There were four National Hockey League games on the schedule last night, including yet another Maple Leafs – Canadiens classic in Montreal. Plus the usual news and notes in Quick Hits!
Bower Gives Leafs Tie With Habs
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally scored a goal – A goal – in Montreal and, thanks to the brilliant goaltending of Johnny Bower, it was enough to garner a point in a 1-1 tie with the Canadiens. It was the first Toronto goal scored in the Forum this season.
Bower stopped 29 of 30 Montreal drives directed his way, and many of them were of the difficult variety. Only Gilles Tremblay of the Canadiens was able to beat Bower, and that wasn’t until 13:17 of the final period. Tremblay deflected a Jean Beliveau blast from just inside the blue line past Bower, who had absolutely no chance on the play.
The goal came 25 seconds after referee John Ashley had sent Leafs defenceman Tim Horton off for delay of game after he fell on the puck during a scramble near the Toronto goal.
Bower had denied Tremblay several times earlier in the game, including a dazzling stop from in close during the second period.
Mike Walton scored Toronto’s only goal at 6:12 of the middle frame. It was Walton’s 20th of the season, first time he has reached that total in his career. Reaching the 20-goal milestone kicks in a series of contractual bonuses for Walton that increase with every subsequent goal he scores this year.
Walton’s goal came when Montreal goalie Gump Worsley couldn’t quite handle Larry Hillman’s shot from the point. Worsley gloved the puck but wasn’t able to hang on, and Walton was Johnny-on-the-spot to bang home the rebound. The goal was scored on the occasion of Walton’s 23rd birthday.
The game was a classic Montreal – Toronto tilt, with great skating and much back-and-forth action. Canadiens held the edge in play, outshooting the Leafs 30-23 on the night, but Bower was almost unbeatable. Aside from the diving stop on Tremblay in the second, his biggest saves were on Dick Duff and Jacques Laperriere in the third period.
Worsley also played a fine game for Montreal. His best moments were big saves in the second period on Dave Keon and Frank Mahovlich.
Rangers Tie Bruins on ‘Milestone Night’
A couple of former Toronto Maple Leaf right wingers reached significant career milestones with the New York Rangers last night. Bob Nevin, New York’s captain, played in his 500th NHL game while Ron Stewart suited up for number 1000 of his career as the Rangers skated to a 5-5 tie with the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden.
Nevin even got onto the scoresheet with a power-play goal in the third period. Other Ranger scorers were Vic Hadfield, Orland Kurtenbach, Rod Gilbert and Jim Neilson. All but Neilson’s goal were scored on power plays.
Ken Hodge was the big gun for the Bruins with two goal and two assists. Other Boston marksmen were Phil Esposito, Tommy Williams and Johnny McKenzie.
Ranger coach-general manager Emile Francis had high praise for defenceman Neilson, who notched the tying marker just past the half-way mark of the third period:
“You can call Jim Neilson the Super Chief. He’s doing everything for us now.”
Ed Johnston was in goal for the Bruins, despite a broken bone in his right hand. The Boston training staff has constructed a special light-weight cast which allows enough mobility for Johnston to grip his goal stick and play a normal game.
Ed Giacomin was between the pipes for the Rangers. He was solid as well in the loosely-played contest. His best moment was a save on Bruins young superstar Bobby Orr late in the third period with the score tied.
Maniago’s Mastery of Kings Continues
Minnesota North Stars goalkeeper Cesare Maniago is absolutely unbeatable, at least when it comes to playing against the Los Angeles Kings. Maniago ran his shutout string against the Kings to 190 minutes and 57 seconds last night as the Stars whipped the Kings 6-0 in Minneapolis.
The shutout was Maniago’s fourth this season, tying for the NHL lead in that department with Montreal’s Gump Worsley.
The game was closer than the score would indicate, at least for two periods. The only goal of the first 40 minutes was scored by newly-acquired Jean-Paul Parise. He netted his second of the year at 16:24 of the opening frame. After a scoreless second, the North Stars exploded for five third period tallies.
Parker MacDonald started the Minnesota onslaught in the third with his first of two goals after only 15 seconds of play. Other Stars goals were added by Andre Boudrias, Dave Balon and Mike McMahon.
