New Looks Unveiled For 1983-84 Season

Three teams updated their looks in the summer of 1983. The Philadelphia Redshirts made the first update to their logo in over half a century, adding more detail to the liberty bell while adjusting it's shape. The uniforms remain mostly unchanged.

The Edmonton Northern Lights kept their logo unchanged but unveiled new uniforms. The uniforms are more modern than the previous ones, with black now featured more prominently while neon green is slightly reduced. The stripes on the bottom create a gradient effect.

Finally, the Chicago Shamrocks unveiled a logo to honor their late founder, Frederick Charles Garfield. The logo is the Shamrocks logo with the initials "FCG" superimposed over it. The patch will be worn on the right shoulder.

1983 Lewis Cup Finals

Before it even began, the 1983 Lewis Cup Finals promised to be spectacular. Each team had finished first in their respective conferences and there was no shortage of compelling storylines. Danny Stevenson and the Stingers, determined to redeem themselves after the disappointment of ’82, and the Chicago Shamrocks, equally determined to win one last championship for their dying founder. Game one in Chicago was face-paced and very physical, as both teams sought to establish themselves early on. Danny Stevenson scored first for Pittsburgh, but the lead didn’t last long. Two goals from Gaganov just six minutes later gave the Shamrocks the lead. Eventually the game went into overtime, where Rudy Hunter proved to be the hero, giving Chicago a 1-0 series lead. After the Shamrocks took game two 5-4, The Stingers felt the pressure to win at home. Stevenson totaled three goals in games three and four while Nate Carroll added two of his own including the eventual winner in a 3-0 victory in game four. The series was now tied 2-2.

Heading back to Chicago for game five, Pittsburgh knew they had to figure out how to win at home if they hoped to take the series. The two teams went goal-for-goal throughout regulation, leading to yet another overtime game. Early in the first overtime, Vladimir Gaganov found himself on a breakaway. The crowd rose out of their seats and began to cheer, until Jakob Martensson stopped him cold with an unbelievable glove save. Martensson and Massey both refused to yield despite golden opportunities for both teams. One overtime turned into two, then three, then four. In the fifth overtime, the game finally appeared to be over when Pittsburgh’s Terry Willis finally beat Tim Massey but rung it off the post. The marathon had already set a new record for longest game in Lewis Cup history when it went into a sixth extra frame. Four minutes into the sixth overtime, Stingers Defenseman Dave Ritter’s point shot finally found the back of the net. The exhausted Stingers slowly left the bench to celebrate. It was now almost 3:00 AM local time, yet most of the fans stayed to the bitter end. It was a heartbreaking end to an epic contest for the Shamrocks, but they knew they had to put in behind them quickly as they now faced a must-win game six in Pittsburgh.

Given the unusual circumstances from game five, league president Alan Garcia made a decision to move game six back one day to give the teams an extra day of rest. The Shamrocks received a surprise just prior to game six. Fred Garfield Sr., despite his quickly failing health, had made the journey all the way to Pittsburgh. “This team is my life” said Garfield to a reporter. “I won’t be going anywhere until they finish the job.” The Shamrocks came out flying in game six. Defenseman Marcus Ekman scored early, then rookie Graham Boswell scored to give Chicago a 2-0 lead. The Stingers would not go down easy though. Stevenson scored his sixth of the series to bring the game within one, then assisted on a Dave Breedon goal to tie the game. Tension continued to build throughout the third period before Dave Hawthorne, the only player left on the Shamrocks that the senior Garfield had recruited himself, scored to put Chicago up 3-2. Seconds later, another veteran, Don Newman, put the Shamrocks up by two. Pittsburgh made a desperate push as Nate Carroll scored to bring the game within one. With 1.8 seconds on the clock, Danny Stevenson fanned with a wide open net. Chicago barely held on to force game seven back in the Windy City.

