1975-76 Franchise
1975-76 Houston Aeros
Record: 53-27-0, 106 pts
Finish: 1st, West
Playoffs: Lost in final round to Winnipeg
Coach: Bill Dineen
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
no.
| Date
| Opponent
| Score
|
| w-l-t
| pts
| gf-ga
| no.
| Date
| Opponent
| Score
|
| w-l-t
| pts
| gf-ga
|
1. | Oct 11 | @ New England | 5-0 | W | 1-0-0 | 2 | 5-0 | 41. | Jan 15 | @ Ottawa | *5-4 | W | 27-14-0 | 54 | 170-141 |
2. | Oct 14 | @ Toronto | 3-6 | L | 1-1-0 | 2 | 8-6 | 42. | Jan 17 | @ Calgary | 2-4 | L | 27-15-0 | 54 | 172-145 |
3. | Oct 18 | @ Quebec | 2-3 | L | 1-2-0 | 2 | 10-9 | 43. | Jan 20 | Toronto | 5-7 | L | 27-16-0 | 54 | 177-152 |
4. | Oct 19 | @ Cleveland | 6-5 | W | 2-2-0 | 4 | 16-14 | 44. | Jan 21 | New England | 9-3 | W | 28-16-0 | 56 | 186-155 |
5. | Oct 23 | @ Indianapolis | 0-4 | L | 2-3-0 | 4 | 16-18 | 45. | Jan 23 | Calgary | 2-0 | W | 29-16-0 | 58 | 188-155 |
6. | Oct 25 | @ Cincinnati | 4-7 | L | 2-4-0 | 4 | 20-25 | 46. | Jan 25 | Calgary | 5-3 | W | 30-16-0 | 60 | 193-158 |
7. | Oct 30 | @ San Diego | 4-2 | W | 3-4-0 | 6 | 24-27 | 47. | Jan 28 | @ Edmonton | 6-5 | W | 31-16-0 | 62 | 199-163 |
8. | Nov 1 | @ Denver | 3-2 | W | 4-4-0 | 8 | 27-29 | 48. | Jan 30 | @ Indianapolis | 1-2 | L | 31-17-0 | 62 | 200-165 |
9. | Nov 5 | Minnesota | 6-4 | W | 5-4-0 | 10 | 33-33 | 49. | Jan 31 | @ Minnesota | 1-4 | L | 31-18-0 | 62 | 201-169 |
10. | Nov 7 | Phoenix | 5-3 | W | 6-4-0 | 12 | 38-36 | 50. | Feb 3 | Minnesota | 8-4 | W | 32-18-0 | 64 | 209-173 |
11. | Nov 9 | Denver | 3-2 | W | 7-4-0 | 14 | 41-38 | 51. | Feb 6 | Indianapolis | 4-3 | W | 33-18-0 | 66 | 213-176 |
12. | Nov 11 | Toronto | 5-4 | W | 8-4-0 | 16 | 46-42 | 52. | Feb 8 | San Diego | 5-2 | W | 34-18-0 | 68 | 218-178 |
13. | Nov 12 | @ New England | 1-4 | L | 8-5-0 | 16 | 47-46 | 53. | Feb 12 | @ Phoenix | 4-1 | W | 35-18-0 | 70 | 222-179 |
14. | Nov 15 | @ Cincinnati | 5-8 | L | 8-6-0 | 16 | 52-54 | 54. | Feb 14 | @ San Diego | 1-5 | L | 35-19-0 | 70 | 223-184 |
15. | Nov 16 | @ Calgary | 3-5 | L | 8-7-0 | 16 | 55-59 | 55. | Feb 15 | Quebec | 2-4 | L | 35-20-0 | 70 | 225-188 |
16. | Nov 18 | @ Winnipeg | 3-2 | W | 9-7-0 | 18 | 58-61 | 56. | Feb 17 | New England | 4-3 | W | 36-20-0 | 72 | 229-191 |
17. | Nov 21 | Edmonton | 4-2 | W | 10-7-0 | 20 | 62-63 | 57. | Feb 19 | Cleveland | 5-3 | W | 37-20-0 | 74 | 234-194 |
18. | Nov 23 | Quebec | 4-0 | W | 11-7-0 | 22 | 66-63 | 58. | Feb 22 | @ Cleveland | 1-2 | L | 37-21-0 | 74 | 235-196 |
19. | Nov 25 | Indianapolis | 4-1 | W | 12-7-0 | 24 | 70-64 | 59. | Feb 24 | @ Quebec | 1-4 | L | 37-22-0 | 74 | 236-200 |
20. | Nov 28 | Edmonton | 7-4 | W | 13-7-0 | 26 | 77-68 | 60. | Feb 26 | @ New England | 5-2 | W | 38-22-0 | 76 | 241-202 |
