Player of the Game Hockey - NHL 1967/68, Feb 21st

Wednesday 21st February 1968
A hat-trick from Shack (16) took Boston to a five game unbeaten streak and are tied for top spot in the NHL. Esposito assisted on all three goals and now has sixty-one points on the year with twenty-five goals and thirty-six helpers. The Minnesota North Stars had tied the game at 1-1, Cullen (26) scoring on the powerplay in the second frame, but it's just wins in nine for them.

Another team that is finding it hard to win is Montreal who have a pair of victories in their last six games as they drop a result in New York. Hadfield (16) and Geoffrion (2) gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead before Backstrom (15) brought the Canadiens back within one, but with only eleven shots throughout that was the best the visitors would do. Gilbert (24) added a third marker in the third to give his side a second win in three.

After Boyer (10) had given Oakland the early lead R Hull (29) then countered with a natural hat-trick to put Chicago in command. The Seals came back not once bu twice. The first through Ehman (15) and Caron (7), who join Boyer on multi-point games, and then Swarbrick (11) evened it at four goals each after Nesterenko (6) had given the Blackhawks another lead. Both sides are in the dumps with Oakland going four without a win, and Chicago have not tasted victory in five straight leaving them seven points behind Detroit in the final playoff spot.



AFter Selby (16) and Kennedy (9) had scored the Flyers looked good with a 2-0 lead going into the second period in the Battle of Pennsylvania, but just twenty-five seconds after the restart Andrea (5) had made it a one goal game for Pittsburgh with a fine unassisted effort. The tables continued to turn with Bathgate (20) starting off his hat-trick and Boivin (5) interrupting for his game winning powerplay goal. The Penguins are one point back of the Kings with their second win in four while Philadelphia have two wins in eight.

St Louis got off to a good start in Toronto when J Roberts (16) scored on the powerplay with just 1:41 played but four unanswered goals had the Leafs well in control before the first intermission. Pulford (10) tied it up at 3:21, then Pappin (10), Ellis (18) and Keon (12), who already had two assists, made it 4-1 to the home side. The Blues, who have just one win in five, made it 4-2 through Sabourin (20) but it was his two five minute major penalties that put them under a lot of pressure. Ellis's game winner and Keon's goal both came on the first five minute powerplay, and Toronto added another two on the next through Oliver (14) and Carleton (5). Bower became the first netminder this year to win twenty games and the Maple Leafs are two points back of the leaders in the East with games in hand after their fifth win in eight.

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
BOS	@	1	0	2	3
MIN		0	1	0	1

BOS Johnston (12-7-3 .892) 28/29, Powerplay 1/4
MIN Maniago (16-17-7 .902) 25/28, Powerplay 1/8

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
MON	@	0	1	0	1
NYR		0	2	1	3

MON Worsley (16-12-5 .912) 24/27, Powerplay 0/0
NYR Simmons (5-0-3 .915) 10/11, Powerplay 1/4

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
CHI	@	1	2	1	4
OAK		1	2	1	4

CHI DeJordy (19-12-7 .896) 23/27, Powerplay 0/0
OAK Hodge (12-24-9 .895) 24/28, Powerplay 1/4

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

PHI Favell (9-9-2 .901) 36/41, Powerplay 0/0
PIT Binkley (12-167 .907) 25/27, Powerplay 1/1

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
StL	@	1	1	0	2
TOR		4	0	2	6

StL Hall (17-14-7 .894) 37/43, Powerplay 1/2
TOR Bower (20-11-2 .913) 21/23, Powerplay 4/7

East Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
Montreal Canadiens	57	31	19	7	69
Boston Bruins	58	31	20	7	69
Toronto Maple Leafs	56	31	20	5	67
Detroit Red Wings	57	28	22	7	63
Chicago Blackhawks	59	24	27	8	56
New York Rangers	57	22	26	9	53
West Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
St Louis Blues	56	25	21	10	60
Philadelphia Flyers	57	28	26	6	56
Minnesota North Stars	57	21	24	12	54
Los Angeles Kings	57	21	28	8	50
Pittsburgh Penguins	57	19	27	11	49
Oakland Seals	58	14	32	12	40