18050 nervous fans packed into Lincoln Sports Arena on May 30, 1983 for what would turn out to be one of the most classic games in PHL history. The Lewis Cup was in Chicago for the first time since 1965 and the home fans were determined to see their beloved Shamrocks finally take it home. Danny Stevenson and the Stingers had other ideas, however. Stevenson once again opened the scoring for Pittsburgh, yet failed to quiet the raucous home crowd, who erupted a minute later when Gaganov tied the game. The teams battled hard to a 3-3 tie as both goaltenders fought to preserve the tie and give their teams an opportunity to win. With less than two minutes to go, Chicago’s Rob Saskin rung a hard shot off the post. The clock wound down and the game went into overtime. One last overtime, the next goal would decide the championship. Both teams exchanged opportunities early in the overtime, but it was the Shamrocks who found themselves camped out in the Pittsburgh zone. Martensson turned away shot after shot but the Stingers couldn’t clear the puck. Finally, Graham Boswell planted himself next to the net. Nobody in the building saw him except Don Newman, who fed him a perfect pass. Without hesitation, Boswell flipped the puck over Martensson’s pad and into the net. The crowd erupted while Boswell repeatedly leaped into the air. The Shamrocks piled off the bench and celebrated their first Lewis Cup Championship in 28 years.

Interestingly for the Stingers, Danny Stevenson became the first in Lewis Cup history from the losing team to be named playoff MVP, but it was little consolation for the 33-year-old. “They have a great team, they earned the Cup, but it doesn’t make it any easier” said a heartbroken Stevenson.

When Alan Garcia handed the Cup to captain Don Newman, Newman immediately placed it in the lap of Fred Garfield, who had joined the celebration on the ice. The entire team posed for a picture with their former owner. “I just wanted to see my boys win one more time.” Said Garfield, overcome with emotion. “This is the greatest moment of my life.”

Boswell’s goal would go down as one of the most famous in PHL history, often referred to by Chicago fans simply as “The Goal”. Just three weeks after game seven, Fred Garfield Sr. passed away at his son’s home in Chicago, he was 91.

1983 Playoffs

Round 1

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh (1) vs Quebec (8)

After Pittsburgh takes the first two games at home, Quebec jumps to a 3-2 series lead before a Danny Stevenson hat-trick in game six turns the momentum. Nate Carroll's two-goal effort in game seven propels the Stingers to the second round.

Nova Scotia (2) vs Boston (7)

After surrendering a 2-0 lead in game one, the Bulldogs never got back into the series. Rookie Brent MacDonald played brilliantly in games three and four as Nova Scotia would advance to round 2 for the first time in a decade with a four game sweep.

Washington (3) vs Long Island (6)

After splitting the first four games, the Generals moved ahead 3-2 with a decisive 6-1 victory in game five. The series appeared to be over. However in game six, Stuart Burns scored twice including the OT winner to tie the series. Burns scored again in OT in game seven to give Long Island their first-ever series victory.

Ottawa (4) vs Montreal (5)

Ottawa won the first two games decisively at home, but Montreal eked out an overtime win in game three on a goal from veteran Gilbert Houle. It would be the last goal of Houle’s career as Ottawa won the next two in overtime to advance in five games. Houle announced his retirement following the loss in game five.

Western Conference

Chicago (1) vs Calgary (8)

This series was tight all the way through. The teams split the first four, Chicago moved ahead with an OT win in game five, and Calgary tied it with an OT win of their own in game six.  Vladimir Gaganov scored two goals including the eventual winner in a 4-1 game seven victory for the Shamrocks.

California (2) vs LA (7)

The battle of California was not nearly as close as it had been previously. Stuart Holly and Ray Fowler each had two goals in game three as LA won 6-5 to bring the series deficit to within one. But early in game four, Fowler suffered a concussion after a devastating hit from Bobby Murphy. Fowler missed the remainder of the series and the Nuggets took it in five games.

St. Louis (3) vs Minnesota (6)

David Appleby made life a living nightmare for Bobby Sorel, scoring a hat-trick in game one, followed by four goals in a 6-1 game two rout. After Sorel allowed two goals in on the first two Spirits shots – including one from Appleby- in game three, the ‘Jacks pulled him in favour of Rob Gilliard. Gilliard stopped 37 of 38 shots directed at him but the Spirits won anyway 3-2. Game four was the first time in Lumberjacks history that Sorel did not start a playoff game as Gilliard got the nod once again. It did not go so well for the 28-year-old netminder this time, however, as Appleby and Grant Millen each scored two in a 4-2 St. Louis win to complete the sweep.

Seattle (4) vs Denver (5)

The Grey Wolves entered their second playoff appearance determined for a better showing than their first. Denver seemed to have other plans, however, as the Bulls jumped to a quick 2-0 series lead with a pair of overtime victories. Back in Seattle, the Wolves responded with an overtime win of their own in game three before tying the series with a 5-3 victory in game four. Seattle kept rolling as the series returned to Denver with a 5-2 victory, then finally clinched their first-ever series win in game six with a 4-1 win.

