1980 World Hockey Challenge

The second World Hockey Challenge got underway on August 30, 1980 in Prague Czechoslovakia. With two new nations participating and a new format, there were some interesting plotlines from the get-go. The host country, Czechoslovakia, was determined to make some noise in their first appearance in the tournament and would face a tough challenge immediately in the opener against the defending champion Soviets. The Czechs put out a strong effort against the Soviets, as Jaromir Hladec scored early to give Czechoslovakia an early 1-0 lead. Czech goaltender Jaroslav Danek made a heroic 67-save performance, but unfortunately, the Soviets managed to get 70 shots on net including three unanswered third-period goals to give them a 3-1 win. Meanwhile, the other new addition to the tournament, Great Britain, made their debut against Canada in what was nicknamed the inaugural “Commonwealth Cup”. The British also made things surprisingly difficult for Canada. After the Canadians took a 1-0 lead, Boston Bulldogs defenseman Trevor Duffas, the only PHL player on the British squad, tied the game with a hard point shot. Minutes later, Harry Hayes, projected to go high in the 1981 PHL draft, beat Bobby Sorel but couldn’t beat the post and the tie held up. Just as the Canadians were starting to get concerned, Danny Stevenson finally beat goaltender Jackson Byrne to restore Canada’s lead. The game remained close until the third period, when goals from Dennis Yates and Brian Hunt secured a 4-1 victory for Canada. In other day one action, Sweden defeated Norway 3-2, while the United States shut out Finland 2-0.

September 1 was a fairly uneventful day featuring a pair of predictable shutouts, The Soviet Union beat Norway 5-0, while Canada became the second team to shut the Fins out with a 3-0 win, while the Czechs came up just short once again losing 4-2 to Sweden. The final game of the day was not so predictable, however, as the British took on the Americans. Alan Chadwick and Ray Fowler each scored early as Team USA immediately jumped to a 2-0 lead. When the Americans hit the post twice shortly afterwards, the British team began to panic, pulling Jackson Byrne and replacing him with Grant Moody, a 39-year-old local church pastor from Liverpool who was actually not even currently playing organized hockey. Moody absolutely stunned the Americans, turning away shot after shot, giving his team the confidence they needed to create some chances of their own. Finally, forward Bryan Blake put the Brits on the board just three minutes into the third period. Five minutes later, George Gardiner beat American goaltender Tim Massey to tie the game. Both Moody and Massey turned away shot after shot before British winger Will Saunders finally broke the deadlock. As the seconds ticked down, the British players poured off the bench and lifted Grant Moody, the most unlikely of heroes, on their shoulders. The British had pulled off the biggest upset so far in WHC history.

Moody would be rewarded with another start two days later against Finland and would once again play very well despite a 3-2 loss to the Fins. By this point, even fans from the other countries couldn’t help pulling for the British and their unlikely hero. While much attention was focused on the surprising British club, one team in particular remained focused. Still angry after their heartbreaking loss to the Soviet Union in 1976, the Canadians refused to buy into the fanfare surrounding the tournament. Canadian captain Guy Dupont, never one to shy away from bold statements, made a big one just moments after an emotional 4-2 win over the rival Americans. “We know why we’re here and we’re going to finish what was started four years ago, We know we’re going to be here at the end of this thing and we know they-and you know who I mean-will be there too and we came here to beat them. This is about more than just hockey.” The Soviets showed the same focus in a 4-1 win over Sweden as the two hockey Giants completed the Round Robin at the top of their respective pools, while the host Czechs closed the Round Robin with their first win over Norway.

After a two-day break, the playoff round began. Grant Moody’s magical ride finally came to an end as Sweden shut the British out 3-0. The Americans, who had struggled mightily throughout the tournament, once again barely escaped their quarterfinal matchup against Czechoslovakia with a 3-2 win. Stuart Holly’s hat-trick helped Canada to a 4-2 win over Norway, while the Soviets won a surprisingly close game against Finland 3-1 with young Soviet star Alexei Yurlov scoring twice. Yurlov would come up big again in the Semis against the United States. The 19-year-old had points on all four Soviet goals with two goals and two assists while Alexander Orlov had two goals of his own as the Soviet Union marched on to the final with a 4-2 win. Meanwhile, the Canadians once again looked like a team on a mission as they faced the Swedes, a team featuring more PHL talent than any other European country. The teams battled hard through regulation to a 2-2 tie, with Bobby Sorel and Victor Malmsten both making several spectacular saves to keep the score tied. Two minutes into overtime, David Appleby proved to be the hero, deking every Swedish player on the ice before sliding the puck under Malmsten to send the Canadians back to the final.

Just as Guy Dupont had said a week earlier, Canada now found themselves in a long-desired one-game rematch with the Soviet Union to decide who the ultimate hockey superpower was. Canadian photographer Merv Wilson summed up the mood of the day perfectly, snapping what eventually became a very famous photo of the intersection at Yonge and Dundas Street in Toronto, the busiest street in Canada, completely devoid of traffic on Wednesday morning. Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau had actually declared the day an unofficial holiday so people could watch the game.

