The Complete World Hockey Association
www.surgent.net/wha
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1976-77 • Franchise
1976-77 San Diego Mariners
Record: 40-37-4, 84 pts
Finish: 3rd, West
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Winnipeg
Coach: Ron Ingram
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Mariners Preview, 1976-77 • by Barry Wilner • The Hockey News 1977 Yearbook
The saga of the San Diego Mariners is surviving for 13 weeks without pay after Joseph Schwartz defaulted when unable to meet the payroll is a shiny example of the other side of the coin. The gallant Mariner players played the month of March and on into the playoffs without a payday, upset archrival Phoenix in the playoffs, and carried Houston to a tough six games before bowing out in 1976.
They were counted out of the WHA four different times during the summer, but finally, when none of the players had sold their services elsewhere, Ray Kroc, the hamburger king and owner of the baseball Padres, stepped in and saved hockey in San Diego.
Mr. Franchise is Andre Lacroix, who once centered the French line of the Philadelphia Flyers. Slick Andre tallied 29 goals and added 72 assists for 101 points. Lacroix played much of the time with Wayne Rivers and John French. Rivers dropped off with only 19-25-44, and general manager and coach Ron Ingram hopes he bounces back to the 54 goals in 53 assists he notched in 1974-75.
The tough Mariners also boast center Ray Adduono, who has proved he isn't too small. Adduono got 90 points, his linemates Norm Ferguson 74 and Gene Peacosh 70. Joe Noris, an American playing up front after starting his career as a defenseman, got 68 points with second-team All-Star defenseman Kevin Morrison firing from the point for 65.
With Ernie Wakely in goal, the defense has veterans of the genre of Mike McMahon, Bob Wall, Bob Falkenburg, Brent Hughes and Jim Hargreaves.
Last season, the Mariners were very tough at home but pushovers on the road. They finished two games under .500, scored 303 goals — second highest in the West division — but allowed 290 as the boys played wide open for the most part.
With Phoenix trusting former New York Raider Gary Kurt as their number-one goalie, the Californians might move up. Wakely can do the job if given protection. Morrison is a tough offensive defenseman and Lacroix is a shifty piece of machinery. There is not much to choose between Phoenix, Calgary and San Diego. Even Houston fits into the picture if Gordie Howe quits or plays ineffectively. The Mariners could surprise and survive quite nicely in the WHA West.
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Hockey's Strange Love Affair San Diego and the Mariners, 1976
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 9 | Cincinnati | 7-7 | T | 0-0-1 | 1 | 7-7 | 41. | Jan 9 | @ Quebec | 2-5 | L | 24-15-2 | 50 | 138-126 |
|
2. | Oct 12 | @ Quebec | 4-6 | L | 0-1-1 | 1 | 11-13 | 42. | Jan 13 | Cincinnati | 2-7 | L | 24-16-2 | 50 | 140-133 |
|
3. | Oct 15 | @ Minnesota | 7-4 | W | 1-1-1 | 3 | 18-17 | 43. | Jan 15 | Calgary | 3-5 | L | 24-17-2 | 50 | 143-138 |
|
4. | Oct 16 | Calgary | 4-2 | W | 2-1-1 | 5 | 22-19 | 44. | Jan 16 | Birmingham | 5-2 | W | 25-17-2 | 52 | 148-140 |
|
5. | Oct 17 | Winnipeg | 3-1 | W | 3-1-1 | 7 | 25-20 | 45. | Jan 20 | Edmonton | 5-1 | W | 26-17-2 | 54 | 153-141 |
|
6. | Oct 21 | Indianapolis | 4-4 | T | 3-1-2 | 8 | 29-24 | 46. | Jan 22 | Houston | 0-6 | L | 26-18-2 | 54 | 153-147 |
|
7. | Oct 24 | @ Calgary | 0-6 | L | 3-2-2 | 8 | 29-30 | 47. | Jan 23 | @ Houston | 3-5 | L | 26-19-2 | 54 | 156-152 |
|
8. | Oct 26 | @ Minnesota | 1-3 | L | 3-3-2 | 8 | 30-33 | 48. | Jan 27 | New England | 3-5 | L | 26-20-2 | 54 | 159-157 |
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9. | Oct 27 | @ Indianapolis | 5-1 | W | 4-3-2 | 10 | 35-34 | 49. | Jan 29 | Winnipeg | 5-3 | W | 27-20-2 | 56 | 164-160 |
|
10. | Oct 29 | @ Cincinnati | 2-4 | L | 4-4-2 | 10 | 37-38 | 50. | Feb 1 | Phoenix | 5-1 | W | 28-20-2 | 58 | 169-161 |
|
11. | Oct 31 | @ Winnipeg | 4-6 | L | 4-5-2 | 10 | 41-44 | 51. | Feb 2 | Calgary | 6-4 | W | 29-20-2 | 60 | 175-165 |
