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April 17, 1981

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.

The NHL

Hawks’ S & S Boys Smash Records

LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS LOUISVILLE HOCKEY STICKS CHICAGO—When Bobby Hull was a rookie in 1957-58 he scored 13 goals and assisted on 34. In Stan Mikita’s first season, 1959-60, he tallied six goals and 18 assists. Hull and Mikita were two of the greatest ever to play the game of hockey yet their Chicago rookie season statistics suffer when compared with those of Denis Savard and Darryl Sutter. • Savard finished the season with 28 goals and 47 assists for 75 points, a team record for a rookie. • Sutter also rewrote the Chicago freshman class record book by banging in 40 goals. He added 22 assists to wind up with 62 points. By getting two goals in the third period of the final regular season game—a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Minnesota—Sutter became Chicago’s first 40-goal scorer…

The NHL

Flyers’ Peeters Searches For Consistency’s Groove

PHILADELPHIA-The good ones can stop a puck. The best ones, the alltimers, can tell you why they didn’t. They can step out of their bodies, like medical students working on their own cadavers, turn off the switch on their emotions, and calmly dissect themselves and their games. Slumps are short, the “groove” they give an almost mystical sense to is six-feet deep with guard rails on both sides. That’s the way Pete Peeters started this season, in a trench that ran straight up to the door of the Hall of Fame. “I was at my best,” he said. “It was easy and fun.” Peeters was 9-1 after 18 games, picking up, presumably one year older and wiser, where his fine rookie season had left off, playing probably the best goal in the…

The NHL

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…

The Minors

Indianapolis Packing 1—2 Goaltending Punch

INDIANAPOLIS-Jari Kaarela and Rob Holland posted back-to-back shutouts for the Checkers. Kaarela won a 1-0 game in Fort Worth Friday, then Holland blanked Wichita, 3-0, in a home game Saturday. Earlier, however, the Checkers had suffered a 6-3 loss in Fort Worth. With only a week left in the regular schedule, Indy had a one-point advantage over Salt Lake in the fight for second place, and the Eagles had two games in hand. All other positions were settled, with Dallas clinching first place, Oklahoma City fourth, Tulsa fifth, Wichita sixth, and Fort Worth seventh. Dave Cameron scored twice in the Tuesday game at Fort Worth, but the Texans had mounted a 4-2 lead after two periods, and continued their onslaught on Holland. Three nights later it was a shutout for two periods, a duel…