21. | Nov 30 | San Diego | 8-4 | W | 14-7-0 | 28 | 85-72 | 61. | Feb 27 | @ Toronto | *7-6 | W | 39-22-0 | 78 | 248-208 |
22. | Dec 2 | New England | 2-5 | L | 14-8-0 | 28 | 87-77 | 62. | Feb 28 | @ Cincinnati | 4-2 | W | 40-22-0 | 80 | 252-210 |
23. | Dec 5 | Winnipeg | 5-4 | W | 15-8-0 | 30 | 92-81 | 63. | Mar 5 | Phoenix | 6-3 | W | 41-22-0 | 82 | 258-213 |
24. | Dec 6 | @ Phoenix | *5-6 | L | 15-9-0 | 30 | 97-87 | 64. | Mar 6 | Cleveland | 4-5 | L | 41-23-0 | 82 | 262-218 |
25. | Dec 9 | Cincinnati | 6-4 | W | 16-9-0 | 32 | 103-91 | 65. | Mar 9 | San Diego | 9-2 | W | 42-23-0 | 84 | 271-220 |
26. | Dec 12 | Indianapolis | 4-2 | W | 17-9-0 | 34 | 107-93 | 66. | Mar 11 | @ San Diego | 1-4 | L | 42-24-0 | 84 | 272-224 |
27. | Dec 13 | @ Minnesota | 3-4 | L | 17-10-0 | 34 | 110-97 | 67. | Mar 13 | @ San Diego | 3-2 | W | 43-24-0 | 86 | 275-226 |
28. | Dec 14 | @ Cleveland | 4-3 | W | 18-10-0 | 36 | 114-100 | 68. | Mar 17 | @ Phoenix | 7-4 | W | 44-24-0 | 88 | 282-230 |
29. | Dec 16 | San Diego | 2-4 | L | 18-11-0 | 36 | 116-104 | 69. | Mar 19 | San Diego | 8-3 | W | 45-24-0 | 90 | 290-233 |
30. | Dec 20 | @ Phoenix | 4-3 | W | 19-11-0 | 38 | 120-107 | 70. | Mar 20 | @ Cincinnati | 1-2 | L | 45-25-0 | 90 | 291-235 |
31. | Dec 21 | @ San Diego | 1-3 | L | 19-12-0 | 38 | 121-110 | 71. | Mar 21 | Phoenix | 4-3 | W | 46-25-0 | 92 | 295-238 |
32. | Dec 26 | Denver | 9-4 | W | 20-12-0 | 40 | 130-114 | 72. | Mar 24 | @ Cleveland | 3-2 | W | 47-25-0 | 94 | 298-240 |
33. | Dec 27 | Minnesota | 5-0 | W | 21-12-0 | 42 | 135-114 | 73. | Mar 25 | @ Indianapolis | *3-4 | L | 47-26-0 | 94 | 301-244 |
34. | Dec 30 | Winnipeg | 3-5 | L | 21-13-0 | 42 | 138-119 | 74. | Mar 26 | Cincinnati | 5-1 | W | 48-26-0 | 96 | 306-245 |
35. | Jan 3 | Ottawa | 4-2 | W | 22-13-0 | 44 | 142-121 | 75. | Mar 28 | Phoenix | 7-4 | W | 49-26-0 | 98 | 313-249 |
36. | Jan 6 | Cincinnati | 7-3 | W | 23-13-0 | 46 | 149-124 | 76. | Mar 30 | San Diego | 3-4 | L | 49-27-0 | 98 | 316-253 |
37. | Jan 9 | Cleveland | 6-5 | W | 24-13-0 | 48 | 155-129 | 77. | Apr 1 | @ Indianapolis | 4-1 | W | 50-27-0 | 100 | 320-254 |
38. | Jan 10 | @ Minnesota | 4-1 | W | 25-13-0 | 50 | 159-130 | 78. | Apr 3 | @ Phoenix | 8-2 | W | 51-27-0 | 102 | 328-256 |
39. | Jan 11 | @ Edmonton | 5-3 | W | 26-13-0 | 52 | 164-133 | 79. | Apr 4 | San Diego | 5-2 | W | 52-27-0 | 104 | 333-258 |
40. | Jan 14 | @ Winnipeg | 1-4 | L | 26-14-0 | 52 | 165-137 | 80. | Apr 6 | Phoenix | 8-5 | W | 53-27-0 | 106 | 341-263
|
Player Scoring
pos.
| #
| Player
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
| +/-
| ppg
| shg
| sog
| sc%
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
|
