The Complete World Hockey Association
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Significant Games of 1977-78

1977-78

 
November 24, 1977

Bulls Wallop Stingers in
Thanksgiving Day Massacre

BIRMINGHAM: The Bulls came out fighting, literally and figuratively, as they pasted Cincinnati by a 12-2 margin. Newly acquired tough guys Steve Durbano, Serge Beaudoin and Frank Beaton participated in the scoring barrage, as four different Bulls players scored two goals. The win set the tone for the Bulls, who went on to rough up the league in 1977-78 and make the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Cincinnati 1 0 1 - 2
Birmingham 3 2 7 - 12

1st period: 1. Bir: Mahovlich 3 (Linseman, Napier) 1:35. 2. Cin: Leduc 13 3:08. 3. Bir: Henderson 6 (Marrin, Hoganson) 10:25. 4. Bir: Linseman 4 18:35.
2nd period: 5. Bir: Gorman 2 (Marrin, Henderson) 10:04. 6. Bir: Linseman 5 (Beaudoin) 17:13.
3rd period: 7. Cin: Stapleton 1 (Hislop) 3:13. 8. Bir: Cassolato 4 (Hughes, Beaudoin) 3:43. 9. Bir: Marrin 5 (Hughes, Beaudoin) 3:54. 10. Bir: Beaudoin 1 (Wood) 4:52. 11. Bir: Beaudoin 2 (Hughes, Wood) 8:08. 12. Bir: Stephenson 1 (Napier, Durbano) 10:54. 13. Bir: Cassolato 5 (Hoganson) 17:10. 14. Bir: Stephenson 2 (Beaton, Stewart) 17:33.
Shots: Cin: 9-10-11—30; Bir: 6-16-14—36
Goaltenders: Cin: Liut & Dion; Bir: Wood

 
December 7, 1977

Gordie Howe Scores 1000th
Career Goal, Whalers Beat Bulls

BIRMINGHAM: With the game still under two minutes old, Gordie Howe fired his 1000th career goal past Bulls goaltender John Garrett. Howe's 1,000 goals include 853 scored in the NHL (786 regular season, 67 playoffs) and 147 scored in the WHA (127 regular season, 20 playoffs). The game was temporarily halted as the Birmingham crowd gave the 49-year old star a standing ovation.

New England 2 3 1 - 6
Birmingham 1 0 2 - 3

1st period: 1. NE: G. Howe 6 (McKenzie, Antonovich) 1:48. 2. Bir: Stephenson 4 (Linseman, Beaudoin) 5:41. 3. NE: Rogers 10 (J. Carlson, Ley) 6:38.
2nd period: 4. NE: Pleau 9 (Roberts, Ley) 6:38. 5. NE: McKenzie 10 (Antonovich, Roberts) 9:49. 6. NE: Roberts 4 (Pleau, J. Carlson) 12:21.
3rd period: 7. Bir: Linseman 7 (Stephenson, Hughes) 2:07. 8. NE: J. Carlson 4 (Rogers, Roberts) 2:41. 9. Bir: Napier 12 (Hughes, Linseman) 16:58.
Shots: NE: 12-11-2—25; Bir: 9-12-10—31
Goaltenders: NE: Smith; Bir: Garrett.

 
February 26, 1978

Jets Beat Aeros For
Record 15th Straight Win

WINNIPEG: Two goals each by Kent Nilsson, Ulf Nilsson and Bobby Hull led the Winnipeg Jets past Houston, 9-6, for their league-record fifteenth straight victory. John Gray had a hat trick for Houston. The win also gave Winnipeg a perfect February at 13-0-0, to set another WHA record. Bobby Hull's second-period goal was his 900th regular-season NHL-WHA goal.