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12. | Nov 2 | @ Birmingham | *4-3 | W | 5-5-2 | 12 | 45-47 | 52. | Feb 4 | @ Winnipeg | 2-8 | L | 29-21-2 | 60 | 177-173 |
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13. | Nov 6 | Houston | 4-1 | W | 6-5-2 | 14 | 49-48 | 53. | Feb 6 | @ Edmonton | 2-4 | L | 29-22-2 | 60 | 179-177 |
|
14. | Nov 7 | Indianapolis | 3-0 | W | 7-5-2 | 16 | 52-48 | 54. | Feb 8 | @ Edmonton | 6-5 | W | 30-22-2 | 62 | 185-182 |
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15. | Nov 11 | @ Birmingham | 3-2 | W | 8-5-2 | 18 | 55-50 | 55. | Feb 11 | @ Phoenix | 5-3 | W | 31-22-2 | 64 | 190-185 |
|
16. | Nov 12 | @ Houston | 1-4 | L | 8-6-2 | 18 | 56-54 | 56. | Feb 12 | Birmingham | *3-2 | W | 32-22-2 | 66 | 193-187 |
|
17. | Nov 14 | @ Phoenix | 3-6 | L | 8-7-2 | 18 | 59-60 | 57. | Feb 13 | Phoenix | 5-2 | W | 33-22-2 | 68 | 198-189 |
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18. | Nov 17 | Edmonton | 4-2 | W | 9-7-2 | 20 | 63-62 | 58. | Feb 16 | Quebec | 2-4 | L | 33-23-2 | 68 | 200-193 |
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19. | Nov 19 | Houston | 5-3 | W | 10-7-2 | 22 | 68-65 | 59. | Feb 18 | @ Houston | 2-4 | L | 33-24-2 | 68 | 202-197 |
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20. | Nov 21 | @ Birmingham | 3-4 | L | 10-8-2 | 22 | 71-69 | 60. | Feb 19 | @ Houston | 3-5 | L | 33-25-2 | 68 | 205-202 |
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21. | Nov 24 | Edmonton | 4-2 | W | 11-8-2 | 24 | 75-71 | 61. | Feb 24 | Phoenix | 3-3 | T | 33-25-3 | 69 | 208-205 |
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22. | Nov 27 | @ Calgary | 2-0 | W | 12-8-2 | 26 | 77-71 | 62. | Feb 26 | Houston | 4-5 | L | 33-26-3 | 69 | 212-210 |
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23. | Nov 28 | @ Edmonton | 0-4 | L | 12-9-2 | 26 | 77-75 | 63. | Mar 2 | @ New England | 0-2 | L | 33-27-3 | 69 | 212-212 |
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24. | Nov 30 | @ Winnipeg | 2-8 | L | 12-10-2 | 26 | 79-83 | 64. | Mar 4 | @ Indianapolis | 4-7 | L | 33-28-3 | 69 | 216-219 |
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25. | Dec 2 | Phoenix | 4-3 | W | 13-10-2 | 28 | 83-86 | 65. | Mar 5 | @ Quebec | 0-6 | L | 33-29-3 | 69 | 216-225 |
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26. | Dec 4 | @ Phoenix | 4-3 | W | 14-10-2 | 30 | 87-89 | 66. | Mar 6 | @ Calgary | 2-4 | L | 33-30-3 | 69 | 218-229 |
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27. | Dec 8 | @ Cincinnati | 6-1 | W | 15-10-2 | 32 | 93-90 | 67. | Mar 8 | @ Winnipeg | 0-5 | L | 33-31-3 | 69 | 218-234 |
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28. | Dec 10 | @ Indianapolis | 2-3 | L | 15-11-2 | 32 | 95-93 | 68. | Mar 9 | @ Calgary | 3-4 | L | 33-32-3 | 69 | 221-238 |
|
29. | Dec 11 | @ New England | 2-3 | L | 15-12-2 | 32 | 97-96 | 69. | Mar 12 | Phoenix | 6-7 | L | 33-33-3 | 69 | 227-245 |
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30. | Dec 12 | @ Minnesota | 4-2 | W | 16-12-2 | 34 | 101-98 | 70. | Mar 15 | Phoenix | 4-4 | T | 33-33-4 | 70 | 231-249 |
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31. | Dec 14 | @ Edmonton | 6-1 | W | 17-12-2 | 36 | 107-99 | 71. | Mar 19 | @ Phoenix | 5-7 | L | 33-34-4 | 70 | 236-256 |
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32. | Dec 16 | Edmonton | 3-0 | W | 18-12-2 | 38 | 110-99 | 72. | Mar 20 | Phoenix | 6-1 | W | 34-34-4 | 72 | 242-257 |
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33. | Dec 18 | Houston | 4-3 | W | 19-12-2 | 40 | 114-102 | 73. | Mar 24 | Birmingham | 6-2 | W | 35-34-4 | 74 | 248-259 |
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34. | Dec 19 | Quebec | 5-3 | W | 20-12-2 | 42 | 119-105 | 74. | Mar 25 | @ Phoenix | 7-3 | W | 36-34-4 | 76 | 255-262 |
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35. | Dec 22 | @ Phoenix | *5-4 | W | 21-12-2 | 44 | 124-109 | 75. | Mar 26 | Calgary | 4-2 | W | 37-34-4 | 78 | 259-264 |
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36. | Dec 23 | New England | 3-5 | L | 21-13-2 | 44 | 127-114 | 76. | Mar 29 | New England | 4-5 | L | 37-35-4 | 78 | 263-269 |
