The Complete World Hockey Association
www.surgent.net/wha
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1976-77 • Franchise
1976-77 Edmonton Oilers
Record: 34-43-4, 72 pts
Finish: 4th, West
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Houston
Coach: Armand (Bep) Guidolin (25-36-2), Glen Sather (9-7-2)
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Oilers Preview, 1976-77 • by Barry Wilner • The Hockey News 1977 Yearbook
The only thing certain about the Edmonton situation is that Bill Hunter, the owner-general manager-coach, is no longer in the picture. He was fired by the Board of Directors, who were unhappy with his 4th-annual return to the Edmonton bench last year. He had returned to the Oilers more times than Emile Francis' nonsense in New York.
The Oilers almost didn't operate, and only the intervention of Ben Hatskin enabled them to continue on an old lease at the Edmonton Coliseum.
Goalies Dave Dryden and Chris Worthy are talented but have been caught in a bad situation.
Barry Long, Al Hamilton, Paul Hurley and Ted McAneeley form the blue line crew. Hornung from Winnipeg is a key in any chance at improvement.
Up front, Norm Ullman, the ancient ex-Red Wing and Maple Leaf, is the big star. Wayne Carleton and Tim Sheehy, both ex-Whalers, are expected to help the goals-for column.
Hunter, a nonstop worker, claims to have lost $2 million on the Oilers. It was his doing which created reality to Gary Davidson's original idea of the WHA. And it was his efforts which built the $15 million Edmonton Coliseum.
The Oilers went with veteran home-brews from the start and have been burned. Big Al Hamilton, a defense star with the Junior Oil Kings, has been unspectacular back home. Bruce MacGregor, a former Red Wing and Ranger, got just 21 points in 63 games. Rusty Patenaude surprised with 72 points, but Edmonton must get more goals than the 268 they notched in 1975-76, and allow fewer than the 345 they surrendered. The goals for was the worst in the Canadian Division, and the goals against second worst.
Oilers stockholders feel a youth movement is needed but the economic squeeze seems to prevent this. The success of the Calgary Cowboys, a prairie rival, is hurting Edmonton at the gate. The acquisition of Carleton gives the team a superstar by WHA standards, but one very hard to handle.
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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 | New England | 2-0 | W | 1-0-0 | 2 | 2-0 | 41. | Jan 8 | @ Minnesota | 0-5 | L | 17-23-1 | 35 | 107-143 |
|
2. | Oct 15 | Winnipeg | 1-6 | L | 1-1-0 | 2 | 3-6 | 42. | Jan 9 | Indianapolis | 5-3 | W | 18-23-1 | 37 | 112-146 |
|
3. | Oct 17 | Indianapolis | 7-2 | W | 2-1-0 | 4 | 10-8 | 43. | Jan 14 | @ New England | 5-3 | W | 19-23-1 | 39 | 117-149 |
|
4. | Oct 19 | Phoenix | *5-4 | W | 3-1-0 | 6 | 15-12 | 44. | Jan 15 | @ Indianapolis | 3-6 | L | 19-24-1 | 39 | 120-155 |
|
