Player of the Game Hockey - 1967/68 Stanley Cup Finals Game #7

Saturday 18th May 1968
Stanley Cup Finals
Philadelphia Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens

It took until game seven - a third for Montreal this postseason and a first for Philadelphia - for the Canadiens to finally get under the skin of the Flyers and go to town on the powerplay. Three goals on the man advantage through two periods saw Montreal take a commanding 3-0 lead as Beliveau (13) scored for the third game running. Lamaire (2) and Ferguson (5), who had not scored since games two and three respectively of the Toronto series, made it a happy time in Montreal with Beliveau and Rousseau coming away with two points each in the game.

It was 4-0 in the third peiord when Grant (2) scored, adding to his empty netter that sealed the series win against the Leafs, as he marched up the ice after Worsley stoned the Flyers on a rebound chance at the end of their powerplay. After control of the match was firmly dictated by the Habs the final frame was a wild encounter with chances galore for both teams, but only a goal was scored on either netminder with JC Watson (4) grabbing his only goal since way back in the Kings series.

Philadelphia had as many chances as the hosts on the powerplay but they faild to score on any them, including a 5-on-3 late in the game. And that lack of discipline means that the Montreal Canadiens are Stanley Cup Champions.

		1st	2nd	3rd	OT	F
PHI	@	0	0	1		1
MON		1	2	1		4

PHI Parent (8-8 .904 2.88) 32/36, Powerplay 0/9
MON Worsley (11-8 .902 2.79) 24/25, Powerplay 3/9

Goalscorers:
First Period
MON PPG Beliveau (13) Rousseau 15:34
Second Period
MON PPG Lamaire (2) unassisted 8:48
MON PPG Ferguson (5) Beliveau, Rousseau 16:37
Third Period
MON Grant (2) unassisted 8:32
PHI JC Watson (4) Hoesktra, Miszuk 13:27

The Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup; taking the best-of-seven series 4-3

Player of the Game Hockey - 1967/68 Stanley Cup Finals Game #6

Wednesday 15th May 1968
Stanley Cup Finals Game #6
Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers

It took them three chances to see out the series against the Penguins and, in another game six scenario, Philadelphia and their hometown fans felt good after the first period as the Flyers held a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from LaForge (5) for his first in eight games and Miszuk (4) for his second point of the night. Montreal got on the board in between when Beliveau (12) scored his second in as many games, but it was a period that belonged to the Flyers as they out-shot their opponents 14-5.

A more defensive and even second period saw Van Impe fight Montreal's Laperriere again, but there would no more goals scored until 5:14 of the final period when the Canadiens leveled the game through Provost (2) on the powerplay. His first goal since game three of the Leafs series.

In a complete turnaround Montreal enjoyed the lion's share of opportunities in the third frame and they took the lead when Cournoyer (8) scored a few minutes later then game seven was guaranteed when Duff (7) tapped the puck into an empty net as Philadelphia desperately threw everything forward. After blowing a 3-0 series lead twice in the postseason Montreal claim their first game six victory.

		1st	2nd	3rd	OT	F
MON	@	1	0	3		4
PHI		2	0	0		2

MON Worsley (10-8 .900 2.89) 24/26, Powerplay
PHI Parent (8-7 .905 2.80) 24/27, Powerplay

Goalscorers:
First Period
PHI LaForge (5) JC Watson, Miszuk 7:56
MON Beliveau (12) Savard, Rousseau 15:36
PHI Miszuk (4) Sutherland 18:55
Second Period
FIGHT MON Laperriere vs PHI Van Impe 18:22
Third Period
MON PPG Provost (2) G Tremblay, Backstrom 5:14
MON Cournoyer (8) Laperriere, JC Tremblay 8:11
MON ENG Duff (7) Lamaire, T Harris 19:00

The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3

Controlled Chaos - Final Standings

Holding on at the top for back-to-back weeks and winning the Controlled Chaos title by four points Will Thompson writes his name into history. Darryl Lozier can feel that luck was against him down the stretch after he sat atop the standings for twenty consecutive weeks after Thompson led the way  for five straight.

Scott Hutchins never reached the summit but he was always in the hunt, but falling in the last hurdle, and Chris Henton's fifth place finish in Santa Claus, Indiana, propels him into fourth ahead of Joe Ramage who can proudly state that he was the best driver around for four weeks early in the season.

