Player of the Game Hockey - NHL 1967/68, Feb 24th

Saturday 24th February 1968
Two goals from Howe (34), G Jarrett (29) and Prentice (20) led Detroit to a 9-1 thumping of the North Stars and a seventh straight game without defeat. Ullman (18) scored the game winner and added two assist, while Henderson (13) and P Mahovlich (16) also scored; F Smith notched up three assists of his own as the Red Wings go 6-1-3 in their last ten. Minneosta have just two victories in their last eleven and are winless in three; P MacDonald (19) scoring their lone goal today that made it 4-1.

After that ten goal encounter comes a twelve goal thriller between the Blackhawks and Kings. Chicago took a 2-0 lead through Mikita (34) and Wharram (21) before L MacDonald (16), B Smith (15) and a powerplay goal from Campbell (9) gave Los Angeles the edge at 3-2. A second from Wharram (22) and a go-ahead goal from D Hull (11) swung momentum back in favour of the Hawks who needed just eight minutes of the final period to take the game from 4-3 to 7-3; R Hull (30) and a pair from Mohns (20) doing the damage. But the game was not finished as Flett (22) and Joyal (19) made it a one-goal game once more before time ran out on their five game unbeaten streak. It wasn't just the goals today as Mikita (4), Mohns (3) and Wharram (2) all came away with multiple assists to give Chicago their first win in six and remain eight points back of the Wings.

Two goals from Ratelle (25) either side of the second intermission gave New York the advantage in Montreal but back came the Canadiens with two goals sixty-five seconds apart; JC Tremblay (5) and Provost (13) earning the hosts a point, but they continue a lean run by their standards with three wins in the last eight. The Rangers are 2-1-1 in their last four as Giacomin played his fiftieth game in net.

Pittsburgh almost choked away a 3-0 third period lead but hang on for a third win in five and their first set of back-to-back wins in ten games to push them back above LA into fourth position. Andrea (7) knocked home a pair in the second frame, both assisted by Dea and Ubriaco, and Fonteyne (7) looked to have put the game away on the powerplay but Oakland did not give up. Swarbrick (12) got the Seals onto the board soon after but they were unable to get another until 19:22 when K Douglas (9) scored and it's a fifth straight game without a win for Oakland.


Boston drop to 2-2-1 in their last five as they lose from a 2-1 lead as Green (8) and Shack (17) score only to see Ellis (20) tie up the game both times for the Maple Leafs. Toronto make it six wins in nine when Pulford (11) puts them in front and, after Hodge (26) brought the Bruins level again, Carleton (6) won both points for the Leafs with eighteen seconds to play in the second period when he tucked home the rebound off Keon's shot.

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
MIN	@	0	1	0	1
DET		3	2	4	9

MIN Maniago (16-18-7 .899) 45/54, Powerplay 0/0
DET G Gardner (4-1-0 .920) 23/24, Powerplay 0/5

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
CHI	@	2	2	3	7
LAK		1	2	2	5

CHI DeJordy (20-12-7 .896) 42/47, Powerplay 0/0
LAK Sawchuk (6-12-4 .889) 32/39, Powerplay 1/6

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

NYR Giacomin (17-26-7 .890) 28/30, Powerplay 0/0
MON Worsley (16-12-6 .912) 21/23, Powerplay 0/5

		1st	2nd	3rd	F
OAK	@	0	0	2	2
PIT		0	2	1	3

OAK G Smith (2-10-2 .894) 35/38, Powerplay 0/4
PIT Binkley (12-16-7 .907) 16/18, Powerplay 1/7

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

BOS Cheevers (19-14-5 .895) 31/35, Powerplay 1/1
TOR Gamble (12-9-3 .915) 25/28, Powerplay 0/7

East Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
Montreal Canadiens	59	32	19	8	72
Boston Bruins	60	31	21	8	70
Toronto Maple Leafs	57	32	20	5	69
Detroit Red Wings	59	29	22	8	66
Chicago Blackhawks	60	25	27	8	58
New York Rangers	58	22	26	10	54
West Division	GP	W	L	T	Pts
St Louis Blues	57	25	22	10	60
Philadelphia Flyers	58	25	26	7	57
Minnesota North Stars	59	21	25	13	55
Pittsburgh Penguins	58	20	27	11	51
Los Angeles Kings	58	21	29	8	50
Oakland Seals	59	14	33	12	40