5. | Oct 24 | Phoenix | 3-5 | L | 3-2-0 | 6 | 18-17 | 45. | Jan 16 | @ Houston | 1-3 | L | 19-25-1 | 39 | 121-158 |
|
6. | Oct 26 | @ Houston | 1-3 | L | 3-3-0 | 6 | 19-20 | 46. | Jan 20 | @ San Diego | 1-5 | L | 19-26-1 | 39 | 122-163 |
|
7. | Oct 28 | @ Birmingham | *4-3 | W | 4-3-0 | 8 | 23-23 | 47. | Jan 22 | @ Phoenix | 1-4 | L | 19-27-1 | 39 | 123-167 |
|
8. | Oct 29 | @ Winnipeg | 3-11 | L | 4-4-0 | 8 | 26-34 | 48. | Jan 23 | Phoenix | 9-2 | W | 20-27-1 | 41 | 132-169 |
|
9. | Oct 31 | Houston | 0-4 | L | 4-5-0 | 8 | 26-38 | 49. | Jan 26 | @ Quebec | *5-4 | W | 21-27-1 | 43 | 137-173 |
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10. | Nov 3 | Minnesota | 4-2 | W | 5-5-0 | 10 | 30-40 | 50. | Jan 28 | Houston | 1-4 | L | 21-28-1 | 43 | 138-177 |
|
11. | Nov 4 | @ Calgary | 2-4 | L | 5-6-0 | 10 | 32-44 | 51. | Jan 30 | Calgary | 1-1 | T | 21-28-2 | 44 | 139-178 |
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12. | Nov 5 | New England | 3-4 | L | 5-7-0 | 10 | 35-48 | 52. | Feb 1 | Winnipeg | 1-11 | L | 21-29-2 | 44 | 140-189 |
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13. | Nov 7 | @ Winnipeg | 2-5 | L | 5-8-0 | 10 | 37-53 | 53. | Feb 6 | San Diego | 4-2 | W | 22-29-2 | 46 | 144-191 |
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14. | Nov 10 | @ Cincinnati | 2-4 | L | 5-9-0 | 10 | 39-57 | 54. | Feb 8 | San Diego | 5-6 | L | 22-30-2 | 46 | 149-197 |
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15. | Nov 13 | @ Birmingham | 3-2 | W | 6-9-0 | 12 | 42-59 | 55. | Feb 11 | @ Calgary | 1-3 | L | 22-31-2 | 46 | 150-200 |
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16. | Nov 16 | @ Phoenix | 2-5 | L | 6-10-0 | 12 | 44-64 | 56. | Feb 13 | Calgary | 5-2 | W | 23-31-2 | 48 | 155-202 |
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17. | Nov 17 | @ San Diego | 2-4 | L | 6-11-0 | 12 | 46-68 | 57. | Feb 15 | Cincinnati | 4-7 | L | 23-32-2 | 48 | 159-209 |
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18. | Nov 19 | Cincinnati | *4-3 | W | 7-11-0 | 14 | 50-71 | 58. | Feb 18 | Winnipeg | 3-2 | W | 24-32-2 | 50 | 162-211 |
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19. | Nov 21 | Quebec | 6-5 | W | 8-11-0 | 16 | 56-76 | 59. | Feb 20 | @ Winnipeg | 2-4 | L | 24-33-2 | 50 | 164-215 |
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20. | Nov 23 | @ Houston | 3-5 | L | 8-12-0 | 16 | 59-81 | 60. | Feb 22 | New England | 4-3 | W | 25-33-2 | 52 | 168-218 |
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21. | Nov 24 | @ San Diego | 2-4 | L | 8-13-0 | 16 | 61-85 | 61. | Feb 25 | Indianapolis | 2-3 | L | 25-34-2 | 52 | 170-221 |
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22. | Nov 26 | @ Phoenix | 2-4 | L | 8-14-0 | 16 | 63-89 | 62. | Feb 27 | Birmingham | 0-4 | L | 25-35-2 | 52 | 170-225 |
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23. | Nov 28 | San Diego | 4-0 | W | 9-14-0 | 18 | 67-89 | 63. | Mar 1 | Quebec | 4-5 | L | 25-36-2 | 52 | 174-230 |
