Game 48: Toronto 3 at New York 4

Dean Prentice's first goal of the season early in the third period gave New York Rangers a two-goal lead, and his team outlasted Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3 at Madison Square Garden.

The win moved Rangers (4-9-3), despite their poor record, to within two points of Detroit for fourth place and a playoff spot.

Maple Leafs (8-6-2) remain in third place, three points behind Boston.

Larry Popein's goal at 4:15 of the third period put Rangers ahead, 4-1, but Maple Leafs got a goal from Tim Horton about three minutes later.

Maple Leafs frantically pressured New York goalie Gump Worsley, but couldn't score again until 34 seconds remained, when Billy Harris deflected a shot by Bob Pulford past Worsley.

Prentice's wrist shot from the left faceoff circle found its way over Ed Chadwick's right arm at 1:40 of the third period. Prentice, expected to be a major goal scorer for Rangers this season, needed 16 games to tally his first.

A key moment came in the first period, when Rangers managed to kill off a five-minute major penalty incurred by Harry Howell at 8:39. That kept New York ahead, 1-0, thanks to Larry Cahan's power play goal at 7:10.

Neither team had a lot of shots on goal, but both clubs made the most of their opportunities. Toronto managed just 22 shots on goal while Rangers had 19. An astonishing 17 Toronto shots at the net were blocked, many by Howell. Rangers had just two shots on goal in the second period, but one of them eluded Chadwick---Parker MacDonald's deflection at 15:03.

1st Period
NY- Cahan (Prentice, Bathgate) PPG 7:10

2nd Period
TOR- Duff (Migay) PPG 9:42
NY- MacDonald (Hebenton, Lewicki) 15:03

3rd Period
NY- Prentice (Creighton, Bathgate) 1:40
NY- Popein (Foley, Howell) 4:15
TOR- Horton (Cullen, MacNeil) 7:31
TOR- Harris (Pulford, Cullen) 19:26

SOG
TOR 6-7-9 = 22
NY 8-2-9 = 19

PP: TOR 1-7; NY 1-4

Goalies
TOR- Chadwick
NY- Worsley


Prentice finally scored a goal in Rangers' win

Game 47: Boston 4 at Chicago 3

Fleming MacKell notched a hat trick---including the game-winning goal---as Boston Bruins scored two goals in the final 6:35 of the third period to steal a 4-3 win over Chicago Black Hawks at Chicago Stadium.

With Bruins trailing 3-2, Boston's Doug Mohns fired a wrist shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle that beat Al Rollins to the glove side at 13:25 of the third period.

MacKell scored the game-winner at 16:47 when his seemingly harmless soft shot from the point somehow managed to navigate through traffic and elude Rollins.

Bruins (10-5-1) remain in second place, three points ahead of Toronto Maple Leafs, pending their game in New York.

Black Hawks (3-12-1) continued their miserable season.

Bruins had 50 shots on goal, so had they lost, the win for Chicago would largely have been because of Rollins. But MacKell's game-winning goal was a shot that Rollins should have stopped, ironically.

Bruins blocked 19 Chicago shots at the net, while Black Hawks managed just four blocks.

MacKell scored twice in the first period and Boston took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

Jack McIntyre scored Chicago's first of two power play goals at 3:14 of the second period to tie the game. The second power play marker, by Ed Litzenberger, came just 47 seconds into the third period, putting Black Hawks ahead, 3-2.

Chicago's power play, after a 1-for-23 start, has converted 10 of its last 36 chances.

But it wasn't enough to avoid yet another loss.

The game was also costly for Black Hawks, physically. Eric Nesterenko left the game in the third period due to a shoulder injury after a hard check. It's possible that Nesterenko will miss Chicago's final four games.

1st Period
CHI- Hergesheimer (Kennedy, Skov) :31
BOS- MacKell (Labine, Boivin) 3:48
BOS- MacKell (Chevrefils, Stanley) 14:31

2nd Period
CHI- McIntyre (Litzenberger, Wilson) PPG 3:14

3rd Period
CHI- Litzenberger (Mortson, Wilson) PPG :47
BOS- Mohns (Stanley) 13:25
BOS- MacKell (Labine, Boivin) 16:47

SOG
BOS 22-14-14 = 50
CHI 8-11-8 = 27

PP: BOS 0-4; CHI 2-4

Fights: Boivin (BOS), Litzenberger (CHI) 15:45 1st; Gardner (BOS), Pilote (CHI) 2:24 2nd


MacKell's hat trick included the GWG late in the third period

Game 46: Detroit 2 at Montreal 4

The Richard brothers---Maurice and Henri---combined to score three goals as Montreal Canadiens defeated the reeling Detroit Red Wings, 4-2 at the Forum.