The only other driver to lead the pack was Ben Hadsell who won the inaugural event in Edmonton and he ends his season propping up the top ten.

 In closing I have finalised the statistics and included an image of the final standings. Included are Final Appearances, Podiums, Top Five Finishes, and Pointless Final Appearances in addition to each drivers record on the year.

Name	Pts	Derby Wins	Heat Wins
Will Thompson	173.5	2	5
Darryl Lozier	169.5	4	4
Scott Hutchens	159	2	4
Chris Henton	149	1	3
Joe Ramage	146	2	2
Tom Gariepy	138.5	3	1
Andy Bing	137	4	3
Jamie Eilers	133	3	4
Norm Gibson	122.5	2	1
Ben Hadsell	118.5	2	5
Will Murphy	107	0	2
John McCrory	105	1	1
Matt Welliver	99.5	1	4
Darrell Andresen	97	1	7
Steven Redden	91.5	0	1
Lynne Higgins	89.5	1	4
Sam Harbin	81	0	2
Leo May	70	0	3
Danny Krol	62	1	4
Jess Yates	50	0	3
Ricky Grimes	49	1	2
John Ruiz	48	1	3
Rob Remaley	45.5	0	2
Randy Corson	35	0	2
Jason Ingle	34.5	0	3
Ed Smith	34	0	2
Charlie Clayton	32	0	2
Reggie Banks	27	1	1
Bobby Gallagher	27	0	2
Philip Ruffin	27	0	2
Dick Garrett	27	0	1
Don Davis	25	0	2
Bob Alexander	22	0	2
Randy Tondreau	22	0	1
Bambi Rogers	18	0	1
Timmy Barnes	15	0	1
Bill Malbrough	6	0	1
Billy Edgington	6	0	1
Kenny Rose	2	0	1
Tommy Miller	0	0	0

Player of the Game Hockey - 1967/68 Stanley Cup FInals Game #5

Monday 13th May 1968
Stanley Cup Finals Game #5
Philadelphia Flyers @ Montreal Canadiens

As in the previous game neither side has won a game five during the playoffs, and not for the first time in the series the Montreal Canadiens have the upper hand in the first period and this time they manage to take full advantage with a 3-1 lead after twenty minutes. Cournoyer (7) scored his first of the SCF before Rochefort (11) scored his fourth of the series 2:25 later. The Habs' lead was restored when Beliveau (11) scored his first goal since game two, and then Rousseau (6) finished Beliveau's dandy move on the powerplay.

Rousseau (7) did it again on the man advantage early in the second period for 4-1 and the Canadiens were on their way to their first game five victory this season. The Flyers were offensively limited for the second game running, but this time Worsley was big in goal for Montreal, condemning Philadelphia to a third game five defeat in the playoffs.

		1st	2nd	3rd	OT	F
PHI	@	1	0	0		1
MON		3	1	0		4

PHI Parent (8-6 .906 2.79) 25/29, Powerplay 0/0
MON Worsley (9-8 .898 2.94) 19/20, Powerplay 2/5

Goalscorers:
First Period
MON Cournoyer (4) Duff 3:44
PHI Rochefort (11) unassisted 7:19
MON Believau (11) Ferguson, Rousseau 13:56
MON PPG Rousseau (6) Beliveau, Ferguson 18:08
Second Period
No Scoring
Third Period
MON PPG Rousseau (7) Ferguson 6:14
FIGHT PHI Van Impe vs MON Laperriere 7:30

Philadelphia Flyers leads the best-of-seven series 3-2

Controlled Chaos - World Championships, Part Four

World Championships - Sana Claus, IN
Part Four
Andy Bing, Jamie Eilers, Tom Gariepy, Norm Gibson, Ben Hadsell, Lynne Higgins, Scott Hutchins, Danny Krol, Darryl Lozier, John McCrory, Leo May, Will Murphy, Joe Ramage, Will Thompson, Jess Yates

Chris Henton, Matt Welliver, Steven Redden, Sam Harbin, Darrell Andresen

With the title wrapped up and Will Thompson kicking off his celebrations, the final five still had work to do but none of them could touch the champion as a win for Chris Henton would result in his finishing half a point behind.