As the game began, tension boiled over almost immediately. When Alexander Orlov ran over Bobby Sorel, a scrum immediately ensued. Soon after, Canadian defenseman Cliff Lyle leveled Alexei Yurlov at the blue line. Orlov immediately attacked Lyle and before long, everyone on the ice jumped in. Suddenly Don Shelburne stood up on the boards in front of the Canadian bench and began hurling threats at the Soviets, Orlov in particular. He would not get down until one of his assistants pulled him aside and pointed out Czech KGB officers making their way to the Canadian bench. Shelburne finally relented and out of the ruckus, the Soviets ended up with a powerplay. With the man advantage, Sergei Krayev finally opened the scoring for the Soviets. Four minutes later, Appleby tied it for Canada. By the end of the second period, the game was tied 3-3, until Dupont scored to give Canada a 4-3 lead. Just seconds later, Stuart Burns put the Canadians up by two. Now desperate to tie the game, the powerful “Red Line” of Krayev, Orlov, and Yurlov led a strong charge throughout the third period, scoring with twelve minutes remaining to bring the game within a goal. The following eight minutes would be among the most tense few minutes in Canadian history. The entire nation held its breath as the Soviets peppered Bobby Sorel with shot after shot. Finally, the Soviets pulled goaltender Valeri Rusanov. It appeared that Danny Stevenson had a clear shot on the empty net at with just 13 seconds left but it was blocked by a Soviet defenseman. When Canadian defensemen Claude Clark and Freddie Huff jumped into the play to try for the open net, it led to a 2-on-0 with Alexei Yurlov and the puck-carrier Alexander Orlov bearing down on Bobby Sorel. With five seconds remaining, Sorel committed to Orlov, dropping to his knees. Orlov then passed the puck to Yurlov who immediately fired it at the wide open net. Sorel stretched out his blocker hand just in time to tip the puck over the net. The clock hit zero before the Soviet players could retrieve the puck and the Canadian players mobbed Bobby Sorel, while across the country people celebrated in the streets. Bobby Sorel went on to become a Canadian hero and icon for what became known as “The Save.” “For years people would approach Bobby in the street and tell him where they were the moment he made that save” said Guy Dupont at a 30th anniversary event in 2010. “It was a very special moment for the game and for our country and I was honoured to be a part of it.”

1980 Off-Season

1980 Entry Draft

There were several interesting storylines in the 1980 PHL entry draft. Finnish goaltender Antero Parvainen became the first goaltender to be selected first overall when the Philadelphia Redshirts selected him to replace Micheal McArdle, who retired after 19 seasons in the league. Parvainen was also the first European to be selected first overall. The Nova Scotia Claymores selected Dave Mack second overall, a power forward who had led his junior team in scoring three years in a row. The Boston Bulldogs added to their list of prospects with USA highschooll superstar Craig Bush. Long Island took Doug Macintyre, a native of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, sixth overall. Macintyre was said to be the best hockey prospect ever to come from PEI. Two sons of former PHL stars were also selected, Olivier Meloche went to the Dallas Metros, while Brett Zimmer was selected by the Washington Generals. Meloche is the son of former Montreal Royale star Didier Meloche, who played for the Royale from 1938-1952, while Brett Zimmer is the son of former superstar goaltender and current Redshirts’ GM David Zimmer. The rest of the picks were as follows;

1.      Philadelphia Redshirts – Antero Parvainen, G, FIN

2.      Nova Scotia Claymores – Dave Mack, F, CAN

3.      Boston Bulldogs – Craig Bush, F, CAN

4.      Vancouver Bighorns – Gene Callahan, D, USA

5.      Winnipeg Pioneers – Jeff Corkum, D, CAN

6.      Long Island Concordes – Doug Macintyre, F, CAN

7.      Seattle Grey Wolves – Reijo Rantala, F, FIN

8.      Edmonton Northern Lights – Dwayne Ingram, D, USA

9.      Dallas Metros – Olivier Meloche, D, CAN (Didier Meloche Son)

10.   Quebec Nationale – JP Renaud, F, CAN

11.   Washington Generals – Brett Zimmer, D, USA (David Zimmer Son)

12.   Calgary Wranglers – Justin Brady, F, CAN

13.   Toronto Racers – Dan Rowe, F, CAN

14.   Detroit Mustangs – Grant Weber, F, USA

15.   Ottawa Beavers – Dana Briggs, G, CAN

16.   Denver Bulls – Ralph Moran, F, CAN

17.   Pittsburgh Stingers – Ron Buckner, G, USA

18.   St. Louis Spirits – Jay Cross, F, CAN

19.   Chicago Shamrocks – Marcus Ekman, D, SWE

20.   California Nuggets – Jed Dunlop, F, CAN

21.   New York Civics – Brian Grove, F, CAN

22.   Montreal Royale – Jeff Dodson, F, USA

23.   Boston Bulldogs (From Minnesota) - Tuevo Heiskanen, F, FIN

24.   LA Wizards – Jason Sibley, F, CAN

Notable Retirements:

Gilbert Giroux, F, QUE, STL, LA, 1959-1980

For 21 years, Gilbert Giroux served as one of the most dangerous scorers in PHL History. Giroux holds the distinction of winning more Lewis Cups than any other player with seven, playing a key role in two dynasties, with Quebec in the early 1960s, and with LA in the late 1970s. Giroux also made headlines in the late ‘60s as perhaps the most high-profile player to jump to the GHL when he signed with the St. Louis Spirits. Giroux retired in third place all-time in PHL scoring with 1601 total points and was the only player to date to reach over 1000 assists thanks in large part to the eight years he spent on a line with Stuart Holly and Ray Fowler, two of the most dynamic scorers ever to play the game.

