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Quebec City January 17, 1978 Lacking two divisions from which to build competing all-star squads, the WHA borrowed a page from the NHL from ages past, in which the previous season's champs played against an all-star squad built from the remaining teams. Defending champions Quebec hosted the all-stars, spotting them a 4-1 lead midway into the second period. The Nordiques then awoke and scored four unanswered goals to take the win. Matti Hagman scored the game's first goal, then the game-winner with under six minutes to play. Marc Tardif had a hand in all five Nordique goals, scoring once and assisting on four others. |
1st period: 1. Que: Hagman (Tardif) 12:56; 2. WHA: Mark Howe (Flett, Sjoberg) 14:50; 3. WHA: Hedberg (Hull) 18:57; 4. WHA: Lukowich (Lacroix, Long) 19:10.
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Coach: Marc Boileau Goaltenders: Ken Broderick, Jim Corsi Defensemen: Paul Baxter, Jean Bernier, Garry Lariviere, J. C. Tremblay, Chris Evans, Jim Dorey. Forwards: Paulin Bordeleau, Andre Boudrias, Curt Brackenbury, Real Cloutier, Warren Miller, Marc Tardif, Steve Sutherland, Bob Fitchner, Norm Dube, Matti Hagman, Serge Bernier, Charles Constantin. |
Coach: Bill Dineen (Houston). Goaltenders: Al Smith (New England), John Garrett (Birmingham). Defensemen: Rick Ley, Gordie Roberts (New England), Al Hamilton, Barry Long (Edmonton), Pat Stapleton (Cincinnati), Lars-Erik Sjoberg (Winnipeg). Forwards: Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson (Winnipeg), Bill Flett (Edmonton), Mark Napier (Birmingham), Mark Howe, Mike Antonovich, Gordie Howe (New England), Andre Lacroix, Morris Lukowich (Houston), Rusty Patenaude (Indianapolis), Robbie Ftorek (Cincinnati). |
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Nordiques Erase 5-1 Deficit, Edge WHA All-Stars • no byline • The Sporting News • February 4, 1978
Matti Hagman may not be certain which team actually owns him or where he will be playing next season, but the Finnish center has made the most of every chance he's had since joining the Quebec Nordiques in early December. Hagman's goal with 5:48 remaining gave the defending champion Nordiques a 5-4 victory over the World Hockey Association All-Stars January 17. It was his second goal of the game and came while Quebec had a manpower advantage, with Cincinnati's Pat Stapleton in the penalty box. Hagman shared the spotlight with linemate Marc Tardif, who set an All-Star Game record with one goal and four assists. Tardif, named the game's MVP, credited a January 15 loss to Cincinnati as the catalyst for the Nordiques' triumph. "Some nights a guy gets lucky and anything he touches goes in the net," Tardif said. "Other nights he works like a mule and nothing goes in. I guess I was lucky tonight. But the team was ready for a good game. We lost here Sunday to Cincinnati. We were ready for this one and we played like hell." Hagman started the season with the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins, who used him sparingly in 1976-77. Deep in talent at center ice, the Bruins asked the Nordiques if they would care to buy Hagman's services for the remainder of the season, since Quebec had lost ace centerman Chris Bordeleau for the season because of knee surgery. An agreement was reached. WHA Presdient Howard Baldwin, however, said no players would be loaned to his league by the NHL and that Hagman was Quebec's property for this season and many more to come. Hagman joined the Nordiques December 6 and set up an overtime goal by Real Cloutier. His production in 14 regular-season games with Quebec was 11 goals and 16 assists. Playing before a disappointing crowd of 6,413, Quebec opened the scoring on Hagman's goal at 12:56 of the first period. The All-Stars, however, quickly put the Nordiques in a hole on goals by New England's Mark Howe, Winnipeg's Anders Hedberg and Houston's Morris Lukowich. The All-Stars gained a 4-1 lead when Bill Flett of Edmonton scored at the 7:07 mark of the second period. That lead looked safe. All four All-Star goals were scored against Ken Broderick, who was replaced by Jim Corsi at 10:01 of the second period after Warren Miller had reduced the All-Star lead to 4-2. New England's Al Smith gave up the first two Quebec goals before giving way to Birmingham's John Garrett. "After playing three games in five nights, we came out sluggish in the first period," said Quebec Coach Marc Boileau. "We couldn't get anything going. We were playing very careful hockey and all of a sudden we were down, 3-1." But the Nordiques came back when Miller beat Smith with a low wrist shot midway through the second period. Paul Baxter connected on a slap shot from the blue line two minutes later. That goal came with Edmonton's Al Hamilton in the penalty box. Tardif tied the game, 4-4, on another power-play goal with 2:09 left in the second period. New England's Gordie Roberts was in the penalty box. Though Tardif and J. C. Tremblay were credited with assists on Hagman's winning goal, All-Star goalie Garrett thought forward Warren Miller made a heads-up play to make the score possible "Hagman skated in front of the net and Miller just lifted my stick before Hagman threw it between my legs," said Garrett. "It was a good play on Miller's part. That move was just enough to disturb my concentration." While Tardif was selected the MVP for Quebec, Mark Howe was named the top player for the All-Stars. |
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