The Complete World Hockey Association
www.surgent.net/wha
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1976-77 • Franchise
1976-77 Calgary Cowboys
Record: 31-43-7, 69 pts
Finish: 5th, West
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Coach: Joe Crozier
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Cowboys Preview, 1976-77 • by Barry Wilner • The Hockey News 1977 Yearbook
Few people would be distressed if Joe Crozier was fired by the Calgary Cowboys. Crozier's mob can maul all they want in the playoffs, as they did to the Nordiques and Tardif, but the reactions against them will always be loud.
The Cowboys are the most hated team in the league, perhaps in all of hockey. It may be cruel to wish ill of a team but many observers feel it would bode well for hockey if the Cowboys suffer in attendance and are ridiculed by their contemporaries for their style of play.
Which is a shame because Calgary boasts some fine players in its ranks. Danny Lawson is a genuine scoring star (44-52-96 last year) with a booming slapper. Ron Chipperfield (42 goals and 83 points) and Gavin Kirk are solid performers, and hard workers like George Morrison, Rick Sentes, Don Tannehill and Butch Deadmarsh will always help.
The addition of former Buffalo Sabres goalie Gary Bromley to the corral could mean big things. With Bromley having directed the Sabres to a divisional title two years ago and Don McLeod having an Avco win under his belt at Houston, Joe Crozier would be building a surprise in the West. McLeod played 63 games, with the Cowboys' goals-against being the seventh in the loop.
Harry Howell, the 45-year-old grey horse who might play again, steadied Crozier's club down when he joined up in mid-season. Francois Lacombe, Chris Evans, John Miszuk and vet Duane Rupp are underrated.
The incident in which Rick Jodzio mauled Marc Tardif is still in court. Jodzio is only a fringe player who wouldn't be missed. If the Tardif-Jodzio incident had occurred in the NHL, the furor would have been greater.
Still, Crozier made pro hockey in Calgary with a style of close checking not normally associated with the WHA. If Howe and Hull quit, and Phoenix has a goalie problem, Calgary could move up.
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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 8 | @ Winnipeg | 1-4 | L | 0-1-0 | 0 | 1-4 | 41. | Jan 16 | @ Phoenix | 5-4 | W | 18-21-2 | 38 | 129-129 |
|
2. | Oct 9 | @ Quebec | 2-5 | L | 0-2-0 | 0 | 3-9 | 42. | Jan 21 | @ Indianapolis | 1-1 | T | 18-21-3 | 39 | 130-130 |
|
3. | Oct 12 | @ Birmingham | 2-6 | L | 0-3-0 | 0 | 5-15 | 43. | Jan 22 | @ Quebec | 3-5 | L | 18-22-3 | 39 | 133-135 |
|
4. | Oct 13 | @ Houston | 1-2 | L | 0-4-0 | 0 | 6-17 | 44. | Jan 23 | @ Winnipeg | 5-10 | L | 18-23-3 | 39 | 138-145 |
|
5. | Oct 16 | @ San Diego | 2-4 | L | 0-5-0 | 0 | 8-21 | 45. | Jan 25 | Phoenix | 7-3 | W | 19-23-3 | 41 | 145-148 |
|
6. | Oct 21 | Quebec | 2-4 | L | 0-6-0 | 0 | 10-25 | 46. | Jan 29 | Houston | 4-6 | L | 19-24-3 | 41 | 149-154 |
|
7. | Oct 22 | @ Minnesota | 2-2 | T | 0-6-1 | 1 | 12-27 | 47. | Jan 30 | @ Edmonton | 1-1 | T | 19-24-4 | 42 | 150-155 |
|
8. | Oct 24 | San Diego | 6-0 | W | 1-6-1 | 3 | 18-27 | 48. | Feb 1 | @ Houston | 1-6 | L | 19-25-4 | 42 | 151-161 |
|
9. | Oct 26 | Birmingham | 9-3 | W | 2-6-1 | 5 | 27-30 | 49. | Feb 2 | @ San Diego | 4-6 | L | 19-26-4 | 42 | 155-167 |
|
10. | Oct 30 | Houston | 6-4 | W | 3-6-1 | 7 | 33-34 | 50. | Feb 5 | @ Phoenix | 4-1 | W | 20-26-4 | 44 | 159-168 |
|
11. | Nov 2 | Minnesota | 4-3 | W | 4-6-1 | 9 | 37-37 | 51. | Feb 6 | @ Winnipeg | 4-6 | L | 20-27-4 | 44 | 163-174 |
|
12. | Nov 4 | Edmonton | 4-2 | W | 5-6-1 | 11 | 41-39 | 52. | Feb 11 | Edmonton | 3-1 | W | 21-27-4 | 46 | 166-175 |
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13. | Nov 7 | New England | 4-2 | W | 6-6-1 | 13 | 45-41 | 53. | Feb 13 | @ Edmonton | 2-5 | L | 21-28-4 | 46 | 168-180 |
|