Guy Dupont, F, MTL, MIN, 1961-1980

It was a long time coming for Guy Dupont when he finally broke into the PHL with Montreal in 1961. Originally recruited by the Royale as a 15-year-old in 1954, Dupont struggled to impress the Royale during a mediocre career with their junior club. When he finally did make the big club at age 22, he immediately became a star, even scoring the Lewis Cup winning goal in overtime in 1966. To everyone’s shock, just two months later Dupont was traded to the expansion Minnesota Lumberjacks. Then-Montreal coach/GM Eugene Hebert would later say that trading Dupont was the biggest mistake he ever made in his forty-year career. Dupont went on to become the face of the Lumberjacks for 14 years, winning the Lewis Cup with them in 1972 and 1979. In 1980, Dupont retired from the PHL, but would finish his career as the captain of team Canada at the 1980 World Hockey Challenge.

Bobby Kitchen, F, TOR, DET, 1959-1980

Bobby Kitchen entered the PHL as a 19-year-old in 1959, scoring 44 goals in his first season while playing on a line with Mark Benson. Although the Racers were upset by Montreal in the playoffs that year, Kitchen would go on to help lead the Racers to the Lewis Cup in 1964. The Kitchen/Benson duo became one of the most dangerous throughout the 1960s as the two players became fan favorites in Toronto and across Canada. Toronto fans’ hearts were broken in 1971 however, when the rebuilding Racers traded Kitchen to the Detroit Mustangs. After bidding a tearful farewell to Toronto, Kitchen went on to win two more Lewis Cups with Detroit, playing nine seasons with the Mustangs before retiring in 1980.

Jean-Claude Richard, G, MTL, 1961-1980

JC Richard quietly enjoyed a very successful 19-year career despite never really getting the credit he deserved. Richard backstopped Montreal to two Lewis Cup Finals appearances in 1963, 1966, 1968, and 1972, including two victories in ’66 and ’68. Richard continued with Montreal throughout the 1970s and in 1976 was selected to represent Canada as Bobby Sorel’s backup in the inaugural World Hockey Challenge before a lingering injury forced him to decline the invitation. Richard retired in 1980 as perhaps the most underrated player in PHL history.

Transactions

Boston trades G Ricky Spooner to St. Louis in exchange for F Ralph Dixon.

In Spooner, the Spirits get an elite goaltender who has won a Lewis Cup, possibly giving them the final piece they need, while the rebuild continues in Boston with another solid young player in Dixon.

News

The biggest story of the 1980 off-season involved the launch of the Pacific Hockey Association, which would be one of the primary affiliate leagues for the PHL. The cities who would comprise the league for the first season and their PHL parent clubs include;

Bakersfield Sharks – LA Wizards

Portland Wildcats – California Nuggets

Everett Black Bears – Seattle Grey Wolves

Victoria Monarchs – Vancouver Bighorns

Houston Saturns – Dallas Metros

Lethbridge Wranglers – Calgary Wranglers

Red Deer Desperados – Edmonton Northern Lights

Brandon Prairie Dogs – Winnipeg Pioneers

Affiliation agreements for the Canadian/American League were changed as well, with expansion teams added in Indianapolis IN and Norfolk VA;

Hartford Bulldogs – Boston Bulldogs

Windsor Wings – Detroit Mustangs

Brooklyn Civics – New York Civics

Indianapolis Speed – Chicago Shamrocks

Toronto Junior Racers – Toronto Racers

Trois Riveres Couronnes – Montreal Royale

Cape Breton Highlanders – Nova Scotia Claymores

Hull Castors – Ottawa Beavers

Rochester Warriors – Denver Bulls

Kansas City Falcons – St. Louis Spirits

Springfield Tigers – Long Island Concordes

Scranton Miners – Pittsburgh Stingers

Hershey Keystones – Philadelphia Redshirts

Norfolk Warships – Washington Generals

Cincinnati Eagles – Minnesota Lumberjacks

Laval Blanc et Bleu – Quebec Nationale

Rosters, New Uniforms Unveiled For 1980 World Hockey Challenge

As the second World Hockey Challenge in Prague approached, the rosters for all eight participating countries were revealed. Unlike 1976, even the European rosters were made public. Perhaps the biggest change came from the Soviet Union, who would be forced to play without their superstar forward Vladimir Gaganov, who defected to the United States a year earlier. Taking Gaganov's place would be 19-year-old superstar Alexei Yurlov, who many scouts said could even be better than Gaganov. Canada and USA underwent a few personnel changes since 1976. For Canada, goaltender Dennis Carter, and forwards Stuart Burns and Danny Stevenson were new additions, while the United States added goaltender Tim Massey as well as Ted Lovell and college star Tim Gibbons at forward.

