OCTOBER 14, 1975
IMPERIALS INCHES AWAY FROM UNLIKELY CHAMPIONSHIP When the New York Imperials limped into the postseason, no one gave them a second look.
Now all they need is one more win to etch their name into baseball history.
Despite the hitting being what got them here, it's the rotation that's the reason they are on the cusp of becoming the first expansion team to win a World Championship Series.
Back in New York, in front of their still young and passionate fanbase, the scrappy squad did exactly what they needed to. Scoring was tough to come by, but when it mattered most, they did that too.
Game three got going quick, as after Don Bradner (10-9, 3.31, 117) got a quick 1-2-3, the Imps went right to work. George Love (.261, 21, 80, 23) worked a full count walk, stole second, got to third on a ground out, and then scored on a sac-fly.
After that, Suns starter Bob Hinzman (15-11, 3.00, 127) matched Bradner pretty well. Neither team got anything else through seven, which ended up being Bradner's exit. The veteran was outstanding, 7 scoreless with 4 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts, but in a 1-run game, Imperial manager Jim Abernathy decided that 102 pitches was enough for his starter, and it was time for stopper Ed Cooper (2-11, 33, 3.36, 55) to finish things off.
It was one of New York's rare missteps, as after a quick first out, it was time for Tom Lally (.319, 31, 107, 9) and Sam Forrester (.281, 27, 116, 43) to finally get something going. Both guys singled, leaving runners on second and third with just one out. Ike Brown (.222, 1, 5, 1) came in as a pinch hitter to make something happen, and while it wasn't what he might have wanted, a sac-fly got his Suns back even, and allowed Bill Perry (.255, 9, 74, 20) to break the tie with a double.
Cooper did get a quick third out, but at that point the damage looked like it was done. Instead, the Imps didn't let their guy down, and got going right away in the bottom half. Bob Scott (.295, 4, 25) got things going with a bases loaded walk, but he didn't stay there too long. Again, George Love made things happen, going from scorer to producer with an RBI double to re-tie the game. Unfortunately for him, Abernathy told Al Reece (.337, 9, 66, 18) to bunt, despite his elite ability to get on base, and it was such a poor bunt that Love got gunned at third.
But, as the Imperials appear to be a team of destiny, they found another way. With just one out, they had plenty of chances left, and CCS MVP Brian Miller (.254, 4, 21) added to his postseason legacy. He bashed a double of his own, allowing Reece to scurry home and retake the lead. No insurance could be added, but the Imps were right back where they needed to be. On top.
Cooper came out for the 9th, and this times kept the shenanigans to a minimum. Two quick outs put him in a good position, and after Eddie Kellum's (.284, 2, 27, 12) first pitch single, no more damage would be done, giving New York the lead.
Game 4 got started in a similar way, and with Jim White (19-10, 3.63, 225) back on the mound, giving up early runs is not a great strategy. White got a quick 1-2-3, but Suns' ace Heinie Schmidt (16-11, 3.07, 147) was not as lucky. Things got going with Owen Drake's (.268, 17, 61) leadoff double, eventually scoring on George Love's fielder's choice.
Again though, the lead didn't last, as Schmidt managed zeros until his guys could tie it back up. It came to start the fifth, as Jim Thurman (.306, 10, 69) unloaded a massive solo shot. It wasn't enough to shake the short-rested ace, as he quickly recovered and finished seven. It came with 3 hits, a run, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts, but with no lead, he couldn't pick up a win.
But lucky for the Imperials, the 8th inning worked again. Schmidt came back, as he was pitching quite well, and it really wasn't his fault things fell apart. I mean, Drake reached on an error and Brian Miller put down a pretty nice bunt that no one could field easily. But what came next is solely on Schmidt, as the talented pitcher might have let the context get to him. He got ahead of Al Reece, let him work the count back full, and then watched a pitch fly 406 feet from home plate, as a rowdy Reece and Dyckman Stadium yelled, screamed, and jumped as they realized they were one game away from the crown.
Schmidt did recover, a nice 1-2-3, but it was too little too late. Back for a second inning, Ed Cooper was much better then the night before, as while he allowed another hit to Bill Perry, the other three outs came easier, and all momentum was with the home team.
With their back's now against the wall, LA needs to be perfect, and needs dominance from their rotation. Whether it's Game-1 starter Al Whitman (5-3, 3.18, 53) or a short-rested Pete Meissner (17-8, 3.08, 173) dominance is needed, as the offense has not been able to put runs together outside of game two. They have just three total runs in their three losses and a single multi-hit game, as they've had very few opportunities to get things going.
On the bright side, they'll at least see Emmett Thornton (17-6, 3.45, 91) again, as he's been the only Imperial pitcher they've really been able to solve. He was hit hard in game two, charged with 4 runs off 10 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 innings. The bottom of the Suns did a lot of damage in that one, but has been silent ever since. Thrust into an elimination situation with underperforming stars, the task in front of LA seems insurmountable, but we all know far too well what happens when you underestimate a team, or count another out.
Just ask the Imperials! They know first hand not to underestimate a team when glory is on the line. Seattle sure did, and maybe LA did too.
Oh well, their loss!
WASPS, COWBOYS LAST UNBEATENS AFTER FOUR WEEKSWith the first month of the American Football Association season now in the books, the list of perfect teams has been trimmed to two: the Washington Wasps and the Kansas City Cowboys. Both improved to 4-0 with victories over the weekend as the early-season picture around the league began to take shape.