Terry Sawchuk started in goal for Los Angeles and played well in the first period, until he was involved in a collision with Minnesota right winger Bill Goldsworthy. Sawchuk left at the end of the first and was seen by a Minnesota doctor who said the veteran netminder had suffered a strained back. Wayne Rutledge played the final 40 minutes for the Kings.
Blues Blank Hapless Seals
The lowly Oakland Seals continued their miserable play last night as they dropped a 4-0 decision to the Blues in St. Louis. Blues goalie Glenn Hall made 27 saves to record his 70th career NHL shutout. He had just arrived back in St. Louis yesterday afternoon after attending his father’s funeral in Alberta.
The Seals now have gone nine game without a victory. And they haven’t scored a goal in their last four. The win for St. Louis moves them to within two points of fourth-place Pittsburgh in the Western Division.
Rookie Frank St. Marseille scored two goals to lead the Blues’ attack. Red Berenson and Jerry Melnyk also found the back of the net for St. Louis.
It was a rough contest that produced two fights and 58 minutes in penalties. The most spirited bout was between Bob Plager of the Blues and Oakland’s Mike Laughton at about the halfway mark of the second period. The tussle began when Plager knocked the stick out of Laughton’s hands after allegedly being speared by the Seals forward. Plager earned a unanimous decision over the much less truculent Laughton.
Kent Douglas of the Seals attempted to lend a hand to Laughton, but was intercepted by Blues Noel Picard. Picard decked Douglas with one punch, a blow that may not have been entirely expected by the Oakland rearguard.
After serving his major and misconduct Douglas returned to the game in the third period. He attempted to exact some revenge upon Plager, but that turned out to be a rather bad idea. Plager pummeled Douglas once again, whereupon both players were banished for the remainder of the game.
Blues coach Scotty Bowman has been trying to build a team with abundant toughness and it looks like he’s well on his way to doing that:
“After that performance, I’m convinced that Plager and Picard are the two toughest players in hockey. Believe me, Douglas is a pretty rough customer. But he was out of his class tonight.”
Quick Hits
- Philadlephia Flyers have recalled defenceman John Hanna and forward Jim Johnson from the American Hockey League Quebec Aces. They will replace injured defenceman Ed Van Impe (fractured cheekbone), and forwards Garry Peters (eye) and Bill Sutherland (torn chest cartilage).
- The NHL is getting tough on coaches and managers who enter the playing surface to confront game officials. Offenders will be ejected from the arena and sent to their team’s dressing room. They also will receive hefty fines.
Carol Vadnais - Montreal Canadiens have sent rookie defenceman Carol Vadnais to their Central Professional Hockey League farm team in Houston. Habs coach Toe Blake says one or two other players could be ticketed for Houston once Henri Richard is deemed ready for full-time duty. Forwards Claude Larose and Mickey Redmond are players thought to be on the bubble for Montreal.
- NHL statistician Ron Andrews reports that there are 73 players in the league this year eligible to win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL rookie-of-the-year. Only 12 of those players play in the Eastern Division.
- Pittsburgh Penguins will have injured defenceman Leo Boivin back in the lineup tonight for the game against the Kings. Boivin had missed Pittsburgh’s last game against Chicago with a shoulder ailment. But the Pens may be missing four other players who are suffering from the flu: forwards Earl Ingarfield and Ken Schinkel, and defencemen Bill Speer and Al MacNeil.
- The Russian national team scored three times in the third period to drub Canada 5-1 at the Canadian International Hockey Tournament in Winnipeg. Below, Alexandr Ragulin scores for Russia on Canadian goalie Ken Broderick.
- Tom Martin scored 3 times to lead the Toronto Marlboros to an 8-2 win over the Ottawa 67s in Ontario Hockey Association Junior A play in Toronto.
- Rochester Americans have sent veteran centre Bronco Horvath to the Tulsa Oilers of the CPHL. Both teams are farm clubs of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Horvath had recently missed some time with a broken thumb. He has 26 points in 27 games this season.
50 Years Ago In Hockey 