-season injuries the Winnipeg Jets continued to hang in with the Phoenix Roadrunners in their battle for first place in the World Hockey Association's Western Division.Scoring star Bobby Hull was still sitting on the sideline but the Jets welcomed Dan Labraaten and Mats Lind h back to the fold to get the club moving. Lindh actually didn't miss any league games but Labraaten only got started in Winnipeg's eighth game and responded with a goal and an assist.The Jets were 5-3 for their first eight games without Hull as Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson and Willy Lindstrom took up the offensive slack. Coach Bobby Kromm was mighty pleased when rookie Kent Ruhnke, the University of Toronto's youngster the Jets lured away from the Boston Bruins, responded with three goals in five games.With Joe Daley performing in most of the games, the Jets also kept their goals-against average down to second lowest in the WHA.EDMONTON: The Oilers brought former NHL veteran Bob Nevin into camp when he failed to negotiate a new contract with the Los Angeles Kings. Nevin joined old Leaf mate Norm Ullman with the Oilers&hellip;The Oilers also dropped Ken Baird, their forward-defenseman, who had three scoring points in the first two Edmonton games. GM-coach Bep Guidolin was still shuffling his talent around and seemed to be getting it all together. Oilers won three of their first five games.CALGARY: Things were going from bad to worse for the Cowboys. They lost their first five starts and were 1-6-1 for the first eight games. Rick Jodzio and Tom Serviss were summoned back from Tidewater to help out the offense but nothing seemed to be working for Joe Crozier.The Cowboys struck out in all five starts and Crozier was all but tearing his hair out. It put a big dent in his ego for this was a team that just a couple of weeks earlier Crozier felt had a good chance at being a solid contender for all the Western Division spoils.For Crozier and the Cowboys, it's a replay of last year. A year ago the Cowboys were most inauspicious in dropping four of their first five, then rebounded strongly to finish a solid to third behind the Winnipeg Jets and 5; Quebec Nordiques.Today they find themselves faced with a similar dilemma.The part that really irritates E Crozier is that he may have out-smarted himself. Last year Calgary's o early losses all came in front of the home folks and it wasn't until the club went on the road that it righted itself. It then became the popular thing to say in Calgary that familiarity breeds success, that living together brought the team together.It was by design rather than accident, then, that the Cowboys opened the current schedule with five road games. They went even a bit further, playing their final two exhibitions away from home. It was a sorry experience.Crozier will tell you now that nothing beats home cooking. Mind you, there's still been nothing to indicate that it will help either. The WHA will be heading into its third week before the Cowboys go to work in their home environs.&ldquo;It might not have been as bad if we'd had a good training camp,'' said Crozier glumly after the club had suffered its fifth consecutive defeat. &ldquo;We went into camp with more than 50 players and as a consequence didn't get all that much accomplished in that first week before we played our first exhibition.&rdquo; &#9632;

Jets Staying On Top Despite Injury Jinx

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0021-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01377/3969553-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg"></div> &#9632;

f0021-01

NHL Team Rosters

<div class="byline">BY HARRY KLAFF</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0022-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01409/3969584-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">PAT PRICE&hellip; Stanley Cup His Goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett)</figcaption></div>LONG ISLAND&mdash;Perhaps the most surprising thing about Islander defenseman Pat Price is that he's only 21 years of age. But he's seen and gone through more in his two years of professional hockey than some veterans do in a career.At one time Price was given the recognition of a Denis Potvin, a Bobby Orr, and a Gilbert Perreault&mdash;that of being the number one junior player in the Dominion.The Washington Capitals were prepared to name him as their number one draft choice in the 1974 amateur drat, but only 24 hours prior to the NHL gathering, it was announced that the young rearguard had signed with the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA.&ldquo;I was only a 19-year-old kid at the time, and my lawyers were doing all the negotiating.&rdquo; said Price. &ldquo;But I was leaning toward the NHL. It's something every kid in Canada dreams of.&ldquo;So it was Milt Schmidt and Washington on one side, and Vancouver and the WHA on the other. We had asked Vancouver for some astronomical figure, never really expecting them to come close to it. But they did. And also I like the idea of being able to play close to my home in British Columbia. &ldquo;However things didn't work out as planned. Pat quickly developed the tag of being a &ldquo;problem child,&rdquo; especially after he totaled his Ferrari (a &ldquo;bonus&rdquo; for signing with the WHA). One problem led to another, and by November, Pat had visions of moving elsewhere.&ldquo;In many respects, I was my own worst enemy,&rdquo; continued Price. &ldquo;I was worrying about everything all the time. They had built me up in the newspapers, and I worried about what would happen if I didn't produce up to expectations.&rdquo;By mid-season, Price's eventual transfer to the Islanders was quite possibly already under way. It seems the Isles and Vancouver had a simultaneous stopover in Minnesota, a city with franchises in both leagues. And at that time, Pat had a chance to visit a couple of his old teammates on the Saskatoon Jr. Blades&mdash;Dave Lewis and Bob Bourne.&ldquo;I told them I wasn't happy in Vancouver, and maybe that's how Mr. Torrey first got interested in me,&rdquo; says Price, &ldquo;although some other NHL clubs knew the story as well. For example, I was also very friendly with Danny Gare of Buffalo, but I don't know if the Sabres were ever interested.&rdquo;Pat's WHA nightmare ended in the spring of 1975 when the Islanders made him their number one choice in the free agent draft. Negotiations with Bill Torrey went smoothly, and last fall Pat reported to the Isles' training camp at Racquet & Rink in Farmingdale.But Price's defensive abilities didn't measure up to Al Arbour's standards, and he was subsequently farmed out to Fort Worth in the CHL. There he learned the Islander style of play, and was back on Long Island for the playoffs, but only as an emergency replacement.&ldquo;The thing I learned most in Fort Worth is that the NHL is the only place to play. I got a taste of it when 1 was called up for a few games last year, and that's the only thing that matters.&rdquo; says Price.&ldquo;Many things have impressed me about the Islanders, and especially Al Arbour,&rdquo; continues the 6'2&rdquo; 200 - pounder. &ldquo;But what impressed me the most is the way my teammates looked at last season. We had a great year, but that wasn't enough. Nobody will be satisfied until that Cup with Lord Stanley's name on it is sitting in this dressing room.&rdquo;And Pat Price wants to see his name there with all the rest.ISLAND SOUNDS: Chico Resch got off to one of the greatest starts in history when he notched two shutouts in his first three games. After blanking the Flyers 3-0 in the opener, he helped down Chicago 2-1. and then whitewashed Atlanta 7-O&hellip;The Isles set a club record in the Atlanta game when Bob Nystrom, Eddie Westfall, and Jean Potvin scored within 53 seconds early in the 2nd period. The old mark was 1:05 against California back in 1974. &#9632;

f0022-01

Islanders' Rearguard Price Discovers NHL To His Liking

<div class="byline">BY VARTAN KUPELIAN</div>DETROIT&mdash;Billy Dea was sufficiently pleased with his Detroit Red Wings to label them &ldquo;a legitimate playoff contender.&rdquo;&ldquo;I think we've definitely looked like a playoff contender.&rdquo; Dea said after the Wings rebounded for a pair of good performances after a less-than satisfying season-opening tie.Here's how the start of the season went for the Red Wings.First, the Wing could manage no better than a 3-3 standoff with Washington in the opener.&ldquo;I'm glad that one is out of the way,&rdquo; said general manager Alex Delvecchio, &ldquo;We were real tight. Now we can settle down and play hockey.&rdquo;Two days later, the Wings did exactly that, whomping the high-powered Buffalo Sabres, 4-0, at the Olympia on goals by Walt McKechnie. Dennis Polonich, Buster Harvey and Bill Lochead.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02316/3969615-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="617" height="621"><figcaption class="caption-body">BUSTER HARVEY &hellip; Two Shorthanded Goals</figcaption></div>Veteran goalie Eddie Giacomin posted the shutout, the 52nd of his illustrious career. &ldquo;It's the first time I've ever had a shutout in the first game.&rdquo; said Eddie, who watched the opener from the bench as Jimmy Rutherford saw duty in the Detroit nets.But the real story in the game was Detroit's skating and enthusiastic forechecking. The Wings broke a scoreless tie with a pair of power play goals in the second period.The Wings peppered the Sabres with 17 shots in the second period, while Gilbert Perreault. Rick Martin & Co. had just 20 for the entire game and three in the first period.In their next start, the Wings ran into the Montreal Canadiens and Ken Dryden. Detroit directed 18 shots at Dryden and the All Star goalie had to be sharp, and was, turning aside all but one by Michel Bergeron. Then the Canadiens came on strong and rocked Detroit with four second period goals.But that was a case of the Canadiens playing too well, rather than the Wings inviting disaster with sloppiness. Detroit's mistakes were forced by a superior team and when that happens, there's not too much that can be said.As an overall view, the Wings played only one bad period in six against two top-notch opponents in Buffalo and Montreal and that was a marked improvement for the Detroiters.&ldquo;We could have won that game in the first period, except for Dryden,&rdquo; said Dea. the Red Wing coach who isn't really the coach according to club officials who are courting a &ldquo;mystery&rdquo; coach for next season.If that sounds confusing, don't ask for an explanation. It's plenty confusing. (And go get em, Billy.)After Montreal, the Wings faced a tough road schedule and Dea admitted that would quickly tell the story of his club.&ldquo;We're going to have to win on the road.&rdquo; Dea said.MOTOR CITY SHORTS: Buster Harvey scored short-handed goals in each of Detroit's first two games, earning a No. 1 star in the opener and No. 2 star behind Giacomin against Buffalo&hellip;Nick Libett, the steady left winger, moved into 8th spot on the Wings' games played list ahead of Marty Pavelich&hellip;Capt. Danny Grant missed the first two games with a muscle pull suffered in practice two days before the opener. He was back for the third game against Montreal&hellip; Dan Maloney scored his 99th NHL goal against Montreal&hellip;Bill Lochead celebrated his 22nd birthday, Al Cameron his 21st and J.P. Leblanc his 30th in October. &#9632;

f0022-02

Dea Labels Red Wings NHL Contender

<div class="byline">BY BILL FLEISCHMAN</div>PHILADELPHIA&mdash;Don't invite Dave Schultz and the Flyers to the same bench-clearing brawl.That seemed to be the attitude of both sides after the ''Hammer'' criticized the actions of his former teammates. The occasion was a postscript to the Flyers-Los Angeles Kings brawl game that totaled 191 penalty minutes and $9,750 in fines for both teams.What began as a warm Spectrum homecoming for Schultz turned into an ugly, fight-filled game, won by the Flyers, 1-0.Surrounded, as usual, by writers in the Kings' dressing room. Schultz made it clear he never approved of mass attacks like the one the Flyers launched on Dave Hutchison after he retaliated to a clean Mel Bridgman hip check by trying to comb Bridgman's bushy eyebrows with his stick.Fair enough. But two days later, Schultz was quoted in a Toronto newspaper as calling Flyers' tactics &ldquo;disgraceful.''Schultz, who later denied using such descriptions, also referred to &ldquo;mass hysteria&rdquo; and &ldquo;common muggings&rdquo; and suggested that &ldquo;one-on-one they (Flyers) are nothing, no tougher than any other team.&rdquo;After reading Schultz's comments, the Flyers were, to say the least, stunned.Starting with Orest Kindrachuk and Don Saleski, Schultz s linemates before he was traded to Los Angeles, the Flyers tried to doubt the story's accuracy.&ldquo;I hope Davey didn't say all those things.&rdquo; said Kindrachuk. &ldquo;If he did say them, then he has degraded himself completely and lost a lot of respect in this (dressing) room.&rdquo;Saleski, whose association with Schultz dates back to their AHL Quebec Aces days, tempered his remarks with:&ldquo;He gets as excited talking to reporters as he does on the ice. If I called him today he'd probably feel bad and say he never meant those things.&ldquo;But when I read what he said. I couldn't believe it. During his years here, the guys helped him out. We all stuck up for him. Reading this stuff kind of makes me sick.&rdquo;Reading that a Toronto newspaper was the story's source made Saleski even sicker because he knew that in less than a week, he, Joe Watson, Mel Bridgman and Bob Kelly were scheduled for their Toronto court appearance.Evidence from the Flyers-Maple Leaf bloody quarter-final playoff game last April was to be finally presented to determine if trials would be held. Schultz s pre-hearing comments weren't exactly in the Flyers best interests.Both Bobby Clarke and Fred Shero, moderated their reactions to Schultz's outburst.&ldquo;Dave always justified in his own mind that whatever he did was right,&rdquo; said Clarke. &ldquo;I guess we helped him. We as players never made him accept the responsibility for his actions.&rdquo;Shero side-stepped a response at first, telling writers that he wasn't aware of Schultz's remarks because &ldquo;I don't get the Toronto paper.&rdquo; Then the Flyers' coach said:&ldquo;He (Schultz) has more pressure on him than any hockey player in the world. What he has accomplished with his limited talent is marvelous. Our biggest problem with him the last couple years was to get him to stop talking. But He's such a nice guy that he'd answer every question. Constantly getting peppered with questions will drive anybody crazy.&rdquo;The next night, the Flyers were going crazy with self-analysis. The trauma-causer was a 7-1 trouncing by Montreal's magnificent Stanley Cup champions. Including the Stanley Cup finals and two exhibitions (both 8-2 losses), the Flyers had now lost seven in a row to Montreal.The setback was Philadelphia's third in four games and second at home. Last season the Flyers lost only twice at the Spectrum and didn't lose their third game until their 19th outing.&ldquo;It's not often we get outworked, but we are now,&rdquo; said an obviously concerned Gary Dornhoefer. &ldquo;It's a bad sign, but I'm confident we'll get back.&rdquo;No team on this planet is in Montreal's class with talent and depth, but the Flyers are still too good a team to be struggling. Dornhoefer and others were probably right: grind-it-out hard work is the solution.But they all knew that the grinding had better begin soon because the division-leading Islanders could soon be sailing off into the sunset. &#9632;