D | 22 | Butters, Bill | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 18 | +8 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 51 |
G | 29 | Grahame, Ron | 57 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
D | 17 | Hale, Larry | 77 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 32 | +7 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 0.020 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
C | 11 | Hall, Murray | 80 | 20 | 26 | 46 | 18 | -3 | 3 | 0 | 118 | 0.169 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
LW | 16 | Hinse, Andre | 70 | 35 | 38 | 73 | 6 | +12 | 12 | 0 | 158 | 0.222 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
RW | 9 | Howe, Gordie | 78 | 32 | 70 | 102 | 76 | +14 | 12 | 1 | 241 | 0.133 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 31 |
D/F | 4 | Howe, Mark | 72 | 39 | 37 | 76 | 38 | +29 | 13 | 6 | 270 | 0.144 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 18 |
D | 3 | Howe, Marty | 80 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 51 | +40 | 0 | 0 | 179 | 0.078 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
LW | 7 | Hughes, Frank | 80 | 31 | 45 | 76 | 26 | +12 | 12 | 0 | 165 | 0.188 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 20 |
D | 24 | Irwin, Glen | 72 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 116 | +3 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 0.051 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
C | 10 | Labossiere, Gord | 80 | 24 | 32 | 56 | 18 | -1 | 4 | 0 | 151 | 0.159 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 14 |
RW | 27 | Larway, Don | 79 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 56 | +9 | 3 | 0 | 196 | 0.153 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 21 |
LW | 22 | Liddington, Bob | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
C | 13 | Lund, Larry | 73 | 24 | 49 | 73 | 50 | +3 | 6 | 1 | 146 | 0.164 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
LW | 19 | Popiel, Jan | 67 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 59 | -13 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0.059 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
D | 6 | Popiel, Poul | 78 | 10 | 36 | 46 | 71 | +29 | 2 | 2 | 162 | 0.062 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 |
RW | 21 | Preston, Rich | 77 | 22 | 33 | 55 | 33 | +30 | 1 | 2 | 159 | 0.138 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 |
C | 8 | Ruskowski, Terry | 65 | 14 | 35 | 49 | 100 | +18 | 3 | 0 | 105 | 0.133 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 64 |
G | 30 | Rutledge, Wayne | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
