The Toronto Maple Leafs scored three second period goals, and that’s all it took as they edged the Chicago Black Hawks 3-2 at the Chicago Stadium in last night’s only NHL game. The real story however, seemed to be the Hawks’ extreme dissatisfaction with the officiating
Hawks in uproar over officiating
All through the game, and especially afterwards, the Chicago club was constantly complaining about the work of referee John Ashely. Even Black Hawks’ publicist Don Murphy got in to the act .
Murphy, who has been with Chicago for about a year and a half, lit into NHL referee-in-chief Carl Voss, who was taking in the game in the Chicago Stadium press box. The verbal attack apparently included a good deal of profanity. Voss, to his credit, did not respond in kind, nor did he file any sort of discipline report with the league. President Clarence Campbell said that in the absence of any report from Voss, he doubted that the NHL would take any action against Murphy.
Murphy was quoted as saying “They let those %&$#@& skate around and yet they shoot President Kennedy!”
Hawks’ coach Billy Reay and centre Stan Mikita may not be so fortunate. Mikita started the festivities as the game was nearing its end when Reay called goalie Glenn Hall to the bench to remove him in favour of a sixth skater, who would be Mikita. Linesman Matt Pavelich ruled that Mikita jumped onto the ice before Hall made it to within fifteen feet of the Chicago bench.
Mikita and Pavelich got into a chin-to-chin argument in which shoves were exchanged. Pavelich assessed a 10-minute misconduct penalty to Mikita who then took his case to referee Ashley. He received no satisfaction from Ashely, and was given a second misconduct and fines totalling $75 for his trouble.
As the game drew to a close, Reay rushed to the officials exit to confront Pavelich. Ashley stepped between the Chicago bench boss and the linesman while an incensed Stadium crowd gathered around, hurling insults of their own. There was a report that Reay had pushed Pavelich, but Ashley said that did not happen and any such incident would not be included in his report.
The game itself was great hockey
Aside from the extra-curricular shenanigans, the hockey game itself was a fine display of the sport. While Hawk General Manager Tommy Ivan admitted Toronto outplayed his team, both clubs were at the tops for their games. It was the first time this season that the Leafs have looked anything like Stanley Cup Champions.
Great goaltending
Both goaltenders were superb. Hall made 36 saves, and kept Chicago in the game. Terry Sawchuk in the Toronto goal was just as good, with 28 stops. Terry was especially sharp in the final minute of play when Bobby Hull had a couple of point blank opportunities.
Chicago led at the end of the first period on a goal by Mikita. The slick centre took advantage of a bad Leaf player change, came in on the left wing and beat Sawchuk with a long shot that went in off his pad.
Three straight by the Leafs
Toronto tied it at 6:25 of the sandwich session as the ice conditions began to seriously deteriorate. George Armstrong got the Leafs on the board with a 40-foot screen shot that Hall still hasn’t seen.
Learning from that first goal, the Leafs beat Hall with another screen shot. This one was by Andy Bathgate from the blue line on another play on which Hall did not move.
The game-winner game three minutes later when Frank Mahovlich’s pass from behind the net started a sequence of shots, rebounds and more shots by Bob Pulford and Ron Stewart, with Hall frantically trying to corral the puck. Stewart finally lifted the disk over Hall and into the net for the Leafs’ third straight goal.
Bill Hay pulled the home team to within one late in the second, but that would be all the offence on this night for either team.
Leafs lost forward Dickie Moore with a charley horse in the first period when he was driven into the boards by the Hawks’ Phil Esposito.
OHA Generals still unbeaten
The Oshawa Generals remained unbeaten in OHA Junior A play with a very convincing 11-1 demolition of the Kitchener Rangers. The amazing part of all this was that the Gens amassed 11 goals without leading scorer Ron Buchanan, out with a shoulder separation, and Bill White, who has a broken hand.
Bobby Orr, Danny O’Shea and Bill Little scored two goals each for Oshawa. Singles came from Chris Roberts, Bob Kilger, Paul Reid, Darryl Leach and Wayne Cashman. John Beechey scored for the Rangers.
Aces win ninth straight
In the American Hockey league, the Quebec Aces dropped the Baltimore Clippers 5-2 to register their ninth straight win this season. The Aces got goals from five different players, with Ed Hoekstra, Leon Rochefort, Guy Rousseau, Cleland Mortson and Terry Gray giving Quebec a 5-0 lead.
Brian Hextall ruined Gump Worsley’s shut out bid by lifting a rebound over the prone Aces netminder. NHL veteran Val Fonteyne added a second Baltimore tally in the final frame, but it was too little, too late for the Clippers.
BC teams hot in WHL
The Vancouver Canucks and Victoria Maple Leafs both are heating up in WHL play. The Canucks blasted the San Francisco Seals 10-1 last night, while the Maple Leafs scored a 4-3 overtime win over the Los Angeles Blades.
For Vancouver, Jim Blair and Phil Maloney score two goals apiece. Singles came from Billy McNeil, Howie Hughes, Bob Kahle, Bruce Carmichael, Bob Plager and Bob McCusker. Larry Lund was the lone Seals’ marksman.
In Victoria, Lou Jankowski scored the game-winner at 8:31 of overtime to power the Maple Leafs past the Blades. Other Leafs goals were scored by Milan Marcetta, Bill Svetz and Fred Hucul. Blades who managed to beat Al Millar were Willy O’Ree and Brian Smith, who had two goals.
Richard injury more serious
The groin injury bothering Henri Richard is more serious than previously thought, the Montreal Canadiens announced yesterday. The injury has not responded to treatment, and there are fears the Montreal centre may have a badly pulled stomach muscle. The Canadiens are slated to play Toronto tonight, and Richard was hoping to play but it now appears he may be out of the lineup longer than expected.
Detroit has sent forward Bob Dillabough back to Pittsburgh of the AHL.
Legendary ref passes
Mickey Ion a true legend among NHL referees, passed away yesterday at the age of 78 in a nursing home near Seattle, Washington. Ion had been in ill health for several years, and had suffered a stroke earlier this week.
Ion was born in Brantford, Ontario, but moved to Western Canada to play lacrosse. He took up refereeing and later ended up in the Western Hockey League in that role. He eventually was promoted to the NHL and spent 30 years in the world’s best hockey league as it’s premier official. He was the league’s referee-in-chief after his retirement from the ice wars. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.
Ion was not in favour of the present 3-official system now used by the NHL. He felt the ice is cluttered with a referee and two linesmen, and often boasted that the game was better off being officiated by two refs.
Ion was always quick with a quip and wasn’t shy with advice to young officials.
“Tough is the only way to referee. I used to tell young referees one thing. Remember, I’d tell ’em, from the time the game starts until the time it ends, you and I are the only sane men in the rink.”
Ion had a memorable encounter with Montreal hall-of-fame winger and present coach Toe Blake. During a strong game by the indomitable forward, Ion handed Blake a minor penalty.
Blake skated off the ice and told Ion, “I can’t tell you what I think of you because you’d raise the penalty. But you can guess what I’m thinking.”
Ion was quick to reply, “I have guessed, and for that you get five minutes. Nobody’s going to think things like that about me.”
We thank Dick Beddoes of the Toronto Star for the memories.