Flyers Stunned By Schultz's 'Goon' Charges

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0024-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01397/3969677-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg"></div><h2>Knock It Off, Dave!</h2>SOMETIMES, THE BIGGEST bores in the world are those who have given up something&mdash;booze, tobacco or sin&mdash;and then spend a great deal of time pointing out the evil of those pursuits to those who are still involved in them.Dave Schultz is showing signs of joining that group. It seems that the trade which sent Schultz from the Philadelphia Flyers to Los Angeles Kings gave The Hammer a new lease on life. The way Schultz says it, the Kings wanted him as a hockey player, not to be the enforcer, policeman, heavyweight ghamp or goon, the roles Schultz now claims the Flyers inflicted on him.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02311/3969670-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="558" height="533"><figcaption class="caption-body">DAVE SCHULTZ</figcaption></div>Schultz now claims that the Flyers, the Broad Street Bullies and the National Hockey League's most penalized team in the past few seasons, aren't really; nice chaps at all In fact, the ex-Hammer feels they are really a nasty bunch, those ex-mates of his.According to Schultz, the Flyers (a) go hunting in packs (b) often gang up. three-on-one, against an opponent; (c) start fights deliberately; (d) employ policeman to protect Bobby Clark, the team captain and best player.Schultz also insists that he's happy to be away from all that naughty influence as if his association with those rowdies was bad for his reputation Why, ole Dave claims that he never participated in the gang warfare, that he never was one of the three who beat up one opponent.''You know, had a little chuckle when I read what Schultz said about the Flyers and his role with them.&rdquo; said one NHL player. &ldquo;I hadn't realized he was doing all those things he did with the Flyers against his will, and that the way the Flyers played made him sick.&ldquo;One time, he gave a pretty good beating in a fight and I could have sworn he was enjoying it. I wish I'd known that he didn't really want to give me three or four good shots in the mouth.&rdquo;<h2>Evidence Against Him</h2>SCHULTZ, IN ALL THIS, perhaps is a little bit like the kid who murdered his parents and then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan. The statistics in the record book hardly verify Schultz's statements about his being an unwilling participant in the Flyer nonsense.In 297 regular season games with the Flyers, Schultz served 1,386 penalty minutes, an average of 346 penalty minutes per season, the highest average by several days of an NHL player in history. He also sat out 363 minutes in 61 playoff games.If those totals weren't inspired by Schultz himself and his own approach to the game, then the rowdy influence which the Flyers exert must be simply overwhelming to an impressionable lad such as Schultz.&ldquo;I'm happy to be with the Kings because I can just play hockey,&rdquo; Schultz said. &ldquo;Heck, Bob Pulford (Kings' coach) has even used me on the power-play and in the last two minutes of a game. That never happened with the Flyers.&rdquo;<h2>Robust Spectrum Return</h2>SCHULTZ'S ANTI-FLYER outburst came after he returned to the Philly Spectrum with the Kings&mdash;and the game turned into a small riot, a fight-laden bench-clearing war. The NHL cracked down hard with some heavy fines and suspensions under their new legislation to i stamp out such stupidity.The Kings were especially incensed because they claim Flyer defenseman Moose Dupont head-butted Bob Murdoch of L A. into un-consciousness and three of the Flyers ganged up on Kings Dave Hutchison. Maybe Schultz's first oppurtunity to observe from a different vantage point that routine in which he'd been a leading actor for five years changed his view of things. Maybe it's a sincere claim by him that he wants to be recognized as just a hockey player and not a fighter.He's with a team now which will give him that opportunity and hasn't all those nasty blokes around who will lead down the wrong paths.Show us, Dave! Show us! &#9632;

f0024-01

FRANK ORR SAYS

<div class="byline">BY GARY McCarthy</div>MONTREAL-The Canadiens have such names as Guy Lafleur, Pete Mahovlich, Steve Shutt, Ken Dryden, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard and on and on and so forth. These names aren't likely to be forgotten for a while.But, there are a couple of chaps with the Canadiens who would like the hockey world to know that they are still alive and while they may not be well, they will survive.Lost in the shuffle with the Canadiens this year are a couple of players who had the misfortune of being injured. They are left winger Murray Wilson and defenseman forward John Van Boxmeer.Wilson didn't get to see more than a few minutes of action in Montreal's initial exhibition game this year. He was struck on the thumb by Richard Martin's stick against the Buffalo Sabres and he suffered a fracture.Van Boxmeer was a little more fortunate. He didn't suffer a fracture of the wrist until Montreal's final exhibition game of the season against Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. He was on display a few more times than Wilson was when the scouts were travelling around looking for help for their respective clubs.Van Boxmeer especially wants everyone connected with hockey to know that he's doing just fine; that the cast is coming off his wrist in a few days.In principal, the 23-year-old defenseman-right wing is the property of the Canadiens. But, he has the distinct feeling that the defending Stanley Cup champions won't be needing the services he has to offer this year.&ldquo;I'm resigned to the fact that I may not play a single game this year.&rdquo; said Van Boxmeer. &ldquo;This is my option year.&rdquo;Van Boxmeer's problem is very simple. There are a few teams that he could play for in the National Hockey League. However, he's owned by the talent-loaded Canadiens, who have a rock-hard defense with such names as Lapointe, Savard, Larry Robinson, Pierre Bouchard, Bill Nyrop and Rick Chartraw.Last season, Van Boxmeer got ready for 46 games with Montreal but he only saw spot duty. He spent last spring watching every playoff game from the press box in Montreal and other centers such as Long Island, Philadelphia and Chicago.He doesn't want to spend this year warming the bench once again but he realizes that general manager Sam Pollock doesn't have to make a move with him until next summer.&ldquo;He wouldn't let me go just like that,&rdquo; Van Boxmeer said. &ldquo;Not if he can make a deal for me. Maybe he'll send me to Minnesota. That's a perfect spot for me. Who have they got as defensemen there?&rdquo;Pollock's asking price may be a first-round draft choice. However, other clubs might be relunctant to make such a move in order to acquire a player who hasn't seen regular duty.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-03221/3969708-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="620" height="1241"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHN VAN BOXMEER &hellip; Playing Out Option</figcaption></div>Van Boxmeer was Montreal's fourth choice in the amateur draft in 1972. He was drafted from the Guelph Juniors, which makes him unique. He was the first player to be drafted out of Tier II junior hockey.He spent three seasons with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the American Hockey League.&ldquo;I'd like to stay in Montreal, but I don't want to become just another number in the organization,&rdquo; he says.In the meantime, he continues to work hard in practice&mdash;in case another team remembers that he's still alive and is willing to pay Montreal's asking price.HABS NOTES: Wilson had the cast removed from his fractured thumb. He was skating while he was sporting the cast. However, it will be tough for him to get back in the lineup. The Canadiens already have Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Yvon Lambert and Rejean Houle playing left wing&hellip;Goalie Bunny Larocque, injured in a freak accident during a practice in Detroit a couple of weeks ago, won't be out of the lineup as long as expected. It was feared at first that Larocque might miss as much as two months. But, surgery wasn't required and now the estimate is a month&hellip;Scotty Bowman, who was one of the co-coaches of Team Canada during the September Canada Cup tournament, says he wouldn't be surprised to see NHL clubs playing against European teams during the regular season within the next couple of years&hellip;The Canadiens were having trouble winning on Sunday nights on the road. After losing 3-1 to the Sabres in Buffalo, the Canadiens dropped a 5-3 decision to the Bruins at Boston Garden&hellip; Goalie Ken Dryden has chalked up two shutouts so far this season. &#9632;

f0024-03

Van Boxmeer Alive, Well But NHL Future Cloudy

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0025-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-01337/3969739-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">MIKE MILBURY &hellip; Boston BruinsThe swing to youth has hit even the traditional Boston Bruins this season. In keeping with the NHL's move towards younger players, the Bruins have three rookies in their lineup. Among them is Mike Milbury, a six-foot-two, 200-pound defenseman, who has been quite impressive this season. Milbury, an American from Walpole, Mass., is practically playing in his own backyard with the Bruins. A late skater at age 13, he chose hockey over football and the Bruins are glad he did. Drafted off the Colgate University campus, he was chosen to play for Team U.S.A, in the recent Canada Cup series.</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0025-01

Meet The Rookies…

<div class="byline">BY DONALD BERNS</div>ST. LOUIS&mdash;Defenseman Gilles Marotte has joined the St. Louis Blues and strengthens a rapidly improving defense.The 31-year-old Marotte, obtained on waivers from the New York Rangers, boosts the manpower of the Blues' defensive corps to seven, and general manager-coach Emile Francis says he'll keep it at that number for the immediate future. The other six are Rod Seiling, Bob Plager, Rick Smith, Bob Hess, Bob Gassoff and Bruce Affleck.&ldquo;Marotte played for me the better part of three seasons in New York,'' said Francis, former general manager-coach of the Rangers. &ldquo;He gives us depth at defense. He's good at blocking shots, he's mobile and he hits people.&rdquo;Marotte, now in his 12th season in the National Hockey League, played for Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles before being traded to the Rangers in November of 1973. He became expendable in New York when general manager-coach John Ferguson decided to make use of rookies Dave Farrish and Mike McEwen.Marotte joined the Blues in time for their third game, a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. Floyd Thomson, who once played in Denver as a St. Louis farmhand, scored the winning goal.The game included a fine performance by goalie Ed Staniowski, approaching the sharpness of last spring's Stanley Cup playoffs when he was spectacular in three games against the Buffalo Sabres. Staniowski stopped 33 Colorado shots, including many on breakaways. He had big saves against Dave Hudson. Wilf Paiement, Chuck Arnason and Guy Delparte.Staniowski had been victimized in the Blues' opener, 6-5, when Bobby Orr wore a Chicago Black Hawk uniform for the first time in a regular-season game. Orr was on the ice for all six Chicago goals, including four on the Chicago power play, which he obviously has revitalized.Francis said, &ldquo;Orr looks as mobile as ever. He doesn't look to me like he has any knee problems.&rdquo;The defeat ruined Francis' debut as coach of the Blues, but the veteran hockey leader enjoyed his return to coaching.&ldquo;I've always enjoyed being behind the bench, &ldquo;he said. &ldquo;It's a big part of my life.&rdquo;Francis undoubtedly enjoyed a large measure of satisfaction in the Blues' first victory, a 2-1 triumph over his old team, the Rangers. However, Francis refused to gloat and made the traditional comment that any win is satisfying regardless of opponent.Eddie Johnston was the goalie against the Rangers and saved the game in the last minutes by making two quick saves on a breakaway by his old Boston teammate, Phil Esposito.Esposito had trouble most of the evening because of an excellent defensive job by Garry Unger, the Blues' new captain. Unger was appointed captain when Red Berenson was elevated to assistant coach while remaining a player.Unger is the fifth captain of the - Blues in 10 years. First was Al Arbour, then Berenson, Jimmy Roberts, Barclay Plager, Berenson again, and now Unger.&ldquo;Except for the prestige of being captain there's not much different.&rdquo; said Unger. &ldquo;If anybody has any problems. I'll try to take them to Emile-or Red, but on this team we all help one another. If somebody does something wrong, everybody says something.&rdquo;Unger, who breaks an NHL record every game he plays by extending his own consecutive-game streak, is playing on a line with Bob MacMillan on left wing and Pierre Plante on right wing. MacMillan is blossoming into a big scorer, and Plante is eager to show his poor season last year was a disappointing fluke.Francis has left untouched the Blues' big scoring line of Derek Sanderson, Chuck Lefley and Claude Larose. &#9632;

Marotte Gives St. Louis Added Defensive Strength

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>LOS ANGELES&mdash;If the Kings are going to be improved this season, a key player could be young defenseman Gary Sargent. Although he is only 22 and came out of mediocre competition in his younger years, Sargent has shown for several seasons now the ability to be the best defenseman on this team and one of the best in the league, but he has not had much chance to develop.Sargent was good enough to make this club as a rookie pro two years ago, but was sent to the minors and wasted the season when he tore up a knee and was out most of the year. He made the club last year, but was used less and less as the season went on and not at all in the playoffs.The LA press is not as critical as, say, Montreal's might be. The only criticism reporters around here really had of the respected coach Bob Pulford was of his failure to use Sargent more, but it was expressed, if often, in private, not public. Some felt the failure cost the club the playoff against Boston.Several of the Kings were concerned because they thought the kid could help a lot and madeless mistakes than many veterans. He was aggressive, on offense as well as defense. A husky kid&mdash;five-foot-eleven and 210&mdash;he was a hitter, unafraid of foes, who skated, carried the puck, and shot it freely. He was the top point-man at keeping the puck in play on what otherwise has long been a poor power play.Pulford is conservative about using young players, but it is difficult to fault him because his ways work. He has said, &ldquo;Sometimes it's better for a young player not to play. He can get burned and it can hurt him in the long run. Plus, when he isn't playing, he realizes he has to work harder. A young player can learn a lot looking on from the bench. The year of experience has helped him tremendously. &ldquo;Like the other Kings, Sargent really respects Pulford, but, like most players, he doesn't think not playing helps. Pressed, he admits, &ldquo;I don t think I can work harder than I have. And I don't think I gained much from my experience last season. If anything, I got discouraged.&ldquo;You can learn just so much watching others play, then you have to play. Everyone plays his own way and you have to make your own mistakes. I made mistakes last season, but so did others. Who doesn't make mistakes?&ldquo;Sometimes I got burned and I guess it was because of lack of experience, but you have to play to get the experience. Once you get burned, you're not going to put your hand back in the fire unless you're not very bright. I'm bright enough to know now that I have to play different to play.&ldquo;My natural style is skating, getting the puck and going with it, moving it. When I don't have the puck, I play defense. But I know now Pulford wants his defensemen to concentrate on defense, so I'm going to lay back more and pass the puck off more, and become more conservative and careful.''He concludes, &ldquo;I have no complaints with the coach. He's a good coach and he knows how to play the game. He's the coach, so I'm going to play the way he wants me to play&rdquo;Pully says, &ldquo;Sarge understands better now how I want him to play. During the Canada Cup he was our Most Valuable Player. He played extremely well throughout the tournament.&rdquo;Pully coached the USA team and with few American-born players to pick from played the Minnesota-born Sargent regularly. He held his own with the world's best players and was voted his team's best.Sargent, himself, says, &ldquo;I felt I played pretty well, but I didn't think I was the best star on the ice or anything like that. I liked it that Pulford was the coach and played me. I got back some of my confidence.&rdquo;Subdued now, he says, &ldquo;Last season I thought about becoming a star. This season I have thought only about making the team, then playing a regular shift. Just playing. You can't become a better player on the bench, so I'll do anything to play.&rdquo;Under wraps or not, he started this season as a regular member of the defense rotation and has taken a turn at the point on the power play. Foes backed away all last season, but early this season in Atlanta he went after Hilliard Graves and walloped him.A full-blooded Cree Indian of the Chippewa tribe. &ldquo;The Chief&rdquo; married his high school sweetheart. Jay Hoganson, this summer and is ready to make his mark in his profession.Of the other defensemen, Bob Murdoch's brother, rookie Don of the Rangers, has made some news with a flurry of goals, five in one game. Dave Hutchison made some news with his first goal in five years as a pro, a beauty which banked in off the backboard and, the back of the goaler in Atlanta&hellip;Hutch touched off the biggest news story of the 1-2-2 season-opening road trip when he accidently hit a foe with his stick once again, touching off a series of bench-clearing brawls in a 1-0 loss in Philadelphia that resulted in 24 penalties to the Flyers for 106 minutes and 20 to the Kings for 85 minutes.Hutch, Schultz and three Flyers were thrown out, and Pulford, who pushed linesman John Brown, became the first NHL coach ejected from a game in nine years.Later, the Flyers were fined $6,900, the Kings $2,850. The Flyers drew $4,000 in fines for players leaving the bench to fight, while 10 Kings were fined $200 each and four others $100 each for similar offenses. Pulford drew a $350 fine.Next outing, Pulford reported the Kings came up &ldquo;flat&rdquo; in Toronto, though they did come back from 4-0 to tie 4-4 on some Marcel Dionne geroics.They came up &ldquo;flat&rdquo; a lot last season. This was only the fifth game of this season. So another season is under way. &#9632;

