Player of the Game Hockey - NHL1967/68, Feb 10th

Saturday 10th February 1968
Boston continue to be streaky with three losses followed by three wins and now a third consecutive loss despite McKenzie (20) scoring the games first goal, but Detroit had a first period weapon in Howe as he assisted on goals from Prentice (16) and K Douglas (6) before dropping the gloves against Doak two minutes from the intermission. The Red Wings are just three points behind the Bruins thanks to goals from P Mahovlich (15) and Henderson (12) scoring the game winning goal with a man advantage 1:34 into the final period; they cancelled out the efforts of Esposito (23) and Bucyk (29) for a sixth Wings victory in eight games.

Another three points back of Detroit are the Chicago Blackhawks who manage to string together three wins for the first time the turn of the year where they took four on the trot. It was tied at 2-2 going into the final period with Mikita (32) and W Maki (7) giving the visitors a 2-0 beofre G Tremblay (22) and Provost (10) set each other up, with Backstrom also assisting on both goals, to bring Montreal level. In the third period R Hull (26) scored twice, including his seventh game winning goal of the season, to condemn the Canadiens to their first loss in eight, third in eighteen, and reduce their home ice record to a still impressive 21-5-2.

Minnesota are winless in four games with a single victory in the last six as their only goal comes at 1:35 of the second period when Balon put in Cullen (22) to reduce Oakland's advantage to 2-1. Erickson (4) had already put the Seals up by two and Hicke's (20) fourth game winner, making him the first Seal to ever score twenty goals; Ehman is second on the team with a distant fourteen tallies. Swarbrick (10) and Boyer (9) wrapped up the win as Oakland continue to play better with a recent record of 2-1-1.

After six without a victory it's back-to-back joy for New York with Ratelle (22) scoring twice to add to goals from Hadfield (14), Goyette (17) and Fleming (11). Pittsburgh suffer a fifth loss in seven despite Schinkel (9) and Ubriaco (7) putting the Penguins up 2-1 after one period.

It was a complete goaltending duel until 3:47 of the third period where J Roberts (15) scored what would be the game winner for St Louis before assisting on Cameron's (5) goal just 1:28 later. Philadelphia endue an eleventh defeat in their last fifteen outings with a third straight loss as they failed to find a way past Martin who earned his first shutout stopping nineteen shots to push the Blues to a six point lead over the Flyers with a sixth win in nine games; all victories coming in back-to-back games.

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
BOS	@	2	1	0	3
DET		2	1	1	4

BOS Johnston (10-7-3 .884) 38/42, Powerplay 0/5
DET Edwards (11-18-4 .891) 24/27, Powerplay 1/3

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
CHI	@	1	1	2	4
MON		0	2	0	2

CHI D Dryden (5-13-1 .883) 22/24, Powerplay 1/3
MON Worsley (14-10-5 .915) 28/32, Powerplay 0/3

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
MIN	@	0	1	0	1
OAK		2	0	3	5

MIN Maniago (14-16-7 .902) 32/37, Powerplay 0/1
OAK Hodge (12-22-7 .896) 23/24, Powerplay 0/0

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
NYR	@	1	2	2	5
PIT		2	0	0	2

NYR Simmons (4-0-3 .916) 26/28, Powerplay 1/3
PIT Binkley (10-15-7 .907) 22/27, Powerplay 1/4

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
PHI	@	0	0	0	0
StL		0	0	2	2

PHI Parent (14-16-4 .894) 24/26, Powerplay 0/1
StL Martin (8-6-3 .904) 19/19, Powerplay 0/2

East Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
Montreal Canadiens	52	29	17	6	64
Toronto Maple Leafs	51	28	18	5	61
Boston Bruins	53	27	20	6	60
Detroit Red Wings	53	26	22	5	57
Chicago Blackhawks	54	24	24	6	54
New York Rangers	52	20	23	9	49
West Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
St Louis Blues	51	24	18	9	57
Philadelphia Flyers	52	23	24	5	51
Minnesota North Stars	52	19	22	11	49
Pittsburgh Penguins	53	17	25	11	45
Los Angeles Kings	53	19	27	7	45
Oakland Seals	54	14	30	10	38