Even that was out of reach for Henton though as, after missing just two finals in the last thirteen, he was viciously blindsided by Matt Welliver, just the sixth hit against Henton in his sixteenth final, to end his day in fifth place. Only Redden struck him twice whilst Higgins was one of his six victims, hitting her twice. His final act before elimination was to free Redden and Harbin who had become entangled just prior to his attack.


Matt Welliver, the thirteen time finalist, misses out on becoming the twelfth member of the One-Hundred Points Club as his dismissal at the hands of Andresen resulted in him finishing in fourth spot for his sixth top five finish on the year; a fifth in ten weeks. Lozier, Bing, Andresen, Thompson, May, Krol and Ramage all took a hit from Welliver who took six in return. It was a blindside from Hutchins, the second of the contest after Gariepy's surprise assault, that led to a disastrous stall which Andresen was all too happy to take advantage of.


A third podium for Sam Harbin in his eleventh final, and a fourth top five placing in his last five appearances, ends his season on a high note despite a multitude of short stalls and the situation late on where he was locked up with Redden. His fortune also came down to a blindside hit with Andresen laying a devastating shot to almost roll over his victim. This was the fourth time he had attacked Harbin, with Redden helping at the end with a double-tap, to make it eleven hits against with six for in a finale that was interrupted every other minute by an engine cutout of narrow miss.

That left the season ending event down to two men who have no wins between them but twenty-five appearances between them.

Steven Redden didn't make the cut by much and this was just his second final in fifteen weeks, while Andresen made it three appearances in ten. It was a debut podium for Andresen and a third for his remaining foe, and until the very last hit neither man had made contact on the other.

Redden started his eleventh final by mowing through Gibson (2), Yates, Henton, Gariepy and Thompson while on the other Andresen was putting his efforts into Harbin, May and Gibson, all after a blindsider from Gariepy. Redden meshed with the car of Harbin before helping to finish the job after they were swiftly freed, and Andresen, competing in his fourteenth final, briefly stalled before laying hits on eight victims, including Steven Redden, and claiming his debut event victory.

5th Chris Henton: /-/-/-/-/-/-1-17-11-/-/-/-/-10-5-/-/-/-/2-4-4-9-6-4-2-2-/-/-12-2-5
4th Matt Welliver: 11-11-11-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-12-/-T7-/-1-/-/-/-/-4-7-2-/-/-3-4-/-/-4
3rd Sam Harbin: /-2-/-/-11-/-6-12-/-/-12-/-/-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-/-/-5-2-/-/-/-/-/-11-4-3
2nd Steven Redden: 6-/-/-T2-/-6-/-14-/-8-/-/-3-6-8-/-6-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-7-/-/-/-2
1st Darrell Andresen: 8-10-/-9-/-/-/-11-/-/-/-8-4-/-/-/-/-11-5-5-8-8-/-/-/-/-10-/-9-/-/-1

Controlled Chaos - World Championships, Part Three

World Championships - Santa Claus, IN
Part Three
Andy Bing, Jamie Eilers, Tom Gariepy, Norm Gibson, Lynne Higgins, Scott Hutchins, Danny Krol, Leo May, Will Murphy, Jess Yates

Will Thompson, Darryl Lozier, Joe Ramage, Chris Henton, Ben Hadsell, John McCrory, Matt Welliver, Steven Redden, Darrell Andresen,


 The twenty-large pack is down to ten with championship lead Will Thompson still there along with Darryl Lozier (-6pts) and Chris Henton (-38.5pts). Two of these men were delighted to see the disqualification flag come down on Will Thompson as the derby driver with more finals than anyone else (24) struck the driver's door of his longtime rival Darryl Lozier. With hits on Gibson (2), Yates, McCrory, Harbin, Andresen and Hutchins, that contact with Lozier was just their second coming together an nets Thompson two points to extend his lead in the standings marginally. /6

This means a finish of seventh or better would see Lozier win via the tiebreak of most derby wins or outright on points. The twenty-two time finalist who has missed three straight appearances and taken just one good result (4th Hickory Derby) in the past nine events started out on a bad note by stalling and only just re-firing again. Gibson was his first target before he went at Thompson. Gariepy, Andresen and Ramage were next on his hit list but a blindsider from Andresen added to the other nine hits he rode and the title was all but decided on the Thompson hit as the disqualified attacker takes the championship, leading to much anger from the Lozier camp. 