14. | Nov 11 | Winnipeg | 7-5 | W | 7-6-1 | 15 | 52-46 | 54. | Feb 15 | @ Winnipeg | 2-2 | T | 21-28-5 | 47 | 170-182 |
|
15. | Nov 14 | Winnipeg | 0-2 | L | 7-7-1 | 15 | 52-48 | 55. | Feb 16 | Cincinnati | 3-7 | L | 21-29-5 | 47 | 173-189 |
|
16. | Nov 16 | @ Houston | 2-4 | L | 7-8-1 | 15 | 54-52 | 56. | Feb 18 | Cincinnati | 5-3 | W | 22-29-5 | 49 | 178-192 |
|
17. | Nov 18 | @ Phoenix | *2-1 | W | 8-8-1 | 17 | 56-53 | 57. | Feb 20 | New England | 0-5 | L | 22-30-5 | 49 | 178-197 |
|
18. | Nov 19 | Quebec | 4-1 | W | 9-8-1 | 19 | 60-54 | 58. | Feb 23 | Houston | 3-2 | W | 23-30-5 | 51 | 181-199 |
|
19. | Nov 21 | @ Minnesota | 1-5 | L | 9-9-1 | 19 | 61-59 | 59. | Feb 25 | New England | 2-3 | L | 23-31-5 | 51 | 183-202 |
|
20. | Nov 23 | @ Birmingham | 1-3 | L | 9-10-1 | 19 | 62-62 | 60. | Feb 27 | Indianapolis | 2-1 | W | 24-31-5 | 53 | 185-203 |
|
21. | Nov 24 | @ Phoenix | 3-3 | T | 9-10-2 | 20 | 65-65 | 61. | Mar 1 | Winnipeg | 6-1 | W | 25-31-5 | 55 | 191-204 |
|
22. | Nov 27 | San Diego | 0-2 | L | 9-11-2 | 20 | 65-67 | 62. | Mar 3 | Birmingham | 4-2 | W | 26-31-5 | 57 | 195-206 |
|
23. | Dec 1 | @ New England | 4-8 | L | 9-12-2 | 20 | 69-75 | 63. | Mar 6 | San Diego | 4-2 | W | 27-31-5 | 59 | 199-208 |
|
24. | Dec 2 | @ Indianapolis | 1-2 | L | 9-13-2 | 20 | 70-77 | 64. | Mar 9 | San Diego | 4-3 | W | 28-31-5 | 61 | 203-211 |
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25. | Dec 3 | @ Cincinnati | 4-6 | L | 9-14-2 | 20 | 74-83 | 65. | Mar 11 | @ Winnipeg | 1-4 | L | 28-32-5 | 61 | 204-215 |
|
26. | Dec 5 | Phoenix | 6-0 | W | 10-14-2 | 22 | 80-83 | 66. | Mar 12 | @ Cincinnati | 2-9 | L | 28-33-5 | 61 | 206-224 |
|
27. | Dec 8 | Winnipeg | 2-4 | L | 10-15-2 | 22 | 82-87 | 67. | Mar 15 | @ Indianapolis | 1-3 | L | 28-34-5 | 61 | 207-227 |
|
28. | Dec 10 | @ Minnesota | 2-4 | L | 10-16-2 | 22 | 84-91 | 68. | Mar 16 | @ Cincinnati | 3-4 | L | 28-35-5 | 61 | 210-231 |
|
29. | Dec 11 | Edmonton | 3-0 | W | 11-16-2 | 24 | 87-91 | 69. | Mar 18 | @ New England | 1-3 | L | 28-36-5 | 61 | 211-234 |
|
30. | Dec 18 | Quebec | 4-2 | W | 12-16-2 | 26 | 91-93 | 70. | Mar 19 | @ Quebec | 0-8 | L | 28-37-5 | 61 | 211-242 |
|
31. | Dec 21 | @ Edmonton | 1-4 | L | 12-17-2 | 26 | 92-97 | 71. | Mar 20 | @ New England | 0-9 | L | 28-38-5 | 61 | 211-251 |
|
32. | Dec 23 | Minnesota | 2-1 | W | 13-17-2 | 28 | 94-98 | 72. | Mar 22 | @ Birmingham | 4-7 | L | 28-39-5 | 61 | 215-258 |
|
33. | Dec 26 | Cincinnati | 6-3 | W | 14-17-2 | 30 | 100-101 | 73. | Mar 25 | @ Houston | 2-4 | L | 28-40-5 | 61 | 217-262 |
|
34. | Jan 1 | Edmonton | 5-1 | W | 15-17-2 | 32 | 105-102 | 74. | Mar 26 | @ San Diego | 2-4 | L | 28-41-5 | 61 | 219-266 |
|
35. | Jan 5 | Houston | 3-4 | L | 15-18-2 | 32 | 108-106 | 75. | Mar 27 | Phoenix | 5-4 | W | 29-41-5 | 63 | 224-270 |
|
36. | Jan 7 | @ Edmonton | 1-4 | L | 15-19-2 | 32 | 109-110 | 76. | Mar 29 | Phoenix | 9-5 | W | 30-41-5 | 65 | 233-275 |
|
37. | Jan 8 | Indianapolis | 4-3 | W | 16-19-2 | 34 | 113-113 | 77. | Apr 1 | @ Edmonton | 3-1 | W | 31-41-5 | 67 | 236-276 |
|
38. | Jan 11 | Indianapolis | *3-4 | L | 16-20-2 | 34 | 116-117 | 78. | Apr 2 | Edmonton | 4-4 | T | 31-41-6 | 68 | 240-280 |
|
39. | Jan 14 | Winnipeg | 3-5 | L | 16-21-2 | 34 | 119-122 | 79. | Apr 3 | @ Winnipeg | 4-6 | L | 31-42-6 | 68 | 244-286 |
|
40. | Jan 15 | @ San Diego | 5-3 | W | 17-21-2 | 36 | 124-125 | 80. | Apr 5 | Birmingham | 4-4 | T | 31-42-7 | 69 | 248-290 |
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 81. | Apr 7 | Winnipeg | 4-6 | L | 31-43-7 | 69 | 252-296
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Player Scoring
| pos.
| #
| Player
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
| +/-
| ppg
| shg
| sog
| sc%
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
|
|
D | 25 | Arbour, John | 37 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 38 | -26 | 1 | 0 | 69 | 0.015 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 20 | Baird, Ken | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 20 | Boyd, Jim | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