In addition to the rosters, uniforms were also revealed over the summer for new entries Great Britain and Czechoslovakia. Finland also unveiled new uniforms featuring the Finnish coat of arms on the front.

The Tournament would begin August 31, 1980 in Prague.

Stingers, Bulls Update Uniforms

Two teams revealed updated their uniforms in the summer of 1980. The Pittsburgh Stingers discarded their white home jerseys, making the yellow roads the new home uniforms. A new black uniform was added as the new road uniform.

The other team to update their uniform was the Denver Bulls, who became the latest team to introduce long pants.

1980 Lewis Cup Finals

The 1980 Lewis Cup Finals would pit the California Nuggets against the Cinderella Washington Generals. This would be the Washington Franchise’s first appearance in the Lewis Cup since 1955, when they were still known as the Hamilton Kings. For California, this would be the Nuggets’ first Lewis Cup appearance in franchise history. Game one took place in San Francisco. The Generals never stood a chance in game one, losing decisively 5-1. California would also take game two 3-2. Heading to DC for game three, the Washington Generals knew they needed to win. The Nuggets took and early 2-0 lead, before Gerry Stokes scored twice to tie the game. After scoring again to take the lead, the Generals would suddenly find themselves in a tied game once again after Ken Gilbert tied the game, ultimately sending it to overtime. Halfway through the first overtime, Gerry Stokes scored to give Washington their first win of the series. Riding the momentum from the thrilling home win, the Generals managed another big win at home in game four. The series was now tied 2-2 heading to the Bay area once again for game five. The Nuggets were back on their game in game five. Alan Chadwick opened the scoring for California. Seconds later, Dennis Yates scored to make it 2-0. After Jeff Leroy put Washington on the board, California pulled away, scoring another two goals to take a 4-1 win. The Nuggets were now one win away from winning the Lewis Cup.

 The Cup was in the building in Washington for game six as the Nuggets were looking to win their first Lewis Cup, while the Washington Generals just wanted to stay alive. Washington got on the board first on a goal from defenseman Joe Kelly, then increased the lead to two thanks to a goal from Billy Little. When Gerry Stokes made it 3-0, it looked like game seven was a sure thing. However, just seconds into the second period, Paul Murphy scored to bring California to within two. Halfway through the period, Washington defenseman Don Cox took a penalty for high-sticking. The Nuggets took advantage immediately, as defenseman Sandy Brayden’s point shot was deflected into the net to bring the score to 3-2. Washington managed to tighten up through the third period, with Don Lapin playing solid in net. Then, with just 13 seconds left, California’s Rod Skelton finally beat Lapin to send the game to OT. In overtime, the action was back and forth with both teams getting chance after chance. It would be Washington captain Gerry Stokes who finally sealed it, keeping the Generals alive and sending the series to game seven.

Game seven would prove to be anticlimactic compared to the rest of the series. Washington put up a fight, with Stokes even scoring two goals, but it was only enough to keep it from being a rout as California put six goals past Don Lapin to claim their first Lewis Cup in franchise history. “This is absolutely incredible!” said forward Bruce Dickenson, who had been with the club since their GHL days. “We’ve come a long way as a group and to finally do this together is very satisfying.”

1980 Lewis Cup Playoffs

The first round of the Lewis Cup Playoffs was somewhat uneventful, even a little predictable. In the West, LA took out Dallas in a surprisingly tough six-game series, Minnesota swept Calgary, and California eliminated Denver. Only two series went the full seven games in the first round. The Chicago Shamrocks found themselves down 3-2 against the St. Louis Spirits before coming back to win games six and seven to win the series thanks to stellar play from Tim Massey in goal. The other seven-game series featured the battle of Quebec, where Montreal jumped to a 2-0 series lead before Quebec climbed back into the series with a pair of 3-0 victories. Ultimately, the home team would win every game in a hard-fought series highlighted by several fights as Montreal advanced. There would be two upsets in the Eastern Conference, Detroit and Washing each pulled off a first-round upset for the second straight year, with the Mustangs eliminating Ottawa in six games, while Washington stunned New York in six. Finally, Pittsburgh took out Toronto in five games.

In the second round, Washington continued their strong play against the Montreal Royale. After splitting the first four games 2-2, the Generals dropped game five in Montreal 4-1. Down 3-2 heading home for game six, the Generals managed to get a big 3-1 win thanks to goals from Billy Little, Craig Tucker, and Tommy McGuire. Game seven in Montreal remained tied 3-3 heading into overtime. Don Lapin and JC Richard both stood on their heads as one overtime turned into two, then three. Halfway through the third overtime, Gerry Stokes finally ended it with his fourth goal of the series to send Washington to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Generals would meet Pittsburgh in the Eastern Final, after the Stingers defeated Detroit in five games.