Kings Count On Sargent To Solidify Rearguards

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NHL SCORING AND PENALTY STATISTICS

MONTREAL&mdash;The location has changed, the name has changed and the results have changed for Cleveland Barons in the National Hockey League. The Barons, known as the California Seals for the nine previous seasons, are off to a better start than in any season as the Seals. A great part of that accomplishment can be credited to sophomore center Dennis Maruk, the only player among the leading scorers who is averaging two points a game.After seven games, Barons are playing better than 500 hockey&mdash;three wins, two losses and two ties for eight points and a share of second place with Buffalo Sabres in the Adams Division. The best starts by the Seals up to now were last season (3-3-1) and in 1969-70 (also 3-3-1 after seven games). Also, Barons have scored more goals in their first seven games&mdash;26&mdash;than California did in as many games in any season. Seals' best was a total 22 in 1971-72. Furthermore, the Barons have allowed fewer goals, 19, in seven games than the Seals ever did. California's lowest goals-against total for the first seven games of a season was 22 in 1969-70.Maruk, Seal's second choice and 21st over-all in the 1975 amateur draft, established a club record in 1975-76 for points by a rookie when he scored 30 goals and had 32 assists for 62 points. After seven games last season, he had but three assists. This season he is tied with five other players for fourth place in the individual scoring race. Maruk has seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in seven games. He also has both Barons' game-tying goals, giving him a share of the lead in that department with Tom Williams of Los Angeles Kings.The most points a California player had in the team's first seven games were 11&mdash;five goals and six assists&mdash;by Bill Hieke in 1967-68, the season California joined the NHL. The most goals were six by Joey Johnston in 1973-74.Maruk and Gary Sabourin lead the Barons in power-play goals with two each and the team's record of eight power-play goals on 36 opportunities for 22.2 per cent ranks it eighth in the over-all list. The penalty-killers have a good record, too&mdash;six goals against during 35 times short for an effectiveness percentage of 80%. Only eight other teams have better records and only three teams have had fewer power-play goals against. &#9632;

NHL WEEK…In Review

<div class="byline">BY BILL HEUFELDER</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0027-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-01330/3969880-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">DUNC WILSON&hellip; To Play 20 Games (Photo by Bruce Bennett)</figcaption></div>PITTSBURGH&mdash;After a week of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins were leading the National Hockey League, but weren't anxious to tell anyone.The reason was simple. They were leading in goals against. After four games, the opposition had scored 26 times, or an average of more than five goals.There was no mystery to the predicament. In setting this year's club, the decision was to rely heavily on Denis Herron with the intention of easing Gordie Laxton, only in his second pro season, into NHL competition after spending most of the previous campaign at Hershey.The master plan blew up on opening night when Herron, diving on a loose puck 30 feet from his net, sustained a broken arm in a collision with Vancouver's Garry Monahan. Six minutes into the season and the Penguins were in trouble.With Herron expected to be sidelined at least six weeks, the Penguins scrambled for another goaltender while Laxton bravely moved into the starting lineup.After beating the Canucks, 9-5, with considerable help from Rick Kehoe, who delivered a hat trick, Pittsburgh lost its next three games, two of them with Laxton in goal.The search for another netminder ended with the acquisition of 28-year-old Dune Wilson, who cost the Penguins cash and other considerations to obtain him from the New York Rangers.A journeyman used sparingly by the Rangers. Wilson was making his fifth stop in the NHL. He posted a 4.22 average in 20 games with the lowly Rangers last season.Wilson likely will appear in 20 games long before the end of the current campaign. He made his first start in game No. 5 for the Penguins and looked impressive, despite bowing, 4-1, at Chicago.Wren Blair, the club president, admitted he had explored other trade avenues involving at least three other experienced goalies, but settled on Wilson for practical reasons.&ldquo;It's tough to make a deal when teams know you have a problem.&rdquo; Blair conceded, &ldquo;and they have you over a barrel, but I am satisfied to get a player with Dune's experience and ability without having to break up any part of the team or lose a high draft choice.&rdquo;Blair was insistent on keeping the present team in tact with the idea of continuing to infuse draft choices into the lineup. This season, the Penguins have their top two selections, forwards Blair Chapman and Greg Malone, and Russ Anderson, a rookie defenseman picked in 1975.PENGUIN NOTES: In facing the Black Hawks, Wilson was making his first start in more than two weeks&hellip;Pittsburgh sent Ed Gilbert, a center acquired from Kansas City last year in the Steve Durbano trade, to Hershey&hellip;After his two-goal performance in the opener, Wayne Bianchin missed three games with a wrist injury.By whipping Vancouver, the Penguins continued their good fortune with opening nights, having won the last six in a row&hellip;Lowell MacDonald, who has yet to play this season, is expected to miss at least another two weeks due to knee problems&hellip;Vic Hadfield, still recovering from off-season knee surgery, played one game, but was not encouraged with the progress&hellip; All the club's woes can't be directed at goaltending as Penguins have surrendered seven goals in 11 opposing power plays.<h2>Looking At NHLGoalers</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02253/3969873-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="681" height="3364"></div> &#9632;

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Penguins Hope Wilson Will Be Answer

<div class="byline">Bill Fleischman's</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-01312/3969911-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="306" height="472"></div>Scene: Dave Hampton is returning a kickoff for the Philadelphia Eagles. Running at top speed, Hampton's head suddenly jerks back as if caught by an invisible wire.Hampton lies alarmingly motionless on the Busch Stadium artificial turf for what seems longer than seven minutes. After the knee-jerk &ldquo;what a hit!&rdquo; reaction from fans and commentators, it is feared Hampton suffered a broken neck. Thankfully, Hampton's injury is only a concussion and/he is able to practice the following week.What Hampton ran into was neither invisible nor a wire. A gentleman named Tim Kearney of the St. Louis Cardinals had &ldquo;clotheslined&rdquo; Hampton. That is, Kearney had approached the former Atlanta Falcons' 1.000-yard-gainer from the side, swung his padded forearm at Hampton's head, and flattened the veteran running back.For &ldquo;just doing his job,&rdquo; Kearney was congratulated by teammates on the sidelines. A television close-up showed viewers the weapon, uh, heavily padded arm. Later, after Hampton still hadn't moved, TV analyst Paul Hornung assured viewers there was &ldquo;nothing dirty&rdquo; about Kearney's tactics. As good ole' Woody Hayes might say, &ldquo;hits&rdquo; like Kearney's are &ldquo;just part of the game.&rdquo;As Vladislav Tretiak, Bobby Clarke's good friend, might say, &ldquo;Bolshoi.&rdquo;THE MOST discussed subject in hockey the past few years has not been Montreal's marvelous talent or Bobby Orr's struggle to play. The Canadiens and Orr don't make the front pages but violence in hockey does.Admittedly, hockey has needed legislation to eliminate the &ldquo;gooning&rdquo; and bench-clearing brawls. But I've often wondered why there's no demand for cleaning up violence in pro football.Here's a sport where quarterbacks are carried into hospitals as regularly as linen deliveries. The main purpose of defensive linemen and linebackers on Sunday afternoon seems to be maiming the opposing quarterback. When the quarterback has qualified as a hospital case, the contrite &ldquo;hit man&rdquo; echoes what Kearney said after nearly decapitating Hampton:&ldquo;It's a hit-or-be-hit game. Obviously I didn't go for his neck to ruin his career, but you don't have time to think in situations like that.&rdquo;Braacck.AS KEARNEY thundered across the field there was no one between him and Hampton. A tackle or else just throwing himself in front of Hampton would have been effective.Few athletes, whether it's football or hockey, deliberately try to end an opponent's career. However, like Pavlov's dogs, many athletes are conditioned by coaching to crunch an opponent. These athletes won't, or can't, think about the damage they'll do. &ldquo;Coach said hit so look out, pal&hellip;&rdquo;Listen to Herb Adderley, the former All Pro defensive back, talking with football writer Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News:&ldquo;&hellip;In the four years (since he retired) I think I've seen more guys get hurt than in all the (12) years I played. I'm just beginning to realize how violent the game is.&rdquo;PERHAPS THE main reason Congress hasn't launched a publicity-collecitng campaign to tame pro football is: football is such a integral part of America. People have grown up accustomed to football weekends. The game is way of life, especially in areas such as Alabama, Georgia. Texas. Pennsylvania and Ohio.Hockey fans in United States cities are frequently more amused than appalled over hockey fights.In football you rarely see two players punching each other. Even if they do, they're wearing so much armor the punches can't hurt. But what football players do to each other in the trenches and other places where the officials can't notice is frequently worse than the results of a hockey fight.When Don Wilno, secretary-btreasurer of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, testified in Washington last summer before a committee investigating professional sports, he was asked by a congressman if hockey teams hired &ldquo;assassins.&rdquo; Wanna bet that congressman or many others has never questioned the presence of hit-men in pro football?Maybe some concerned citizens should hire Roy McMurtry, the crusading Ontario attorney-general, to investigate violence in football.Trouble is, there probably aren't enough citizens who are concerned about gooning on the gridiron. &#9632;

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HOCKEY WORLD

<div class="byline">BY RON WEBER</div>WASHINGTON-It is ten o'clock on the night of Sunday. April 4.1976 and Bob Paradise is at work. He is part of the crew assigned the task of defending Washington&mdash;a defenseman for the Washington Capitals, that is.The game and the season has seven minutes to go for the Caps. The opponents, the Canadiens, will rally to win the game in the last three minutes and go on to greater glory called the Stanley Cup.But right now Paradise is giving his 110 per cent in the northeast corner of the Capital Center, the one to the left of goalie Bernie Wolfe. Without being hit Paradise spins and begins his strides up ice, starting with his left leg. Something is not right&mdash;pain is stabbing at his abdominal area. Nobody knows it yet but Paradise has been seriously injured.In the flush of near-victory and the relief that another losing season is over. Paradise's mishap is given short shrift by his teammates and the media. After all, he has a history of pulled groin muscles and he will simply grit his well-formed teeth and wait for it to cure. Besides, the season is over so he can take it easy getting well.Unfortunately, it wasn't like those earlier pulls. They ran down into the thigh area. These are stomach muscles and they have been pulled away from the stomach wall.While the other guys summer exercise depended on their own inclinations, or those prescribed by the coach, Bob Paradise' activity, or lack thereof, revolved around that freak mishap.He cut down or out various athletic endeavors of the off-season. Some of the time normally spent with wife (Maggie) and family (Danielle and Marci gave way to trips to doctors. Lots of doctors.Sam Palumbo, who has administered to fallen Capitals since their inception was one. Another was in Pittsburgh, his former NHL city. Then there were four trips to the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester. MinnesotaAll of them said essentially the same thing: you must rest. Estimates of the recuperation period were vague. Bob began to talk to, or hear about, other cases.The superb young tennis player from Sweden, Bjorn Borg, has gotten over a similar injury in two or three months. Chuck Hamilton, currently coach of the Hershey Bears of the AHL, said it took him a whole year&mdash;but it finally cured up completely.In September, Paradise visited Dr. Palumbo in Washington for another examination. The left side of the stomach wall wasn't right yet, the doc feared. But he recommended Bob give it a try. After all, five months of rest certainly explored that avenue.So Paradise went to Dayton, the Capitals concentration camp. He was permitted to enter into the training cautiously. He had done most of the exercises of the summer fitness program, plus all the running except the outright sprinting, so he was in pretty good shape. But when he tested his skating stride, the thing that had caused the damage, it was not good news.Bob did not play the first five exhibition games. Number six was in Hershey, the first minor league opponent ever for the Capitals.He lasted one period.Twenty minutes. And the verdict was in. Therapy and a half year rest had failed. In a handful of shifts the St. Paul native had also established that even he could not simply &ldquo;gut it out", play through the pain.The phrase &ldquo;even he&rdquo; is aptly used for Paradise has long since shown he could times for Washington with those aforementioned thigh-groin pulls, times for Washington with those aforementioned thigh-groin pulls.But now, while his teammates go through their workouts and their games, for Bob Paradise it's more consultations with doctors, maybe more therapy, definitely more waiting. There is little consolation for anybody, himself included, when he says, &ldquo;I can do everything but skate.&rdquo;A hockey player who can't skate is definitely not in paradise.ICE CAPS: The six defensemen to stick with the Capitals turned out to be Yvon Labre, Jack Lynch, Gordie Smith, Gordie Lane, Rick Green and&mdash;surprise&mdash;Larry Bolonchuk. Larry beat out Jean Lemieux for the last spot. His previous NHL experience consisted of 15 games in Vancouver four seasons ago and one Capitals match last year (in which he picked up an assist)&hellip; &#9632;

Paradise 'In Limbo' As Recurring Injuries Idle Caps' Defender

<div class="byline">JOHN ARNOLD'S</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-01271/3969990-1-eng-US/f0029-012.jpg" title="f0029-01" width="518" height="607"></div> &#9632;

