OCTOBER 13 , 1947
PUCK DROPS ON NAHC SEASON WEDNESDAY
There is plenty of excitement on the streets of Chicago as talk has finally drifted away from the utter disappointment the Cougars were all season and the two-week slump that began in late July and destroyed the Chiefs hopes. Instead, all that could be heard in the local watering holes was banter about the Packers and how strong they look. "This might finally be the year," was the most commonly uttered phrase next to "Can I have another?" in the taverns last week as there is great optimism that the local ice outfit might just finally win its first Challenge Cup.
Training camp did nothing to dissuade talk that started to build over the summer and reached a crescendo when The Figment Hockey News tabbed the Packers as the team to beat this year. A 6-1 camp record has fans expectations hitting a fever pitch as the Packers prepare to open the season for real Wednesday night in Detroit.
The mood is much different at Thompson Palladium in Detroit where the Motors never got their engine started during the tune-up games. Detroit lost six of it's seven games, salvaging only a single point in a 1-1 draw with Montreal in Port Huron, Mi. on Tuesday. The Motors finished up with a lackadaisical effort in a 3-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Packer Thursday night and now must somehow regroup and get things going this week. That might be a lot easier said than done as there seem to be a lot of problems in Detroit due to some locker-room incidents although a few victories always does wonders for team morale. The bigger concern is what has happened to Detroit goaltender Henri Chasse. So good a year ago, the 24-year-old Quebec native suddenly looks like he would be challenged to stop a beach ball, and the defense -most notably veteran Bryant Williams- has been not much better in front of him.
Aside from Detroit, and perhaps Toronto which has already lost two regulars for most, if not all of the season, there is a lot of optimism throughout the league. The New York Shamrocks have had some injuries of their own, but the Greenshirts went 5-1-1 in the preseason and are thrilled with the play of 21-year-old rookie Simon Savard, who tallied four goals in six games and seems to have earned himself a spot in the lineup. The Shamrocks will open their season Friday in Montreal while the Dukes get things going Saturday when they host Detroit. The two-time defending Challenge Cup champion Boston Bees will be the final team to start the season -holding off until Sunday when they will raise their record 7th Cup winning banner to the roof of Denny Arena before hosting the Shamrocks.
Code:
NAHC Preseason Standings
TEAM GP W L T PTS GF GA
Chicago 7 6 1 0 12 28 14
New York 7 4 1 2 9 19 13
Boston 7 4 3 0 8 22 24
Toronto 7 2 3 3 7 23 21
Montreal 7 2 4 1 5 17 20
Detroit 7 0 6 1 1 10 27
PRESEASON SCORING LEADERS
NAME GP G A PTS
Burdette, Tor 6 4 8 12
T Burns, Chi 7 7 2 9
Chandler, Bos 7 5 3 8
Hart, Bos 7 3 5 8
Savard, NY 6 4 3 7
Sauer, Tor 5 4 3 7
EXHIBITION RESULTS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 9
Chicago 4 Toronto 2
Montreal 1 Detroit 1
New York 5 Boston 1
FRIDAY OCTOBER 10
Montreal 2 Boston 1
Chicago 3 Detroit 0
New York 1 Toronto 1
end of preseason schedule
UPCOMING REGULAR SEASON GAMES
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15
Chicago at Detroit
THURSDAY OCTOBER 16
New York at Montreal
SATURDAY OCTOBER 18
Chicago at Montreal
Detroit at Toronto
SUNDAY OCTOBER 19
New York at Boston
Toronto at Detroit
AROUND THE LEAGUE
MORE BAD NEWS FOR DUKES
Beam to Miss Season
The Toronto Dukes have suffered a second long-term injury in training camp with news that veteran winger Syl Beam has suffered a serious eye injury after being clipped with a stick while colliding with an opponent in Friday's preseason finale against the New York Shamrocks. Beam joins veteran rearguard Chad Roy who is out long-term with a back injury.
A broken wrist sidelined Beam much of last season, limiting the Ottawa native to just 26 games and a career low 17 points. He was entering his fifth season with the Dukes after starting his career with the New York Shamrocks.
VALS LEAD LEAGUE DUCAT RACE
The rabid Montreal fanbase loves it's Valiants win or lose and despite missing the playoffs last season the club leads the NAHC in season ticket sales. The Valiants are one of two clubs to announce the season ticket totals have surpassed the 10,000 mark as Montreal is joined by excited Chicago fans hoping this might finally be the Packers year to win the Cup.
SEASON TICKET SALES
Montreal...11,308
Chicago....10,519
Boston..... 9,421
Toronto.... 9,262
New York... 6,632
Detroit.... 6,207
OTHER HEADLINES THIS WEEK
- The Oakland Grays beat the Dallas Centurions 7-1 in game seven to win the second annual Bigsby Cup, presented annually to the champion of the Great Western League.
- In a surprise move the Continental Association champion Philadelphia Sailors have released two regulars, including all-star catcher Woody Stone.
- Parity is the story in the AFA as no grid team remains unbeaten following losses suffered by the Philadelphia Frigates and Detroit Maroons yesterday. A huge upset in the CFC as the Kansas City Cowboys fell for the second week in a row, dropping a 23-17 decision at home to the Los Angeles Lobos.
- Ricky McCallister saved the day as the Saints quarterback rallied St Blane to a 24-10 win over Whitney College after their running game had stalled.
- Fiery debate has left the United Nations Political Committee set for a showdown choice between the United States and Soviet Russia over the subject of the explosive Balkans issue.
- The United States accepted in principle a proposal for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab nations while also agreeing to help the United Nations preserve "internal law and order" during a recommended two-year transition phase.
Full national sports coverage is available in this week's edition of
THIS WEEK IN FIGMENT BASEBALL.