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37. | Dec 26 | Indianapolis | 2-1 | W | 22-13-2 | 46 | 129-115 | 77. | Mar 31 | Winnipeg | 4-3 | W | 38-35-4 | 80 | 267-272 |
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38. | Dec 30 | Winnipeg | 4-3 | W | 23-13-2 | 48 | 133-118 | 78. | Apr 2 | Cincinnati | 6-3 | W | 39-35-4 | 82 | 273-275 |
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39. | Jan 5 | @ New England | 2-1 | W | 24-13-2 | 50 | 135-119 | 79. | Apr 3 | Quebec | 7-0 | W | 40-35-4 | 84 | 280-275 |
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40. | Jan 8 | @ Cincinnati | 1-2 | L | 24-14-2 | 50 | 136-121 | 80. | Apr 5 | @ Houston | 1-3 | L | 40-36-4 | 84 | 281-278 |
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- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 81. | Apr 6 | Houston | 3-5 | L | 40-37-4 | 84 | 284-283
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Player Scoring
| pos.
| #
| Player
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
| +/-
| ppg
| shg
| sog
| sc%
| gp
| g
| a
| pts
| pim
|
|
C | 10 | Adduono, Ray | 13 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | +1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0.043 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 19 |
|
D | 18 | Boddy, Greg | 18 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.067 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
W | 8 | Burgess, Don | 77 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 8 | -8 | 4 | 1 | 167 | 0.120 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
|
RW | 22 | Cassolato, Tony | 43 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 26 | +9 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 0.241 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
|
C | 27 | Cournoyer, Norm | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -14 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0.033 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 16 | Devine, Kevin | 81 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 114 | -12 | 7 | 1 | 182 | 0.165 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
|
C | 19 | Dobek, Bob | 58 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 17 | -9 | 2 | 0 | 87 | 0.080 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
|
D | 6 | Falkenberg, Bob | 64 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 34 | -11 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0.000 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
RW | 9 | Ferguson, Norm | 77 | 39 | 32 | 71 | 5 | -5 | 10 | 0 | 217 | 0.180 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
|
LW | 11 | French, John | 44 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 6 | -3 | 2 | 0 | 79 | 0.177 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
|
D | 29 | Hornung, Larry | 58 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 8 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0.095 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
D | 2 | Hughes, Brent | 62 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 48 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 0.074 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
|
C | 7 | Lacroix, Andre | 81 | 32 | 82 | 114 | 79 | +2 | 11 | 3 | 231 | 0.139 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
|
D | 5 | Legge, Randy | 69 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 69 | -18 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0.034 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
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G | 1 | Lockett, Ken | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
D | 18 | McNamee, Pete | 41 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 38 | -7 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0.115 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
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D | 4 | Morrison, Kevin | 75 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 68 | -30 | 4 | 0 | 247 | 0.032 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
