Chicago Black Hawks moved to within one point of first place in the National Hockey League standings by dumping the leading Montreal Canadiens 4-2 last night in Chicago. In the other two scheduled NHL games, Detroit pounded Toronto 6-1 while Boston eked out a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers.
Wharram Wins It
Kenny Wharram’s 25th goal of the season was the game-winner for Chicago in their victory over the Canadiens. It was his eighth goal against the Habs this season. Wharram scored the goal at the 8:20 mark of the final frame. A perfect pass by Stan Mikita put the fleet Hawks’ right-winger in the clear. He beat Montreal goalie Gump Worsley with a quick shot from the faceoff circle on the right side.
The shot seemed to catch Worsley by surprise and Wharram agreed:
I was able to get the shot away right in stride. The Gumper wasn’t ready for it.
Other Chicago marksmen were Red Hay, Doug Mohns and Mikita. Dick Duff and Claude Larose found the range for Canadiens.
Mikita’s goal, Chicago’s fourth, came just after the key play of the game at 17:35 of the third. Black Hawk goalie Glenn Hall. Hall made a spectacular, clutch save on Montreal defenseman J.C. Tremblay, who had been set up by John Ferguson. Had Hall allowed Montreal the would-be tying goal, the accompanying momentum shift might have led to a different ending.
Instead, Chicago defenseman Pat Stapleton made a play with the puck to Mikita at centre ice. He swooped into the Montreal zone and beat Worsley with a rising 30-footer.
Montreal blueliner Terry Harper was taken to a Chicago hospital after the game after suffering a head injury in the second period. Harper had collided with Hawks’ Doug Jarrett. Doctors said after the game Harper had suffered a concussion. He was being kept for observation overnight and for x-rays to check for a possible fractured skull.
Rookies Lead Wings
The Detroit Red Wings told star goalkeeper Roger Crozier to take a few days off this week and get away from the ice wars for a good rest. The acrobatic little netminder’s absence had no ill effects on the rest of the team, at least last night. It was business as usual for the Red Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs as they drubbed Toronto 6-1 at the Olympia in Detroit.
Crozier, who departed for parts unknown with his wife, was hardly missed. And it helped that the Wings were playing the Leafs, a team against whom they have enjoyed great success this year. This was Detroit’s sixth straight win at home against Toronto. Their overall record against the Leafs this season is 8-3-1.
Rookie goalie George Gardner was called up from Pittsburgh of the American Hockey League to spell Crozier. While he wasn’t tested severely by the Leafs, Gardner put in a tidy performance and didn’t allow the Leafs any softies which might have given them some hope. He stopped 23 of 24 Toronto shots.
Gardner’s counterpart at the other end of the ice, Leafs Johnny Bower, had a much busier time of it. Bower faced 44 Detroit drives in giving up six tallies.
Six players shared in the Red Wing scoring. Paul Henderson, Floyd Smith, Gord Howe, Dean Prentice, Alex Delvecchio and Andy Bathgate all had a goal. Kent Douglas was the Toronto goal-getter. His third-period marker came after the Wings had already built a 4-0 lead.
Best player on the ice for the Red Wings was another rookie – defender Bert Marshall. In the absence of the injured Doug Barkley, Marshall has stepped up his game and is leading in much the same way Barkley did before he was hurt.
Detroit coach Sid Abel was shocked that Marshall wasn’t named one of the game’s three stars:
“How could they miss him? He was the standout of the game. But he got some help too, from Peter (Goegan) and young Bobby (Wall). Pete has been great. He’ll be here the rest of the season and should be an asset.”
The Red Wings were without defensemen Gary Bergman and Leo Boivin, as well as winger Parker MacDonald. Abel said all three should be ready for Wednesday’s game in New York.
Bruins Still Hope to Escape Cellar
The Boston Bruins kept their faint hopes of vacating the NHL cellar alive last night with a 4-3 win over the fifth-place New York Rangers. The Bruins are now just four in arrears of the Rangers.
Johnny Bucyk led the offence for the Bruins with two goals. Recent call-up Bobby Leiter scored once, his first, and Ron Stewart netted the other. Don Marshall continued his fine season for the Rangers with his 25th, and Doug Robinson scored number eight.