In the West, the defending champion Minnesota Lumberjacks faced the California Nuggets, a team that had always flown under the radar despite being stocked with elite talent. In Minnesota, Guy Dupont was playing in his final playoffs and he was determined to go out a winner. After the teams split the first four games, the Nuggets became confident they could compete with the powerful Lumberjacks team. In game five, Yvon Tremblay turned in a heroic performance in net for California, stopping 55 shots as Dennis Yates, Alan Chadwick, and Thomas Akerlund each scored to give the Nuggets a 3-1 victory. In game six in San Francisco, the Nuggets had a chance to close out the series and they would not waste it. Former Detroit Mustang Ken Gilbert proved to be the overtime hero for California, sliding the puck just under Bobby Sorel to send the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals.

The Western Final would feature the battle of California after the LA Wizards defeated Chicago in six games. The series started off tight, with each team winning a game at home and on the road to split the series 2-2. In game five, LA managed to win a tight one 3-2 thanks to three points each from Holly and Fowler. It appeared that the Wizards had finally taken control of the series heading into game six with a chance to win it on the road. Down 1-0 after two periods, and with Dennis Carter shutting the door on them, the California Nuggets were in a tough spot. Suddenly, with just four minutes to go, Jacques Lambert’s point shot found the back of the LA net to tie the game. Just seconds later, Bruce Dickenson stunned Carter with a quick shot from the outside. The Nuggets now led 2-1. LA pulled Carter in an attempt to tie it but before they got a shot on goal Alan Chadwick sealed the 3-1 win for California to send the series to game seven. Still rattled from game six, the Wizards never managed to get into game seven. California led 4-0 heading into the third. Ray Fowler scored one to break the shutout but it was too little too late. For the second straight year, LA came up short while their cross-state rivals advanced to the Lewis Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Washington looked to complete their Cinderella story against the Pittsburgh Stingers. Tied 2-2 after four games, Washington gave themselves a chance to move on with a 2-1 win in game five. Back home for game six, the Generals showed incredible resilience as Pittsburgh continuously took the lead while Washington responded with the tying goal each time. Tied 3-3, the game went into overtime. Just 18 seconds into OT, George Little knocked a rebound past Stingers goalie Gary Bowen. For the first time since 1955, when the team was still playing in Hamilton, the Washington Generals would advance to the Lewis Cup Finals.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

1979-80 Regular Season

In the aftermath of one of the most controversial trades in PHL history, many Chicago fans were very angry with the team’s management. Gary Johnson had been a fixture on the Shamrock’s blue line for seven years and to see the team trade him for Vladimir Gaganov, a player they saw as a “commie”, a player who could never leave the Soviet Union to play in America even if he wanted too. The media was quite critical of the move as well and even Alan Garcia expressed concern over the fairness of the trade. What those people didn’t know was that Gaganov had been trying to get out of the Soviet Union for nearly two years. To try to escape the “Iron curtain” was essentially a death sentence, or at least an easy way to get sent to Siberia. But Gaganov was determined both to make a better life for himself and to follow his dream of playing in the PHL. On August 1, 1979, Shamrocks owner Fred Garfield Jr made the stunning announcement that Gaganov, with assistance from the Shamrocks, had fled the Soviet Union ad was currently in the United States. Team management had secretly begun working to bring him over the day they made the trade. When the Soviet national team traveled to London for an exhibition series with the British national team, staff members from the Shamrocks met Gaganov in the UK. After an intense 48 hours of hiding in London while waiting for the proper documents to go through, Gaganov found himself on a plane headed for Chicago. By December, 1979, Gaganov was granted Refugee Status and on December 29, 1979, made his PHL debut with the Shamrocks, notching two assists in a win over Calgary. Gaganov would finish the year with 27 goals and 35 assists, winning rookie of the year honours while helping the Shamrocks to fifty wins, good enough for second in the Central Division. 

The defending champion Minnesota Lumberjacks took first in the division and second overall in the league, while LA returned to their dynasty form, finishing first overall in the league. Three players entered their fourth deacade in the league in January, Detroit's Bobby Kitchen, LA’s Gilbert Giroux, and St. Louis’ Bjorn Rasmussen had all begun their careers in the late 1950s. All three enjoyed fairly productive seasons too with Giroux and Kitchen both playing in their final year. Stuart Burns enjoyed a big rookie season on Long Island, putting the Concordes in playoff position as late as February until a 8-game losing streak dropped them out of playoff contention once again. Stuart Holly and Danny Stevenson tied for the league scoring title, with each player putting up identical numbers, 51 goals, 72 assists. It was the first time the scoring race ended in a tie since 1949, when George Allen and Johnny Williams tied for first place.