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HOCKEY CROSSWORD

<div class="byline">BY TONY GALLAGHER</div>VANCOUVER-After the Vancouver Canucks first four games, Mike Walton didn't have a goal. The crafty center was too busy passing to right Rick Blight to worry about scoring himself. Blight, it seems, knows all about scoring.Blight has five goals in his first four games, and those goals are bound to keep coming in droves if he stays healthy.The reason is elementary, Walton, er, Watson. Blight, a second-year pro from the Brandon Wheat Kings, gets at least two or three reasonably good scoring chances in every game, and the way he's learning to shoot the puck, it's got to keep going in.&ldquo;It's like Vervy,&rdquo; Blight was saying the day before he potted goal number five against the Washington Capitals in the Canucks' first win of the year. &ldquo;You go for the corners. That's what he (Dennis Ververgaert) does and that's how he gets all his goals. He's not really a guy with a big shot, but if you hit the corners, it doesn't matter how hard the puck is shot.&rdquo;Blight's goals have all been on passes from Walton, who along with Don Lever, has given the Vancouver fans something offensive to talk about. The line has been the club's most productive, just as it was in the last 15 games of the season last year after Walton joined the team from Minnesota of the World Association.&ldquo;Playing with these two guys is ideal for me,&rdquo; says Blight. &ldquo;Skating is the strong part of those guys games, something which is not really my best aspect. In a sense they do the the work for me.&rdquo;Blight has worked on his skating, but more particularly this year, his shooting, which was a constant source of frustration last year when he missed a lot of scoring chances because it took him too long to get the puck away.&ldquo;It comes with work,&rdquo; said Blight, referring to his apparently newfound ability to hit the corners. &ldquo;I've been getting perfect feeds, but it sure is nice to get off to such a nice start this year, particularly because I had such long droughts last year.&ldquo;The difference this year is confidence.&rdquo; added Blight. &ldquo;Last year I came to camp having to prove myself. I'm not saying I didn't have to prove myself again, you have to do that every year. But this year I wasn't worried so much about my skating and came in much more relaxed knowing that I could do the job.&rdquo;Blight's forechecking has also improved over last season as he seems to be getting the feel of going in deep and taking the body rather than simply groping for the puck. The general improvement of the right winger has given the Canucks a solid lineup of strong forwards, and it will be even stronger when newcomers Brad Gassoff and Jim Wiley get back into form.Both were hurt in pre-season. Gassoff working now to strengthen his knee and Wiley working to get his separated should healthy enough to take bumps again. Both, however, to the disappointment of themselves and coach and general manager Phil Maldney, will have to spend some time toiling for Orland Kurtenbach in Tulsa, where they hopefully will be able to play themselves back into shape.Canucks have been worried about their defense, as anyone would if you had been outshot 131-81 in your first three league games.But the return of veteran right side defender Mike Robitaille in the team's fourth game against Washington was a big plus factor along the blueline, especially in light of the way the 208-pounder came back. He was handing out his hip check with amazing regularity, and he was selected the game's second star for his efforts.Robitaille had missed about two weeks of action with extremely sore ribs, and all his teammates were certainly glad to see him come back, even if it was in the manner that the late, great, Tim Horton used to do things.&ldquo;The first two shifts were really emotional for me,&rdquo; said Robitaille after the Washington game. &ldquo;I just kept thinking of Timmy Horton, who I played with before he passed away. He always used to come in late and maybe play just one exhibition game before the season started. He'd get by the first five games just by using his head alone. I'm not trying to say I'm a Tim Horton, but I did try to think about the game.&rdquo;When asked about the way he was hitting Robitaille said: &ldquo;No I haven't even hit the dog yet. But you just have to stick your nose in and get involved. I got a lot of help from Harold Snepsts and the whole team was backed up by that kid (Curt) Ridley, who is going to be a superstar.&rdquo; &#9632;

Walton Key Man Behind Blight's Success

<div class="byline">BY LARRY BORTSTEIN</div>DENVER-The date was Jan. 4. 1975. Henry Boucha would prefer to forget it, but he knows he never will.That was the date Henry, then of the Minnesota North Stars, was hit in the right eye with the butt end of a hockey stick wielded by Dave Eorbes of the Boston Bruins. It was one of the ugliest, most controversial episodes of violence in the history of hockey.To a large extent, the incident has been forgotten. But it's impossible for Boucha, now a left winger with the first-year Colorado Rockies, to put it completely out of his mind. He's the one whose right eye never will be the same.&ldquo;I had three operations at the Mayo Clinic,&rdquo; recalls Henry, &ldquo;but there's permanent damage in the eye. I have trouble looking around. I have, double vision when I look to the extreme left or right or when I gaze up or down fast. I have trouble in this area. It all stems from that butt-ending I got on Jan. 4, 1975. That's one of the most important dates in my life, not one of the best, but a day that will have an effect on me for the rest of my life. No way am I going to forget it. It was a Saturday night game at Met Sports Center in Bloomington.&rdquo; The Bruins won, incidentally.The permanent weakness in Boucha s right eye is one of the reasons why Henry, a righthanded shot, has been stationed at left wing for the Rockies. &ldquo;But I've played all three forward positions in the pros.&rdquo; he points out. &ldquo;so it isn't hard for me to get used to playing the left side.&rdquo; In Colorado's early games this season, coach Johnny Wilson has deployed Boucha on a line centered by rookie Ron Andruff with Chuck Arnason on the right side.It wasn't long ago that Henry, one of the most storied players ever to come out of an American high school, seemed ticketed for the top. When Murray Williamson was coaching the U.S. National team a few years back, he told the writer. &ldquo;Boucha will be first American-born player to become a superstar in the NHL.&rdquo;Fate hasn't been kind to the 25-year-old native of Warroad. Minnesota, who is of Chippewa Indian descent. He debuted in the NHL at age 20 with the Detroit Red Wings in the fall of 1971. After three seasons with the Wings he was dealt to the North Stars for Danny Grant on Aug. 27. 1974. After spending the 1974-75 campaign with the Stars, he jumped crosstown to the WHA's Minnesota Fighting Saints, only to jump right back to the NHL and the Kansas City Scouts when the St. Paul franchise fizzled.&ldquo;It's nice to be with a team now that's financially secure.&rdquo; Henry smiles. &ldquo;This has put my eye kind of second to me right now. I don't think I could have gone through another year like last one, with two teams that folded up I originally had signed a three-year contract with the Fighting Saints, which was the only team in the WHA I would have played for because it meant remaining in Minnesota. We were going to buy a house there when, all of a sudden, they came up with these stories about how the owners were backing out and didn't have enough money.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0029-02220/3970021-1-eng-US/f0029-022.jpg" title="f0029-02" width="571" height="1085"><figcaption class="caption-body">HENRY BOUCHA &hellip; No Trouble Shifting</figcaption></div>&ldquo;So I went with Kansas City last February. We won the first game I played in. then didn't win in our last 27, the league record.&rdquo; Henry recalls with a weak grin. He and wife Randi are now happily ensconced in new digs in the Denver area. Life now seems more secure, though Boucha is realistic enough to realize that the Rockies will have a rocky time of it in their first season&mdash;competitively, anyway.&ldquo;I've never been with a winner,&rdquo; he says, &ldquo;and being with this team is like starting from the bottom and working your way up. But we're much better than the team which finished last season in Kansas City, and we'll make it tough for a lot of teams. Denver is a good hockey town, and I think we'll make a big hit here after a while. If we win a few games and gain respect, we'll surprise a lot of people.&rdquo;Eye problems and all, Boucha can, to paraphrase Johnny Nash's great music hit of a couple years ago, see things clearly now, and his career in pro hockey could just be taking off.ICE PEBBLES: The Rockies were having problems in their early games common to most young, inexperienced teams&mdash;too many shots allowed, too many cheap penalties, and not enough effectiveness on the power play and in penalty killing. After four games, they had been outshot, 142 to 79. In a 5-3 loss to the Rangers at McNichols Sports Arena, the Rockies yielded four New York scores on power plays Meantime, Colorado had only two goals in their first 17 man-advantage situations through four outings. One, by rookie centerman Larry Skinner, was the Rockies' first goal of the season in their opening 4-2 defeat of Toronto, and the other, blast by Chuck Arnason against the Rangers in game two&hellip;Joe Starkey, the radio voice of the Rockies, is winning fans with his cry of &ldquo;What a bonanza!&rdquo; after each Colorado goal&hellip;Joe Vargo, who held similar posts with the Detroit Red Wings and Cleveland Crusaders, became the public relations director of the Rockies on Oct. 11, replacing Fred Klashman. Vargo is working with Colorado coach Johnny Wilson for the third time, as Wilson, the one-time &ldquo;iron man&rdquo; of the NHL with 630 consecutive games before Garry Unger broke his mark last season, also coached the Detroit and Cleveland clubs when Vargo flacked for those&hellip; &#9632;

f0029-02

Injury Converts Boucha To Left Wing

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-01308/3970059-1-eng-US/f0030-012.jpg" title="f0030-01" width="615" height="1125"><figcaption class="caption-body">EDDIE GILBERT &hellip; Joins Bears</figcaption></div>SPRINGFIELD&mdash;The Nova Scotia Voyageurs, defending Calder Cup champions, have proved themselves once again the team to beat as the American Hockey League moved into the third week of the 1976-77 season The pick of most observers, the Vees stood alone at the top of the heap for the second straight week and they did it all under rather adverse conditions.The Vees opened their regular season schedule with a resounding 5-0 win over the visiting New Haven Nighthawks, then they took their show on the road and after seven games the Vees are still on top with a 4-2-1 record.The Vees are also playing with two players under the 19-man limit established this season by the AHL board of governors. With goalie Eddie Walsh still on the shelf with a knee injury, last year's corookie of the year. Pierre Mondou, is also on the injured list along with Paul Woods (broken ankle). The Vees have played their first seven games with only 17 players dressed. That's two under the limit.A lot of observers, despite their picking the Vees to repeat as Calder Cup champs, felt the Vees would have difficulty at the start considering the loss of several All Star players, injuries and the road schedule.But, once again, it's been rookie talent that has carried the Vees to their early lead. Maurice Barrette, pint-sized goaler from the Quebec Ramparts, registered the league's first two shutouts and came away with a 2.96 average while shouldering the goalie responsibilities by himself.Peter Lee, Rod Schutt, Cliff Cox. Dave Shand, Ron Wilson and Hal Phillipoff, all rookies in the AHL, carried the Vees and will soon make everyone forget the loss of Ron Andruff. Sean Shanahan. Mike Polich. Rick Lemieux and Guy Chouinard and others.Schutt was the league's leading scorer with eight points after the first two weeks and Lee and Wilson were among the top scorers.The Vees' success on the road points up an interesting statistic in the AHL Years ago the home team was figured to have a distinct advantage, but after two weeks of play the stats indicate that the home team has had its trouble before their own fans.The Hershey Bears. 2-2-0 overall are 12-0 at home. New Haven evened its home record at 1-1-0 with a big win over the Vees after losing in its home opener to Hershey. Nova Scotia is the lone team with a winning record at home, winning their only home game. The Rhode Island Reds are 1-2-1 overall, and 0-1-1 at home while the Rochester Americans. 3-1-1 overall, are even at home 1-1-0 and the Springfield Indians. 2-2-0 overall, have the same record at home as they have yet to play on the road.HERSHEY: The Bears lost the services of rookie Don Lemieux but gained a solid player in Eddie Gilbert from Pittsburgh. Gilbert was instrumental in the Bears' win at New Haven and had two goals against Rochester Don Edwards has been carrying the goaltending load by himself and holding up well under the pressure.Veteran Billy Inglis keeps rolling along. In four games the crafty center, one of the very real veterans in the AHL, led the Bears in scoring with two goals and four assists. Rookies Alex Tidey and Joe Kowal are among the top scorers in the league so it appears the Bears have once again found a comfortable mixture of veterans and rookies.NEW HAVEN: Faced with much the same situation as the Nova Scotia Voyageurs the New Haven Nighthawks were forced to take their show on the road for their first four games. The Hawks were not quite as fortunate as the Vees but it's always nice to put that first victory in the books and the Nighthawks did that with a big win over the Vees. Jerry Byers' two goals and Paul Harrison s outstanding performance in the nets helped the Hawks escape from the winless ranks last Sunday. The Hawks added some power to their attack getting Blake Dunlop and Jim Roberts from Minnesota last week. Alain Langlais was sent to Tulsa, Doug Rombough to Erie and Scott McPhail to Baltimore.The Hawks current record of 1-4-1 is very disappointing to coach Parker McDonald but the New Haven team will have to be reckoned with before long. On paper the Hawks have one of the best teams in the league and it will be only a matter of time before the cream comes to the topRHODE ISLAND: The Reds are not off to a flying start but their situation is much like the Nighthawks. Things looked a little bleak for the Reds as they lost their road opener to Springfield, tied in their home opener with New Haven and lost their second home game to the Americans, but the Reds turned it all around with a 7-3 win over Rochester in New York last Sunday. Bobby Sheehan, in three games, collected two goals and six assists to share the league lead in scoring.The Reds and Springfield Indians swapped players in Gerry Teeple and Dave Kelly and Kelly was the third star in the Reds win in Rochester. The Reds in fact picked up all three-star selections in that game with the first star going to goalie Cap Raeder, second to Sheehan and the third to Kelly. Kelly s hard-nose style of play will win him the favor of the Providence fans. He played his college hockey in Providence and from his first start with the Reds it appears he is glad to be back home.The Reds' big 7-3 win over the Amerks in Rochester avenged a 7-3 loss in Providence two nights before.ROCHESTER: The Amerks received some player help from the Boston Bruins in Doug Gibson and Ray Maluta. Both players were with the Amerks last season and should help the Rochester entry. The Amerks have lost only one game, that to the Reds, and appear to be one of the strongest teams this season. Boston talent has played a key role for the Amerks with Gordie Clark. Al Sims and Earl Anderson putting some points on the board Ron Garwasiuk and veteran Rene Drolet are also off to flying starts Dave Reece has played in the goal for all five of the Rochester games and his record of 3-1-1 speaks for himself.Anderson, with five goals and three assists leads the Amerks scorers. Three of his goals came on power plays. The Amerks lead the league in power play goals with a total of six in four games.SPRINGFIELD: The Springfield Indians are even in the record book as far as wins and losses are concerned but they are first in penalty minutes. The Indians have a total of 227 minutes in penalties and a good portion came from their last encounter with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs. The Indians lost two straight games to the powerful Vees but they didn't lose the fights. The Indians had a total of 96 minutes in penalties in their 52 loss to the Voyageurs on Saturday. The Vees on the other hand had only 37 minutes in penalties and scored two of their goals on power plays.<h2>Where AHL Teams Play</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0030-03184/3970052-1-eng-US/f0030-032.jpg" title="f0030-03" width="614" height="940"></div> &#9632;

f0030-01

Undermanned Voyageurs Set Early Pace; Home Ice Advantage Lost By AHL Teams

<h2>HERSHEY BEARS</h2>Goal: Don Edwards, Cam Newton.Defense: Mario Faubert, Larry Bignell, Bob Bilodeau, Ron Roscoe. Forwards: Jacques Cossette. Terry Martin, Eddie Gilbert, Kelly Pratt. Billy Inglis, Claude Noel, Derek Smith. Yves Bergeron, Alex Tidey, Dean Sheremeta, Steve Andrascik, Joe Kowal.<h2>NEW HAVEN NIGHTHAWKS</h2>Goal: Doug Soetaert, Paul Harrison.Defense: Larry Sacharuk, Gary Geldart. Doug Jarrett, Chris Ahrens. Jerome Engele, John Bednarski.Forwards: Craig Cameron. Tom Colley, Jerry Byers. Dave Cressman. Dale Lewis, Eddie Johnstone, Jerry Holland. Greg Holst. Blake Dunlop, Jim Roberts.<h2>NOVA SCOTIA VOYAGEURS</h2>Goal: Maurice Barrette. Eddie Walsh.Defense: Gilles Lupien, Mike Busniuk, Chuck Luksa. Brian Engblom. Forwards: Hal Phillipoff, Don Howse, Bruce Baker, Rod Schutt, Kelly Greenbank. Peter Lee, Cliff Cox. Pat Hughes. Jim Cahoon, Ron Wilson.<h2>RHODE ISLAND REDS</h2>Goal: Cap Raeder, Bill Oleschuk.Defense: Wayne Muloin, Bill Mikkelson, Mike Kitchen, Marty Gateman, Terry MacDonald, Ken Murray, Jim McElmury.Forwards: Dennis Giannini, Michel Deziel, Bobby Sheehan. Danny Seguin, Gary Swain, Ron Climie, Walt Ledingham, Jim Troy. Paul Gardner, Dave Kelly.<h2>ROCHESTER AMERICANS</h2>Goal: Dave Reece, Jim Pettie.Defense: Harry Shaw, Rod Graham, Ray Maluta, Duane Rupp. Al Sims, Doug Halward.Forwards: Mike Byers, Rick Adduono, Barry Smith, Rene Drolet. Doug Gibson, Gord Clark, Jim Jones, Clayton Pachal, Earl Anderson, Ron Garwasiuk, John Wensink.<h2>SPRINGFIELD INDIANS</h2>Goal: Jerome Mrazek, Grant Cole.Defense: Jean Lemieux, Mark Suzor, Pete Scamurra, Craig Hanmer, Steve Short, Greg Joly.Forwards: Mike Marson, Steve Coates, Al Hill, Alex Forsyth, Gerry Teeple, Drew Callander, Bob Ritchie, Dave Hynek, Brian Kinsella, Andre Peloffy, Tom Rowe. &#9632;

