1975-76 San Diego Mariners
Record: 36-38-6, 78 pts
Finish: 3rd, West
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Houston
Coach: Ron Ingram
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Preview, 1975-76 • Pro Hockey 1975-76 WHA • by Dan Proudfoot
The San Diego Mariners' amazing finish to the 1974-75 World Hockey Association schedule at once underlined the team's strength and its most serious weakness. The Mariners won eight of their final 10 games mostly because Andre Lacroix, their amazing little center, amassed 31 points during that brief period of time. An average of two points a game is considered an incredible pace but here, as the Mariners fought for a playoff position in the western division, Lacroix was averaging three. The burst carried Lacroix to the WHA scoring championship and the Mariners to a second-place finish. But then came the playoffs. After the Mariners eliminated the disorganized Toronto Toros in the opening round, they fell apart in the second series when the opposition concentrated on checking Lacroix. The Mariners, with their leader stalled, had no one else to take care of the scoring. Mariner manager-coach Ron Ingram noted carefully what happened, and realized fully that the only way to improve in the future is to add scoring. "Looking back," says Ingram, "you can't say anything went wrong for us in the playoffs. Sure, we got beaten four straight, but it was Houston that beat us, and they merely handled us as a championship team would. They also won their next round, the final series against Quebec, four straight. So we had nothing to feel ashamed about. It's just that we have to become a better offensive team overall". The Mariners didn't seriously contemplate trying to break up their top line. Lacroix, Wayne Rivers and Rick Sentes formed the second highest production unit among all WHA forwards, trailing only Ulf Nilsson, Bobby Hull and Anders Hedberg of the Winnipeg Jets. The more likely approach was in pursuing trades to add scoring strength to the second and third attacking units. Failing that, coach Ingram had only the choice of experimenting with more adventure some tactics, encouraging his players to take more chances in pursuit of goals. The new players Mariners announced in the off-season didn't figure to help worry opponents' goaltenders. Brent Hughes, for example, has eight goals since 1970 with an assortment of NHL teams. Don Burgess, from the WHA Vancouver Blazers, shot 11 goals last season. Obviously, the new additions were meant for defensive purposes, leaving Ingram with the same problem he detected at playoff time. The loss of Harry Howell meant a new trouble spot. Howell finally retired, although he undoubtedly could have helped this year despite his 43 years. As playing coach he was capable of leading his team both by example and with advice. Mariners also lost Ron Plumb, the young defense man whom they had on loan from the Cincinnati Stingers. So comes the harsh conclusion. The Mariners were publicized as the Cinderella team of 1974-75, but they realize now that while it was all great fun, there's much serious work to do — just keeping up with the rapidly improving franchises within the Western division The Mariners did sign one promising youngster, Alex Tidey, from Lethbridge, who scored 42 goals and 54 assists in his final year of junior hockey. It will make Ingram's job immeasurably easy if Tidey can apply his scoring skills in 1975-76. |
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Don Burgess acquired from Calgary for future considerations, Jun 1975
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