Canadiens (13-3-0) improved to 8-1-0 at home with their 13th win in 14 games, while Red Wings (5-8-3) continued their unexpected free fall (3-8-1 on their past 12 games).

Despite being outshot, 30-10 after two periods, Red Wings found themselves in a 1-1 tie.

But Canadiens took the game over in the third period, with Maurice Richard netting goals at 2:29 and 16:07.

The teams traded goals in the final minute.

Red Wings managed just 16 shots on goal, while Canadiens fired 45 at Glenn Hall.

Red Wings, expected to compete heavily for first place, remain mired in fourth as they continue to leave the door open for the fifth place New York Rangers, but Rangers can't win lately, either.

Henri Richard's power play goal at 14:44 of the second period tied the game, 1-1.

Canadiens enjoyed four power plays---including a five-minute man advantage---while Red Wings didn't have a single power play the entire game.

"We didn't play well enough to draw a penalty," said Detroit coach Jimmy Skinner when asked about the lack of power plays.

If it wasn't for Hall, Canadiens might have scored seven or eight goals.

Red Wings actually took the lead at 12:18 of the first period when Alex Delvecchio finished a 3-on-2.

As usual, Red Wings' offense came entirely from the Delvecchio/Gordie Howe/Ted Lindsay line.

Dickie Moore added two assists for Canadiens.

1st Period
DET- Delvecchio (Lindsay, Howe) 12:18

2nd Period
MON- H. Richard (Olmstead) 14:44

3rd Period
MON- M. Richard (Moore, Talbot) 2:29
MON- M. Richard (Moore, Beliveau) 16:07
MON- Olmstead (unassisted) 19:07
DET- Howe (Delvecchio) 19:31

SOG
DET 5-5-6 = 16
MON 17-13-15 = 45

PP: DET 0-0; MON 1-4

Goalies
DET- Hall
MON- Plante

Glenn Hall makes one of his 41 saves in Canadiens' 4-2 victory

Game 45: Boston 2 at New York 0

Norm Defelice, making his first start in net this season, stopped 39 shots in recording a shutout, as Boston Bruins defeated New York Rangers, 2-0, at Madison Square Garden.

With their fifth straight win, Bruins (9-5-1) moved into second place thanks to their current 6-0-1 streak.

New York (3-9-3) remains four points out of the last playoff spot.

Defelice got the nod as both Terry Sawchuk and Don Simmons are battling injuries.

Bruins came out sluggish and were outshot, 11-4 in the first period, which was scoreless. Boston's funk continued until seven minutes into the second period, when Larry Regan scored a power play goal to give Bruins a 1-0 lead.

That goal seemed to wake up Bruins, who spent the remaining 13 minutes of the frame buzzing around New York goalie Gump Worsley. The offensive paid dividends at 11:49, when Leo Labine deflected a Cal Gardner shot past Worsley.

Rangers threw everything but the kitchen sink at Defelice in the third period, but the Bruins goalie repelled all 18 shots. Bruins killed a penalty with six minutes to play, as well, to help seal the victory.

1st Period
No scoring.

2nd Period
BOS- Regan (Chevrefils, MacKell) PPG 7:12
BOS- Labine (Gardner, Boivin) 11:49

3rd Period
No scoring.

SOG
BOS 4-16-10 = 30
NY 11-10-18 = 39

PP: BOS 1-2; NY 0-3

Goalies
BOS- Defelice
NY- Worsley


Defelice pitched a shutout in his first start of the season

Game 44: Chicago 1 at Montreal 5

Rocket Richard netted a hat trick in leading Montreal Canadiens to an easy 5-1 victory over Chicago Black Hawks at the Forum.

Canadiens (12-3-0) have won two straight after having their 10-game winning streak snapped.

Richard, who leads the league in goals with 13, tallied once in each period as Montreal maintained its solid hold on first place.

Black Hawks (3-11-1) again had trouble getting their offense going and were no match for Montreal.

Jean Beliveau tallied three assists and Jacques Plante made 20 saves for Canadiens.

Chicago's Eric Nesterenko and Montreal's Jean-Guy Talbot fought each other twice within 7:25 late in the third period. The pair duked it out in their first shifts on the ice after their first fighting majors were served.