AHL Starting Rosters

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-01284/3970114-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg" title="f0031-01" width="641" height="874"></div> &#9632;

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HOW THEY STAND

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0031-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-02222/3970145-1-eng-US/f0031-022.jpg"></div> &#9632;

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Minor League Scoreboard

<div class="byline">BY BILL ADLER</div>FORT WORTH&mdash;When your team outscores the opposition by nine goals to none in the final period of action, the coach would have to be pleased with his team's performance. Such would be the current feelings of Fort Worth coach John Choyce who saw his team come alive in the final 20 minutes of each of their three games during the week to earn two victories and one tie with their final period heroics.With these five points, the Texans moved into the early Central Hockey League lead and give all indications that they will be a serious contender for the Adams Cup.The 1976-77 season marks the 10th year in the CHL for Ft. Worth during which span the team has failed to win the cup.Fort Worth began the week with their worst two periods of hockey as everything they did produced goals for the opposition. After the first two periods, they trailed the Oklahoma City Blazers 5-1 much to the chagrin of the hometown fans Finally at 5:01 of the final period. Steve Clippingdale tallied a power-play goal which was followed by a goal by Brad Anderson only 49 seconds later to close the deficit to two goals. One minute and nine seconds elapsed before Richie Hansen made it a one-goal contest. At 12:35 of the final period the volatile but popular Alt Handrahan stole the puck at center ice and scored an unassisted goal to make the final score 5-5. The Texans continued to apply the pressure, including working from the power-play in the final two minutes when Choyce detected Blazer forward Murray Hall playing with an illegal stick but the Texans could not manage that sixth goal of the period and had to settle for the tie after trailing by four goals entering the final stanza.Two nights later on Oct. 15, the same two teams met in Oklahoma City and the Blazers dominated the play for the first two periods, taking a 3-1 lead into the final 20 minutes. Once again the Texans proved equal to the task scoring three final period goals to earn a 4-3 win over the Blazers.The next evening the Texans returned to their home ice still in quest of their initial victory before the Fort Worth fans. The Texans notched this victory along with avenging an opening night defeat at the hands of the Dallas Black Hawks. On this second meeting goaltender Donald Cutts recorded the first shutout of his professional career as he blanked the Hawks 3-0.TULSA: Despite the relatively slow start by his defending champions, coach Orland Kurtenbach can still be seen with a smile on his face. The reason for the smile is the addition of several key veterans to the Oiler lineup that should help put the Oilers right back into a contending position.The Oilers, with only one win in their first five contests, have regained the services of two All Star selections from last season. Center Jim Wiley, the league s top scorer and the first-team All Star center, has returned to the Oilers. Wiley suffered a separated shoulder during the Vancouver Canuck training camp but now seems ready to regain his top form that enabled him to tally 33 goals and 63 assists last season. Also returning to the Oiler lineup from last season's championship team is Brad Gassoff. The rookie-of-the-year winner is recovering from knee surgery in early September and his appearance will bolster the Oiler attack. However, with a strong showing in Tulsa Gassoff could find himself wearing a Vancouver uniform very quickly, especially in light of the slow start by the Canucks.On the ice it took a shutout by goaltender Michel Belhumeur for the Oilers to gain their first victory of the season. He turned aside 27 Dallas Black Hawk shots on Oct. 15 to record a 3-0 win over the Hawks. Glen Richardson gave Belhumeur all the assistance he needed when he scored a power-play goal early in the middle period. Defenseman Bob Manno, the top draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks, scored his first professional goal in the third period before Bill Plett closed out the scoring with a shot into the empty Black Hawk net.The next evening saw the Oilers travel to Salt Lake City and their first meeting of the year with the Golden Eagles but on this occasion. Belhumeur and his mates were not as fortunate as the Eagles defeated them 5-3.SALT LAKE: The Americans are coming, seems to be the chant heard around the Salt Palace early in the season. The cause for the delight of the Golden Eagles and their fans is a 21-year-old left-winger from Everett, Mass., Mike Fidler. Fidler, who attended Boston University, has been most instrumental in the quick start by the Golden Eagles scoring six goals in the team's first three games.In their only game of the week, Fidler registered the first &ldquo;hat trick of his young career in a 5-3 win over the Tulsa Oilers before 5,532 fans in the Salt Palace.Two veterans provided the other goals for the Golden Eagles in their second win in three games this season. Frank Spring, the CHL's top goal scorer with 44 last year, recorded his first of the season while Lyle Bradley also tallied his first goal of the year. Bradley has been moved to right wing after spending most of his career at center.Continuing to impress rinkside observers is goaltender Ray Martyniuk who has been in net in all three games for the Golden Eagles this season. If Marty returns to the form that he displayed during the '74-75 season when the Golden Eagles captured the Adams Cup, the fans in Salt Lake City could be in store for another May celebration.DALLAS: To give you an idea on the type of week it was the Black Hawks were shut out twice while having a third game postponed. Adding to the miseries of rookie coach Roger Neilson were a rash of injuries that has seriously depleted the Hawk roster Rookie Alain Belanger, who looked most impressive in his first game, scoring a. goal and adding two assists in the Hawks' 6-2 opening night win in Fort Worth, then fell hard in the 3-0 shutout in Tulsa, suffering damage to the right knee. The doctors are still not certain as to whether he will have to undergo surgery to correct the damage. Even without the surgery Belanger is expected to be sidelined for three or four weeks.Defenseman Mike O'Connell, the second-year pro from Chicago, aggravated an old charley horse and sat out the 3-0 loss in Fort Worth. Another defenseman, Blair Mackasey, reinjured an ankle that he had originally sprained in training camp and he also sat out the loss to the Texans.Fortunately for the Hawks veterans Dan Hinton and Randy Holt returned to the lineup over the past week to give coach Neilson enough skaters to form three forward lines. With his badly depleted lineup goalies Mike Veisor and Mike Palmateer battled gamely but each was defeated by the identical 3-0 score. Veisor lost to Fort Worth while Palmateer lost to the Oilers in his first start of the season.OKLAHOMA CITY: Coach Murray Davison is beginning to wonder how big a lead it will take to earn a victory. In three of their four games last week, the Blazers enjoyed an edge entering the final stanza and all the Blazers could emerge with were a pair of ties. Offensively the Blazers have been the most productive team in the CHL. scoring 25 goals in their first six games, including possessing one of the most potent power-plays which has seen the team connect on over 40 percent of its chances (14 goals in 34 opportunities). However, on defense the Blazers have allowed 26 goals.Bob Sicinski, Jan Popeil and Mike Sleep rank 1-2-3 in scoring with Popeil the top goalscorer with seven and Sicinski the leader with 11 assists. All three of these have played a major role in helping the Blazers mount early leads but the defense has been unable to hold off the opposition.Oklahoma City traveled to Kansas City for the Oct. 16 home opener of the Blues. Once again Popeil and the Blazers struck quickly for a pair of power-play tallies to open a 2-0 first period lead The Blues, however, erupted for four goals in the final period to take a 6-2 win. The next evening the same two teams returned to Oklahoma City. The Blazers power-play produced four goals in the first two periods, two by defenseman Mike Stevens and one each by Randy Rota and Popeil as the Blazers moved into the final period with a comfortable 6-3 lead. However, goaltender Pierre Hamel was unable to hold off the fast-skating Blues and the two teams battled to a 7-7 tie. Rota, Sicinski and Gary Donaldson added the other goals in this contest for the Blazers.KANSAS CITY: The Blues home-opener scheduled against Dallas for Oct. 14 was postponed upon the request of the Blues' management. It was felt that the fifth and deciding game of the American League baseball pennant race would capture all the eyes of the Kansas City sports fans.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-03155/3970190-1-eng-US/f0032-032.jpg" title="f0032-03" width="624" height="853"><figcaption class="caption-body">MICHEL BELHUMEUR &hellip; Shutout Victory</figcaption></div>Thus, the season debut at home was delayed two days and one period. Playing before a disappointing opening night crowd of less than 2,100 fans, the Blues allowed Oklahoma City two power-play goals in the first period to trail 2-0 entering the middle stanza. At this point coach Barclay Plager unleashed his hot-scoring second-year professional. Rick Bourbonnais who put the Blues on the board early in the second period with the first of his three goals for the evening. Brian Oglivie tied the score and the two teams entered the last period tied at 2-2. Bourbonnais quickly changed that situation, scoring twice in the opening minutes of the period to snap the tie. Don Matineau and Mike Korney added goals later in the period to complete the scoring in the opening night 6-2 triumph. Goaltender Yves Belanger recorded his second win in as many tries for the Blues.<h2>CHL Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-01287/3970183-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="638" height="1075"></div><h2>Where CHL Teams Play</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02219/3970176-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg" title="f0032-02" width="626" height="1069"></div> &#9632;

f0032-03

Fort Worth Finds Magic Touch; New Faces Pick Up Lowly Oilers

<div class="byline">BY RALPH BRIDGLAND</div>ST. CATHARINES&mdash;St. Catharines Fincups will represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Czechoslovakia. Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.The Fincups earned the right to represent this country in the championships by having the highest point total in the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior &ldquo;A&rdquo; after 10 games of the regular season.The Fincups had 16 points after nine games (eight wins and one loss) to lead the Emms Division by two points over London Knights, who had already completed 10 games.Kingston Canadians, who had gone through their first seven games of the regular season without a loss (six wins and a tie), were defeated in their ninth and tenth games to knock them out of the running for the trip to Czechoslovakia.However, the Canadians' point total of 15 was tops in the Emms Division and qualified them for the Western Canada Hockey League's international tournament to be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 and will be based in Calgary.The Fincups clinched the berth in the world championships with three straight victories. 7-2 over Toronto and 5-2 over London on home ice and they drubbed the Spitfires 9-1 in Windsor.Al Secord paced the Fincups over Toronto with two goals in a game which attracted 2,182 fans to Garden City Arena. It was the largest attendance mark in St. Catharines in more than two years and marked only the second time in three seasons a Junior &ldquo;A&rdquo; team has played before more than 2,000 spectators in this city.Joe Contini scored two goals for the Fincups in the win over the Knights while in Windsor captain Dale McCourt and Jody Gage scored three goals apiece.Al Jensen s bid for a shutout was spoiled with less than two minutes remaining in the game.While the Fincups were winning three in a row, the Canadians were losing a pair of road games. 7-2 in Ottawa and 4-1 in Peterborough Kingston bounced back to defeat the Petes 4-1 on home ice in their tenth game of the schedule.Ken Linseman led the Canadians past Peterborough with two goals and a pair of assists.LONDON: Knights were beaten 5-2 in St. Catharines to end any hopes of earning the trip to Czechoslovakia&hellip;On the brighter side of things, club won 3-1 in Toronto and 7-3 over Windsor in London to give Knights third-best points total in league after 10 games&hellip;Third period goals by Dino Ciccarelli and Jim Hamilton lifted the Knights past Marlboros. Dean Hopkins scored the other London goal in the second period Dan Eastman scored twice to lead Knights over Spitfires.KITCHENER: The Rangers are playing, 500 hockey with 11 points in as many games&hellip;Defeated Flyers 6-4 in Niagara Falls but lost both games on northern swing. 5-4 in Sault Ste. Marie and 5-1 in Sudbury&hellip;Tom McLeod. Barry Duench. Don Maloney. Kevin Street. Terry Bovair and Don Greguol each scored once in Niagara Falls&hellip; Rangers have allowed 61 goals against, the second-worst total in the league in that department.TORONTO: Marlboros' lone victory of week was in their home away from home. Brantford, 9-3 over Niagara Falls. Gary Dillon, John Anderson and Lynn Jorgenson scored two goals apiece against Flyers&hellip;Sean Mullane scored on the first shot of the game but that was it for the Marlboros as they were beaten 3-1 in Toronto by London despite outshooting the knights 37-24&hellip;Other setback was in St. Catharines by 7-2 count.WINDSOR: Goaltender Georges Gagnon, loaned to Spitfires by London for first ten games, went the distance as Knights dumped Windsor 7-3 in London&hellip; Brad Smith, Ken Campbell and Pat Goreham scored for the Spitfires&hellip;Joel Quenneville's goal with less than two minutes remaining in the game was Windsor's only goal in 9-1 loss to St. Catharines Spitfires are managing to stay ahead of Niagara Falls but are falling behind rest of Emms Division opponents with one win and two ties in 10 games&hellip;Windsor has allowed 50 goals against, the worst mark in the league in that category.NIAGARA FALLS: Flyers have gone through nine games without a taste of victory (one tied and eight losses.) Latest defeats were 6-4 at home to Kitchener and 9-3 in Brantford against Marlboros&hellip; Guy Losier scored twice in loss to Marlboros&hellip; Flyers have scored just 23 goals in their nine games, the second lowest total in the entire league.SUDBURY: Wolves began to make assault on Leyden Division leading Canadians with three straight victories. Randy Pierce scored twice in 4-2 win over Peterborough in Sudbury&hellip;Wolves goaltender Jack Shaw blocked 45 shots in leading Sudbury to 5-1 home ice win over Kitchener&hellip;Ron Duguay scored twice to lead Wolves over Generals 8-2 in Oshawa&hellip; Wolves have scored 69 goals in 11 games, the highest total in the league.OTTAWA: 67s played the role of spoilers as they handed Kingston its first defeat of the season. 7-2 in nation's capital&hellip;Tim Higgins led the 67s with two goals&hellip;Ottawa came up with the win despite being outshot 42-35 by the Canadians&hellip;Higgins capped a big scoring week with a hat trick against Oshawa in 7-2 victory 67s have moved to within four points of division leading Kingston and have a game in hand on the Canadians.PETERBOROUGH: Petes had busy week winning two of their four games&hellip; Defenseman Greg Theberge led the Petes to 4-1 home ice win over Kingston with two goals&hellip; Keith Acton's goal with less than eight minutes remaining in the game gave the Petes a 4-2 win over Sault Ste. Marie&hellip;Losses were in Kingston 4-1 and in Sudbury 4-2&hellip;Petes have allowed just 26 goals in nine games, the second best total in the league.SAULT STE. MARIE: Two goals by Greyhounds' second round draft pick. 16-year-old Arthur Rutland, led club to 5-4 win over Kitchener in Sault Ste. Marie&hellip;Rutland added another goal in 4-2 home ice loss to Peterborough&hellip;Greyhounds have managed to stay close to leaders through early going by playing 500 hockey (five wins and five losses) despite having rookie-laden lineup.OSHAWA: Generals are still looking for first point after dropping nine straight games&hellip;Latest setbacks were 8-2 to Sudbury at home and 7-2 in Ottawa. Jim Jackson scored both Oshawa goals in Ottawa. Generals have scored just 22 goals in nine games, the worst total in the league&hellip; Despite not having won a game thus far, the Generals are giving their all. It's just a matter of inexperience which only time can cure.<h2>HOW THEY STAND</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-01257/3970221-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="699" height="3069"></div> &#9632;