Houston 1 1 4 - 6
Winnipeg 3 3 3 - 9

1st period: 1. Wpg: K. Nilsson 31 (Kryskow, Clackson) 3:26. 2. Wpg: Hull 40 (U. Nilsson, Dunn) 5:49. 3. Hou: Gray 23 (Lacroix, Popiel) 11:44. 4. Wpg: K. Nilsson 32 (U. Nilsson, Hull) 14:46.
2nd period: 5. Hou: Hansis 9 (Tonelli, Campbell) 1:52. 6. Wpg: Lesuk 8 (Guindon, Sullivan) 13:59. 7. Wpg: Hull 41 (K. Nilsson, Lindstrom) 16:14. 8. Wpg: Green 4 (Baird, Powis) 18:36.
3rd period: 9. Hou: Gray 24 (Larway, Lacroix) 4:42. 10. Hou: Popiel 5 (Connor, Tonelli) 10:20. 11. Wpg: U. Nilsson 28 10:33. 12. Wpg: U. Nilsson 29 (Hull, Hedberg) 11:46. 13. Hou: Gray 25 (Larway, Lund) 16:54. 14. Wpg: Baird 13 (Moffat, Powis) 17:26. 15. Hou: Lukowich 31 (Hughes, Lund) 19:31.
Shots: Hou: 6-7-12—23; Wpg: 16-12-15—43
Goaltenders: Hou: Zimmermann; Wpg: Daley & Bromley.

 
March 11, 1978

Bobby Hull Scores His
1000th, Jets Beat Nordiques

QUEBEC: Bobby Hull joined Gordie Howe in the exclusive 1000-goal club by hitting the mark tonight at Quebec. Hull's goals include 666 scored in the NHL (604 regular season, 62 playoffs) and 334 scored in the WHA (299 regular season, 35 playoffs). Kent Nilsson scored a hat trick to lead the Jets attack.

Winnipeg 2 2 3 - 7
Quebec 0 1 3 - 4

1st period: 1. Wpg: K. Nilsson 34 (Lindstrom) 1:48. 2. Wpg: K. Nilsson 35 15.38.
2nd period: 3. Que: S. Bernier 18 (P. Bordeleau, Baxter) 3:03. 4. Wpg: Hull 44 (Long) 17:27. 5. Wpg: K. Nilsson 36 (Hedberg, Hull) 19:34.
3rd period: 6. Wpg: Sullivan 14 (Lesuk, Guindon) 0:14. 7. Wpg: Baird 14 (Moffat, Powis) 1:52. 8. Que: Sutherland 19 (Miller, Boudrias) 8:04. 9. Wpg: Moffat 8 (Powis, Guindon) 13:12. 10. Que: Cloutier 44 (C. Bordeleau, Tardif) 14:45. 11. Que: C. Bordeleau 5 (Cloutier, J. Bernier) 14:56.
Shots: Wpg: 7-9-8—24; Que: 19-10-8—37
Goaltenders: Wpg: Bromley; Que: Brodeur.

 
April 9, 1978

Alley & Gorman Hatties Lead
Bulls to Playoffs in Wild Game

INDIANAPOLIS: The Gas Line — Dave Gorman, Steve Alley and John C. Stewart — accounted for 15 points in leading the Bulls to their first playoff berth since 1975, when the team was based in Toronto. Alley had three goals and three assists, Gorman three goals and two assists, and Stewart four assists. The Racers had cut the lead to 7-6 late in the game then pulled the goalie. The Bulls then scored two empty-netters before the Racers potted the last goal, the last four goals being scored in a record 54 seconds.

Birmingham 2 5 2 - 9
Indianapolis 2 2 3 - 7

1st period: 1. Ind: Larose 25 (Dornseif, Stoughton) 6:51; 2. Ind: Stoughton 18 (Larose, Leduc) 11:59; 3. Bir: Gorman 17 (Alley) 17:35; 4. Bir: Alley 6 (Gorman, Stewart) 18:31.
2nd period: 5. Bir: Gorman 18 (Alley, Westrum) 5:51; 6. Bir: Alley 7 (Langway, Stewart) 9:13; 7. Bir: Alley 8 (Stewart, Gorman) 9:39; 8. Ind: Devine 17 (Block, Parizeau) 12:20; 9. Bir: Gorman 19 (Stewart, Alley) 12:43; 10. Bir: Beaudoin 8 15:29; 11. Ind: Parizeau 12 (Inkpen, Paiement) 17:59.
3rd period: 12. Ind: Devine 18 (Paiement, Parizeau) 16:51; 13. Ind: St. Sauveur 26 (Driscoll, Morrison) 18:43; 14. Bir: Langway 3 (Roberto) 19:05; 15. Bir: Linseman 38 (Hanson, Turkiewicz) 19:19; 16. Ind. Parizeau 13 (Devine, Paiement) 19:37.
Shots: Bir: 16-22-11—49; Ind: 6-8-12—26
Goaltenders: Bir: Garrett; Ind: Park & Inness

 
 

 

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Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
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