Rookie goaltender Denis DeJordy of the Chicago Black Hawks is making a determined bid to supplant veteran Glenn Hall as their number one netminder. Last night he notched his third shutout in 22 games, a 3-0 whitewashing of the league-leading Montreal Canadiens.
In other games, Toronto swept their home-and-home series with the Bruins with a 4-2 win in Boston, while Detroit handled New York 4-1.
Mohns paces Hawks
Chicago’s “Scooter Line” of Stan Mikita, Ken Wharram and Doug Mohns provided all the offence the Hawks needed against the Canadiens. Mohns fired a pair of goals, with Wharram adding the other. For Wharram, it was his seventh goal in nine games against the Habs. Mikita contributed two assists. The line buzzed the Montreal goal all night, and if not for some fine work by Montreal goalkeeper Gump Worsley, the Chicago total would have been much higher.
DeJordy was not severely tested in stopping the 22 shots directed his way by Montreal. The Chicago defence was very solid in front of him, and allowed no second chance opportunities for the Canadiens after DeJordy took care of the initial chances.
For the fifth straight game, Chicago superstar Bobby Hull was held without a goal. A standing-room only crowd of over 21,000 was on hand for the game and they produced a raucous, playoff-like atmosphere.
Keon nets late game-winner
Toronto doubled the count on Boston to take the back-end of their weekend double-header with Boston. Dave Keon’s deflection goal with only 1:45 to play in the game pushed the Leafs past the Bruins and ruined the debut of Boston rookie goalie Jack Norris.
The Leafs had built up a 2-0 lead, thanks to a first period goal by Eddie Shack, followed by Red Kelly’s second period marker. The Bruins mounted a third-period comeback to tie things up with two quick goals just after the half-way mark of the final frame.
Johnny Bucyk found the range at 10:04, and Reggie Fleming counted a little over three minutes later.
After Keon’s goal, Bob Pulford scored into an empty Boston net after Norris had been lifted for an extra attacker.
Rookie goaler played well
Norris played well for the Bruins despite the loss. He was picked as the third star of the game by former Bruin defenceman Bill Quackenbush.
After being slated to start the previous evening in Toronto (a plan foiled when his equipment came up missing at the Royal York Hotel), the 22-year-old had no choice but to take the net last night. Regular man Eddie Johnston broke his hand early Saturday night against the Leafs and will be out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks.
Equipment still missing
Norris’ equipment still hadn’t turned up by game time last night. So, the youngster, in the great spirit of ‘the show must go on’, donned Johnston’s gear. Ed is a bigger man than the rookie, so most of the equipment was ill-fitting, including the skates, which were a full size too big.
Boston manager Lynn Patrick was upset with his young goaltender for not keeping a close eye on his gear and then going to retrieve it just a short time before the game.
Norris commented, “I’ll sleep with my equipment from now on.”
Sawchuk’s return successful
Terry Sawchuk played his first game in 14 for Toronto, missing time with a hand injury of his own. He was especially sharp in the first period and was given most of the credit for the win by Leafs assistant general manager King Clancy:
“Sawchuk saved our bacon in the first period. Boston should have had a 5-1 margin on the play but Terry robbed them blind.”
Murphy leads Wings
Former Ranger Ron Murphy scored twice to lead the Detroit Red Wings to their win at New York. Murphy’s markers were two of the four the Detroiters scored in the second period. Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe had the other Red Wing scores.
Rangers had taken a 1-0 lead on Vic Hadfield’s tally just 21 seconds after the opening faceoff.
Crozier great again
Red Wings rookie netminder Roger Crozier was once again a standout. He made 26 saves, with several crucial stops in the third period, when the Rangers held the edge in play, preserving the win for the Wings.
Except for the four-goal blitz in the second period, Ranger goalie Jacques Plante played a strong game for the home side.
NHL weekend trade talk
Trade winds are blowing around the NHL this weekend. Boston manager Lynn Patrick was seen Saturday evening talking turkey with Toronto president Stafford Smyth. Patrick apparently doesn’t feel he can get a deal done with Leafs general manager Punch Imlach, so he has decided to go over Imlach’s head and speak with the man who signs the cheques.
Patrick is targeting several of Toronto’s young players, while the Leafs apparently are seeking veteran left wing Johnny Bucyk. The Bruins are also very interested in Rochester goalie Jerry Cheevers, who leads the American Hockey League in shutouts.
Another strong rumour now has the Rangers and Chicago getting close to some sort of transaction. It’s known that New York general manager Emile Francis is eager to make changes to his fifth-place club and is offering veterans in exchange for young players. Chicago is said to be interested in Camille Henry, who is having one of his finest seasons.
Gray fires five for Quebec
The Quebec Aces of the American Hockey League bombed the Baltimore Clippers 10-3 last night, thanks to a great individual performance by forward Terry Gray. Other games last night saw Buffalo edge Springfield 5-4, Cleveland over Providence 3-1, and Rochester belt Pittsburgh 6-3.
Gray scored five goals for Quebec, which was more than half of what he netted during his only full NHL season. He scored eight for the Bruins in 1961-62. Picked up during the draft in the summer of 1962 by Montreal, he had a four-game cup of coffee with the Habs last year before settling in with the Aces.
Other Quebec goal-getters were Bill Sutherland, John Hanna, Wayne Hicks, Don Blackburn, and Jacques Nolin. Dave Creighton scored twice for the Clippers, with Ken Schinkel notching the other.
Billy Dea and Len Lunde scored two each for the Bisons in the Buffalo – Springfield game. Pat Hannigan had the other. Bill Sweeney, Dennis Olson, Mike Labadie and Brian Kilrea were the Indian marksmen.
Cleveland scorers against Providence were Joe Szura, Howie Glover and Bob Ellett. Ed Kachur found the range for the Reds.
Six players shared in the Rochester scoring against the Hornets. Darryl Sly, Stan Smrke, Wally Boyer, Eddie Litzenberger, Don McKenney and Don Cherry counted for the Amerks. Murray Hall, Warren Godfrey and Lowell MacDonald scored for Pittsburgh.
Marlies, Niagara Falls tie before over 12,500
The Toronto Marlboros and Niagara Falls Flyers battled (literally) to a 4-4 tie yesterday at Maple Leaf Gardens before over 12, 500 enthusiastic fans. It was the largest crowd to see a Junior A game this season.
The match was a showdown between the two top teams in the OHA Junior A Series, two teams that don’t like each other very much. Referee Brian Lewis called 19 penalties, a relatively low total, given the brutality of the game. It was a hard-hitting affair, with neither team giving an inch of ice away.
The game’s only fisticuffs occurred early in the third period when Niagara’s Derek Sanderson squared off with Toronto’s Neil Clarke in front of the Marlboro’s bench.
Sanderson was the scoring hero for Niagara Falls with two goals. Brian Bradley and Gilles Marotte had singles. Mike Corrigan was a two-goal man for Marlboros. Mike Byers and Paul Laurent also connected for Toronto.
Powers to talk to NHL governors
Former NHL referee Eddie Powers said yesterday he is scheduled to speak with the NHL Board of Governors at during their meetings in New York tomorrow.
Powers resigned from the league two years ago. He did so after being publicly berated by Montreal Canadiens’ coach Toe Blake. Powers brought a defamation suit against Blake, which was settled out of court last fall. No settlement amount was made public.
Powers was asked about what the meeting might cover.
“At the present time I can’t divulge any details. I might have more to say afterward.”