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24. | Nov 30 | Phoenix | *3-2 | W | 10-14-0 | 20 | 70-91 | 64. | Mar 3 | Winnipeg | 5-4 | W | 26-36-2 | 54 | 179-234 |
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25. | Dec 2 | @ Birmingham | 4-3 | W | 11-14-0 | 22 | 74-94 | 65. | Mar 6 | Birmingham | 5-2 | W | 27-36-2 | 56 | 184-236 |
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26. | Dec 3 | @ Houston | 0-0 | T | 11-14-1 | 23 | 74-94 | 66. | Mar 8 | @ Houston | 3-5 | L | 27-37-2 | 56 | 187-241 |
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27. | Dec 4 | @ Indianapolis | 3-5 | L | 11-15-1 | 23 | 77-99 | 67. | Mar 9 | @ Cincinnati | 3-5 | L | 27-38-2 | 56 | 190-246 |
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28. | Dec 5 | @ Minnesota | 1-5 | L | 11-16-1 | 23 | 78-104 | 68. | Mar 10 | @ Indianapolis | 4-3 | W | 28-38-2 | 58 | 194-249 |
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29. | Dec 7 | @ Quebec | 4-2 | W | 12-16-1 | 25 | 82-106 | 69. | Mar 12 | @ Quebec | 3-3 | T | 28-38-3 | 59 | 197-252 |
|
30. | Dec 11 | @ Calgary | 0-3 | L | 12-17-1 | 25 | 82-109 | 70. | Mar 13 | @ Winnipeg | 3-9 | L | 28-39-3 | 59 | 200-261 |
|
31. | Dec 12 | Birmingham | 5-3 | W | 13-17-1 | 27 | 87-112 | 71. | Mar 15 | @ Winnipeg | 0-7 | L | 28-40-3 | 59 | 200-268 |
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32. | Dec 14 | San Diego | 1-6 | L | 13-18-1 | 27 | 88-118 | 72. | Mar 17 | Winnipeg | 4-3 | W | 29-40-3 | 61 | 204-271 |
|
33. | Dec 16 | @ San Diego | 0-3 | L | 13-19-1 | 27 | 88-121 | 73. | Mar 22 | @ Winnipeg | 3-8 | L | 29-41-3 | 61 | 207-279 |
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34. | Dec 17 | @ Phoenix | 1-0 | W | 14-19-1 | 29 | 89-121 | 74. | Mar 24 | @ New England | 5-4 | W | 30-41-3 | 63 | 212-283 |
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35. | Dec 19 | Cincinnati | 4-2 | W | 15-19-1 | 31 | 93-123 | 75. | Mar 25 | @ Cincinnati | *4-3 | W | 31-41-3 | 65 | 216-286 |
|
36. | Dec 21 | Calgary | 4-1 | W | 16-19-1 | 33 | 97-124 | 76. | Mar 27 | @ New England | 2-5 | L | 31-42-3 | 65 | 218-291 |
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37. | Dec 28 | Quebec | 2-3 | L | 16-20-1 | 33 | 99-127 | 77. | Mar 30 | Houston | 8-0 | W | 32-42-3 | 67 | 226-291 |
|
38. | Jan 1 | @ Calgary | 1-5 | L | 16-21-1 | 33 | 100-132 | 78. | Apr 1 | Calgary | 1-3 | L | 32-43-3 | 67 | 227-294 |
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39. | Jan 4 | Houston | 3-5 | L | 16-22-1 | 33 | 103-137 | 79. | Apr 2 | @ Calgary | 4-4 | T | 32-43-4 | 68 | 231-298 |
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40. | Jan 7 | Calgary | 4-1 | W | 17-22-1 | 35 | 107-138 | 80. | Apr 4 | Winnipeg | 6-2 | W | 33-43-4 | 70 | 237-300 |
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- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 81. | Apr 6 | Birmingham | 6-4 | W | 34-43-4 | 72 | 243-304
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Player Scoring
| pos.