Round 2

Eastern Conference

Pittsburgh (1) vs Long Island (6)

Long Island had high hopes after their huge upset over Washington, unfortunately they would run into a very strong Stingers squad in round 2. Led by Danny Stevenson, who scored four goals in the series, and brilliant goaltending from rookie Jakob Martensson, The Stingers made short work of the Concordes in four straight games.

Nova Scotia (2) vs Ottawa (4)

Brent MacDonald continued his solid play in net for the Claymores in game 1, stopping fifteen shots in the first period. Disaster struck early in the second, however, when Tony Knight’s point shot hit MacDonald square in the mask, bending one of the bars and giving him a concussion. Ottawa went on to win the game 4-3 in overtime and eventually took a commanding 3-1 series lead. MacDonald courageously returned for game five in Halifax and his presence sparked the Claymores to a 3-2 win, but it was too little too late. Nova Scotia made a strong push in game six, forcing the game to double overtime, but Derrick Rowe scored early in the second OT to give Ottawa a 4-3 win and a 4-2 series victory.

Western Conference

Chicago (1) vs Seattle (4)

What should’ve been a blowout actually turned out to be one of the most thrilling series of all time. The Shamrocks were heavily favoured after their record breaking season, while the Grey Wolves were just lucky to be in the second round at all. However it was the Wolves that found themselves up 3-1 in the series after the first four games. Chicago was facing yet another playoff failure when they received a visit from their original owner and founder, 91-year-old Fred Garfield. Garfield had been in the hospital and his health was beginning to fade. Doctors said he had only a couple of months left to live. Defying doctors’ orders he insisted on attending all Shamrocks home playoff games and his presence inspired the team to two big wins to force the series to a game seven. Game seven would go into overtime where Rudy Hunter scored on a breakaway to send Chicago to the Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in six seasons.

California (2) vs St. Louis (3)

The California Nuggets were coming off a dominating performance against LA in the first round, but facing David Appleby and the high-flying Spirits proved to be their biggest challenge yet. Game one went to the Nuggets, but that was as good as it got for California for the next three games as Appleby put the team on his back, scoring four goals in three games while Grant Millen scored three as St. Louis jumped to a 3-1 series lead. The Nuggets won a game five in which they were badly outplayed purely out of desperation. Game six was never as close as the score would indicate. Millen scored his first career playoff hat-trick as the defending champions closed out the Nuggets and advanced to the Western Conference Final.

Round 3

Eastern Conference Final

Pittsburgh (1) vs Ottawa (4)

Ottawa entered the conference final round full of confidence after two fairly dominating performances in the first two round. However the Stingers were a whole new level of competition. Danny Stevenson once again led the charge for Pittsburgh as they jumped to a 2-0 series lead at home. Back in Ottawa, the Beavers managed a hard-fought overtime win to come within a game, but the Stingers proved to be too much for them in game four. Ottawa scored early and nursed the lead through two periods, but Risto Rautianen, Nate Carroll, and Greg Holt each scored in the third period as Pittsburgh won the game 3-1 and moved ahead in the series by the same tally. Stevenson found his way back on the scoresheet in game five with two goals after being kept goalless in games three and four as the Stingers won 4-1 to return to the Lewis Cup Finals for the second year in a row. “It feels great to be back in the final, but we still have unfinished business” said Stevenson. “Now we have something you don’t always get in hockey and that’s a second chance to finish what we started last year.”

Chicago (1) vs St. Louis (3)

Before the first puck was even dropped this series was guaranteed to be a classic and it did not disappoint. The defending champion Spirits were feeling cocky entering the rematch from the previous year. “This is just another step for us, make no mistake, we will be in the finals again this year.” Said winger Jay Cross when asked about facing the powerful Shamrocks. Chicago was determined to make Cross eat his words, winning the first two games at home, both in overtime. Game two set a PHL record for most overtime games in a single playoff year, and there would be more. St. Louis won handily 6-2 in game three with Dave Appleby scoring twice, but Chicago would take a commanding 3-1 series lead with another OT win in game four. The Spirits were on their heels in game five but responded with an emotional 3-2 win in a game that saw frustration boil over in the third period as several fights broke out. Game six went into triple OT before Kevin Cummins found the back of the net to force a game seven in Chicago. Fred Garfield Sr., who had been back in the hospital, once again insisted on attending game seven and his presence once again inspired his team. Trying desperately to tie a 3-2 game at the end of the third, St. Louis pulled Ricky Spooner. After a couple of huge saves by Time Massey veteran Eddie Gibbs finally cleared the zone and slid the puck into the open net. Chicago was headed to the Lewis Cup Finals for the first time in 18 years.