 Perhaps one of the biggest stories took place in the Lone Star State, where the Dallas Metros found themselves in position to make their first-ever playoff appearance. The Metros struggled mightily throughout the first half of the season, losing 13 straight games at one point. In January, the team suddenly caught fire, winning 11 straight games to pull themselves out of last place and into playoff contention. Star forwards Mike Fleming and Bruce Gratton led the surge as both players enjoyed breakout years. With just four games left on the schedule, the Metros trailed Edmonton by two points. After a loss in LA, and an Edmonton win, Dallas was now even more desperate. They managed to win the following game against Minnesota, who was resting their stars, while an Edmonton loss in Vancouver meant that the gap was once again just two points. The Metros would play Edmonton in the second-last game of the season and a win would put them ahead by virtue of the number of wins. Late in the third period against the Northern Lights, Gratton finally broke a 2-2 tie to put Dallas ahead. After Craig Perry made some big saves, the Metros hung on for the win. Now in the driver’s seat, a win on the last day of the season would close the deal for the Metros, but they had to beat the Chicago Shamrocks while Edmonton faced Calgary. A third challenger for the final spot, Seattle, was eliminated the day before when they lost to LA. Unfortunately for Dallas, Don Newman and Vlady Gaganov each scored while Tim Massey pitched a shutout to give Chicago a 2-0 win. The Metros players watched intently as Edmonton led Calgary into the third period. With nine minutes remaining, Calgary veteran Gary Mendoza tied the game. Just two minutes later, Don Taylor scored to give the Wranglers the lead before Warren Jensen sealed it with the empty-netter. The Metros jumped for joy. They had needed some help but it didn’t matter. After six long years the Dallas Metros were finally headed to the Lewis Cup playoffs for the first time.

1979 Off-Season

1979 Entry Draft

The 1979 draft was a particularly strong one. Mississauga ON native Stuart Burns led a very strong draft class after setting several scoring records as a 17-year-old in the Ontario Junior league. Theodore Gill from Manitoba provided stiff competition for Burns in the race to go first overall. Aaron Goodwin was the top defenseman in the draft, with some scouts saying he could’ve been ready to go pro last year. Burns went first overall to Long Island, finally giving the Concordes the franchise player they were looking for, while Gill was selected by the Winnipeg Pioneers. Boston took Aaron Goodwin to anchor their defense. Dallas selected power forward Terry Hawkins, while the Philadelphia Redshirts selected Jeff Waters, a speedy winger from Hamilton, ON. Other interesting picks included Finnish defenseman Kai Hakkarainen, who’s grandfather had actually helped begin Finland’s national team program during the 1920s. Hakkarainen was selected 13^th overall by the Detroit Mustangs. Washington selected forward Tommy McGuire, who spent 1978-79 playing high school hockey.

1.      Long Island – Stuart Burns, F, CAN

2.      Winnipeg – Theodore Gill, F, CAN

3.      Boston – Aaron Goodwin, D, USA

4.      Dallas – Terry Hawkins, F, CAN

5.      Philadelphia – Jeff Waters, F, CAN

6.      Nova Scotia – Doug Lyons, D, CAN

7.      Vancouver – Joe Tyler, F, CAN

8.      Seattle – Kevin Sparks, F, CAN

9.      Quebec – Robin Collins, D, CAN

10.   Calgary – Ted Dawson, D, CAN

11.   Washington – Tommy McGuire, F, USA

12.   Edmonton – Neil Nichols, F, CAN

13.   Detroit - Kai Hakkarainen, D, FIN

14.   Toronto – Pasi Villanen, F, FIN

15.   New York – Nelson McCarthy, D, CAN

16.   California – Eric Blake, F, USA

17.   Denver – Edgar Schultz, D, CAN

18.   Chicago – Al Campbell, F, CAN

19.   Ottawa – Ben Stewart, D, USA

20.   St. Louis – Niklas Ekberg, F, SWE

21.   Pittsburgh – Jake Fuller, F, CAN

22.   LA – Raymond Hicks, F, USA

23.   Montreal – Louis St. Laurent, F, CAN

24.   Boston (From Minnesota) – Daryl May, F, CAN

Notable Retirements:

Frank McDermit, D, PHI, 1959-1979

Frank McDermit joined the Philadelphia Redshirts just in time for their run to the Lewis Cup Finals in 1960. The Redshirts would come up short that year as they would each of the other three times they would make it during McDermit’s career. McDermit, however, played a valuable role and was an anchor on the Redshirts’ blueline for 20 seasons, becoming Philadelphia’s all-time leader in points and games played for a defenseman.

Ron Davidson, G, OTT, 1961-1979

For 18 years, Ron Davidson served as the Ottawa Beavers’ starting goaltender. Davidson joined the Beavers when they were still a relatively new franchise and eventually helped them become a contender, finally helping them to an appearance in the Lewis Cup Finals in 1977, where they ultimately lost to the LA Wizards.

Bruce Walker, F, OTT, CAL, DET, SEA, 1959-1979

In 1959, Bruce Walker began an eventful 20-year career that see him play for four teams in two different leagues. Walker made his debut with the Ottawa Beavers in their inaugural season in 1959-60 and soon became a natural leader with the Beavers until 1966, when he left Ottawa to join the San Francisco Nuggets of the new Global Hockey League. Walker was still playing for the Nuggets when they joined the PHL in a merger in 1969 and would continue to play for them until 1973, when he was traded to the Detroit Mustangs. Walker would win his first and only Lewis Cup with the Mustangs before joining the expansion Seattle Grey Wolves just weeks later. Walker would play out the remainder of his career with the Wolves.

Transactions

Chicago trades D Gary Johnson to Philadelphia in exchange for F Vladimir Gaganov.

