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Richfield, Ohio January 13, 1976 Pitting "Canada" against the "United States", the Canadian side took the 1976 all-star game behind Real Cloutier's hat trick, plus help from Swedes Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, and Polish-born John Miszuk, all who had a hand in the Canadian goals. Cloutier shared the MVP award with Paul Shmyr, playing in front of his hometown Cleveland fans, who braved the crowded highways to watch the game. |
1st period: No scoring.
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Coach: Bill Dineen (Houston) Goaltenders: Christer Abrahamsson (New England), Gerry Cheevers (Cleveland). Defensemen: Paul Shmyr (Cleveland), John Schella, Marty Howe (Houston), Pat Stapleton (Indianapolis), Rick Ley (New England), Kevin Morrison (San Diego). Forwards: Andre Lacroix, Gene Peacosh (San Diego), Gordie Howe, Mark Howe (Houston), Dave Keon, Mike Walton (Minnesota), Claude Larose (Cincinnati), Ralph Backstrom, Don Borgeson (Denver-Ottawa), Robbie Ftorek (Phoenix), Wayne Carleton, Tom Webster (New England). |
Coach: Jean Guy Gendron (Quebec). Goaltenders: Jim Shaw (Toronto), Joe Daley (Winnipeg), Don McLeod (Calgary). Defensemen: Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Larry Hornung, Thommie Bergman (Winnipeg), J.-C. Tremblay (Quebec), Barry Long (Edmonton), John Miszuk, Paul Terbenche (Calgary). Forwards: Marc Tardif, Real Cloutier, Serge Bernier, Christian Bordeleau, Rejean Houle (Quebec), Vaclav Nedomansky, Frank Mahovlich (Toronto), Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson (Winnipeg), Danny Lawson (Calgary), Rusty Patenaude (Edmonton). |
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Canada 6, U.S. 1 • by George Bylich • The Calgary Herald • January 14, 1976
Canada may well have found its niche in international hockey here Tuesday night. The cream of the Canadian Division scalped the United States 6-1 in the fourth annual WHA All-star game played before an All-star record crowd of 15,191. It was even easier than the score might indicate. Led by a battery of powerful shooters, the Canadians monopolized play completely in the final two periods. Except for a series of missed passes in the U.S. zone, Canada may have well run this one into double figures as they were continually breaking in two-on-one and three-on-one on the U.S. net in the final 20 minules. Real Cloutier, a 19-year-old right wing from the Quebec Nordiques, paced the Canadian attack with three goals, a performance that won him a Dodge Aspen as the outstanding player on the Canadian team. Paul Shmyr, a defenceman from the Cleveland Crusaders, also won a car as the top U.S. performer. Other Canadion scorers were Frank Mahovlich of the Toronto Toros, Ulf Nilsson of the Winnipeg Jets and Danny Lawson of the Calgary Cowboys, while San Diego's Andre Lacroix was all that kept the Americans from being blanked. Lawson's goal preserved his record of being the only player to get a point in each of the four All-star gumes to date. The Cowboys were well represented in this one. Smokey McLeod played shutout goal during the 30 minutes in which he worked, blocking 12 shots. The defensive tandem of Paul Terbenche and John Miszuk was probably the most impressive blue-line combination on this ice. After a rather slow start, it turned out to be one of the better All-star performances. The tempo picked up as the game wore on, mostly by the Canadian side that as really skating in the final 10 minutes. Cleveland's Gerry Cheevers was victimized for only one Canadian goal during his 30-minute stint but New England's Christer Abrahamsson was much the busier netminder in giving up the other five, Toronto's Jim Shaw, a late replacement for Winnipeg's Joe Daley who was a no-show for this affair, accredited himself well although beaten for the lone U.S. goal. Cloutier, who becomes eligible for the NHL draft nest June although he still has three years remaining on his Nordiques contract, wasn't a humble winner of the car much to the disgust of some WHA officials. "It was very important for me to play well tonight." he said through an interpreter, "because I'm sure there were a lot of NHL scouts watching and I'd like to be picked in the first round of the NHL draft." When asked specifically if he has visions of jumping to the other major league, he added: "I still have three years left on my contract with Quebec. Right now I'm very satisfied to be with the Nordiques. After that, you never, know what might happen." Jean-Guy Gendron, who coached the Canadian stars and is Cloutier's couch at Quebec, was obviously upset at Real's frank statement but scotched any thoughts of Cloutier jumping to the NHL. "I refuse to believe he really means what it sounded like." said Gendron. "He's a fine hockey player and Quebec is his home. He has a big following there and he likes it in Quebec. I predict he'll be there a long time." After a scoreless opening period that was dominated by good defence and sound goaltending, Canada opened up a 3-0 lead in the second and then skated away from their rivals in the third, Cloutier scored once on a power play, while Lawson's goal came on a short-handed breakaway after he beat Gordie Howe to a puck at the Canadian blue line. Much of the Canadian edge seemed to stem from the fact that Gendron was able to use two 'set' forward lines, Winnipeg's Nilsson-Bobby Hull-Anders Hedberg line was used intact throughout as was the Quebec unit of Chris Bordeleau, Mark Tardif and Cloutier. |
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