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Anderson & Hicke Lead Oilers Win in Inaugural Game OTTAWA: Two goals by Ron C. Anderson and Bill Hicke paced the Alberta Oilers to a 7-4 victory over the host Ottawa Nationals in the first regular-season game ever played by the new World Hockey Association. Bob Charlebois scored two goals to lead the Nats in front of 5,006 fans at the Ottawa Civic Centre.
1st period: 1. Alb: Anderson 1 (Harrison, Carlyle) 6:19. 2. Ott: Charlebois 1 (Meloff) 11:06. 3. Alb: Hicke 1 (penalty shot) 16:37. 4. Alb: Hicke 2 (Fisher, Fonteyne) 16:52.
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Gerry Cheevers Turns in Shutout as Cleveland Defeats Quebec CLEVELAND: Gerry Cheevers stopped 21 shots to lead the Cleveland Crusaders over the Quebec Nordiques on the opening night of the WHA. Bob Dillabough and Ron Buchanan scored the Cleveland goals, while Paul Shmyr assisted on both goals. Quebec goaltender Serge Aubry turned in a fine performance in a losing cause, stopping 32 of 34 shots put his way.
1st period: No Scoring.
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Hughes' Late Goal Lifts HOUSTON: A late goal by Frank Hughes gave the Houston Aeros a 3-2 decision over the Chicago Cougars in the inaugural game for both teams. Larry Lund scored a goal and assisted on Hughes' tally to lead the Aeros. Reg Fleming and Jan Popiel led the Chicago offense.
1st period: 1. Hou: Lund 1 (P. Popiel) 1:52.
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Christian Bordeleau Scores NEW YORK: Christian Bordeleau netted four goals to lead the Jets to a 6-4 victory over the Raiders in front of 6,000 fans at New York's Madison Square Garden. Ron Ward, Bobby Sheehan and Ken Block each had three points for the New York attack.
1st period: 1. Wpg: McDonald 1 (Gratton, Zanussi) 8:14. 2. Wpg: Bordeleau 1 (Sutherland, Ash) 13:20. 3. Wpg: Bordeleau 2 (Beaudin) 16:55. 4. NY: Ward 1 (Block, Bradley) 17:20.
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Larry Pleau Secures Whalers BOSTON: Larry Pleau's late goal broke a 3-3 deadlock and gave the New England Whalers a win over the visiting Philadelphia Blazers in the debut game for both teams. Dick Sarrazin and John Cunniff paced the Whaler attack with two points apiece, while Derek Sanderson had two points for the Blazers.
1st period: 1. Phi: Sanderson 1 (O'Donoghue, Cardiff) 6:52. 2. Phi: Plumb 1 (Sanderson, Lacroix) 12:24. 3. NE: Williams 1 (Earl, Cunniff) 13:42.
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Fighting Saints Lose Debut ST. PAUL: The Minnesota Fighting Saints debuted tonight, hosting the Winnipeg Jets. A late goal by Duke Asmundson spoiled the Saints' hopes for victory, giving Winnipeg its second win in as many nights. Mike McMahon had two points for Minnesota.
1st period: 1. Wpg: Bordeleau 5 (Beaudin) 5:54. 2. Min: Connelly 1 (Pearson, Arbour) 10:00. 3. Min: Speck 1 (McMahon) 16:23.
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Sharks Drop Opener; Hale LOS ANGELES: Houston's Larry Hale and Murray Hall had 2 points apiece to lead the Aeros past the Los Angeles Sharks at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Steve Sutherland scored a goal and assisted on the other Shark tally. A crowd of 10,830 was on hand to cheer the Sharks in their debut.
1st period: No Scoring.
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Serge Aubry and Yves Bergeron QUEBEC: Yves Bergeron had one goal and three assists, and Serge Aubry stopped all 28 shots he faced in leading the Quebec Nordiques to their first win in front of a sell-out home crowd at Le Colisee. Renald Leclerc scored twice, while Mike Harvey and Paul Larose each had two assists. The win would be the only one as a head coach for the legendary Maurice Richard, who resigned immediately after the game.
1st period: 1. Que: Lacombe 1 (Harvey, Larose) 3:51; 2. Que: Bergeron 1 (Guite) 9:20; 3. Que: Leclerc 1 (Bergeron)
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Mike Laughton and Bobby Sheehan NEW YORK: Two goals each by Mike Laughton and Bobby Sheehan paced the Raiders to an 8-goal outburst and their first win as a franchise. Ottawa made a game of it with four third-period goals, but could not overcome an early 6-1 New York lead. Mike Boland had three assists for the Nationals, who were still winless after two games in the World Hockey Association.
1st period: 1. Ott: Kirk 1 (King) 3:02; 2. NY: Sheehan 3 (Ward, Ferguson) 8:24; 3. NY: Perry 1 (Block, Ferguson) 11:54; 4. NY: Ward 3 (Douglas) 12:49; 5. NY: Sheehan 4 (Perry) 14:36
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J. P. Leblanc's Two Goals HOUSTON: The Sharks and Aeros traded wins in a home-and-home series, with the Sharks prevailing tonight at the Sam Houston Coliseum behind J. P. Leblanc's two first-period goals. Earl Heiskala and Bart Crashley had two assists to help the Sharks gain their first victory ever.
