In today’s report we’ll cover the four National Hockey League games played last night, as well as some American Hockey League games and a wild scene in an Ontario Hockey Association Junior A game.
Wings Dump Habs, Gain Share of First
The Detroit Red Wings handed the Montreal Canadiens their second loss in as many nights as they topped the Habs 3-1 at the Olympia in Detroit. Highlight of the game was a goal by Norm Ullman, the 300th of his NHL career.
Ullman’s goal makes him the 10th NHL player to reach that milestone. He scored the goal in the second period from just in front of the goal crease occupied by Montreal netminder Rogatien Vachon. Ullman took a perfect pass from line mate Bruce MacGregor and slammed the puck past Vachon before the young goalie could react. It was Ullman’s sixth goal this season.
Ullman’s marker came about three and a half minutes after Floyd Smith had scored for the Wings to shatter a 1-1 tie. Smith had poked in a loose puck after Vachon had stopped a Ted Hampson drive at 12:54.
Red Wings had taken a 1-0 lead in the first period when defenceman Gary Bergman scored at 1:04. Claude Provost tied it for Montreal in the second period, just three minutes before Smith’s tie-breaker.
Montreal outshot Detroit 33-27 in the game, but Detroit’s rookie goalie Roy Edwards was once again steady to keep the vaunted Montreal attack at bay. Edwards was particularly effective in the first two periods, robbing Henri Richard, Ralph Backstrom, Yvan Cournoyer and Jacques Laperriere.
After facing an anemic Pittsburgh attack in his first game, Edwards found playing against Canadiens a little different:
“I had an easy time in my first game. Things were a little tougher tonight.”
Detroit manager-coach Sid Abel gave Edwards all the credit for the big win.
“You have to have the goaltending to win and we got it tonight. Edwards made some real big saves but what got me was that he did it so smoothly. He wasn’t fighting the puck at any time.”
Montreal coach Toe Blake blamed the lack of offence on the types of shots his team took at Edwards:
“Sure we had a lot of shots. But a lot of our guys are just popping the puck instead of driving it.”
Edwards now has a busy schedule as the Red Wings depart for games on the west coast. He’ll fly to Fort Worth to pick up his wife and daughter, then drive back to Detroit. He’ll then board a flight to California to catch up with the team.
The win gives the Red Wings a share of first place in the NHL’s Eastern Division. The Wings have 17 points, same as Toronto and New York.
Flyers Shock Bruins; Parent Stars
Former Boston Bruins goalie Bernie Parent wasn’t going to let something like a five-stitch gash on the top of his head stop him from haunting his old mates last night at Boston Garden. Parent put on a spectacular goaltending display as the expansion Philadelphia Flyers grounded the Bruins 4-2 right in the Bruins’ back yard.
Parent sustained the head cut during practice on Saturday in Boston. Flyers coach Keith Allen was reticent to go with Parent, but the young Montreal native insisted on facing his former employers and gave Allen no reason for relenting and starting the 22-year-old.
The Flyers build a 3-0 lead over the first 32 minutes of the game. They then had to withstand a furious Boston rally to hang on for the win. Parent was chiefly responsible for that.
Flyers defenceman Joe Watson, a former Bruin himself, opened the scoring at 1:12 of the first period. His long shot from the blueline skipped past Boston goalkeeper Gerry Cheevers after careening off Bruins rearguard Dallas Smith.
Flyers added a pair of goals in the second period. Ed Hoekstra set up Leon Rochefort with perfect pass to make the score 2-0 at 6:31. The it was Billy Sutherland upping the count to 3-0 at 12:06. He was sent in alone on Cheevers by Wayne Hicks and caught the corner with a quick wrister.
Sutherland’s goal seemed to awaken Boston’s dormant offence. They fired everything they had at Parent for the final eight minutes of the middle frame, but were unable to beat him.
The Bruins kept the pressure on Parent for the entire final 20 minutes, pumping 17 shots at the Philadelphia goal. Parent was equal to the task until the 15:10 mark of the third. That’s when the Bruins Smith skipped a shot from the point that was deflected by Boston rookie forward Glen Sather. Parent had no chance.
The Bruins drew to within one at 18:10 when Phil Esposito deposited a backhand shot into the Flyers net from just in front. Again, Parent was left with little chance on the play.
With the Boston crowd now in a frenzy urging their heroes on, the Bruins mounted a relentless attack but Parent stayed calm and blocked everything sent his way.
With 71 seconds remaining, Bruins coach Harry Sinden removed Cheevers in favour of an extra attacker. Flyer forward Don Blackburn retrieved a loose puck in the Philly zone, skated to centre ice and fired a 90-footer into the unguarded Boston cage to settle the issue once and for all.