| #
| Player
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
| +/-
| ppg
| shg
| sog
| sc%
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
|
|
C | 18 | Antonovich, Mike | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0.063 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 24 | Arndt, Danny | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 19 | Baird, Ken | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.143 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 5 | Barrie, Doug | 70 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 92 | -4 | 2 | 0 | 102 | 0.078 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
LW | 19/27 | Beaton, Frank | 68 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 274 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 0.063 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 21 |
|
D | 2 | Boddy, Greg | 46 | 1 | 17 | 18 | 41 | -1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0.024 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 |
|
G | 1 | Broderick, Ken | 40 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
RW | 8 | Busniuk, Ron | 22 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0.054 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 37 |
|
D | 8 | Butters, Bill | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 18 | Callighen, Brett | 29 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 48 | +6 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 0.186 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
|
C | 21 | Campbell, Bryan | 66 | 12 | 42 | 54 | 18 | -10 | 0 | 1 | 149 | 0.081 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
|
RW | 12 | Connelly, Wayne | 38 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 111 | 0.117 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
|
G | 28 | Dryden, Dave | 24 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 19 | Flett, Bill | 48 | 34 | 20 | 54 | 20 | +7 | 7 | 0 | 177 | 0.192 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
|
LW | 10 | Fortunato, Joe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 3 | Hamilton, Al | 81 | 8 | 37 | 45 | 60 | -19 | 3 | 0 | 140 | 0.057 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
|
D | 4 | Hornung, Larry | 21 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0.095 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 10 | Kirk, Gavin | 52 | 8 | 28 | 36 | 16 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 87 | 0.092 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
|
C | 20 | Laframboise, Pete | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 12 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
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D | 26 | Langevin, Dave | 77 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 94 | -16 | 2 | 0 | 133 | 0.053 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
|
G | 30 | Levasseur, Louis | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
D | 2 | Long, Barry | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 11 | Merrell, Barry | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.067 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 22 | Morris, Pete | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 7 | Morris, Rick | 79 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 76 | -1 | 1 | 0 | 198 | 0.091 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 8 | Nevin, Bob | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | -8 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0.200 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 17 | Patenaude, Rusty | 73 | 25 | 16 | 41 | 57 | -23 | 8 | 0 | 201 | 0.124 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
|
D | 24 | Patrick, Glenn | 23 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 62 | -10 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
D | 23 | Patterson, Dennis | 23 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -18 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 21 | Peacosh, Gene | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | +2 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0.179 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
D | 4 | Prentice, Bill | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 20 | Rota, Randy | 40 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 8 | -10 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 0.113 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
|