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no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
1. Oct 10 @ Phoenix 5-6 L 0-1-0 0 5-6 41. Jan 11 @ New England 4-8 L 18-19-4 40 157-147
2. Oct 11 Phoenix 2-4 L 0-2-0 0 7-10 42. Jan 15 Minnesota *5-4 W 19-19-4 42 162-151
3. Oct 16 Indianapolis 3-0 W 1-2-0 2 10-10 43. Jan 17 Cleveland 5-4 W 20-19-4 44 167-155
4. Oct 18 Winnipeg 2-1 W 2-2-0 4 12-11 44. Jan 21 @ Minnesota 5-6 L 20-20-4 44 172-161
5. Oct 23 Minnesota 4-4 T 2-2-1 5 16-15 45. Jan 23 @ Minnesota 7-1 W 21-20-4 46 179-162
6. Oct 25 Minnesota 6-1 W 3-2-1 7 22-16 46. Jan 24 Toronto 6-4 W 22-20-4 48 185-166
7. Oct 30 Houston 2-4 L 3-3-1 7 24-20 47. Jan 25 @ Phoenix 5-7 L 22-21-4 48 190-173
8. Nov 2 @ Edmonton 3-5 L 3-4-1 7 27-25 48. Jan 27 Phoenix *3-4 L 22-22-4 48 193-177
9. Nov 4 @ Calgary 4-4 T 3-4-2 8 31-29 49. Jan 29 Calgary 1-0 W 23-22-4 50 194-177
10. Nov 7 @ Denver *3-2 W 4-4-2 10 34-31 50. Jan 31 Phoenix 6-1 W 24-22-4 52 200-178
11. Nov 8 @ Cincinnati 4-7 L 4-5-2 10 38-38 51. Feb 4 Minnesota 4-1 W 25-22-4 54 204-179
12. Nov 13 Cleveland 3-1 W 5-5-2 12 41-39 52. Feb 5 Cleveland 3-2 W 26-22-4 56 207-181
13. Nov 15 Toronto 4-6 L 5-6-2 12 45-45 53. Feb 8 @ Houston 2-5 L 26-23-4 56 209-186
14. Nov 17 @ Edmonton 3-6 L 5-7-2 12 48-51 54. Feb 10 @ Minnesota 3-6 L 26-24-4 56 212-192
15. Nov 18 @ Calgary 6-2 W 6-7-2 14 54-53 55. Feb 11 Minnesota 2-4 L 26-25-4 56 214-196
16. Nov 20 Denver 5-1 W 7-7-2 16 59-54 56. Feb 14 Houston 5-1 W 27-25-4 58 219-197
17. Nov 22 Edmonton *2-3 L 7-8-2 16 61-57 57. Feb 15 @ Indianapolis 3-2 W 28-25-4 60 222-199
18. Nov 25 Edmonton 7-2 W 8-8-2 18 68-59 58. Feb 17 @ Quebec 2-5 L 28-26-4 60 224-204
19. Nov 27 Quebec 5-1 W 9-8-2 20 73-60 59. Feb 20 @ Toronto 6-4 W 29-26-4 62 230-208
20. Nov 29 Calgary 4-5 L 9-9-2 20 77-65 60. Feb 21 @ Cincinnati 2-3 L 29-27-4 62 232-211
21. Nov 30 @ Houston 4-8 L 9-10-2 20 81-73 61. Feb 25 @ Minnesota *2-1 W 30-27-4 64 234-212
22. Dec 4 Winnipeg 4-5 L 9-11-2 20 85-78 62. Feb 27 @ Phoenix 3-4 L 30-28-4 64 237-216
23. Dec 6 New England 4-1 W 10-11-2 22 89-79 63. Mar 2 New England 3-4 L 30-29-4 64 240-220
24. Dec 11 Indianapolis 3-3 T 10-11-3 23 92-82 64. Mar 4 New England 8-2 W 31-29-4 66 248-222
25. Dec 13 Cincinnati 3-3 T 10-11-4 24 95-85 65. Mar 7 Phoenix 5-2 W 32-29-4 68 253-224
26. Dec 14 @ Phoenix 2-4 L 10-12-4 24 97-89 66. Mar 9 @ Houston 2-9 L 32-30-4 68 255-233
27. Dec 16 @ Houston 4-2 W 11-12-4 26 101-91 67. Mar 11 Houston 4-1 W 33-30-4 70 259-234
28. Dec 18 Cincinnati 7-3 W 12-12-4 28 108-94 68. Mar 13 Houston 2-3 L 33-31-4 70 261-237
29. Dec 19 @ Denver 3-6 L 12-13-4 28 111-100 69. Mar 18 @ Indianapolis 4-4 T 33-31-5 71 265-241
30. Dec 21 Houston 3-1 W 13-13-4 30 114-101 70. Mar 19 @ Houston 3-8 L 33-32-5 71 268-249
31. Dec 23 Quebec 10-4 W 14-13-4 32 124-105 71. Mar 20 Phoenix *3-4 L 33-33-5 71 271-253
32. Dec 26 Phoenix 4-2 W 15-13-4 34 128-107 72. Mar 23 Indianapolis 8-8 T 33-33-6 72 279-261
33. Dec 28 @ Minnesota 2-1 W 16-13-4 36 130-108 73. Mar 25 Cincinnati 9-1 W 34-33-6 74 288-262
34. Dec 30 @ New England 3-5 L 16-14-4 36 133-113 74. Mar 26 @ Phoenix 1-3 L 34-34-6 74 289-265
35. Jan 2 @ Indianapolis 2-0 W 17-14-4 38 135-113 75. Mar 27 Phoenix 2-5 L 34-35-6 74 291-270
36. Jan 3 @ Cincinnati 3-5 L 17-15-4 38 138-118 76. Mar 28 @ Winnipeg 1-6 L 34-36-6 74 292-276
37. Jan 6 @ Toronto 4-6 L 17-16-4 38 142-124 77. Mar 30 @ Houston 4-3 W 35-36-6 76 296-279
38. Jan 7 @ Cleveland 3-8 L 17-17-4 38 145-132 78. Apr 3 @ Cleveland 2-4 L 35-37-6 76 298-283
39. Jan 9 @ New England 5-3 W 18-17-4 40 150-135 79. Apr 4 @ Houston 2-5 L 35-38-6 76 300-288
40. Jan 10 @ Quebec *3-4 L 18-18-4 40 153-139 80. Apr 6 @ Cleveland *3-2 W 36-38-6 78 303-290
pos.