There was still a mathematical chance that Joe Ramage could claim victory on the year but nothing short of a win would get it done. After striking Hadsell and smartly avoiding an attack on his blindside Ramage narrowly avoided receiving his own DQ orders on a rough hit to Eilers. He returned to Eilers, with a clean hit this time, before moving through the pack once more to lay on a total of seven hits. The end came as part of the recent chain as Lozier's final act of hitting Ramage was the deciding shot for the fifteen-time finalist in his fourth straight appearance.

In his fourteenth final, fourth in eleven weeks, Ben Hadsell takes his third top seven finish in the past five events after delivering seven hits, three of those landing on McCrory and another two on Murphy. Taking only four hits Hadsell was a tough man to pin down and it was his own challenges that ultimately put him down in seventh.

But not before ensuring the demise of John McCrory as Hadsell's late double-tap left him stranded for Harbin and Andresen to finish off with the eighth and ninth hits again McCrory. A late miss was also part of the reason the fourteen-time finalist went down, but takes a top six finish for the fifth time in his last five appearances.

Form Guide
10th Will Thompson: 4-1-4-/-5-/-7-10-9-/-5-10-9-2-6-T7-/-7-4-/-2-/-/-T11-10-7-8-/-1-7-5-10
9th Darryl Lozier: /-3-1-6-4-/-4-15-6-1-1-T5-8-/-7-4-/-10-7-/-9-1-/-/-11-10-4-12-/-/-/-9
8th Joe Ramage: /-/-/-1-7-2-2-2-/-/-/-11-/-/-/-/-/-2-/-/-1-/-11-/-14-/-12-/-12-5-3-8
7th Ben Hadsell: 1-/-3-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-10-9-/-9-T2-2-/-/-10-/-5-/-/-/-13-/-/-1-6-/-/-7
6th John McCrory: /-/-9-11-/-/-/-/-3-/-/-/-5-/-/-6-/-T4-8-12-7-/-2-/-/-/-6-/-2-T1-/-6

Player of the Game Hockey - 1967/68 Stanley Cup Finals Game #4

Saturday 11th May 1968
Stanley Cup Finals Game #4
Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers


With neither team winning a game four in the playoffs something had to give. Worsley returned in goal for Montreal and his team should have had a first period lead when Backstrom was hauled down shorthanded leaving the referee no choice but to give him a penalty shot. Parent, starting his sixth straight game, was able to deny that opportunity and the other eleven shots Montreal put on him through the opening twenty minutes.

At the other end, Worsley faced just nineteen shots throughout the game (3-9-7) as the teams only generated a combined five scoring chances with the Flyers edging the stat 3-2. After H Richard (3) scored his third goal in two games it was Philadelphia who started to look the more dangerous, out-shooting the Habs nine to eight in the middle period, earning their game-tying goal when Zeidel (1) finished off a slick passing move.

The momentum remained with the hosts in the third frame and, after a very disciplined match, scored the game-winning goal ten minutes from time when Hoekstra (6) grabbed his second of the Finals on Sutherland's second helper of the game.

		1st	2nd	3rd	OT	F
MON	@	0	1	0		1
PHI		0	1	1		2

MON Worsley (8-8 .896 3.06) 17/19, Powerplay 0/0
PHI Parent (8-5 .910 2.69) 23/24, Powerplay 0/3

Goalscorers:
First Period
MON Missed Penalty Shot Backstrom 15:34
Second Period
MON H Richard (3) Savard, Grant 6:06
PHI Zeidel (1) Sutherland, Van Impe 12:37
Third Period
PHI Hoekstra (6) JC Watson, Sutherland 10:03

Philadelphia Flyers leads the best-of-seven series 3-1

Controlled Chaos - World Championships, Part Two

World Championships - Santa Claus, IN
Part Two
Andy Bing, Jamie Eilers, Norm Gibson, Leo May, Jess Yates

Will Thompson, Darryl Lozier, Scott Hutchins, Joe Ramage, Tom Gariepy, Chris Henton, Ben Hadsell, Will Murphy, John McCrory, Lynne Higgins, Matt Welliver, Danny Krol, Steven Redden, Darrell Andresen

Out of all the entrants in this season finale Tom Gariepy was one of the busiest drivers present as, in his eleventh final, he laid on ten hits, including five to the blindside, and took six in return, unsurprisingly taking a lowly fifteenth place after all of those collisions to destroy his hopes claiming the title, and Will Murphy, who after making eight of the first twelve finals this year featured in just his fifth out of the last twenty, laid three of his seven hits on Ramage but finishes well before his favourite target when Ben Hadsell returned for seconds to finish the job.