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Fincups Headed For Czechoslovakia After Beating Out London, Kingston

<div class="byline">BY BUD GALLMEIER</div>COLUMBUS&mdash;There will be less new faces on rosters when the International Hockey League opens its 32nd season as most clubs have a strong nucleus of veterans around which to build for the 1976-77 campaign. The bumper crop of returning veterans has resulted in an abundance of optimism flowing from the various camps.The nine-team circuit is looking for a balanced race which should also reflect favorably at the box office. Three new coaches will be making their debuts in league openers. The three newcomers are Kon Ullyot at Columbus. Larry Mickey at Dayton and Bryan McLay at Muskegon. Holdovers are Doug Carpenter at Flint, Ralph Keller at Fort Wayne, Bob Lemieux at Kalamazoo. Bob McCammon at Port Huron. Don Perry at Saginaw and Ted Garvin at Toledo.Mickey looms as the man on the hot seat. The Gems won both the league and playoff championship last season under Ivan (The Terrible) Prediger whose contract was not renewed. Prediger inherited the first-place Gems at the All Star break when Tommy McVie was elevated to the head coaching job at Washington.IHL teams will play a 351-game schedule with each team playing 78 games&mdash;39 at home and 39 on the road. Here's a capsule look at the nine teams just before they break from the starting gate:<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-01280/3970266-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="626" height="652"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARY CARR &hellip; Dealt To Owls</figcaption></div>DAYTON: Dethroning the Gems won't be an easy task if, indeed, it's done at all. Mickey got a big boost just recently when Bill Riley and Steve Self, two kingpins in the last season's successful hunt, were returned to his care by the Caps. The two scored a total of 139 points between them last season. In addition, Mickey has the following veterans back: Les Auge, Peter Brown, Jean Trottier, Brian Stapleton. Tim Amplefor, Jack Patterson and Mike Powers.Chief losses were hard-nose defenseman Gordie Lane and high-scoring forwards Stan Jonathan and Rick Bragnalo.The Gems got a split in two pre-season exhibition games, losing to Columbus.52, and reversing the verdict in the second meeting.6-3.COLUMBUS: New coach Ron Ullyot has Owl fans looking forward to the coming season with considerable optimism. Ullyot, son of Fort Wayne general manager Ken Ullyot, has the Owls rounding into shape much quicker than even the most optimistic fans had hoped The Owls were one of the most impressive clubs in the exhibition season and displayed an offense which functioned at near mid-season form But offense was not Ullyot's major concern He wants to improve the Columbus defense, one of the team s major weaknesses last season.In a move to improve the defense, Ullyot swung a deal with Dayton for goalie Gary Carr. Carr shared goaltending duties for the Gems last season with Jim Pettie. He had a 3.31 goals against average in 39 games.The potential of the Columbus team was pointed out by Toledo coach Ted Garvin following the Owls' 8-2 romp over the Diggers &ldquo;This is the best conditioned Columbus team at this stage I've ever seen.'' said Garvin. &ldquo;Ullyot is responsible for that and if he can control these guys, he'll have a pretty good hockey club.&rdquo;TOLEDO: Garvin could have the most experienced team in the league as he is determined to return the Diggers to the point of excellence he achieved during the last half of the 1974-75 campaign when he led Toledo to the Turner Cup championship When the Diggers take the ice for the opener there could be as few as two new faces in the lineup.One of the new faces is a definite plus. He's defenseman Charlie Shaw, property of the Detroit Red Wings, who played for Port Huron last season.The Toledo defense is solid with holdover goalies Ted Tucker and Pierre Chagnon and three of last year's defensemen back&mdash;Tom Mellor. Michel Laurendeau and Doug Mahood. A fourth&mdash;Jerry Badiuk&mdash;was with the Diggers two years ago.The Diggers are also blessed with a wealth of experienced forwards including Jim McCabe. Ian MacPhee, Juri Kudrasov, Don Westbrooke and Paul Tantardini, the latter returning after a vear away.FORT WAYNE: Ralph Keller will still have a young team at Fort Wayne but the bulk of his roster has a least one season in the IHL under their skates. The real veterans on the roster as the Komets prepare for their silver anniversary in the IHL are defenseman Terry Pembroke goalie Robbie Irons and Robbie Laird Players returning for a second year after fine rookie seasons include Bob McNeice, Dave Norris and Dan O'Driscoll.Also back is Terry McDougall, whom the Komets obtained in the draft of the Des Moines players; Brian Walker, a member of the 1973 championship squad; and D'Arcy Keating who rejoined the Komets late last year.The potential of the Komets is reflected in the fact Jeff Ablett, who scored over 25 goals for three straight seasons, was among the early cuts from the training camp roster.SAGINAW: Don Perry is most optimistic about the chances of the Gears repeating as North Division champions and achieving the ultimate&mdash;a championship. The talent on hand has so impressed Perry he has been not too concerned over the possibility veteran defenseman John Gravel may not return.Gravel, one of the most talented and respected defenseman in IHL history, had not signed for the coming season as the Gears were approaching the season opener. Perry has given some thought to putting Gravel on the trading block but Gravel may negate such a possibility by retiring.But the Gears figure to be a strong title contender regardless of when Gravel s final decision&mdash;or landing place&mdash;may beFLINT: The Generals, already deep in experience, got additional strength with the return of high-scoring Kirk Bowman from the Chicago Black Hawks. Bowman was very impressive in the Black Hawk training camp&mdash;so impressive the Hawks signed him to a pro contract. But when Chicago got Jim Morrison, Bowman was assigned to the Generals again.Other veterans on the General roster include Mike Clarke. Jim Johnston, Brian McBratney, Mike St. Cyr, Bill Kestell, Ted Bulley and goalie Bob Volpe. Volpe.PORT HURON: Anchored by Len Fontaine. Port Huron figures to be one of the offensive leaders in the IHL and if some of the younger players come through. Bob McCammon may improve on last year's showing by one. That would be enough. The Flags were runner-up in the IHL playoffs finals to Dayton last season.Other veterans on the Flag roster include goalie Mike Ralph, defensemen Hank Lehvonen. Mike Boland and John Bellio and forwards Bud Stefanski and Steve Stone.MUSKEGON: New coach Brian McLay undoubtedly will have the most new faces on his roster. General manager Moose Lallo underwent a complete rebuilding program this season, partially by design and partially because of the normal attrition through retirement, advancement. etc. But the Mohawks aren't conceeding anything to anybody.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-03166/3970259-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg" title="f0034-03" width="602" height="637"><figcaption class="caption-body">LARRY MICKEY &hellip; Faces Challenge</figcaption></div>KALAMAZOO:The K-Wings, who made a strong showing in the post season playoffs, have been just as impressive in the pre-season exhibitions and coach-manager Bob Lemieux could have a real contender on the ice this season. Kalamazoo displayed considerable offensive potential in the pre-season activity and the return of Iron Len Ireandia should solidify the defense.<h2>Where IHL Teams Play</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02223/3970252-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="618" height="1070"></div> &#9632;

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Optimism High As IHL Kicks Off 32nd Season

<div class="byline">BY BRUCE PENTON</div>PORTLAND&mdash;Things aren't exactly falling into place for general manager Brian Shaw and coach Ken Hodge of the Portland Winter Hawks.It's more like things are falling apart for the men who guide the fortunes of the first American-based team in the Western Canada Hockey League.Last summer, the picture was one of ice cream and maple syrup. Now, three weeks into the season, it's more like sour cream and rotton eggs.The losses have been piling up&mdash;seven games in eight starts and&hellip;two players.The game losses, all seven of them, came on the road before the Winter Hawks finally entertained their home folk and downed the defending league champion New Westminster Bruins 7-5.The two players gone by the wayside are not fringe-calibre skaters, either. They're both stars&mdash;defenseman Dave Morrow, 19, and center Doug Lecuyer, an 18-year-old who started his fourth WCHL season on the suspended list due to an exhibition game brawl. Once back into the swing of things. Lecuyer scored five goals in four games before heading home.Both players reportedly quit the team because they were unhappy with the way things were being run.But Shaw said Morrow was dissatisfied with the manner in which he was used by the club this year, as the fourth-year player wanted to carry the puck more often.&ldquo;We don't think he's as good as Bobby Orr just yet and while we were letting in seven goals a game, we wanted our defenseman back on the blue line, 'Shaw said with a tinge of sarcasm.As for Lecuyer. Shaw said. &ldquo;I believe it was a simple case of homesickness.&ldquo;We've babied Doug for three years now and we just decided to let him make his own decision.&ldquo;As it is, the two players are under suspension until such time as we receive adequate compensation for their departure.&rdquo;One rumor had Morrow going to Saskatoon Blades in a movement to complete a deal which sent goalie Randy Ireland to the Winter Hawks. Ireland originally went to Portland for cash, but if Morrow winds up with the Blades, the cash' may be sent back.As for Lecuyer, the fourth leading scorer amongst active WCHLers with 88 goals and 93 assists, no information on where he was headed was available.Shaw said &ldquo;many teams seem to be unwilling to take a chance&rdquo; on either Morrow or Lecuyer.Shaw also says the team is having trouble with officials around the WCHL, saying &ldquo;&hellip;the referees are trying to prove an American team can't win.&rdquo;&ldquo;There was a great deal of resentment about the club leaving Canada (it operated in Edmonton last year) and it's coming out now.&rdquo; Shaw added.During a game in Kamloops, Shaw said, fans were yelling &ldquo;Yankees, go home,&rdquo; at the Portland players.Go home they did, finally, after spending the first two weeks on the road. But they went home without Morrow, the first to quit. Then came that big 7-5 win over the Bruins, with more than 4,000 people watching. But then&hellip;Lecuyer jumped the club.VICTORIA: The Cougars lost three of their final four games on an 11-game eastern swing, yet finished the journey with a highly-commendable 5-6 record to lead the Western Division. Gregg Anderson, rookie Gary Lupul and three-year man Curt Fraser were first, second and fifth in the scoring race as the week ended. Coach Patty Ginnell is anxiously awaiting the return of suspended (by a Kamloops judge) Archie Henderson, who scored 16 goals in exhibition games. &ldquo;He'll score 30, although he'll miss 17 games,&rdquo; said Ginnell. Henderson is due back Nov. 1.NEW WESTMINSTER: Mark Lofthouse scored 68 goals last year and it appears he's on target for at least that many again this year, after failing to score in only one of the Bruins' first six games. Lofthouse had two goals and three assists in a 2-2 week for New Westminster, the wins coming at home (4-2 over Portland) and in Calgary (3-2 over the Cents) while the losses were both on the road (7-5 in Portland, where Bruins trailed 6-1 at one point) and in Lethbridge (4-2). Second-year man Stan Smyl is tied for the team point lead with Lofthouse, both with 12.KAMLOOPS: The Chiefs had only one loss in five road games, that a 5-3 (empty-net) decision to Brandon. &ldquo;We'll beat them by four in our own rink,&rdquo; said coach Ivan Prediger after the loss. Two other games ended in ties (vs. Flin Flon and Lethbridge), while the Chiefs scored wins over the Bombers and Regina Pats. Veteran Ryan Walter (18), Reg Kerr (19) and Allan Young (20) are the Chiefs' big three point-getters so far.CALGARY: Coach Fred Hilts was looking forward to the Cents' return to Alberta after a five-game eastern jaunt, but the tide turned sour in cow-country. Medicine Hat scored an 8-5 home-ice win over Calgary and New Westminster eked out a 3-2 decision in the Calgary Corral as the Cents dropped into a tie for third in the four-team Central Division. Rookie sensation Perry Turnbull missed three games due to a tender ankle, but scored his eighth goal, which leads the team, in the loss to the Bruins. Rookie Doug Robb and vet Clint Eccles had two goals each in the loss to Medicine HatMEDICINE HAT: After a slow start, the Tigers put together a two-game winning streak and scored 14 goals in the process, but none by speedy center Tom Bast, who increased his assist total to seven. In two pointless games, rookie Merlin Malinowski got second-star nod, earned mainly on his hustle and playmaking abilities. As expected, Ron Areshenkoff continued to lead the team in scoring, getting five points in the two wins to pad his total to 11 in six games.LETHBRIDGE: With a win and tie at home, the Broncos were the only undefeated team in the league 22 days into the 1976-77 season. And rookie goalie Gord Garbutt proved to coach Mike Sauter he's more than just a capable backup to incumbent Rollie Boutin, back-stopping the Broncos to a 2-2 tie with Kamloops with a 30-save performance.WINNIPEG: After an opening-game loss, the Monarchs have rattled off six straight wins at home, the latest being a 6-3 triumph over Victoria. Right-winger Guy Lash, he of the big shot, tallied twice and added three assists to give him 18 points in seven games, third-best total in the league. Kevin McCarthy had a goal and an assist in that game and he, too, has 18 points, including a league-leading 16 assists.SASKATOON: The Blades stayed below .500 (2-4-1), losing a 3-2 decision at home to Victoria, rebounding from a 2-0 deficit only to have Gregg Anderson score the winner in the third. Rookies Bill McNaught and Darryl Erickson lead the Blade goal-scorers with five and four respectively in eight games, an output which doesn't please coach Jackie McLeod.REGINA: With five losses and a tie, the Pats were the only winless team and their prospects looked bleak as they faced the unbeaten (8-0) Brandon Wheat Kings. But the Pats turned on the power for an easy 9-4 win, led by the line of rookies Larry Ell, Ron Parent and Rick Odegard. The latter two played midget hockey last year in Red Deer. Alta.BRANDON: The Wheat Kings won their seventh and eighth straight (7-3 over Victoria and 5-4 over Kamloops) before running into the ten-winless Pats. Bill Derlago had five goals in the three games to run his total to 11, tied for tops in the league. Defenseman Wayne Ramsey scored a goal in each game, but rookie blue-liner Brad McCrimmon led the team's defensive point men with 16 in nine games. Brandon still leads the Eastern Division by a comfortable margin, though, by 11 points over Saskatoon.FLIN FLON: The Bombers earned their third point of the year with a 4-4 home-ice tie with Kamloops, but were blown out by the Chiefs the next night, 71. Right-winger Kim Davis has his sights set on a WCHL record, goals in consecutive games, held by former Centennial Danny Gare (13).<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-01271/3970297-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="674" height="2754"></div> &#9632;