In perhaps the most controversial and riskiest trade ever made, Philadelphia finally have an elite talent to lead them in their continued rebuild. If Gaganov can report to the Shamrocks, he will bring much needed offense to Chicago.

News

The 1979 off-season was a fairly uneventful one in terms of coaching changes. Montreal made the gutsy move of firing head coach Francois Belanger after a series of playoff failures and replacing him with former Royale defenseman Ives Lafrois.

Two future hall-of-famers announced that the 1979-80 season would be their last one in the PHL. LA’s Gilbert Giroux and Minnesota’s Guy Dupont both announced they would retire at season’s end. Giroux’s career began in 1959 with the Quebec Nationale, while Dupont began playing for the Montreal Royale in 1961 before moving to Minnesota in 1966.

SporTech, PHL, Unveil "Revolutionary" New Pants

On July 2, 1979, SporTech released the second part of their new uniform system. After revealing mesh uniforms for all 24 PHL clubs last season, the company has now released an experimental pant design that features long pants rather than the traditional padded shorts and socks. SporTech hopes that this revolutionary design will help to streamline the player, making the game faster. Long Island and Edmonton, the league's two newest franchises, were selected to test the new pants this season, while LA volunteered to try them. It is reported that at two more teams may test the equipment in 1980-81 as well as SporTech hopes to have all 24 clubs into the full new uniform by '81-82 if all goes well.

1979 Lewis Cup Finals

The Minnesota Lumberjacks went into the 1979 Lewis Cup Finals as the clear favorites, but there was no question Toronto had the most fan support. “Canada’s Team” had not reached the finals since the last time they won the title in 1964 and Racers fever was sweeping the country. Over 16,000 fans packed the Twin Cities Forum for game one, and they would get to go home happy as Jimmy Andrews, Phil Reid, and Will Cody each scored in a 3-1 Minnesota win. Game two would be more of the same, with Minnesota taking an early 3-0 lead. Toronto would attempt to mount a comeback with two goals in the third period from Charlie Fisher and Alan Knight, but it would be too little too late as Reid scored the empty-netter to seal the victory for Minnesota and a 2-0 series lead. Game three would be an emotional one at the Queen Elizabeth Arena, with the noise from the sellout crowd nearly bringing the aging building down. Former Racers legends Mark Benson, Bobby Kitchen, and Don Fredericks were also in attendance, adding to the atmosphere. The Racers rode the emotion to a hard-fought 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Knight, Ted Lovell, and Joe Dowling. Game four would go to four overtimes, making it the longest game in Lewis Cup Finals history. Late in the third overtime, Toronto goaltender Ralph Morello made an enormous glove save on Guy Dupont, earning a standing ovation. Finally, Toronto tough guy Rex Hull ended the marathon with a scrappy goal from the side of the net to tie the series 2-2 while the celebration in the stands spilled onto Yorke Street and throughout downtown Toronto. For the first time in the series, Toronto fans truly felt like they had a chance to win it all. 

Game five back in Minneapolis would be another close one. Charlie Fisher scored early for Toronto before Phil Reid tied it for Minnesota just minutes later. The game remained tied through two more periods to go into overtime once again. It would end much quicker this time, however, as Guy Dupont, who was without a goal all series, won the faceoff, passed the puck to Roland Webb who took a shot. Morello made the first stop but Dupont was right on the doorstep and tapped it in to give the Lumberjacks the win. Minnesota was one win away from the Lewis Cup. Back in Toronto for game six, the Racers played admirably with their backs against the wall. Minnesota went up 2-0 early thanks to goals from Dupont and Reid. Late in the second period, Toronto pulled within one on a goal from Todd Beirness. Just seconds into the third, however, Reid scored his second of the game to give Minnesota a 3-1 lead. The Racers tried furiously to tie the game, peppering Bobby Sorel with shots throughout the third, but Sorel was more than up for the challenge. Time eventually wound down and the Lumberjacks players poured off the bench and mobbed Sorel. Despite their disappointment, the sellout crowd at Queen Elizabeth gave their team another standing ovation in appreciation for what the Racers accomplished. As Alan Garcia handed Guy Dupont the Lewis Cup, the Lumberjacks mobbed their captain, all trying to touch the Cup. After years of playoff failures and heartbreak, the Minnesota Lumberjacks were finally Lewis Cup Champions for the second time.

1979 Lewis Cup Playoffs

The LA Wizards entered the 1979 playoffs with high hopes of winning their fourth consecutive Lewis Cup. The Wizards would begin their quest against their cross-state rivals, the California Nuggets. Not surprisingly, the Wizards won game one handily 5-2 with a hat-trick from Stuart Holly. Game two, however, would set the tone for the remainder of the series. California tightened up defensively while goaltender Yvon Tremblay turned in a solid 45-save performance in a 2-1 Nuggets win. After two more solid games from Tremblay and the Nuggets, the three-time defending champions found themselves down three games to one. The Wizards managed a face-saving 2-1 win in game five but would come up short in game six as California pulled off the upset and brought an end to LA’s impressive run. In other Western Conference action the Minnesota Lumberjacks took out Calgary with little difficulty in five games, St. Louis defeated Edmonton in five games, while Denver came all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to force game seven against Chicago, only to lose game seven 4-3 in double overtime to the Shamrocks.