|
D | 21 | Noris, Joe | 73 | 35 | 57 | 92 | 30 | +2 | 9 | 6 | 243 | 0.144 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
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RW | 20 | O'Connell, Tim | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
LW | 14 | Pinder, Gerry | 44 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 36 | -24 | 2 | 0 | 90 | 0.067 | - | - | - | - | - |
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C | 10 | Rhiness, Brad | 58 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 14 | -17 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 0.136 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
|
RW | 12 | Rivers, Wayne | 60 | 18 | 31 | 49 | 40 | +5 | 7 | 0 | 168 | 0.107 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
|
RW | 28 | Sentes, Dick | 24 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 16 | +7 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 0.179 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
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D | 3 | Shmyr, Paul | 81 | 13 | 37 | 50 | 103 | -4 | 3 | 0 | 206 | 0.063 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
|
LW | 17 | Veneruzzo, Gary | 40 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 18 | +4 | 3 | 0 | 94 | 0.149 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
G | 31 | Wakely, Ernie | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
D | - | Winograd, Bob | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | - | - | - | - | - |
|
|
Goaltending
| Goaltender
| gp
| min
| ga
| en
| so
| w-l-t
| gaa
| sog
| sv%
| gp
| min
| ga
| w-l
| gaa
|
|
Lockett, Ken | 45 | 2397 | 148 | 4 | 1 | 18-19-1 | 3.70 | 1147 | 0.871 | 5 | 260 | 19 | 1-3 | 4.38 |
|
Wakely, Ernie | 46 | 2506 | 129 | 2 | 3 | 22-18-3 | 3.09 | 1240 | 0.896 | 3 | 160 | 9 | 2-1 | 3.38
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Transactions
• Randy Legge signed to contract, Jul 1976
• Gary Veneruzzo acquired from Phoenix for future considerations, Aug 1976
• Greg Boddy, Ken Lockett signed to contracts, Sep 1976
• Ray Adduono and Bob Wall traded to Minnesota for Paul Shmyr and Gerry Pinder, Sep 1976
• Greg Boddy traded to Edmonton for Larry Hornung, Nov 1976
• Ray Adduono signed from defunct Minnesota, Jan 1977
• Dick Sentes signed as free agent, Jan 1977
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
| opponent
| overall
| gf-ga
| home
| gf-ga
| away
| gf-ga
|
Birmingham | 5-1-0 | 24-15 | 3-0-0 | 14-6 | 2-1-0 | 10-9 | |
Calgary | 4-4-0 | 24-27 | 3-1-0 | 17-13 | 1-3-0 | 7-14 |
|
Cincinnati | 2-3-1 | 24-24 | 1-1-1 | 15-17 | 1-2-0 | 9-7 |
|
Edmonton | 6-2-0 | 30-19 | 4-0-0 | 16-5 | 2-2-0 | 14-14 |
|
Houston | 3-8-0 | 30-44 | 3-3-0 | 20-23 | 0-5-0 | 10-21 |
|
Indianapolis | 3-2-1 | 20-16 | 2-0-1 | 9-5 | 1-2-0 | 11-11 |
|
Minnesota | 2-1-0 | 12-9 | 0-0-0 | 0-0 | 2-1-0 | 12-9 |
|
New England | 1-5-0 | 14-21 | 0-3-0 | 10-15 | 1-2-0 | 4-6 |
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Phoenix | 8-3-2 | 62-47 | 4-1-2 | 33-21 | 4-2-0 | 29-26 |
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Quebec | 2-4-0 | 20-24 | 2-1-0 | 14-7 | 0-3-0 | 6-17 |
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Winnipeg | 4-4-0 | 24-37 | 4-0-0 | 16-10 | 0-4-0 | 8-27 |
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|
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October | 4-5-2 | 41-44 | 2-0-2 | 18-14 | 2-5-0 | 23-30 |
|
November | 8-5-0 | 54-39 | 5-0-0 | 20-8 | 3-5-0 | 18-31 |
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December | 11-3-0 | 54-35 | 6-1-0 | 25-18 | 5-2-0 | 29-17 |
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January | 4-7-0 | 31-42 | 3-4-0 | 23-29 | 1-3-0 | 8-13 |
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February | 6-6-1 | 48-50 | 4-2-1 | 28-21 | 2-4-0 | 20-29 |
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March | 5-9-1 | 55-62 | 4-2-1 | 34-24 | 1-7-0 | 21-38 |
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April | 2-2-0 | 17-11 | 2-1-0 | 16-8 | 0-1-0 | 1-3 |
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