1982-83 Regular Season

The 1982-83 season was characterized mainly by large gaps between the top teams and the bottom teams. The balance of power continued to shift as 70s powerhouses like LA, Minnesota, and New York continued to decline, while newer clubs like Seattle and Long Island finally began having success. The regular season, however, would belong to the Chicago Shamrocks, who had not finished first in their division or in the League since 1948. Chicago finished with an all-time high 58 wins and 125 points while Vladimir Gaganov led the league in scoring with 117 points. Tim Massey enjoyed one of his most spectacular seasons in net, setting a new PHL record with 12 shutouts. The defending champion St. Louis Spirits mounted a serious challenge for the Shamrocks, finishing with 118 points to settle for second in the Central as David Appleby continued his strong play with 103 points. In February, the two teams met in Chicago in an epic showdown between the league’s two top players. David Appleby enjoyed his first five-goal game of his career as the Spirits led Chicago 5-2 after two periods. Gaganov had one of Chicago’s goals. In the third, Gaganov exploded for four more goals to complete a five-goal game of his own as the Shamrocks completed the comeback. It was the first time in PHL history that two players each scored five goals in one game.

The Dallas Metros took a step back in ‘82-83, finishing with only 21 wins thanks mostly to an injury to Bruce Gratton in January that caused him to miss the remainder of the season. In the Pacific, California won the Division once again, but all eyes were on the Seattle Grey Wolves. The Wolves toiled in last place until Christmas before Pete Holloway and Jake Fairbanks caught fire. The duo led Seattle to 18 straight victories and a miraculous second place finish in the Pacific Division. LA’s decline continued as the Holly/Fowler duo was hampered by injuries, while Calgary just barely made the playoffs despite winning less than 30 games for the first time in five years. Vancouver and Edmonton once again missed the playoffs with Edmonton finishing at the bottom of the league standings.

In the Eastern Conference, Danny Stevenson and the Pittsburgh Stingers once again emerged as the team to beat, winning 50 games. The Nova Scotia Claymores, after years of rebuilding, were the surprise team of the year, winning the Northeast Division with 48 wins as rookie goaltender Brent MacDonald was just barely edged out by Tim Massey for the Whyte Trophy for top goaltender. Ottawa and Washington once again enjoyed strong, 100 point seasons, while Long Island returned to the post-season as Stuart Burns finally enjoyed a breakout season.

The Boston/Philadelphia rivalry was revived in a big way in the winter of 1983 as both teams battled neck and neck for the final playoff spot in the East. Both teams seemed destined to make it early on until a late surge by Quebec made it a three-team race for two spots. It appeared Philadelphia had the upper hand on Boston until a particularly bloody home-and-home series with the Bulldogs. Boston edged the Redshirts 4-3 in a fight-filled game in Philly on March 5 before blowing Philly out 11-1 in Boston the following night. Philadelphia, angry that they had let such an important game get so far out of reach, sent out a line of their toughest players including Roy Jones, Kurt “The Hurt” Hopkins, and Gary Nichols. The Bulldogs responded with three tough customers of their own in Ralph Dixon, Casey Oaks, and Colin Fleming. Several line brawls later the rivalry was reborn. The Redshirts playoff hopes, however, were dead. Boston secured the final spot in the Atlantic, while Quebec took the final spot in the Northeast and in the Eastern Conference.

1982 Off-Season

1982 Entry Draft

The 1982 PHL Entry Draft was a strong one and a diverse one that saw an increase in the number of American and European players selected. Edmonton held the first pick and selected talented center Chris Blythe from Red Deer, AB first overall. Blythe had led the prairie league in scoring in 1981-82 and it was hoped he would become the Northern Lights’ franchise cornerstone. Seattle also picked up another talented forward to add to their already impressive young forward core, selecting Jason Radford with the second pick. Vancouver took American high school sensation Bruce Blackwell third. Blackwell is committed to the University of Michigan for 1982-83 but the Bighorns hope they can convince him to turn pro early. Long Island got their franchise defenseman in Theo Spruce, while Philadelphia selected Swedish phenom Magnus Swedberg to round out the top five. Other interesting picks included some players selected by their hometown teams including Boston native Ken Peters, selected by the Bulldogs, and Cole Harbour, NS native Brent MacDonald, selected by the Nova Scotia Claymores. Denver and Edmonton made the only trade on draft day, with the Northern Lights sending Paul Murphy to the Bulls for the Bulls’ pick, which became goaltender Wes Simmons.

