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The Aeros received a dose of their own medicine by being swept in four straight as the Winnipeg Jets won their first AVCO Cup Championship, and stopping Houston's two-year hold on the trophy. The line of Hull-Nilsson-Hedberg accounted for 25 points as Ulf Nilsson paced all scorers with 4 goals and 6 assists. Anders Hedberg chipped in with 6 goals and 2 assists, while Bobby Hull had 3 goals and 4 assists.
Game Summaries
Game 1 • May 20, 1976
Winnipeg 4, Houston 3
HOUSTON: Bobby Hull scored a late tie-breaking goal to give Winnipeg the win, and a quick 1-0 series lead. Anders Hedberg scored twice for the Jets, while Mark Howe had two of Houston's goals.
| Winnipeg
| 2
| 1
| 1
| -
| 4
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| Houston
| 2
| 0
| 1
| -
| 3
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1st period: 1. Hou: Hughes (Butters, Hale) 9:37; 2. Wpg: Hedberg (Hull, Nilsson) 13:08; 3. Wpg: Moffat (Beaudin, Lindh) 15:36; 4. Hou: Mark Howe (West, Hale) 19:35.
2nd period: 5. Wpg: Hedberg (Bergman) 16:10.
3rd period: 6. Hou: Mark Howe (Preston) 0:46; 7. Wpg: Hull (Nilsson) 16:43.
Shots: Wpg: 9-11-9—29; Hou: 11-7-11—29
Goaltenders: Wpg: Daley, Hou: Grahame.
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Game 2 • May 23, 1976
Winnipeg 5, Houston 4
HOUSTON: Winnipeg eked out another one-goal victory in Houston, with Bobby Hull again providing the late score to give the Jets the lead. Thommie Bergman scored earlier in the third period to tie the game, after Houston had scored two quick goals to take the lead.
| Winnipeg
| 1
| 2
| 2
| -
| 5
|
| Houston
| 0
| 2
| 2
| -
| 4
|
1st period: 1. Wpg: Hedberg (Nilsson) 13:52.
2nd period: 2. Hou: G. Howe (Mark Howe, Schella) 1:22; 3. Wpg: Lindstrom (Sullivan, Bergman) 2:17; 4. Hou: Marty Howe (Hall) 12:44; 5. Wpg: Asmundson (Lesuk, Guindon) 16:53.
3rd period: 6. Hou: Ruskowski (Preston, Popiel) 1:29; 7. Hou: Marty Howe (Taylor, Popiel) 3:23; 8. Wpg: Bergman 5:19; 9. Wpg: Hull (Bergman, Hedberg) 18:06.
Shots: Wpg: 8-9-9—26; Hou: 8-11-13—32
Goaltenders: Wpg: Daley, Hou: Grahame.
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Game 3 • May 25, 1976
Winnipeg 6, Houston 3
WINNIPEG: Back home in Winnipeg, the Jets jumped to a 4-1 lead midway into the first period and never looked back, winning the contest easily. Ulf Nilsson scored the hat trick for the Jets, who took a commanding 3-0 series lead.
| Houston
| 1
| 1
| 1
| -
| 3
|
| Winnipeg
| 4
| 1
| 1
| -
| 6
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1st period: 1. Wpg: Ketola (Lindstrom, Riihiranta) 2:24; 2. Wpg: Nilsson (Hedberg) 3:23; 3. Hou: Mark Howe (Schella) 3:48; 4. Wpg: Hedberg (Ford, Ketola) 8:49; 5. Wpg: Sullivan (Hull, Lindstrom) 11:33.
2nd period: 6. Wpg: Nilsson (Sjoberg) 7:46; 7. Hou: Larway (Marty Howe, Tonelli) 14:28.
3rd period: 8. Wpg: Nilsson 1:44; 9. Hou: Larway (Tonelli, Ruskowski) 13:22.
Shots: Hou: 7-4-7—18; Wpg: 13-7-5—25
Goaltenders: Hou: Grahame, Wpg: Daley.
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Game 4 • May 27, 1976
Winnipeg 9, Houston 1
WINNIPEG: Veli-Pekka Ketola's first of two goals broke a 1-1 tie midway into the first period, and the barrage was on. Winnipeg then scored seven more goals and coasted to a 9-1 verdict over the Aeros, whose attempt to win their third championship in a row was averted. Winnipeg took the crown, the first of three it would win in the WHA.
| Houston
| 1
| 0
| 0
| -
| 3
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| Winnipeg
| 3
| 4
| 2
| -
| 9
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1st period: 1. Wpg: Hull (Ford, Nilsson) 5:37; 2. Hou: Taylor (Labossiere, Marty Howe) 9:45; 3. Wpg: Ketola (Ford, Hull) 10:22; 4. Wpg: Moffat (Sjoberg, Ford) 11:21.
2nd period: 5. Wpg: Ketola (Lindstrom, Sullivan) 1:07; 6. Wpg: Hedberg (Nilsson, Hull) 3:11; 7. Wpg: Hedberg (Nilsson) 9:19; 8. Wpg: Sullivan (Hillman) 12:14.
3rd period: 9. Wpg: Sullivan (Ford, Riihiranta) 1:33; 10. Wpg: Guindon (Riihiranta, Ketola) 9:30.
Shots: Hou: 7-5-5—17; Wpg: 12-12-9—33
Goaltenders: Hou: Grahame, Wpg: Daley.
News Article
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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
(c) Scott Surgent
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