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March 6, 1981
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.
Flyers Try To Unlock Hill’s Hidden Potential
LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS PHILADELPHIA—Even American Express doesn’t know Al Hill. If you can name him, you’re the kind of fan who can quote career statistics of every member of the Hartford Whalers. Al Hill can play 80 games a season and people would still ask whatever happened to him. No one had ever heard of him when he scored two goals and five points in his first NHL game in 1977. And no one has heard of him since. At the time of his dazzling debut, it was suggested that Hill might be another Joe Hardy, a guy who sold his soul to the devil for a chance to play for the Flyers. For all we know, AI Hill is really Harold Smith. There have been a few times this season…
Mr. Dependable’s Career Comes Full Circle
CHICAGO—If one were ghost-writing the autobiography of John Marks of the Chicago Black Hawks it wouldn’t be entitled My Brilliant Career. The most goals Marks ever scored in his nine years in the National Hockey League is 21 and he never has won the Selke Award that goes to the league’s best defensive forward. But it has been a distinguished career characterized by stability and dependability. Next to goalie Tony Esposito, Marks has the most seniority of the Black Hawks and sometimes he considers it curious. “You see a really fine player like Ivan Boldirev, who has been with four teams in his career, and you wonder: ‘Why him and not me? When I came up I never thought I’d play more than five years. About the fourth year I realized that I was…
Wichita Uncovers Winning Formula; Checkers’ Streak Sets Club Record
LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS WICHITA—It began to look like the losing streak would never end, but the Wind finally broke their eight-game skid with a 3-2 victory in Oklahoma City. When Ace Bailey’s club opened the season with seven straight losses (all on the road), the team never expected to go through another string like that one. But the late January-early February slump eclipsed the earlier woes, and this time the skein included five games at home. Don Ashby got what proved to be the winning goal just 31 seconds into the third period at Oklahoma City. Don Murdoch and Walt Poddubny had scored in the first, around an OC goal by Warren Young. Joe Contini scored later for the Stars, while the Wind was short two men on penalties. Andy Moog was…
Hardy Strutting Big League Stuff
LOS ANGELES—The most improved player on the most improved team in the National Hockey League through the first 55 games of the season may have been the Kings’ Mark Hardy, a 21-year-old, second-year defenseman. General manager George Maguire made Hardy the 30th selection in the 1979 summer draft and he started last season with the Kings, but was sent to Binghamton of the American League in November. Recalled later, he may have been the team’s best defenseman in the playoffs. He has been one of the team’s better defensemen this season. Maybe that isn’t saying a lot, since the defense, injury-struck, has been declining drastically, lately. But Hardy has played well. He is a superb skater and stick-handler, who moves the puck out of his end extremely well. He has a good shot and…
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