Paul Henderson scored a pair of goals within 45 seconds of the third period to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-2 win over the New York Rangers last night at the Olympia in Detroit. The victory gave the Red Wings sole possession of third place in the National Hockey League standings.
Rangers Led Early
The Rangers started strongly in this one, leading 1-0 after the first period on a goal by rookie Garry Peters. Peters was the beneficiary of a puck handling gaffe by Red Wings netminder Roger Crozier, who accidentally steered the puck right onto Peters’ stick.
Detroit took over the game in the middle frame, and had it not been for stellar goaltending by Don Simmons of the Rangers, the game would have been a complete rout. The Wings outshot the Rangers 21-2 in the period, but managed only two goals against Simmons. Gary Bergman and Floyd Smith were the marksmen.
The final period saw the Rangers, buoyed by Simmons’ fine play, tie the game at 4:06 on Wayne Hillman’s second goal of the season. Hillman connected on a long slap shot from the blue line that Crozier just missed catching.
Henderson then fired his pair, at 15:27 and 16:22, his seventh and eighth goals of the campaign to provide Detroit with their winning two-goal margin. The game-winner was on a 20-foot snap shot through a maze of players that Simmons still hasn’t seen. The insurance goal came from a nice set-up by Val Fonteyne, who sent the speedy Henderson in alone to score.
Hank Basses had a five-minute stint in goal for the Red Wings in the first period when Crozier left the game briefly after being hit in the face with the puck.
Russians Back on the Beam
The Russian national hockey team bounced back from that 6-1 shellacking at the hands of the Canadian nationals Monday night to hang a 4-1 defeat on the Canadians last night before over 9,000 enthusiastic fans in Winnipeg.
The game started out as a tight-checking affair, and for half of the first period, the Russians were unable to crack the Canadians’ forechecking. Alexandr Striganov scored the game’s first goal at 9:43 on a beautiful setup from Viktor Yakushev, and after the Soviets fired two more goals over the next seven minutes, the issue was no longer in doubt.
Igor Romichevesky, Vladimir Yurzinov and Viktor Polupanov were the other Russian goal getters. Morris Mott had the only marker for Canada.
Generals Open Four-point First Place Lead
The Oshawa Generals won the proverbial four-point game against second-place Peterborough Petes in an Ontario Hockey Association game last night. The Generals outscored the Petes 6-4 to stretch their lead over Peterborough to four points in the OHA Junior A standings.
In the only other OHA game last night, the Hamilton Red Wings edged the Toronto Marlboros 6-5.
Six players shared in the Oshawa scoring at Peterborough. With one goal each were Bill Heindl, George Babcock, Danny O’Shea, Bill Little, Ron Dussiaume, and Bobby Orr.
Andre Lacroix paced the Petes attack with two goals. Mickey Redmond and George Godson had one each.
In Hamilton, the Red Wings twice blew two-goal leads against the Marlies before finally securing the win. Steve Keeler scored twice for the home side, with singles netted by Sandy Snow, Gary Marsh, Peter Mahovlich and Paul Chiarot.
For the Marlboros it was Jim McKenny with two, and Tom Martin, Gerry Meehan and Doug Dunville with one each.
A vicious four-man brawl delayed the third period. Hamilton’s Chiarot and Keeler squared off with Marlies’ Dunville and Jim Keon.
Kelly Ponders Coaching Career
Red Kelly, the classy veteran centre of the Toronto Maple Leafs, said yesterday he’s considering a coaching career when he finally hangs up his skates. But that doesn’t mean the likeable redhead is thinking about calling it quits any time soon. Kelly is in his 19th National Hockey League season, 13 of them with the Detroit Red Wings and he shows no sign of slowing down.
Kelly says that at one time, Jack Adams, manager of the Red Wings, promised Kelly that he would become the manager-coach of the Red Wings.
Jack called me into his office one day and told me he was going to groom me to be his successor. But I was gone to Toronto two years later.
It’s possible Adams just wanted to hang onto his job a bit longer.
Kelly also discounted a rumour that he was to succeed Punch Imlach behind the bench in Toronto. That position, according to Kelly, has never been discussed.
Kelly is a mild-mannered sort who never swears or uses foul language. But he feels he can be tough enough to handle today’s modern hockey stars.
Psychology is the important thing. Once the team is in top physical condition, the coach’s job is to keep the players in the proper frame of mind. A team is like a violin – it has to be kept in tune.
