1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints season

1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints
1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints
Division	2nd West
1973–74 record	44–32–2
Home record	26-12-1
Road record	18-20-1
Goals for	332
Goals against	275
Team information
General manager	Glen Sonmor
Coach	Harry Neale
Captain	Ted Hampson
Alternate captains	Mike McMahon; John Arbour; Wayne Connelly
Arena	St. Paul Civic Center
Average attendance	6,584 (40.7%)
Team leaders
Goals	Mike Walton (57)
Assists	Mike Walton (60)
Points	Mike Walton (117)
Penalty minutes	Gord Gallant (223)
Wins	Mike Curran (23)
Goals against average	Mike Curran (3.27)

The 1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints' season was the Minnesota Fighting Saints' second season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA).^[1]^[2]

Regular season

Final standings

Western Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
Houston Aeros	78	48	25	5	318	219	1038	101
Minnesota Fighting Saints	78	44	32	2	332	275	1243	90
Edmonton Oilers	78	38	37	3	268	269	1273	79
Winnipeg Jets	78	34	39	5	264	296	673	73
Vancouver Blazers	78	27	50	1	278	345	1047	55
Los Angeles Sharks	78	25	53	0	239	339	1086	50

Game log

Source:^[3]

Regular season schedule
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	W	October 12, 1973	5–4	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	1–0–0
2	W	October 14, 1973	5–2	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	2–0–0
3	T	October 15, 1973	3–3	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	2–0–1
4	W	October 19, 1973	1–0	New England Whalers (1973–74)	3–0–1
5	L	October 21, 1973	1–2 OT	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	3–1–1
6	L	October 24, 1973	2–5	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	3–2–1
7	L	October 26, 1973	4–5	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	3–3–1
8	W	October 27, 1973	5–2	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	4–3–1
9	L	October 30, 1973	1–6	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	4–4–1
10	W	November 2, 1973	5–1	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	5–4–1
11	L	November 4, 1973	3–4	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	5–5–1
12	W	November 7, 1973	10–1	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	6–5–1
13	W	November 9, 1973	3–1	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	7–5–1
14	W	November 11, 1973	6–4	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	8–5–1
15	L	November 13, 1973	2–5	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	8–6–1
16	L	November 15, 1973	5–7	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	8–7–1
17	W	November 18, 1973	5–2	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	9–7–1
18	L	November 20, 1973	2–6	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	9–8–1
19	W	November 22, 1973	7–5	New England Whalers (1973–74)	10–8–1
20	W	November 25, 1973	5–3	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	11–8–1
21	L	November 28, 1973	3–5	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	11–9–1
22	L	November 30, 1973	1–2	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	11–10–1
23	L	December 2, 1973	1–2	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	11–11–1
24	W	December 4, 1973	9–2	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	12–11–1
25	W	December 7, 1973	3–1	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	13–11–1
26	W	December 8, 1973	4–1	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	14–11–1
27	L	December 9, 1973	1–10	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	14–12–1
28	W	December 11, 1973	5–3	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	15–12–1
29	L	December 14, 1973	2–5	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	15–13–1
30	W	December 16, 1973	3–2	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	16–13–1
31	W	December 19, 1973	4–2	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	17–13–1
32	W	December 21, 1973	4–3	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	18–13–1
33	L	December 22, 1973	1–2	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	18–14–1
34	L	December 23, 1973	2–4	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	18–15–1
35	W	December 27, 1973	5–4	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	19–15–1
36	L	December 29, 1973	3–9	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	19–16–1
37	L	December 30, 1973	3–5	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	19–17–1
38	W	January 5, 1974	6–5	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	20–17–1
39	L	January 6, 1974	4–6	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	20–18–1
40	L	January 9, 1974	4–6	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	20–19–1
41	W	January 12, 1974	8–6	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	21–19–1
42	L	January 13, 1974	2–4	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	21–20–1
43	L	January 15, 1974	1–4	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	21–21–1
44	L	January 19, 1974	2–5	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	21–22–1
45	L	January 20, 1974	4–5 OT	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	21–23–1
46	L	January 23, 1974	1–4	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	21–24–1
47	W	January 25, 1974	6–2	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	22–24–1
48	W	January 27, 1974	12–2	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	23–24–1
49	W	February 2, 1974	4–2	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	24–24–1
50	L	February 3, 1974	4–5	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	24–25–1
51	W	February 5, 1974	4–1	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	25–25–1
52	W	February 6, 1974	7–2	Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	26–25–1
53	W	February 8, 1974	4–3 OT	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	27–25–1
54	W	February 10, 1974	5–2	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	28–25–1
55	L	February 12, 1974	1–3	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	28–26–1
56	W	February 13, 1974	7–4	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	29–26–1
57	W	February 15, 1974	7–1	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	30–26–1
58	W	February 17, 1974	6–1	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	31–26–1
59	W	February 22, 1974	6–4	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	32–26–1
60	W	February 24, 1974	2–1	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	33–26–1
61	W	February 27, 1974	5–4	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	34–26–1
62	T	February 28, 1974	6–6	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	34–26–2
63	W	March 1, 1974	4–0	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	35–26–2
64	W	March 3, 1974	5–3	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	36–26–2
65	W	March 6, 1974	8–6	New England Whalers (1973–74)	37–26–2
66	W	March 9, 1974	9–5	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	38–26–2
67	L	March 10, 1974	5–6	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	38–27–2
68	L	March 12, 1974	2–3	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	38–28–2
69	L	March 14, 1974	4–7	@ Chicago Cougars (1973–74)	38–29–2
70	L	March 15, 1974	3–5	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	38–30–2
71	W	March 17, 1974	5–3	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	39–30–2
72	L	March 19, 1974	4–5	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	39–31–2
73	W	March 22, 1974	5–2	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	40–31–2
74	W	March 24, 1974	5–3	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	41–31–2
75	W	March 27, 1974	6–4	New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	42–31–2
76	L	March 29, 1974	1–3	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	42–32–2
77	W	March 31, 1974	5–2	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	43–32–2
78	W	April 3, 1974	9–0	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	44–32–2

