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April 17, 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.
Bruins Weak In Stretch-Run, Ripe For Upset
BOSTON—Don’t be surprised if the Boston Bruins fail to survive the first round of their Stanley Cup playoff confrontation with archrival Minnesota. Down the stretch of the regular season, when the Bruins are usually at the top of theft-game, gaining momentum for the playoffs, the 1981 team was staggering and it was causing concern to coach Gerry Cheevers and some of the players themselves. Typical of the late season hockey that was being played in Boston was the 3-2 loss at the hands of the Washington Capitals on April 2 in a game that could have just about clinched eighth spot and the important home advantage in the playoffs for the Bruins. It was the first time that the seven-year-old Caps had ever beaten the Bruins in Boston Garden after 13 losses and…
HOCKEY VIEWPOINT
The Goals Pour In THE OTHER NIGHT, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers played a scoreless tie in a National Hockey League game. It’s not a misprint. They really did play 60 minutes and no goals were scored. Around the NHL, of course, folks shook their heads at such a phenomenon being produced in the 1980-81 season. A scoreless tie! It was trifle difficult to believe. In the NHL, ‘80-81 has been The Year Of The Goal. The scores have poured into the net in record numbers. Last fall, you often wondered if the papers had confused the hockey and football scores. • In the ‘79-80 NHL season, the teams scored an average of 6.45 goals per game. With a week to play in this season’s schedule, the average per game was 7.73.…
Oilers Bubbling After Patented Closing Rush
EDMONTON—There was a sense of deja vu to the Edmonton Oilers’ second National Hockey League playoff appearance. They literally marched to the playoffs both times, with closing flurries. Last season, the Oilers lost only two of their last 11, riding outstanding goaltending by Ron Low and superb leadership by Wayne Gretzky to finish 16th. This season, same script, only a few different twists. They lost only one of their last dozen games and three of their final 17 to sneak into 14th spot. They didn’t do it with Low, out with a broken thumb, but they did it with Gretzky, a rejected goalie, a 20-year-old rookie netminder and the brightest cast of kids in the league. While it may have been easier to coast into a playoff spot like the Vancouver Canucks,…
Kelley’s Firing Places Pleau At Whalers’ Helm
HARTFORD—Howard Baldwin and the Hartford Whalers’ nine-year marriage’ to Jack Kelley ended on April Fool’s Day, but no one was laughing. Baldwin, the Whalers’ managing general partner, fired Kelley, director of hockey operations, and promoted Larry Pleau. the current head coach, to assume Kelley’s duties. Only two others in the NHL currently hold down both general manager and coaching responsibilities-Craig Patrick of the New York Rangers, and Glen Sather of Edmonton, and Sather is looking to get out of coaching. Pleau, 34, and a veteran of just 17 NHL games as coach, becomes the third to control both responsibilities. “This is an organization, a multimillion dollar business.” Pleau said. “I’m not afraid of the challenge ahead. We’ll make changes because teams that don’t make the playoffs should make changes. We’ve got a long way…
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