Fleming Fires a Pair for Rangers
New York Rangers winger Reggie Fleming, not normally known for goal-scoring heroics, fired a pair to lead the Blueshirts to a 5-3 win over the Oakland Seals last night in New York City. The win gives the Rangers a share of first place in the NHL’s Eastern Division, with Toronto and Detroit. The loss was the Seals’ 14th game in a row without a victory. They have three ties in that stretch.
Seals goalie Charlie Hodge, who should get a medal of valour for the way he’s performed over the losing skein, finally succumbed to the constant pressure last night. He gave up four first-period goals to the Rangers and was mercifully lifted by coach Bert Olmstead after 20 minutes.
Hodge was replaced by elongated former Toronto goalie prospect Gary Smith. It was Smith’s first appearance of the season for Oakland. The 6-4 netminder acquitted himself quite well over the final two periods, likely earning himself a start in the near future.
Along with Fleming, the Rangers got goals from Jean Ratelle, Bob Nevin and Harry Howell. George Swarbrick had a couple of goals for the Seals, giving him seven on the year. Bill Hicke had the other Seals marker, his eighth.
Hot Hull Leads Hawks
Bobby Hull continued his assault on the NHL record book last night as he scored two goals to lead his Chicago Black Hawks to a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Hull now has 14 goals in 14 games to lead the NHL in scoring.
Many predicted that playing against the diluted talent offered by an expanded NHL would lead to record scoring totals for the superstars like Hull. On a pace to score an incredible 74 goals this year, that possibility looks increasingly likely.
Hull himself discounts that probability. He says that the grind of a long NHL season with double the travel experienced in the past can’t help but wear him down as time goes on. Nonetheless, he’s enjoying the hot streak for as long as it lasts.
Doug Mohns, Kenny Wharram and Bobby’s younger brother Dennis Hull also had goals for the Black Hawks. The goal for Wharram was the 200th of his NHL career, and was set up by the Golden Jet as well.
A pair of Ron’s counted for the Blues, with Ron Schock and Ron Stewart finding the range. Both players were acquired in last summer’s expansion draft from the Boston Bruins.
Wild Scene in Oshawa
Ontario Hockey Association referee Bob Nadon had his hands full last night during the Junior A game between the Oshawa Generals and Niagara Falls Flyers.
With the Flyers leading 9-4 and with only 22 seconds left in the game, a fight erupted that eventually led to both benches emptying on to the ice. The game was delayed for over 25 minutes as Nadon and his crew attempted to restore order, without much success.
Finally Nadon solved the problem by issuing fighting majors to two players on each team, and then sending every other player to the dressing rooms, except for four players on each team. Those eight players finished the game.
As far as the actual hockey playing went, the Flyers got two goals each from Garry Swain, Don Tannahill and Tom Webster. Ross Webley, Jim Blain and Ricky Ley had the others.
Oshawa scorers were Dale Tallon, Ron Dussiaume, Peter Nevin and Ivan Boldirev.
Quick Hits
- Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Johnny Bower and captain George Armstrong narrowly missed the team’s flight home from Minneapolis yesterday. The two overslept and only a frantic telephone call from assistant manager-coach King Clancy enabled them to reach the airport on time. Their tardiness cost them each $25 in fines.
Johnny Bower, left and George Armstrong nearly missed their flight home from Minnesota. - Toronto general manager-coach Punch Imlach didn’t accompany the Leafs on their flight home from Minnesota. He took a side trip to Detroit to take in the Red Wings – Canadiens game last night. It’s being reported that Imlach is working on a significant player trade, possibly with Montreal, although he could be talking to the Detroit club as well. Names mentioned in a possible swap with the Habs are Dick Duff and Ralph Backstrom of Canadiens, and Bob Pulford of the Leafs.
- Frank Mahovlich is said to be responding well to treatment in a Toronto hospital. The Toronto superstar is being treated for “tension and depression.” Dr. Tate McPhedran says the Big M’s condition is “very encouraging.”
- A Minneapolis eye specialist says the eye injury suffered by Toronto defenceman Allan Stanley on Saturday night will not result in permanent damage. He says Stanley has a “concussion to the left eye” and he won’t play for the Leafs for at least two weeks.
- The Rochester Americans scored a come-from-behind 5-3 win over the Cleveland Barons last night. Bronco Horvath and J. P. Parise were the stars for the Amerks. Barons player-coach Freddie Glover earned an assist, his 1300th AHL point.
- Third period goals by defencemen Brent Hughes, Paul Popiel and Jim Murray gave the Springfield Indians a 4-3 win over the Quebec Aces.
- Bobby Rivard’s two goals gave the Baltimore Clippers a 3-1 win over the Providence Reds but the real story was Clippers’ goalie Joe Daley. He made 39 saves in his third game in three nights. Over the weekend Daley was called upon to make 131 stops.
- Hershey Bears doubled the Buffalo Bisons 6-3 in an AHL game in Buffalo. Roger DeJordy paced the Bears attack with two goals and two assists.
50 Years Ago In Hockey 