Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
Shoot: L
Born: 4 Dec 1937, Sudbury ON (d. 1999)
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Regular Season & Playoff Scoring Record (key)
| year | team | |||||||||||
| 1972-73 | Philadelphia | |||||||||||
| 1973-74 | Vancouver | |||||||||||
| Totals: |
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'Spinner' — Self-Made Blazer • by Frank Bertucci • The Hockey Spectator • March 2, 1973
After finishing their longest road trip of the season at 4-4 the Blazers faced their biggest homestand: 7 games in 13 days, 6 games with Eastern Division opponents. And they began it with what could turn out to be their most important victory of the season. Before 8,412 fans (ticket and concession prices were cut in half), John McKenzie tipped in Irv Spencer's slapshot with 18 seconds left in overtime for a thrilling 5-4 win over Quebec. "We couldn't lose with all those people there," said Spencer, "but we didn't plan on dragging it out that long." Earlier in that game, Spencer scored his first goal of the season and played the best all-around game any Blazer defenseman has all year. The next night, he scored another goal in a 6-1 triumph over Cleveland. While the Blazers were trying to get organized in October and November, Irv Spencer was looking for a job. He had missed all of last season after tearing up his left knee in the San Diego Gulls' training camp. "I called seven teams, including Ottawa, Minnesota and Winnipeg," Irv said. "The seventh team I called was Philadelphia. Phil Watson told me to come up and have my knee examined by the team physician. I had played for Phil in both New York and Boston. Things weren't going too good here so he had nothing to lose by giving me a chance." Spencer played two weeks with Rhode Island in the Eastern Hockey League and played his first game as a Blazer December 5th. "Nothing was coming easy for me in the beginning," Irv remembered. "But Phil stayed with me through it all. I was bothered because I wasn't as sharp as I wanted to be." "The hardest thing to do is the right thing. you always have the tendency to make the wrong move. But each game is easier. I'm still making some mistakes but I know what they are, so I won't make them again." Spencer has been teamed with Ron Plumb since he was brought up. Jim Cardiff, the Blazers only other defenseman with professional experience, has been paired with either Rychard Campeau or Dave Hutchinson, both of whom were playing junior hockey last year at this time. "I'm rooming with Hutch," Spencer says. "We talk things over. He doesn't just listen. He tells me what he thinks about in certain situations. He wants to learn." Stepping right into the WHA presented special problems for a 35-year-old defenseman who hadn't played hockey in over a year. "You have to be more alert here," he admits. "The WHA is a more wide-open style of play. The rule against icing the puck from your own zone while killing a penalty is tough on the defense. And without a two-line pass offsides you can't let any forwards get behind you." Spinner has spent most of his professional career in the Detroit Red Wing organization. Last season he worked as a scout for them. "I saw (Ron) Plumber play for Oklahoma City. I never thought we'd be playing together this season." Many people didn't expect to see Irv Spencer play at all this season. At least three WHA teams will pay more attention when somebody calls up asking for a tryout. |
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