C | 25 | Russell, Bob | 57 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 41 | -10 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 0.089 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
LW | 15 | St. Sauveur, Claude | 15 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0.208 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
|
LW | 14 | Sather, Glen | 81 | 19 | 34 | 53 | 77 | -17 | 2 | 0 | 124 | 0.153 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
|
RW | 10 | Scharf, Ted | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 15 | Sheehy, Tim | 28 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 4 | -7 | 4 | 0 | 85 | 0.176 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
RW | 16 | Simpson, Tom | 15 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0.130 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 16 | Stewart, Paul | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
C | 9 | Ullman, Norm | 67 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 28 | -23 | 4 | 0 | 107 | 0.150 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
|
D | 6 | Wilkins, Barry | 51 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 75 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 0.062 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|
RW | 12 | Williams, Butch | 29 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 16 | -9 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0.081 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
|
Goaltending
| Goaltender
| gp
| min
| ga
| en
| so
| w-l-t
| gaa
| sog
| sv%
| gp
| min
| ga
| w-l
| gaa
|
|
Broderick, Ken | 40 | 2301 | 134 | 1 | 4 | 18-18-1 | 3.49 | 1098 | 0.878 | 3 | 179 | 10 | 1-2 | 3.35 |
|
Dryden, Dave | 24 | 1416 | 77 | 3 | 1 | 10-13-0 | 3.76 | 694 | 0.889 | - | - | - | - | - |
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Levasseur, Louis | 21 | 1213 | 88 | 1 | 0 | 6-12-3 | 4.35 | 658 | 0.866 | 2 | 133 | 10 | 0-2 | 4.51
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Transactions
• Rights to Barry Wilkins acquired from Houston, Jun 1976
• Pete Laframboise, Barry Merrell, Glen Sather signed to contracts, Aug 1976
• Gene Peacosh acquired from San Diego for future considerations, Aug 1976
• Ken Broderick, Dennis Patterson, Barry Wilkins, Butch Williams signed to contracts, Sep 1976
• Frank Beaton purchased from Cincinnati, Oct 1976
• Barry Long traded to Winnipeg for future considerations, Oct 1976
• Bob Nevin, Paul Stewart signed to contracts, Oct 1976
• Ken Baird released, Oct 1976, signed by Calgary, Nov 1976
• Randy Rota purchased from Colorado (NHL), Nov 1976
• Tim Sheehy traded to Birmingham for Tom Simpson and Gavin Kirk, Dec 1976
• Bill Flett purchased from Atlanta (NHL), Dec 1976
• Gene Peacosh traded to Indianapolis for Bryan Campbell, Nov 1976
• Larry Hornung traded to San Diego for Greg Boddy, Nov 1976
• Mike Antonovich, Dave Keon, John McKenzie, Steve Carlson, Jack Carlson, Bill Butters and Louis Levasseur purchased from defunct Minnesota, Jan 1977
• Dave Keon, John McKenzie, Steve Carlson and Jack Carlson sold to New England, Jan 1977
• Claude St. Sauveur and Wayne Connelly purchased from Calgary, Jan 1977
• Danny Arndt acquired from New England for future considerations, Jan 1977
• Mike Antonovich and Bill Butters traded to New England for Brett Callighen and Ron Busniuk, Feb 1977
• Glenn Patrick signed to contract, Feb 1977.
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
| opponent
| overall
| gf-ga
| home
| gf-ga
| away
| gf-ga
|
Birmingham | 6-1-0 | 27-21 | 3-1-0 | 16-13 | 3-0-0 | 11-8 | |
Calgary | 3-5-2 | 23-27 | 3-1-1 | 15-8 | 0-4-1 | 8-19 |
|
Cincinnati | 3-3-0 | 21-24 | 2-1-0 | 12-12 | 1-2-0 | 9-12 |
|
Houston | 1-7-1 | 20-29 | 1-3-0 | 12-13 | 0-4-1 | 8-16 |
|
Indianapolis | 3-3-0 | 24-22 | 2-1-0 | 14-8 | 1-2-0 | 10-14 |
|
Minnesota | 1-2-0 | 5-12 | 1-0-0 | 4-2 | 0-2-0 | 1-10 |
|
New England | 4-2-0 | 21-19 | 2-1-0 | 9-7 | 2-1-0 | 12-12 |
|
Phoenix | 4-4-0 | 26-26 | 3-1-0 | 20-13 | 1-2-0 | 6-13 |
|
Quebec | 3-2-1 | 24-22 | 1-2-0 | 12-13 | 2-0-1 | 12-9 |
|
San Diego | 2-6-0 | 19-30 | 2-2-0 | 14-14 | 0-4-0 | 5-16 |
|
Winnipeg | 4-8-0 | 33-72 | 4-2-0 | 20-28 | 0-6-0 | 13-44 |
|
|
|
October | 4-5-0 | 26-38 | 3-3-0 | 18-21 | 1-2-0 | 8-17 |
|
November | 6-9-0 | 44-53 | 5-1-0 | 24-16 | 1-8-0 | 20-37 |
|
December | 6-6-1 | 29-36 | 3-2-0 | 16-15 | 3-4-1 | 13-21 |
|
January | 5-8-1 | 40-51 | 3-2-1 | 23-16 | 2-6-0 | 17-35 |
|
February | 4-7-0 | 31-47 | 4-5-0 | 28-40 | 0-2-0 | 3-7 |
|
March | 7-7-1 | 56-66 | 4-1-0 | 26-14 | 3-6-1 | 30-52 |
|
April | 2-1-1 | 17-13 | 2-1-0 | 13-9 | 0-0-1 | 4-4 |
|
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