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Portland Hawks Get Lumps Early; Bruins' Lofthouse Back On Track

<div class="byline">BY CHARLIE JAWORSKI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-01246/3970335-1-eng-US/f0036-012.jpg" title="f0036-01" width="620" height="1136"><figcaption class="caption-body">LARRY JOHNSTON &hellip; Joins Maine</figcaption></div>LEWISTON&mdash;Cellar-dwellers for two straight seasons in the North American Hockey League, the Maine Nordiques are now as high as the sky.Well, if not the sky, then how about the Rocky Mountains?The once 'Feeble Frenchmen&rdquo; have acquired the services of pro veterans Larry Johnston and Gary Coalter from the Colorado Rockies of the NHL.But doesn't Maine have a working agreement with the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA?&ldquo;Yes.&rdquo; says slick general manager Maurice Ducharme. &ldquo;Call it the unwritten code of the west.&rdquo;And. indeed Ducharme could be in a happy mood, for without his newest arrivals, the Nordiques made an impressive weekend showing in a Quebec tripleheader with the mighty Beauce Jaros.Friday in Riviere du Loup, Que., the teams settled for a 2-2 tie, but then the Nordiques took the next two games. 7-6 in Rimouski, and 5-1 in Sept-Isles.Well-balanced scoring was a feature of the Maine attack, Yves Preston and Jacques Blain each scoring twice while Beauce's Terry Smith, a 22-goal scorer with Dallas (CHL) last season, had a hat trick in the middle game.The last Nordiques' win over Beauce wasn't that long ago, 10-6 last March in the second game of the playoffs. But that was the rejuvenated Nordiques, making post-season play because the Cape Codders folded. Former Codders John Cunniff and Yvan Bouillon were helpful at the end of the season in improving the Maine attack.The Nordiques B.C.C. (before Cape Codders) had been hapless against Beauce prior to that time. Beauce not only won 13 of the 14 regular-seasons meetings, but annihilated Maine with footballish scores like 15-3, 16-0, 10-0 and 12-2 in accumulating a fat goal-margin of 128-44.The 33-year-old Johnston should help shore up a defense that has yielded more goals in each of the last two seasons than any other team in the loop.The rugged Johnston, who set penalty minute records in just about every minor league he went to, began his first long-term hitch in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings from 1971 to 1974. He jumped to the old Michigan Stags of the WHA, then when they moved to Baltimore, he obtained his his release and went of Kansas City. This season, the DC Scouts moved to Colorado, but Johnston will be some 2.500 miles away.Right winger Coalter is only 26, was a 15-goal scorer in Springfield of the AHL last season and has done stints with Kansas City and California of the NHL in 1974-75.BEAUCE: An old NAHL face has resurfaced in St. George, Rejean Giroux, who rocked the NAHL its first year with 64 goals and 58 assists second only to Luc Simard. But Simard, after 73 goals with Beauce last season, has retired. Giroux had 15 goals in 50 games last season with Dallas. The Jaros have lured Springfield's top scorer. Norm Dube. 31 goals, 38 assists last year in the AHL.BINGHAMTON: Training camp opened with 20 players including center Dave Walter. And, the Waiter-coach Larry Kish combination proved an explosive one the last time it was together. 1972-73 with EHL Rhode Island when the 24-year-old native of Niagara Falls. Ont, had 57 goals and 57 assists.MOHAWK VALLEY: A total of eight players have been sent to MV by their parent Indianapolis team, three on arecall basis, centers Mike Zuke and Randy Wyrozub and defenseman Bob O'Reilly. There appears to be a formidable netminding duo in Indy's Randy Burchell and free agent Bill Cheropita drafted from the Binghamton Dusters.PHILADELPHIA: Will open defense of its Lockhart Cup with well-traveled. 34-year-old veteran George Swarbrick changing NAHL uniforms from Erie. Swarbrick will be part of a familiar cast to NAHL-goers&mdash;Bob Collyard. Mark Bousquet. Dean Boylan. Gordie Brooks. Randy Osburn, Rejean Lemelin, Mike Penasse, Michel Plante, Pete Cahill and Ray Schultz.SYRACUSE: Gangly 37-year-old Jacques Caron will again plug up the nets with little Norm Tesluck the backup. Caron&mdash;NAHL All Star goalie last season&mdash;was sent down by Minnesota of the WHA which kept Mike Curran and Lou Levasseur to do its netminding The latter did a superb job in the nets Of the Johnstown Jets last season. Last year's Coach of the Year Dan Belisle had a host of familiar faces back, defensemen Jim Marsh. Tim Sanche. Mike Smith and Bob Young: forwards Jim Cowell. Terry West&mdash;last year's No. 2 (No. 1 scorer Doug Brindley has retired for a career with the Ontario Provincial Police)&mdash;Darryl Knowles and Pat Russell.ERIE: Another masked man returns to the NAHL. Lynn Zimmerman the No. 2 All Star goalie of last season. Another second team All Star is back, defenseman Jim Pritchard.JOHNSTOWN: The Jets took their annual trek to Niagara Falls. Ont., to training camp and three more vets came along, goalie Ron Docken. defenseman Guido Tenesi and forward Vern Campigotto, who'll be heading into his sixth straight season with the Jets. After three seasons above the 20-goal mark, the native of Thunder Bay. Ont., only scored 11 times in the Jets' 1974-75 championship season, but improved on that last season with 15.<h2>Where NAHL Teams Play</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0036-02185/3970328-1-eng-US/f0036-022.jpg" title="f0036-02" width="655" height="1116"></div> &#9632;

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Lowly Maine Getting New Lease On Life

BUFFALO&mdash;In trying to curb excessive violence, the North American Hockey League has created a series of &ldquo;violence rules&rdquo; which includes a maximum-penalty minute rule.Any player reaching 125 penalty minutes will have his case personally reviewed by commissioner Jack Timmins who may see fit to take action in the way of fine or suspension.Any player then continuing up the ladder to 150 PIMs is risking a lot. He will be suspended indefinitely by the league pending a meeting with the commissioner.Another change concerns the outbreak of a fight. In such case, all players are required to go to the bench area instead of pairing off. Failure to do so will result in a double minor.Any player using profane language or obscene gestures in a menacing fashion towards the officials will receive a five-minute major and a $100 fine.And who's to enforce these rules?The NAHL has shed its officiating ties with the World Hockey Association and has contracted with the National Hockey Officials Association. The referees, some familiar to NAHL fans, are either Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference refs ot linesmen in the American Hockey League.Some of the available officials who've already logged time in the NAHL include Brian Sopp, Jean Chaintreuil, John Blackwell and John Messersmith. &#9632;

NAHL Slaps Maximum Ban On Penalties

<div class="byline">BY MIKE LYNCH</div>SPOKANE-Join the Western International League and grow wealthy?Well, maybe not rich beyond the dreams of avarice, but how about a little security or a promising future?There are any number of players, past and present, who came into the oldest senior hockey league in Canada on a temporary basis and stayed on to prosper.And there are others, presented with opportunities to roam hockey's professional byroads, sample the wares, but returned to play with the hometown team.The WIHL has four cities in interior British Columbia and a fifth just across the border a way in the United States, Washington that is.The Canadian cities are predominantly industrial Kimberley and Trail, both hard by noted ski facilities; plus Nelson, a resort-oriented lake city; and Cranbrook, which prides itself on being one of the fastest growing communities in Canada&mdash;and one beautifully located with the Rockies as a backdrop.The &ldquo;American brother&rdquo; to the south is Spokane, home of one of North America's traditionally strong hockey clubs and hub of the &ldquo;Inland Empire&rdquo; which encompasses an area of logging, mining and agriculture.It's not difficult to understand how players, either local products or transplants from other parts of Canada, developed off-the-ice careers while competing.One of the most immediate to come to mind is Seth Martin, the internationally known goaltender, who starred for the Trail Smoke Eaters when that club won the World Cup for Canada&mdash;the last one for the country&mdash;in 1960. Seth played one season with St. Louis in the NHL, the duration his choice, and then came back to Trail.Martin, who has made recent trips back to Europe as the leader of old-timers hockey clubs, owns Seth Martin's Winter Club in Trail and is part owner of the Spokane Flyers' franchise.Another case, and that word's appropriate, involves attorney Gail Holden who came from Medicine Hat. Alta., to attend Notre Dame University in Nelson. Playing hockey all the way, Holden attended Gonzaga University's law school in Spokane where he now has his law practice.Ken Gustafson, a forward from Lacombe. Alta., grew disenchanted with pro hockey, came to Spokane to complete his college education. He's Spokane team captain and teaches school.Getting back to Nelson, Murray Owens, a small forward with a booming slap shot, attended Notre Dame on the hockey club's scholarship program and was the first such student to graduate. He now has his own business in Kamloops, B.C.Also around Nelson, former goalie Gus Adams, popular with fans more than a decade ago, is involved in the hotel business in the resort city. Defenseman Gary Kilpatrick, playing currently, is a competitor of Adams'. &#9632;

The WIHL Scene

<div class="byline">BY GARY McCarthy</div>SHAWINIGAN&mdash;For Marc Picard, it was the worst $10 he had ever spent. Picard is the general manager of the Shawinigan Dynamos of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.The trip from Shawinigan to Laval, a suburb of Montreal, amounts to about $10 in gas. Picard made the trip down to pick up John Saunders, who had been traded to the Dynamos by the Laval Nationals for Jeff Meier.Meier was more than happy to report to the Nationals. The same cannot be said for Saunders. He decided at the last minute to quit hockey and go back to university, leaving the Dynamos empty-handed and also leaving Picard short $10.&ldquo;I spoke with Saunders the night before and everything seemed all right,&rdquo; Picard explained. &ldquo;He said he would report to us the next day.&ldquo;I was so convinced that he would report to Shawinigan that I even picked up his personal things. You can just imagine how I felt the next morning when he told me he had changed his mind &ldquo;What hurts even more is that the deal was made with the stipulation that it would stand, even if one of the players involved decided not to report to his new team.The fact that the Dynamos are in last place in the Frank Dilio Division of the QMJHL may have had a lot to do with Saunders' decision. The Dynamos have a win and a tie to show for their efforts after 11 games into the season.Meier on the other hand, was happy to go to the Nationals and was also welcomed with open arms by coach Denis DeJordy.&ldquo;His experience and muscle for a 19-year-old defenseman will be a tremendous help to us,&rdquo; said DeJordy.&ldquo;As for Saunders, he hadn't played many good games with our club. And lately, he wasn't hitting anymore in front of the net. Briefly, he just didn't figure in our plans any more. &ldquo;A Laval spokesman said that if Saunders didn't report to the Dynamos, it was because Picard didn't approach the matter in a proper way.However, Picard said, as he prepared to drive back to Shawinigan: &ldquo;I still have confidence that he'll change his mind.&rdquo;TROIS-RIVIERES: The Draveurs recorded a win and a tie in two games last week, giving them a four-point bulge over their closest rivals, the Quebec Remparts. The Trois-Rivieres win was against the Remparts last Sunday, by a 73 score Richard Dalpe continues his torrid scoring pace with 18 goals and 22 assists after 13 games. Dalpe leads the league in goals and he shares the assist lead in the league with team-mate Yves Richer.QUEBEC: The Remparts, after bowing to Trois-Rivieres, came back the next night to beat Chicoutimi 6-4 at the Quebec Coliseum. The Remparts also got a player to break through and reach the top 10 scoring leaders in the league. Jean Savard had 24 points after 13 games on 11 goals and 13 assists.CHICOUTIMI: The Sagueneens thrashed lowly Sorel 7-1 before suffering a 6-4 defeat against the Remparts. The Sagueneens were 5-6 after 11 games. Sylvain Locas is still the team's top point-getter with 11 goals and 15 assists.SOREL: The Black Hawks were still looking for their second victory of the season after playing 13 games this year. After losing 7-1 to Chicoutimi, the Black Hawks travelled to Cornwall, where they put up a stubborn fight but still lost to the Royals by a 5-4 score.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-01218/3970414-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="623" height="971"><figcaption class="caption-body">JEFF MEIER &hellip; Joins Laval</figcaption></div>SHAWINIGAN:After losing the services of Jeff Meier in the one-way trade with Laval, the Sagueneens brought in Alain Myette for his first practice of the season. However, it will take more than Myette to help the Sagueneens. The sagueneens have a win and a tie for three points, losing nine of their 11 starts.CORNWALL: The Royals, typical of many of the teams from Ontario, just keep plodding along in first place of the Robert LeBel Division. The Royals, playing in their new complex, were 9-0-1 after 10 games this season, but still unable to gain ground on Sherbrooke.SHERBROOKE: The highly-explosive Beavers, with four scorers among the league's top 10. posted a 10-6 win over Laval and then played a 7-7 tie against Trois-Rivieres last week. Rick Vaive, a rookie from the Maritimes, shared second place in the scoring race, but 11 points behind leader Dalpe of Trois-Rivieres. Jere Gillis, the Beavers captain, moved up in the race as well and was tied with Vaive for second with 29 points.LAVAL: The Nationals, trying to cut down on their goals against, should get a boost from Jeff Meier, who was acquired from Shawinigan. The Nationals were 65-2 after 13 games and five points behind the Royals.HULL: Coach Marcel Pronovost had his Olympics hustling as the season was well under way. The Olympics, who showed poorly in the first few games of the season, tied Cornwall 4-4 and then defeated the Montreal Juniors 4-2 to move into fourth place in the division standings.MONTREAL: The Juniors, who had been expected to be a contender this year, dropped into last place after losing to the Olympics. They trail Hull by three points and both teams have played the same number of games. The only bright spot for coach Jacques Laperriere is that if the season ended tomorrow, his team would still make the playoffs, That's because this year's playoff setup is such that the top eight teams in total points at the end of the season get into post-season play. The Juniors, with 10 points on a five-win, six-loss record, are well ahead of Sorel and Shawinigan. &#9632;