The big star in this game was Boston’s rookie netminder Bernie Parent. The 20-year-old youngster put in a brilliant performance, making 33 saves. His best stop was on Robinson, who broke in alone late in the third with the Rangers trailing by a goal. Parent stopped the close-in chance and the Bruins hung on for the win.
Generals Hang on for Win Over Baby Habs
The Oshawa Generals survived a third-period onslaught by the Montreal Junior Canadiens to take a 5-3 win over the Baby Habs in the first game of their Ontario Hockey Association semi-final last night in Montreal.
The Generals scored three second-period goals after a scoreless opening frame to lead 3-0 after 40 minutes. Bill Heindl scored the first two Oshawa goals with George Babcock adding the third. That set the stage for one of the wildest periods of junior hockey this year.
The final 20 minutes was completely wide open, with the teams combining for 34 shots on goal, 22 of them by Montreal. Baby Habs captain Jacques Lemaire had eight of the shots at Generals goalie Ian Young.
Junior Canadiens narrowed the gap to 3-2 on goals by Jacques Lemaire and Lucien Grenier in the first five minutes. Oshawa regained a two-goal margin on Bill Little’s goal at 11:59.
The Baby Habs weren’t finished, though. Grenier counted again with just less than five minutes left in the contest.
With the score 4-3 for Oshawa in the final minute, Montreal coach Scotty Bowman looked for an opportunity to get goalie Ted Ouimet to the bench for an extra attacker. However, Oshawa coach Bep Guidolin had a trick up his sleeve as well.
Oshawa’ phenomenal young defenseman Bobby Orr, celebrating his 18th birthday, was moved up to left wing by Guidolin for the final 90 seconds. Orr’s presence gave the Generals a third defender and a superior forechecker all in one player. The strategy paid off.
Orr picked up the puck and made it his own with about 50 seconds left. His extended possession kept Ouimet from leaving his net. Orr finally spotted Wayne Cashman open in the Montreal zone. He made a pinpoint pass to the big winger who deposited the puck behind the Montreal netminder with 18 seconds to play. That was all the insurance the Generals needed.
Marlies Rout Rangers
The Toronto Marlboros and Kitchener Rangers opened their OHA semi-final series yesterday afternoon at Maple Leaf Gardens with the Marlies skating off with a convincing 6-1 win. A crowd of 4,540 s witnessed a surprisingly lopsided Toronto victory in what was essentially a very dull contest.
Al Osborne led the Toronto attack with two goals in what coach Gus Bodnar called his best game of the season. Tom Martin, Terry Caffery, Wayne Carleton and Gerry Meehan also connected for Marlboros. Don Luce was the only Ranger to beat Marlies goalie Al Smith.
The second period was the turning point in this game. Leading 1-0 at the end of the first, the Marlies outshot the Rangers 17-5 in the second and scored three times against Kitchener goalie Gary Kurt.
Amerks Clinch Division
The Rochester Americans clinched the American Hockey League Western Division title last night with a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Hornets. Gerry Ehman’s third goal of the game after 1:33 over overtime gave Rochester their win in the game played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Don Cherry had the other Rochester goal. Pittsburgh’s goals came from Gary Jarrett, Andre Pronovost and Ted Hampson.
The short-handed Pittsburgh club were without regular goalie George Gardner and top defenseman Pete Goegan. Both had been called up by the parent Detroit Red Wings.
Rochester was also not at full strength. They were missing forwards Stan Smrke and Bronco Horvath due to health issues.
Bob Champoux handled the netminding duties for Pittsburgh while Bobby Perreault tended goal for the Amerks.
Rochester is playing home games in Toronto while their home arena hosts a professional bowling tournament.
Aces Split Weekend Games
The Quebec aces split a pair of weekend games. They bombed the visiting Western Hockey League Victoria Maple Leafs 7-1 last night in an interlocking game. Saturday evening they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Cleveland Barons.
Gord Labossiere scored three times to pace the Quebec attack against Victoria. Leon Rochefort added a pair, with singles coming from Doug Senior and Red Berenson. Steve Witiuk had the only Victoria goal.
Tom McCarthy scored the winner for Cleveland on Saturday. Howie Glover and Ron Atwell also connected for the Barons. Labossiere and Jim Morrison replied for Quebec.