1st period: 1. LA: Leblanc 1 (Niekamp) 9:55; 2. Hou: Harris 1 (Hoekstra, Larose) 10:29; 3. LA: Leblanc 2 (Myers, Crashley) 10:59; 4. LA: Sutherland 2 (Odrowski, Crashley) 18:59
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Mike Antonovich's First Goal ST. PAUL: Former University of Minnesota standout Mike Antonovich scored his first career goal at 12:22 of the third period to break a 2-2 tie, lifting Minnesota to its first franchise win. Mel Pearson and Bill Klatt also scored for Minnesota, while Bob Sicinski and Bob Whitlock scored for winless Chicago.
1st period: : 1. Min: Pearson 1 (Connelly) 4:31; 2. Chi: Sicinski 1 (Proceviat, Popiel) 7:48; 3. Min: Klatt 1 (Arbour, Morrison) 8:40
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Ottawa Breaks Skid, Wins First OTTAWA: The Nationals broke into the win column for the first time ever after three losses with a convincing 6-2 win over Chicago. Ron Climie scored twice and assisted on another in leading the National attack. He was supported by Wayne Carleton and Bob Charlebois, who had 2 points each. Alas, just 850 people were in attendance at the Ottawa Civic Centre to witness the historic win.
1st period: 1. Ott: Donnelly 1 (Charlebois) 11:32; 2. Ott: Trottier 3 (Charlebois, Leduc) 16:05
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Blanchette's Game Winner LOS ANGELES: Bernie Blanchette scored 27 seconds into the third period, and it proved to be the deciding goal that gave the new Cougars their first win after four losses. Reggie Fleming had two assists, while Dick Proceviat was credited with an empty-net goal to seal the win.
1st period: 1. Chi: Whitlock 2 (Fleming) 15:45
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Blazers Come From Behind PHILADELPHIA: Two third-period goals helped the Philadelphia Blazers overcome visiting Los Angeles, holding on to gain their first-ever win. Andre Lacroix had two goals for the victors, and John Bennett assisted on both late tallies. Bart Crashley had two goals and J. P. Leblanc three assists for the Sharks.
1st period: : 1. Phi: Lacroix 3 (Campeau, Lawson) 6:07; 2. LA: Crashley 4 (Leblanc, McCaskill) 7:57; 3. LA: Crashley 5 (Leblanc, Heiskala) 9:42; 4. LA: Veneruzzo (Leblanc) 18:06
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Bobby Hull Debuts in QUEBEC: Cleared by the courts earlier in the day to play, Bobby Hull took to the ice for the first time as his Jets invaded Le Colisee for a tilt against the Nordiques. Despite 18 shots on goal, Hull was held goalless and managed just a late assist as his Jets fell to Quebec, 3-2. Jean Payette led the Nordique scorers with a goal and an assist. Hull's First Game, Nov 8, 1972
1st period: 1. Que: Roy 1 (Gaudette) 0:21. 2. Wpg: Rousseau 2 (Hornung) 9:03. 3. Que: Payette 4 (Harvey, Guindon) 11:28.
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Bobby Hull Scores First Two WINNIPEG: Still getting his hockey legs under him, Bobby Hull notched his first two WHA goals, opening the scoring against Los Angeles, then clinching the victory with a late goal in the third period. Hull also had an assist on Ab McDonald's game-winning goal early in the final period.
1st period: 1. Wpg: Hull 1 (Hornung) 3:18; 2. LA: MacNeil 2 (Serviss, Slater) 15:33.
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Ron Ward Tallies Five Goals NEW YORK: The New York Raiders, having endured two straight shutout losses, broke out their scoring funk in a big way, as Ron Ward set the WHA record for goals in a game with five. Ward also had an assist for a six-point evening, while teammates Wayne Rivers (five assists) and Brian Bradley (two goals, three assists) had five points apiece.
1st period: 1. NY: Ward 29 (Rivers, Bradley) 18:41. 2. NY: Ward 30 (Rivers, Speer) 19:16.
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Jim Harrison Records Ten EDMONTON: Jim Harrison single-handedly destroyed the New York Raiders by scoring three goals and assisting on seven others for an amazing ten-point evening, leading Alberta to an 11-3 win over New York. Teammate Doug Barrie established a personal best with five points on a goal and four assists.
1st period: 1. Alb: Harrison 19 (Carlin, Patenaude) 4:48. 2. Alb: Fonteyne 7 (Hamilton, Harrison) 5:40. 3. NY: Peacosh 23 (Sheehan, Ward) 7:47. 4. Alb: Hamilton 6 (Harrison, Wall) 11:05. 5. NY: Kennedy 4 (Perry, Willis) 12:43.
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Oilers Score Six Goals in Last EDMONTON: The Fighting Saints had a 5-1 lead with less than 8 minutes to play. Then the Oilers woke up and blitzed Saints' goaltender Jack McCartan with five goals in just over six minutes, and six overall in the final frame, to gain the surprising victory. Eddie Joyal scored twice during the barrage.
1st period: 1. Min: Connelly 28 (Antonovich) 3:58; 2. Min: Klatt 22 (Christiansen, Ball) 10:44.
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Home • Credits & Legal Stuff
Reviews, Podcasts and Media
• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
• Review: US Sports History, by Rick Macales — Feb 6, 2021
• Podcast: Good Seats Still Available, by Tim Hanlon — Feb 28, 2021
• Podcast: Digital to Dice (Youtube), by Dave Gardner — July 3, 2022
 WHA Fact Book, 2nd ed |
 Complete WHA, 11th ed |
(c) Scott Surgent