Playoffs

Minnesota Fighting Saints 4, Edmonton Oilers 1 - Semifinals

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 6	Edmonton Oilers	1–2	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1–0
2	April 7	Edmonton Oilers	5–8	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2–0
3	April 10	Minnesota Fighting Saints	6–2	Edmonton Oilers	3–0
4	April 12	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1–2	Edmonton Oilers	3–1
5	April 14	Edmonton Oilers	4–5	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4–1

Houston Aeros 4, Minnesota Fighting Saints 2 - Division Finals

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 18	Minnesota Fighting Saints	5–4 OT	Houston Aeros	0–1
2	April 20	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2–5	Houston Aeros	1–1
3	April 21	Houston Aeros	1–4	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1–2
4	April 28	Houston Aeros	4–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2–2
5	April 29	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4–9	Houston Aeros	3–2
6	May 1	Houston Aeros	3–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4–2

Player stats

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
4-Mike Walton	C	78	57	60	117	88	9	9	7
7-Wayne Connelly	C	78	42	53	95	16	15	0	6
9-George Morrison	LW	73	40	38	78	37	12	1	3
11-Murray Heatley	RW	71	26	32	58	23	3	0	5
10-Ted Hampson	C	77	17	38	55	9	2	4	4
20-Jim Johnson	C	71	15	39	54	30	1	1	2
12-Mike Antonovich	C	68	21	29	50	4	2	0	4
17-John Arbour	D	77	6	43	49	192	0	0	1
14-Bob MacMillan	RW	78	14	34	48	81	3	0	0
33-Steve Cardwell	LW	77	23	23	46	100	1	1	3
23-Mike McMahon	D	71	10	35	45	82	1	3	1
3-Rick Smith	D	71	10	28	38	98	0	1	3
6-Keith Christiansen	C	74	11	25	36	36	4	0	1
21-Terry Ball	D	71	8	28	36	34	4	0	0
5-Rob Walton	C	45	8	23	31	24	1	0	1
16-Gord Gallant	LW	72	7	15	22	223	0	0	2
8-Bill Klatt	RW	65	14	6	20	12	3	0	1
24-Bob Boyd	D	41	1	14	15	14	0	0	0
2-Dick Paradise	D	67	2	7	9	71	0	0	0
1-Mike Curran	G	40	0	0	0	6	0	0	0
35-John Garrett	G	40	0	0	0	10	0	0	0
30-Jack McCartan	G	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Blaine Rydman	D	8	0	0	0	21	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
1-Mike Curran	2382	40	23	14	2	130	3.27	2
35-John Garrett	2290	40	21	18	0	137	3.59	1
30-Jack McCartan	42	2	0	0	0	5	7.14	0
Team:	4714	78	44	32	2	272	3.46	3