A stall took out Danny Krol as he only delivered a pair of hits in his tenth final and first in five weeks. Chris Henton was quick to catch him off guard, burying him in the barriers at the very start of the contest, and upon freeing himself struck Lozier and Ramage with the latter attack the cause of his crippling stall.

Then one of the top contenders for the crown went down in twelfth place as Scott Hutchins rues missing the final for the past fortnight as, in his seventeenth appearance, comes away without points despite delivering nine good hits. Indiscriminately making his way through the pack Hutchins only hit Yates more than once and took just five hits in return but it was revenge hit by Thompson and a second shot from Higgins that crushed him out of the running.

In her fifteenth final, with nine of them coming in the final thirteen weeks, Lynne Higgins just misses out on a point as she marks the halfway point of the derby ten minutes into the battle. Hutchins and Welliver were repeat victims as she rode through eight cars. Four of the seven hits she took howevere proved to be difference makers as both Henton and McCrory hounded her into submission.

Form Guide
15th: Tom Gariepy: /-/-/-T2-/-1-/-5-/-5-/-/-11-/-/-/-/-/-/-1-/-2-/-1-8-/-/-4-/-/-/-15
14th: Will Murphy: /-4-2-4-/-/-3-3-/-6-3-4-/-/-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-5-/-5-/-/-/-/-/-/-6-14
13th: Danny Krol: /-/-/-8-/-/-/-/-4-/-/-/-3-/-10-/-/-/-/-/-10-12-/-/-4-1-/-/-/-/-13
12th: Scott Hutchins: 3-/-/-/-/-5-/-20-1-9-2-2-6-8-/-/-3-/-/-3-/-/-/-/-5-1-3-8-8-/-/-12
11th: Lynne Higgins: /-5-10-5-/-/-5-8-/-/-/-/-/-5-/-/-/-/-/-4-10-/-8-9-/-3-9-9-/-T1-/-11

Controlled Chaos - World Championships, Part One

World Championships - Santa Claus, IN
Part One
Will Thompson, Darryl Lozier, Scott Hutchins, Joe Ramage, Tom Gariepy, Andy Bing, Jamie Eilers, Chris Henton, Norm Gibson, Ben Hadsell, Will Murphy, John McCrory, Lynne Higgins, Matt Welliver, Leo May, Danny Krol, Steven Redden, Sam Harbin, Darrell Andresen, Jess Yates

It took five minutes for two of the outside contenders to end their seasons with a sour taste in the mouth as, in just his fifth final out of twelve, Andy Bing struck both Thompson and Hadsell before the race officials halted proceedings to check his vehicle, disqualifying him for a loose tank, and then Jamie Eilers, in his third straight final after missing four, also received a DQ as his hit on Gariepy, his fourth on as many targets, was deemed unfair.

Starting out with a long stall, striking Hutchins and then missing his next target, it was an early exit for Jess Yates in only his seventh final all year when Thompson charged into him on the blindside to end his brutal day where he rode ten shots, and Leo May was not far behind as the ten-time finalist, after taking a blindsider from Krol, looked quite comfortable striking four opponents, but the damage he took in exchange off of eight hits was enough to see him fall in seventeenth.

In his fifteenth final Norm Gibson was looking in fine form as he ran through the pack with five hits, but he was unable to counter the small fleet of cars who were hunting him down as Thompson, Andresen and Redden all struck him twice.

Form Guide
20th: Andy Bing: /-12-12-7-/-8-/-1-2-/-/-/-1-11-4-/-/-12-2-1-/-/-1-/-1-/-/-11-/-10-/-20
19th: Jamie Eilers: 2-/-/-/-2-/-/-7-/-/-9-/-/-1-1-/-4-/-/-8-6-/-/-10-7-/-/-/-/-4-1-19
18th: Jess Yates: /-8-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-7-/-/-/-4-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-3-/-/-/-5-/-/-3-/-/-18
17th: Leo May: /-/-7-/-10-4-/-4-7-/-/-2-/-/-/-5-8-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-12-17
16th: Norm Gibson: /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-7-1-10-/-T2-1-2-3-/-7-3-/-3-T11-3-/-/-/-10-8-/-16