1st Period
MON- M. Richard (Beliveau) 1:26
MON- Provost (H. Richard, Talbot) 3:37

2nd Period
MON- St. Laurent (Beliveau, Moore) PPG 3:38
CHI- Mortson (Nesterenko, Mickoski) PPG 15:27
MON- M. Richard (Beliveau, Moore) 19:43

3rd Period
MON- M. Richard (St. Laurent) :59

SOG
CHI 4-8-9 = 21
MON 15-8-14 = 37

PP: CHI 1-5; MON 1-5

Goalies
CHI- Rollins
MON- Plante


Rocket Richard (right) celebrates his hat trick after the game with his little brother, Henri, who recorded an assist in win over Chicago

Game 43: Detroit 0 at Toronto 4

Bob Pulford scored two goals and Ed Chadwick recorded his first shutout of the season as Toronto Maple Leafs whipped Detroit Red Wings, 4-0 at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Ted Kennedy added a goal and two assists as Maple Leafs (8-5-2) vaulted past Boston into second place, although Bruins have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Red Wings (5-7-3) continue to reel, as they are 3-7-1 in their past 11 games.

Detroit coach Jimmy Skinner broke up his no. 1 line of Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe, hoping to get other forwards involved, but the move backfired, as Toronto jumped on Detroit early and never let up. Maple Leafs held a 19-3 shot advantage after the first period.

After 40 minutes, Skinner put the line back together and Red Wings played better in the third period but they couldn't solve Chadwick, who made 25 saves.

Kennedy opened the scoring with a power play marker at 6:40 of the first period, and Pulford added his first goal of the night just 38 seconds later. Tim Horton assisted on both goals.

Marc Reaume scored in the second period to give Toronto a 3-0 lead.

Pulford capped the scoring with 41 seconds left in the third period.

The Gardens crowd was standing and cheering for most of the final few minutes as victory was certain---the only question being whether Chadwick would get his shutout.

There were a whopping 28 blocked shots recorded in the game---15 by Detroit and 13 by Toronto.

1st Period
TOR- Kennedy (Horton) PPG 6:40
TOR- Pulford (Kennedy, Horton) 7:18

2nd Period
TOR- Reaume (Thomson, Sloan) 11:08

3rd Period
TOR- Pulford (MacNeil, Kennedy) 19:19

SOG
DET 3-7-15 = 25
TOR 19-12-7 = 38

PP: DET 0-3; TOR 1-4

Goalies
DET- Hall
TOR- Chadwick


Pulford's two goals helped lift Maple Leafs into second place

Game 42: New York 2 at Montreal 6

Jean Beliveau scored twice and Doug Harvey registered three assists as Montreal Canadiens defeated New York Rangers, 6-2 at the Forum.

Canadiens (11-3-0) have won 10 of 11 since their 0-2 start.

Rangers (3-8-3) could only muster 18 shots on goal, and 10 of those came in the first period, when they outplayed Montreal for the majority of it.

But once Canadiens got going, there was no stopping them. Habs lead the league in goals (61) and they flexed their offensive muscle so much, Rangers pulled goalie Gump Worsley in the third period.

Rangers led, 2-1 early in the second period until Beliveau scored his first goal of the game, on the power play, at 3:15.

It was all Montreal after that.

Beliveau's second power play goal, at 14:41 of the second period, made the score 4-2, Habs.

Rocket Richard and Claude Provost scored 1:34 apart before the third period was three minutes old, and those goals chased Worsley.

The only bright spot for Rangers was a five-minute penalty kill in the third period.

Larry Popein (NY) and Andre Pronovost got into a scrap in the first period, and Jack Evans (NY) and Harvey drew five-minute fighting majors in the second period.

Rangers remain four points behind Detroit for the fourth and final playoff spot.

1st Period
NY- Creighton (Gadsby) 5:34
MON- Goyette (Harvey, Turner) 17:25

2nd Period
NY- MacDonald (Gadsby, Murphy) 1:47
MON- Beliveau (Moore, Harvey) PPG 3:15
MON- Curry (LeClair) 6:59
MON- Beliveau (M. Richard, Moore) PPG 14:41

3rd Period
MON- M. Richard (Beliveau) 1:25
MON- Provost (Harvey, Olmstead) 2:59

SOG
NY 10-2-6 = 18
MON 5-16-8 = 29

PP: NY 0-3; MON 2-4

Goalies
NY- Worsley (23 shots, 17 saves); Bower (2:59 third period; 6 shots, 6 saves)
MON- Plante


Beliveau scored goals 5 and 6 on the season in win over Rangers