G | 29 | Bromley, Gary | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 7 | Chipperfield, Ron | 81 | 27 | 27 | 54 | 32 | -10 | 5 | 0 | 209 | 0.129 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 12 | Connelly, Wayne | 25 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 | -2 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0.098 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 15 | Deadmarsh, Butch | 38 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 77 | -5 | 3 | 0 | 79 | 0.165 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 12 | Deschamps, Andre | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.250 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 24 | Driscoll, Peter | 76 | 23 | 29 | 52 | 120 | -8 | 4 | 0 | 130 | 0.177 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 4 | Evans, Chris | 81 | 7 | 27 | 34 | 60 | +12 | 0 | 0 | 174 | 0.040 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 3 | Ford, Mike | 54 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 14 | -8 | 2 | 0 | 144 | 0.034 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 6 | Greig, Bruce | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.250 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | - | Gruen, Danny | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.333 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | - | Hull, Steve | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 6 | Hurley, Paul | 34 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 32 | -8 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 12 | Israelson, Larry | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 18 | Jodzio, Rick | 46 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 61 | -13 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0.103 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 6 | Jordan, Ric | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 12 | Ketola, Veli-Pekka | 17 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | -17 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 0.069 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 16 | Kryskow, Dave | 45 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 47 | -14 | 3 | 1 | 124 | 0.130 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 11 | Lawson, Danny | 64 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 26 | -13 | 2 | 2 | 248 | 0.097 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 15 | Lemieux, Richard | 33 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 9 | -4 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 0.097 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 22 | Lindskog, Doug | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 8 | Locas, Jacques | 22 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | -5 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 0.103 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
F | 25 | Lukowich, Bernie | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 22 | Mayer, James | 21 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | -9 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.167 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
G | 1 | McLeod, Don | 67 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 3 | Micheletti, Joe | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -5 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 0.073 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 17 | Miller, Warren | 80 | 23 | 32 | 55 | 51 | +11 | 2 | 0 | 183 | 0.126 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 23 | Miszuk, John | 79 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 57 | +5 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 0.033 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 2 | Morin, Wayne | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 25 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.182 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 