1.      Edmonton – Chris Blythe, F, CAN

2.      Seattle – Jason Radford, F, CAN

3.      Vancouver – Bruce Blackwell, F, USA

4.      Long Island – Theo Sprouse, D, CAN

5.      Philadelphia – Magnus Swedberg, F, SWE

6.      Dallas – Shayne Boggs, F, CAN

7.      Toronto – Scott Whitmore, F, CAN

8.      Detroit – Justin Brand, D, USA

9.      Calgary – Brett Swift, D, CAN

10.   Winnipeg – Jon Barhart, D, CAN

11.   Boston – Ken Peters, F, USA

12.   Montreal – Kimo Liikanen, D, FIN

13.   New York – Joe Gaines, F, USA

14.   Nova Scotia – Brent MacDonald, G, CAN

15.   Edmonton (From Denver) – Wes Simmons, G, CAN

16.   Quebec – Jeff Noland, D, USA

17.   LA – Greg Nolan, F, CAN

18.   Washington –  Maxime Trepanier, F, CAN

19.   Minnesota – Toivo Nevalainen, F, FIN

20.   Chicago – Graham Boswell, F, CAN

21.   Ottawa – Ken Creighton, D, CAN

22.   Pittsburgh – Jakob Martensson, G, SWE

23.   St. Louis – Josh Davis, F, CAN

24.   California – John Dawson, F, GB

Notable Retirements:

Gil Brady, G, NYC, 1968-1982

Gil Brady backstopped the Civics for 14 seasons, helping them win the Lewis Cup in 1975, as well as a finals appearances in 1973. Brady is considered by many to be the greatest goaltender in New York’s history.

Ted Mulroney, F, PHI, STL, 1963-1962

Ted Mulroney played four years in the PHL for the Redshirts before jumping to the GHL with the St. Louis Spirits. After three years in the GHL including a Griffith Cup title in 1967, Mulroney returned to the PHL with the Spirits as part of the PHL/GHL merger. He would play 13 more years in St. Louis before finally winning the Lewis Cup, even scoring the winning goal, in 1982.

John Duffy, F, NS, 1961-1982

Antigonish, NS native John Duffy joined the Claymores in their third year as a franchise and would play 21 seasons with the team, helping them to a Lewis Cup title in 1967. An underrated offensive talent, Duffy retired in 1982 as the all-time team leader in scoring.

Doug Williams, F, BUF, MIN, 1962-1982

After several tough seasons in Buffalo through the 1960s, Doug Williams was eventually traded to Minnesota, where he helped the Lumberjacks to two Lewis Cups in 1972 and 1979.

Rogier LeFlamme, F, MTL, 1962-1982

Although he played something of a background role to stars like Gilbert Houle and Emmett Hudson, Rogier Leflamme was a steady presence for Montreal throughout the 1960s and ‘70s, winning two Lewis Cups with the Royale in 1966 and ’68.

Transactions

Edmonton trades F Paul Murphy to Denver in exchange for 15^st overall draft pick.

Denver gets a solid veteran player as they make a push for the Lewis Cup, while Edmonton uses the 15^th pick on goaltender Wes Simmons, who they hope will be their franchise goalie someday.

Chicago trades F Richie Smith to Vancouver in exchange for F Rudy Hunter.

Vancouver continues to unload veteran stars while Chicago adds to their stacked lineup with underrated star Hunter. The Bighorns get a top-quality prospect in Smith.

News

The biggest news item of 1982 was the selection of Philadelphia, PA as the host city for the 1984 World Hockey Challenge. The games will be played at the new PhillyDome, a 32,000-seat arena (and the new home of the Redshirts) that will open in the fall of 1983.

In other news, George Allen resigned as Long Island’s head coach. The 61-year-old former star player allegedly had a falling out with team management. “Now they can go get a real coach.” Said a very disgruntled Allen. The Concordes hired rookie coach Cam Norten to take Allen’s place. Denver fired head coach Roy Connolly, replacing him with former Montreal assistant Jacques Fortune.