D | 2 | Schella, John | 74 | 6 | 32 | 38 | 106 | +8 | 0 | 0 | 193 | 0.031 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 38 |
D | 22 | Stevens, Mike | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
LW | 14 | Taylor, Ted | 68 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 80 | -10 | 3 | 0 | 130 | 0.115 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17 |
LW | 18 | Tonelli, John | 79 | 17 | 14 | 31 | 66 | +11 | 3 | 1 | 123 | 0.138 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 8 |
C | 12 | West, Steve | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0
|
Goaltending
Goaltender
| gp
| min
| ga
| en
| so
| w-l-t
| gaa
| sog
| sv%
| gp
| min
| ga
| w-l
| gaa
|
Grahame, Ron | 57 | 3343 | 182 | 3 | 3 | 39-17-0 | 3.27 | 1752 | 0.896 | 14 | 817 | 54 | 6-8 | 3.97 |
Rutledge, Wayne | 25 | 1456 | 77 | 1 | 1 | 14-10-0 | 3.17 | 780 | 0.901 | 4 | 200 | 10 | 2-1 | 3.00
|
Transactions
John Tonelli signed to contract, Mar 1975 (Tonelli was never drafted by Houston and as a result, Houston was penalized their first-round draft choice in the 1975 Amateur Draft)
Mike Stevens purchased from Phoenix, Aug 1975
Jim Sherrit and Don Borgeson traded to Denver for Jan Popiel, Oct 1975
Bob Liddington signed as free agent from defunct Ottawa, Feb 1976
Bill Butters signed as free agent from defunct Minnesota, Mar 1976
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
Houston
opponent
| overall
| gf-ga
| home
| gf-ga
| away
| gf-ga
|
Calgary | 2-2-0 | 12-12 | 2-0-0 | 7-3 | 0-2-0 | 5-9 |
Cincinnati | 4-3-0 | 32-27 | 3-0-0 | 18-8 | 1-3-0 | 14-19 |
Cleveland | 5-2-0 | 29-25 | 2-1-0 | 15-13 | 3-1-0 | 14-12 |
Denver-Ottawa | 5-0-0 | 24-14 | 3-0-0 | 16-8 | 2-0-0 | 8-6 |
Edmonton | 4-0-0 | 22-14 | 2-0-0 | 11-6 | 2-0-0 | 11-8 |
Indianapolis | 4-3-0 | 20-17 | 3-0-0 | 12-6 | 1-3-0 | 8-11 |
Minnesota | 4-2-0 | 27-17 | 3-0-0 | 19-8 | 1-2-0 | 8-9 |
New England | 4-2-0 | 26-17 | 2-1-0 | 15-11 | 2-1-0 | 11-6 |
Phoenix | 9-1-0 | 58-34 | 5-0-0 | 30-18 | 4-1-0 | 28-16 |
Quebec | 1-3-0 | 9-11 | 1-1-0 | 6-4 | 0-2-0 | 3-7 |
San Diego | 7-5-0 | 50-37 | 5-2-0 | 40-21 | 2-3-0 | 10-16 |
Toronto | 2-2-0 | 20-23 | 1-1-0 | 10-11 | 1-1-0 | 10-12 |
Winnipeg | 2-2-0 | 12-15 | 1-1-0 | 8-9 | 1-1-0 | 4-6 |
  |
October | 3-4-0 | 24-27 | 0-0-0 | 0-0 | 3-4-0 | 24-27 |
November | 11-3-0 | 61-45 | 9-0-0 | 46-24 | 2-3-0 | 15-21 |
December | 7-6-0 | 53-47 | 5-3-0 | 36-28 | 2-3-0 | 17-19 |
January | 10-5-0 | 63-50 | 6-1-0 | 38-23 | 4-4-0 | 25-27 |
February | 9-4-0 | 51-41 | 5-1-0 | 28-19 | 4-3-0 | 23-22 |
March | 9-5-0 | 64-43 | 6-2-0 | 46-25 | 3-3-0 | 18-18 |
April | 4-0-0 | 25-10 | 2-0-0 | 13-7 | 2-0-0 | 12-3
|
 
_______________________________________
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