9 | Morrison, George | 63 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 10 | -10 | 2 | 0 | 99 | 0.111 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 2 | Pesut, George | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -7 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0.167 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 10 | Powis, Lynn | 63 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 46 | +4 | 4 | 1 | 168 | 0.179 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 16 | St. Sauveur, Claude | 17 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 8 | Sentes, Dick | 29 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 8 | +17 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 0.189 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 20 | Serviss, Tom | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.200 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 5 | Tannahill, Don | 77 | 10 | 22 | 32 | 4 | -9 | 0 | 4 | 129 | 0.078 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 21 | Terbenche, Paul | 80 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 30 | -14 | 0 | 0 | 130 | 0.069 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 19 | Walsh, Brian | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 6/11 | Ward, Ron | 9 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 0 | +2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0.278 | - | - | - | - | -
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Goaltending
| Goaltender
| gp
| min
| ga
| en
| so
| w-l-t
| gaa
| sog
| sv%
| gp
| min
| ga
| w-l
| gaa
|
|
Bromley, Gary | 28 | 1237 | 79 | 2 | 0 | 6-9-2 | 3.83 | 622 | 0.873 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
McLeod, Don | 67 | 3701 | 210 | 5 | 3 | 25-34-5 | 3.40 | 1736 | 0.879 | - | - | - | - | -
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Transactions
• Rights to Bruce Greig purchased from Cleveland, Jul 1976
• Gary Bromley, Richard Lemieux signed to contracts, Aug 1976
• Paul Hurley, Jim Mayer, George Pesut, Claude St Sauveur signed to contracts, Sep 1976
• Rights to Dave Kryskow acquired from Edmonton for future considerations, Sep 1976
• Mike Ford acquired from Winnipeg for draft picks, Oct 1976
• Ken Baird signed as free agent, Nov 1976
• John Arbour, Butch Deadmarsh and Danny Gruen signed from defunct Minnesota, Jan 1977
• Claude St. Sauveur and Wayne Connelly sold to Edmonton, Jan 1977
• Dick Sentes released, Jan 1977, subsequently signed by San Diego
• Jacques Locas acquired from Cincinnati for future considerations, Feb 1977 (Returned to Cincinnati, May 1977)
• Mike Ford and Danny Lawson traded to Winnipeg for Veli-Pekka Ketola and Ron Ward, Mar 1977
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
| opponent
| overall
| gf-ga
| home
| gf-ga
| away
| gf-ga
|
Birmingham | 2-3-1 | 24-25 | 2-0-1 | 17-9 | 0-3-0 | 7-16 | |
Cincinnati | 2-4-0 | 23-32 | 2-1-0 | 14-13 | 0-3-0 | 9-19 |
|
Edmonton | 5-3-2 | 27-23 | 4-0-1 | 19-8 | 1-3-1 | 8-15 |
|
Houston | 2-6-0 | 22-32 | 2-2-0 | 16-16 | 0-4-0 | 6-16 |
|
Indianapolis | 2-3-1 | 12-14 | 2-1-0 | 9-8 | 0-2-1 | 3-6 |
|
Minnesota | 2-2-1 | 11-15 | 2-0-0 | 6-4 | 0-2-1 | 5-11 |
|
New England | 1-5-0 | 11-30 | 1-2-0 | 6-10 | 0-3-0 | 5-20 |
|
Phoenix | 7-0-1 | 41-21 | 4-0-0 | 27-12 | 3-0-1 | 14-9 |
|
Quebec | 2-4-0 | 15-25 | 2-1-0 | 10-7 | 0-3-0 | 5-18 |
|
San Diego | 4-4-0 | 27-24 | 3-1-0 | 14-7 | 1-3-0 | 13-17 |
|
Winnipeg | 2-9-1 | 39-55 | 2-4-0 | 22-23 | 0-5-1 | 17-32 |
|
|
|
October | 3-6-1 | 33-34 | 3-1-0 | 23-11 | 0-5-1 | 10-23 |
|
November | 6-5-1 | 32-33 | 5-2-0 | 23-17 | 1-3-1 | 9-16 |
|
December | 5-6-0 | 35-34 | 5-1-0 | 23-10 | 0-5-0 | 12-24 |
|
January | 5-7-2 | 50-54 | 3-4-0 | 29-26 | 2-3-2 | 21-28 |
|
February | 5-7-1 | 35-48 | 4-3-0 | 18-22 | 1-4-1 | 17-26 |
|
March | 6-10-0 | 48-72 | 6-0-0 | 32-17 | 0-10-0 | 16-55 |
|
April | 1-2-2 | 19-21 | 0-1-2 | 12-14 | 1-1-0 | 7-7 |
|
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