Bulldogs Unveil New Logo, Uniforms

The Boston Bulldogs unveiled a new look just eight days after the 1982 Lewis Cup Finals ended. The 'Dogs new primary logo is a big departure from their more cartoonish-looking bulldog used since 1967 and bears more of a resemblance to the logo used from 1953-'67. The uniforms have been changed only slightly, with the stripes becoming wider and a greater emphasis on Red on the white home jersey. The paw print shoulder patches remain unchanged.

"As we move towards a very bright future in Bulldogs hockey, we really wanted the right look to go with our team's style of play" said team owner Don Walton, who took control of the team from his father in 1979. "This new bulldog is more aggressive and intimidating, it's more serious. That's what we want our team to be about."

Team captain Jeff Coleman, who's 17-year career with the Bulldogs now spanned three logos, offered his thoughts as well. "I like it, it looks scary, like he's ready to attack."

Walton also confirmed speculation that a red jersey was given strong consideration, but was rejected due to similarities to Boston's most hated rival. "It reminded us too much of Philly." said Walton. "Red is their color, black has always been ours, we hate that team, everything about them. The last thing we want is to look like them."

Speaking of the Redshirts, They are rumored to be looking into a new logo for the 1983-84 season.

1982 Lewis Cup Finals

The 1982 Lewis Cup Finals would pit the St. Louis Spirits against the Pittsburgh Stingers, two of the top up-and-coming teams in the PHL both looking for their first Lewis Cup. Although St. Louis was favored to win, it was only by a very slim margin. The matchup was highlighted by two superstar forwards, Danny Stevenson of Pittsburgh, and David Appleby of St. Louis. Neither player would disappoint. Despite still being bothered by a shoulder injury he had suffered at the start of the playoffs, Stevenson played one of the best games of his career, scoring all four goals in a 4-3 Pittsburgh victory in game one. St. Louis would tie the series at one apiece with a 4-3 in game two before David Appleby put on a clinic of his own in game three in Pittsburgh, scoring a hat-trick as the game went into overtime. Just 22 seconds into the first overtime, Kevin Cummins scored to give the Spirits the win and a 2-1 series lead. Game four would be the third consecutive overtime game, but this one would not end nearly as quickly as game three. Ricky Spooner and Gary Bowen each turned in a spectacular effort as one overtime turned into two. Towards the end of the second overtime, Stevenson beat Spooner with a hard wrist shot but hit the post. Twelve minutes into the third overtime, Stevenson beat Spooner again but this time would not be denied as the Stingers tied the series 2-2. In game five, Dave Farris opened the scoring for Pittsburgh while Gary Bowen made 17 saves in the first period. It appeared the Stingers would pull ahead with the series lead. However just 90 seconds into the second period, Grant Millen and David Appleby each scored just seconds apart to give the Spirits a 2-1 lead. In the third period, Appleby scored again while Niklas Ekberg scored the empty netter to seal the victory and a 3-2 series lead. St. Louis was just one win away from winning the Lewis Cup. 

With the Cup in the building for game six, all the pressure was on Pittsburgh to win at home and extend the series. The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period before Dave Breedon put the Stingers up minutes into the second. The lead held up for just over five minutes before Appleby scored to tie it 2-2. The score remained tied through to the third period. It appeared the game might go to overtime again as both goaltenders stood their ground. With just six minutes left, Stevenson nearly scored but was robbed by Ricky Spooner with a beautiful glove save. Finally, with just twelve seconds left, 19-year veteran Ted Mulroney found himself on a breakaway. As soon as he crossed the blueline he slapped it on net. To the crowd’s shock, the puck found its way past Bowen into the net. The St. Louis players spilled off the bench and mobbed Mulroney, forgetting that they still had twelve seconds left to play. During the dying seconds, Pittsburgh did manage one more shot on goal, but Spooner answered with a big save as the seconds wound down and the Spirits celebrated for real this time. David Appleby was named playoff MVP, becoming the only player in league history to score at least one goal in every game in the Lewis Cup Finals. Ted Mulroney announced his retirement from the game after 19 seasons, stating that his career “could not have ended any better.” Thirteen seasons after the PHL/GHL merger, the St. Louis Spirits were now the fourth former GHL team to claim the Lewis Cup.