Player
C Adduono, Ray
D Bateman, Jamie
G Blanchet, Bob
RW Bredin, Gary
LW Burgess, Don
C Bye, Brian
LW Devine, Kevin
C Dobek, Bob
D Falkenberg, Bob
RW Ferguson, Norm
LW French, John
G Gillow, Russ
LW Goldthorpe, Bill
D Hargreaves, Jim
D Hughes, Brent
D Jacquith, Gary
C Lacroix, Andre
D Lalonde, Rick
D McMahon, Mike
D McNamee, Pete
C Morenz, Brian
D Morrison, Kevin
C Noris, Joe
LW Peacosh, Gene
RW Rivers, Wayne
RW Tidey, Alex
D Wall, Bob
G Wakely, Ernie
C Walter, Dave
Goaltender
Blanchet, Bob
Gillow, Russ
Wakely, Ernie
• Rights to Joe Noris acquired from Calgary for Dick Sentes, Aug 1975
• John French acquired from New England for future considerations, Oct 1975
• Bill Goldthorpe traded to Denver for Gary Bredin, Nov 1975
• Dave Walter traded to Phoenix for Pete McNamee, Dec 1975
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Calgary 2-1-1 15-11 1-1-0 5-5 1-0-1 10-6
Cincinnati 2-3-1 28-22 2-0-1 19-7 0-3-0 9-15
Cleveland 4-2-0 19-21 3-0-0 11-7 1-2-0 8-14
Denver-Ottawa 2-1-0 11-9 1-0-0 5-1 1-1-0 6-8
Edmonton 1-3-0 15-16 1-1-0 9-5 0-2-0 6-11
Houston 5-7-0 37-50 3-2-0 16-10 2-5-0 21-40
Indianapolis 3-0-3 23-17 1-0-2 14-11 2-0-1 9-6
Minnesota 6-3-1 40-29 3-1-1 21-14 3-2-0 19-15
New England 3-3-0 27-23 2-1-0 15-7 1-2-0 12-16
Phoenix 3-9-0 41-46 3-4-0 25-22 0-5-0 16-24
Quebec 2-2-0 20-14 2-0-0 15-5 0-2-0 5-9
Toronto 2-2-0 20-20 1-1-0 10-10 1-1-0 10-10
Winnipeg 1-2-0 7-12 1-1-0 6-6 0-1-0 1-6
October 3-3-1 24-20 3-2-1 19-14 0-1-0 5-6
November 6-7-1 57-53 4-3-0 30-19 2-4-1 27-34
December 7-4-2 52-40 5-1-2 38-22 2-3-0 14-18
January 8-8-0 67-65 5-1-0 26-17 3-7-0 41-48
February 6-6-0 37-38 6-1-0 14-8 3-5-0 23-30
March 5-8-2 59-63 4-4-1 44-30 1-4-1 15-33
April 1-2-0 7-11 0-0-0 0-0 1-2-0 7-11
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