In the East, Pittsburgh jumped to a 3-1 series lead against Detroit, but ultimately lost the following three games as Detroit won their first series since their dynasty days. Washington pulled off an upset of their own in seven games over Ottawa. It would be the first playoff series win for the franchise since 1956. Toronto upset New York four games to one, while Montreal won the battle of Quebec in six hard-fought games.

In the second round, the Minnesota Lumberjacks went into their series against the California Nuggets with extra motivation. With the LA Wizards eliminated, this was the Lumberjacks best shot in years at winning a title. California came up big, however, winning games two and three to take a 2-1 series lead. Knowing he had to step up, Guy Dupont scored two goals including the winner in game four, and scored the overtime winner in game five to give the Lumberjacks an opportunity to advance in game six. Minnesota dominated game six, winning 4-2 and advancing to the Western Conference Finals. In other second round action, Washington never stood a chance against Montreal, losing to the Royale in a sweep, Toronto defeated Detroit in five games, while Chicago upset St. Louis in seven games thanks to the heroic play in net from Tim Massey.

As the Conference Finals got underway, Montreal’s confidence was soaring high after a decisive sweep against Washington. The Royale earned a 4-1 win against Toronto in game one, but disaster struck. Montreal captain Gilbert Houle crashed heavily into the boards, separating his shoulder. Houle would miss the remainder of the series. Early in game two, superstar defenseman Pierre Gervais fractured his ankle while blocking a shot, Toronto went on to win the game 4-0. Game three was a full-on disaster for Montreal as the Racers routed the Royale 7-1. Toronto then followed up with a 4-1 win in game four to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. On the ropes for game five, the Royale managed to squeak out a 2-1 win, but it would be too little too late. Toronto took game six 4-0 to win the series and advance to their first Lewis Cup Finals since 1964.

In the Western Conference Final, Minnesota faced their fierce rivals, the Chicago Shamrocks for the right to play for the Lewis Cup. The teams didn’t waste any time going at each other. In the first two games, several fights broke out as Minnesota took a 2-0 series lead. In game three, Chicago came out strong in the first period to jump to a 3-0 lead. Phil Reid scored early in the third period, but Tim Massey shut the Lumberjacks down throughout the rest of the game as Chicago closed the gap to 2-1. Captain Guy Dupont stepped up once again in game four, scoring twice as the two teams skated to a 2-2 tie through regulation. Toward the end of the first overtime, James Cummings scored for Minnesota to give the Lumberjacks a 3-2 win and a chance to win the series in game five. Riding the momentum through game five, Roland Webb, Jeff Schneider, and Phil Reid each scored as Minnesota won the game 3-1, advancing to the Lewis Cup Finals for the first time since their 1971 victory.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

1978-79 Regular Season

Summary

There were many intriguing story lines entering the 1978-79 season. After a disappointing end to a terrific 1977-78 season, the Minnesota Lumberjacks entered the new season once again with high hopes. During the summer, the Lumberjacks made a big trade, acquiring superstar Phil Reid from Boston. The trade meant that Minnesota was serious about contending for a championship. Captain Guy Dupont was once again confident that his team was the team to beat. The confidence was justified as Minnesota finished the regular season first overall in the Western Conference and second overall in the league with Dupont scoring a career-best 54 goals. The Lumberjacks nearly took first overall in the league with an identical record to Montreal, but settled for second due to the Royale’s better goal differential. In Pittsburgh, the Stingers proved that their incredible season in 1977-78 was no fluke. Danny Stevenson enjoyed another big season, scoring 57 goals to lead the league as Pittsburgh took third place in the East to return to the post-season. 

The three time defending champion LA Wizards dropped a little in ’77-’78, finishing fifth overall and third in the Western Conference. LA’s drop was partly due to a mid-season injury to Stuart Holly. The St. Louis Spirits finally broke the 50-win barrier. David Appleby enjoyed a big year scoring 55 goals. It was the first time ever that three players scored 50 goals in the same season. Several other teams enjoyed much-improved seasons including California, who earned 90 points, Edmonton, who had their first winning record, Toronto, who also enjoyed a winning season for the first time since 1971. 

Vancouver, Dallas, and Winnipeg continued to struggle in the West, all three teams were unable to reach 30 wins, while Seattle missed the post-season once again. But the league’s worst team was by far the Long Island Concordes, who finished in last place with only ten wins. With frustration setting in for Long Island after 23 straight losses in February, the budding cross-town rivalry with the New York Civics boiled over. When the Civics’ Dave Tobin scored to make the score 7-0, Long Island’s Gerald Garner jumped Tobin and a line brawl ensued. When the teams reconvened in Manhattan two weeks later, the benches cleared. Every player got involved. Including the goaltenders Gil Brady and Mike Gilles. The brawl summed up a tough, frustrating season for Long Island. As the post-season approached, almost all eyes were on LA. Stuart Holly would return from his injury in time for game one against rival California. With stiff competition across both the league and the Western Conference, the big question would be whether the Wizards would claim a fourth consecutive title, or would there be a new Lewis Cup Champion.