Full Description
The 1969-70 season marked a turning point in the history of the National Hockey League. The season began with a near fatality and it culminated on a steamy Sunday afternoon in Boston with one of the NHL's most iconic moments. In the interim, the 12 NHL clubs staged thrilling and memorable playoff races that were not decided until the final regular-season games were played. The three traditional powerhouse teams from the Original Six era faltered while former underdog clubs began to vie for top honors. Along the way, Boston's Bobby Orr made history by becoming the first defenseman to win the NHL scoring title, three aging veterans in Detroit combined to form the most effective forward line in hockey, and a rookie goalie, Tony Esposito, lifted the Chicago Black Hawks from the basement to a divisional championship. Told here are the numerous other wonderful, strange, and captivating incidents that made the fun, fascinating, and free-wheeling 53rd NHL season one for the ages.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Notes on Names, Spellings and Terms
Preface: Childhood Memories
Part I: The NHL Before 1969-70
1. What a Difference a Decade Makes!
2. The Original Six Era: Big Three, Little Three
3. From Six Teams to 12: The NHL Doubles Down
4. The Mild, Mild West: Not Separate but Not Equal
Part II: The 1969-70 NHL Season
5. Mayhem in Ottawa: The Wayne Maki-Ted Green Incident
6. The Old Boys' Club: The NHL's Geezer Goaltenders
7. How Mick Jagger Nearly Caused an NHL Forfeit
8. Organic Matter: The East Dominates the All-Star Game
9. A Cool Wedding Quashed
10. "Boston's Mighty Orr" Leads the Bruins
11. The New York Rangers: Revamped and Dangerous
12. Chicago Black Hawks Rising ... with Shutouts
13. The Suddenly Soaring Detroit Red Wings
14. Montreal Canadiens: Unknowingly on Thin Ice
15. Toronto Maple Leafs: Treading Water
16. St. Louis Blues: The Biggest of the Small Fish
17. Pittsburgh Penguins: Improving and Anonymous
18. Minnesota North Stars: Drawn and Quartered
19. Oakland Seals: Struggling to Be Relevant
20. The Kings: Losing and Loathing in Los Angeles
21. Philadelphia Flyers: 24 Ties ... But Still One Short
22. The Plummeting New Yorkers
23. It Happened One Night: The Rangers' Long Bus Ride
24. Surging Popularity: The Numbers Speak for Themselves
25. Saturday, April 4: Clearly Clarifying Nothing
26. Sunday, April 5 (A): Theater of the Absurd
27. Sunday, April 5 (B): Five Empty-Net Goals
Part III: The All-American 1970 Stanley Cup Playoffs
28. The Stanley Cup ... Canada's Trophy?
29. The Quarterfinals: Blowouts, Brawls and a Bounty
30. Boston-Chicago Semifinal: A Surprising Sweep
31. St. Louis-Pittsburgh Semifinal: The Blues Are Tested
Part IV: The Finals—From Shadow Treatment to Classic Finish
32. Game #1: Plante Goes Down; Bruins Go Up
33. Game #2: Another Half Dozen Goals
34. Game #3: "We Are Looking Forward to Sunday"
35. "First Annual Bobby Orr Awards Luncheon"
36. Anticipation
37. Game #4: "And What Could Be Better Than That?"
38. A Photo for the Ages
Part V: Denouement
39. Celebrations
40. Michel Brière: An Athlete Dying Young
41. An Unexpected Resignation
42. The Strange Death of Terry Sawchuk
43. Social Notice: Say, Who's That Fellow Dating Bernie Geoffrion's Daughter?
44. The NHL's Tiebreaker and Divisional Realignment
45. The Cup, the Bruins and the Rest of the Original Six
46. The 1967 Expansion Teams
Aftermath: Miscellany
Chapter Notes
References
Index