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GWG
4-Mike Walton	C	11	10	8	18	16	3
7-Wayne Connelly	C	11	6	7	13	4	0
9-George Morrison	LW	11	5	5	10	12	0
17-John Arbour	D	11	3	6	9	27	1
10-Ted Hampson	C	11	4	4	8	8	1
23-Mike McMahon	D	11	1	7	8	9	0
8-Bill Klatt	RW	11	3	2	5	18	1
14-Bob MacMillan	RW	11	2	3	5	4	0
12-Mike Antonovich	C	11	1	4	5	4	0
20-Jim Johnson	C	11	1	4	5	4	0
21-Terry Ball	D	11	1	2	3	6	0
16-Gord Gallant	LW	11	1	2	3	67	0
11-Murray Heatley	RW	10	1	0	1	2	0
6-Keith Christiansen	C	10	0	1	1	2	0
3-Rick Smith	D	11	0	1	1	22	0
24-Bob Boyd	D	7	0	0	0	4	0
33-Steve Cardwell	LW	10	0	0	0	20	0
1-Mike Curran	G	5	0	0	0	10	0
35-John Garrett	G	7	0	0	0	14	0
18-Bill Goldthorpe	LW	3	0	0	0	25	0
2-Dick Paradise	D	7	0	0	0	6	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA
35-John Garrett	372	7	4	2	25	4.03
1-Mike Curran	289	5	2	3	14	2.91
Team:	661	11	6	5	39	3.54

Source:^[4]

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Awards and records

Transactions

Rob Walton was traded to Vancouver Blazers for Jean Tetreault, January 1974.

Bill Goldthorpe was signed to a contract, May 1974.

Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.^[5]

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	7	Bob Gainey (F)	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
2	21	Rick Middleton (F)	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
3	33	Bob Gassoff (D)	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
4	46	Steve Langdon (RW)	Canada	London Knights (OHA)
5	59	Nelson Pyatt (C)	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
6	72	John Flesch (LW)	Canada	Lake Superior State University (CCHA)
7	85	Tom Machowski (D)	United States	University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
8	97	Bob Young (D)	United States	University of Denver (WCHA)
9	108	Neil Korzack (F)	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
10	118	Pat Phippen (LW)	United States	St. Paul Bruins

Farm teams

References

↑ World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
↑ World Hockey Association (1974). WHA 1974-75 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
↑ "1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
↑ "1973-74 Minnesota Fighting Saints Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
↑ "1973 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.

[2] World Hockey Association (1974). WHA 1974-75 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.

[3] "1973–74 Minnesota Fighting Saints Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved July 2, 2009.

[4] "1973-74 Minnesota Fighting Saints Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved July 2, 2009.

[5] "1973 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

1973–74 WHA season
Eastern:	Chicago Cleveland New England NY Golden Blades/NJ Knights Quebec Toronto
Western:	Edmonton Houston Los Angeles Minnesota Vancouver Winnipeg
See also	Draft

Regular season

Final standings

Game log

Playoffs

Minnesota Fighting Saints 4, Edmonton Oilers 1 - Semifinals

Houston Aeros 4, Minnesota Fighting Saints 2 - Division Finals

Player stats

Awards and records

Transactions

Draft picks

Farm teams

See also

References