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Saunders Shuns Trade To Dynamos; Cornwall Continues Torrid Streak

<div class="byline">BY RICHARD POLLAK</div>BALTIMORE-The new hockey season, the SHL's fourth is loaded with many new talents that are relatively unfamiliar with the SHL's brand of professional ice hockey.Baltimore's GM-coach Larry Wilson who for the past few seasons headed the Richmond operation in the AHL stated the following after his Clippers' first game against Hampton.&ldquo;Everyone works in the SHL which really gives the fans their money's worth. 1 (Wilson) am impressed with the league even though it is a different brand of hockey. There is a lot of smartness and positional play out on the ice.&rdquo;As for a player's point of view there's Don Grierson, who played in Baltimore as an AHL veteran Grierson was Baltimore s second leading scorer last year.&ldquo;It's a good hockey league and I'm impressed with Hampton, they were near the top last year so I know what we can expect. Baltimore is a young team and I'm impressed with our kids; they really put out. We should be getting some help and with some experience we'll be right up there at the top.&rdquo;As far as a player who played in the IHL last season, Hampton winger John White's first impression of the SHL entered a different area.&ldquo;I feel that in the SHL a player has more opportunity to advance because most SHL clubs are number one farm teams for the WHA. The SHL player plays a more calculated game, it's not as scrambly as the IHL and although it's a young developmental league there is a lot of experience here. It's a more closer checking, man to man league.&rdquo;The junior hockey player out of a small western Canadian town has a lot of adjusting to do in turning pro the first season. Terry Ballinghall who racked up over 300 penalty minutes with Flin Flon felt, &ldquo;It's a bit different than junior and a lot smarter. Everyone knows how to do something well in this league and it's the experience that helps the player in a crucial play.&rdquo; Ballinghall's first impression of the southern hospitality of the Hampton fans was &ldquo;Just one game and I already think the Hampton fans are unreal, just super.&rdquo;Not new to Richmond but new to the SHL, Wildcat captain Ralph MacSweyn, who played in Baltimore stated, &ldquo;I've Only seen one team but if their fast skating is any indication of the rest of this league, we are going to have a super league Its almost AHL. everyone really skates up and down all the time. &ldquo;Sharks coach Hal Schooley, who scouted all the hockey leagues for the Calgary Cowboys last year reflected, &ldquo;It's every bit as good as the Central pro league. Many players with WHA and AHL experience are now in our league. No more axe grinding, low talent players.&rdquo;The NCAA sent goalie Ed Mio to Tidewater and the SHL by way of Calgary. Ed, playing in the nets for the first time against an SHL opponent, said that, &ldquo;I saw a lot of really good plays in front of me. It's a lot quicker than college.''Two of the coaches from last year's SHL, reflected on the new season with new enthusiasm.Forbes Kennedy said. &ldquo;Fans really have to enjoy the hitting in this league. I was impressed with Tidewater and I know the rest of the league will be just as exciting 'Hampton's coach John Brophy, who led the Gulls to a second-place finish, reflected on the 1976 season with the first impression that. &ldquo;I've got a better hockey team than last year. I was impressed with the way the newcomers played. Ted Long is a good hockey player and super at the point. Scharf is always a good back checker and worker in the corners but I was really impressed with his puck carrying and shot.&rdquo;RICHMOND: After a bit of controversy, defenseman Willy Brossart has agreed to join the Wildcats for their first SHL season. Brossart has seen much NHL action with the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals. Brossart spent last season in, Richmond (AHL). The controversy started when Brossart could not come to terms with GM Charlie Newsome and accepted an offer to play for his former coach Larry Wilson in Baltimore. Brossart reconsidered the Richmond offer since he now makes his off-season home in the Virginia capital. The Detroit Red Wings sent help to the Cats by assigning goalie Pete McDuffe and defenseman Bob Kreiger.TIDEWATER: Left wing-defenseman Pete McNamee has agreed to play for the Sharks. McNamee, who attended the Calgary training camp, had to clear up contract problems with Phoenix before he could head south. The Sharks ended their exhibition game, a 7-4 setback to their tunnel rivals the Hampton Gulls. Brent Enquist has been the biggest surprise in the Sharks' two SHL exhibition games with five goals. Captain Tom Serviss has been sent to Calgary as an injury replacement and will be with the parent club for at least a week.BALTIMORE: The Clippers have added netminder Bill Oleschuk. who was turned pro by the Colorado Rockies of the NHL. Defenseman Ron Serafini has been sent to Winston-Salem. Left winger Gerry Pion has been signed. Pion played on the same line with teammate Gord Blumenscheim in Junior &ldquo;A&rdquo; in Winnipeg. Ten members of the Clippers' first SHL roster are playing professionally for the first time Neither coach Larry Wilson nor any of his players have any regular-season SHL experience.WINSTON-SALEM:The Polar-Twins signed Ron Serafini, who started the season with Baltimore. Serafini adds another experienced defenseman to Ron Anderson's corp of Ken Southwick. Don Weldon. Blaine Rydman and Richard Hart, who played last season for Binghamton (NAHL). The P-T's have three outstanding juniors in David Lair from St. Catherines. Ron Imch from Sault Ste. Marie and Pierre Mouton from the Kitchener Rangers. Ron Anderson s first regular season game as coach will be against his former club, the Tidewater Sharks. Center Billy Morris returns to the P-T's for another SHL season.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-03147/3970459-1-eng-US/f0038-032.jpg" title="f0038-03" width="629" height="625"><figcaption class="caption-body">WILLY BROSSART &hellip; Changes Mind</figcaption></div>GREENSBORO: The Gems acquired defenseman Jamie Bateman and Jim Edgeworth. Bateman came by way of the Roanoke dispersal draft. Edgeworth a free agent who played in the SHL last season for Hampton and Tidewater.HAMPTON: The Gulls outmuscled the Sharks in their last pre-season game. The Gulls have added a lot of muscle with the addition of Dave Hanson and Terry Ballinghall. John Brophy s squad will get a lot of scoring out of center Paul O'Neil. O'Neil has already shown the scoring instinct with two goals in his first two Gulls games. Last year in Rochester (AHL) he scored 35 goals in only 49 games.CHARLOTTE: GM-coach Pat Kelly has signed a working agreement with the San Diego Mariners of the WHA. The Mariners are supplying the Checkers with four players including goalie Bob Blanchet, and forwards Norm Cournoyer and Tim O'Connell. O'Connell is a hot prospect from Vermont College and a high Mariners draft choice. Gord Titicomb is also on his way to Charlotte.<h2>SHL Leaders</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-01253/3970452-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="638" height="534"></div><h2>Where SHL Teams Play</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-02199/3970445-1-eng-US/f0038-022.jpg" title="f0038-02" width="655" height="1252"></div> &#9632;

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McNamee Gives Sharks Muscle; New Faces Impressive In SHL

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-01238/3970490-1-eng-US/f0039-012.jpg" title="f0039-01" width="932" height="868"></div><h2>Make Your Shot Count</h2>Numerous scientific analyses of a goalie's technique and tactics have indicated the traditional weaknesses of the goalkeeper, and a smart player must be aware of these if he plans to become a good goal scorer.The areas marked 1 to 4 in this illustration show points worth shooting at.The puck often slips through at 2 and 3, while a goalie who has a low working style tends to have difficulty in covering points 1 and 4.Hard shots can be difficult for him to take, even if he is a very fast glove hand and stick. &#9632;

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Minor Hockey Tips

<div class="byline">&#x2014; By Bill Hilts</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0039-02174/3970521-1-eng-US/f0039-022.jpg" title="f0039-02" width="363" height="448"></div><h2>Alberta League</h2>Jack Neuman, PR director for the Calgary Canucks sends word that the 1976-77 Alberta Junior Hockey League season began Sept. 25 with two new entries, one franchise shift and one deletion from last year's six-team loop. Fort Saskatchewan Traders coached by ex-pro Gene Achtymichuk and Edmonton Crusaders coached by John Belcourt made their initial debuts. Pincher Creek Panthers replace Pass Red Devil franchise and Dumheller Falcons have been granted one year's leave of absence.Taber Golden Suns split a rough weekend series with defending champion Spruce Grove Mets. Key returnees for Vic Stasiuk's Taber club are four year veterans Don Renner and Dave Snopek. Red Deer Rustlers have ten veterans back at this date, such as key performers Darryl Sutter. Dale McMullen and second team All Star Doug Palamarchuk for forwards and defenseman Rick Norman. Red Deer also has obtained Bruce Small, formerly of Drumheller. Calgary Canucks have only six returnees from last year's pennant winners but have secured the services of Brian Hatton from Drumheller Falcons and former University of Calgary skater Robin Laycock. Mendel Vysohlid returns for his fourth season with green, blue and white Other Calgary veterans are forward Hal Papke, defensemen Terry Johnson, Bob Kerr and Jeff Newfeld, along with goaltender Guy Comeau.Fort Saskatchewan has obtained Gary Plamondin. formerly of Spruce Grove. Other key players are Ferry Oakes and Marty Achtymichuk who scored twice in their 65 loss to Calgary Edmonton Crusaders are led by Brian Pearce who saw action in the AJHL last year, as well as in the Western Canada Hockey League Doug Messier returns to guide Spruce Grove Mets as coach.<h2>Ontario Provincial</h2>What was touted as a battle of giants between perennial power in the OHA Provincial Junior &ldquo;A&rdquo; League, the North York Rangers and the Wexford Raiders, turned into a runaway for the Rangers, for their fifth straight win, this time by a 14-2 score. Wexford was just two points behind the North York juniors prior to the match.The Rangers leading scorer for the game was Phil Evans who notched a hat trick. Two-goal performances were registered by Brad Neville, Alt Beasley and Bill Rehill. Single Ranger goals were netted by Mark Freeman, Tom McCarthy, Kerry Williston. Harry Pfleugel and Graham Foley. Wexford's lone tallies were fired by Brian Wilton and Don Graham.<h2>Houston Metro Loop</h2>George Brunelle of the Metropolitan Houston (Texas) Hockey Assn, reports that plans are already being finalized for their third annual Space City Hockey Tournament Competition will be open to all divisions from Junior down through Squirt and will run from Dec. 27 thru 30. 1976. Entries are limited and teams wishing to participate will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Teams have already registered from Toronto. Ontario; St. Louis. Mq; Burbank. Calif.; etc. Interested teams should contact Brunelle at Metropolitan Houston Hockey Association, PO Box 42046. Houston. Texas 77042, telephone 713-461-2170<h2>Midwest League</h2>Lou Vairo, coach of the National Junior &ldquo;A&rdquo; champion Austin (Minn.) Mavericks of the Midwest Junior Hockey League tells us that his team would welcome games with any Junior &ldquo;A &ldquo;teams from Canada. Lou believes his boys could learn quite a bit from such match-ups. He would also like to see how U.S. boys compare to their Canadian counterparts of the same age and class. Any team in terested should contact Jim Weber. Austin Mavericks, PO; Box 713. Austin, Minnesota 55912, phone 507-433-1815.Vairo also sends word that his defending National Champs will play seven pre-season exhibition games. He is very pleased with the players that have been assembled for this year's edition of the Mavericks and he looks forward to another productive season. Returning from last year's team; are leading scorer Mike Stoltzner, winger Mike Fairchild. Brian Campbell and defensemen Keith Hanson and captain John Kyle. The newcomers, fast and strong, include Mark Hagen. Joe Knudson. Neil Holstrom and John Arnold, all defensemen. On the forward line the Mavericks have added Dave Madson. Rick Kohl. Lee Hanson. Doug Bymark, Mike Whalen, Ross Dahl. Bob Mancini, Tom Wilmers, along with goaltenders Tom Hasenzahl, Scott Kolquist and Cliff White. Trainer Mike Parisi is also back. The Mavericks play a brand of hockey which coach Vairo says could best be described as a combination of the best of European and North American styles.<h2>U.S.A. League</h2>The Beverly Flyers edged the Chicopee Pioneers 5-4 in a pre-season contest played at Chicopee. Mass. Beverly took a first period lead on goals by John Montgomery and Kevin Rillovick, with a single counter for the host team by Richard Landry. In the middle stanza. Chicopee lit the red light twice on markers by John Hart and Rich Deska. Rich Richard fired Beverly's lone goal. The final period saw Bill Hickey netting a pair tor the Flyers to put them ahead to stay while Deska notched his second of the evening for the Pioneers. Chicopee outshot Beverly 26 to 25.<h2>New England League</h2>The Springfield Olympics picked right up where they left off last year, knocking off the South Shore Braves twice to grab a share of first place with the Fitchburg Wallopers after the first weekend of play in the New England Junior Hockey League.On Saturday, the defending NEJHL Champion Olympics spotted the Braves a 2-0 lead after two periods, then roared back with four third period goals to take a 4-2 decision. Dean Lombardi scored two goals in the final 3; 19&mdash;the last with just 49 seconds left in the game&mdash;to snap a 2-2 tie and provide the Olympics with the win. Bill Derosia came up with 25 saves for the winners and Scott Callan kicked out 45 shots for South Shore The following day Springfield broke open a close game by punching home three unanswered goals in the final period to down the Braves 8-4 Defenseman Al Styckiewicz, who scored only two goals all last year, tallied twice for the Olympics and Mike O'Melia struck for two goals for South Shore.Fitchburg, combining a powerful offense with a stingy defense, rolled over the Great Bay Vikings, 10-1 and the Tyngsboro Huskies 10-4. Fran Boucher and Tom O'Neil scored two goals apiece against the Vikings, who were held to an NEJHL record-low 12 shots on net in the game. Great Bay's Karl Amania spoiled Jim Mastalerz' shutout bid with a second period tally. Mickey Rego, a 62-goal scorer last winter, then fired in two goals as the Wallopers romped past the Huskies. Tyngsboro's Jim Browder, the first-team All Star goaltender last season, made his first appearance halfway through the game and turned back 29 of 32 shots, but it wasn't enoughTyngsboro, the second-best defensive team in the NEJHL last year, was also beaten decisively by South Shore 9-5. With the game tied at 5-5 after two periods, the Braves erupted for four goals in the final 20 minutes to skate away with the win. Charlie Ryan and Jack Crespi scored two goals each for the Braves and 15-year-old Billy Helton had two goals for the Huskies as Ticky Kulis stopped 41 South Shore shots. &#9632;

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November 5, 1976

CARTOON CORNER

WHA SCORING AND PENALTY STATISTICS

National League Summaries

SALVATION OF HOCKEY VETS