Washington’s win came the hard way. The Wasps were held scoreless through most of the first half by the visiting New York Stars before finally breaking through late in the second quarter. A methodical 14-play, 83-yard march — helped along by three Stars penalties — ended with a 6-yard touchdown reception by Michael Alexander from quarterback Charles Hartman with two minutes left before halftime.
That proved more than enough for the Washington defense, which smothered the Stars the rest of the afternoon. New York managed just six first downs and 162 total yards as the Wasps cruised to a 17-0 victory. Alexander added a second scoring catch in the closing minutes while kicker Jimmy Casper chipped in with a third-quarter field goal.
Next up for Washington is another American Conference East opponent, the winless Philadelphia Frigates.
Philadelphia nearly pulled off a comeback of its own Sunday in Milwaukee but fell short in a wild 44-38 loss to the Milwaukee Stags. Frigates quarterback Butch White threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns but was also intercepted three times, including a 38-yard return by Stags safety Brian Reade that helped Milwaukee build a commanding lead before the late Philadelphia rally.
*** Sellers Leads Cowboys Past Denver ***
The other unbeaten club, Kansas City, had to work a little harder.
Quarterback Joshua Sellers outdueled reigning league MVP Robert Haas as the Cowboys edged the Denver Mountaineers 30-22 in an entertaining passing battle. Sellers completed 19 of 35 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns while Haas countered with 188 yards and two scores of his own.
Kansas City will host the Detroit Maroons next week after Detroit suffered a rough afternoon in Cleveland. The Cleveland Finches rolled to a convincing victory behind quarterback Danny Boudreaux’s 213 passing yards and two touchdowns. Detroit, forced to start Jimmy Moore while regular quarterback Charlie Sonnenberg recovers from a broken wrist, struggled badly in the passing game and allowed five sacks, three by Finches tackle Todd Ward.
*** Red Jackets Finally Get One ***
The defending champion Buffalo Red Jackets finally found the win column, holding off the Miami Mariners 23-20 in a game that may have salvaged Buffalo’s season.
The key moment came late in the third quarter. After Miami quarterback Jeff Conroy connected with Preston Riendeau on a touchdown pass to pull the Mariners within three points, Buffalo return man Dwight McAllister answered immediately with a dazzling 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. That play restored a ten-point cushion and proved decisive as the Red Jackets improved to 1-3.
Quarterback Jason Myers returned to the lineup after missing nearly three games with a knee injury but looked rusty, completing 10 of 23 passes for just 80 yards. Still, the victory kept Buffalo from slipping to a potentially disastrous 0-4 start.
*** Roughnecks Upset Rivermen ***
One of the weekend’s bigger surprises came in Seattle where the Seattle Roughnecks knocked off the previously unbeaten Cincinnati Rivermen 10-3.
Seattle quarterback Ellis Rich engineered the game’s only touchdown drive late in the first half, connecting with rookie wide receiver Bobby Gatewood on a 22-yard scoring pass. The Roughnecks defense handled the rest, holding Cincinnati to just 56 rushing yards. The victory lifted Seattle to 2-2 while dropping the Rivermen to 3-1.
Around the League
The New York Titans rebounded from last week’s loss to Cincinnati with a 19-7 win over the winless Atlanta Firebirds. Quarterback James Tovar completed 25 of 38 passes, eight of them to wide receiver Richard Salcedo.
In Boston, the Boston Americans staged a dramatic finish to defeat the San Francisco Wings 34-27. Tight end Kendrick Sullivan caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Juan Huff with just 46 seconds remaining to break a late tie. Running back Jeff Shelton paced Boston’s ground attack with 151 yards.
Down in Texas, the Houston Drillers shut out the Los Angeles Tigers 17-0 behind a strong defensive effort led by veteran end Bobby Barrell Jr., who recorded nine tackles and his fourth sack of the season. Rookie running back Scott Starling chipped in with 109 rushing yards and his first AFA touchdown.
The Chicago Wildcats remain the league’s most beleaguered club. Chicago fell to 0-4 with a 17-7 loss to the New Orleans Crescents as quarterback Carl Pederson was sacked a staggering 14 times. That brings the Wildcats’ season total to 50 sacks allowed in just four games.
The San Diego Admirals picked up their first win of the season, defeating the Minnesota Lakers 23-15 behind quarterback Emery Cartwright’s 198 yards passing and two touchdowns.
The Dallas Stallions slipped past the Pittsburgh Paladins 16-13 to leave both clubs at 2-2, while the St. Louis Ramblers defeated the Los Angeles Olympians 10-6 thanks largely to a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown by cornerback Tobias James. It was the first time in four meetings that St Louis had ever defeated the Olympians.
Four weeks down, the Wasps and Cowboys remain perfect — but as the rest of the league showed this weekend, no one else is far from the chase.
AVIATORS DERAIL ENGINEERS IN GLA OPENER
Detroit City Stops the Bleeding With Win Over VikingsThe Great Lakes Alliance dove head first into conference play over the weekend and the conference provided plenty of excitement on the football field. Among the highlights included a 4th straight victory for Central Ohio and the Detroit City College Knights finally getting a victory after dropping all three of their out of conference contests to commence the campaign.
In Columbus it was a battle of unbeatens as a determined Whitney College squad, 3-0 and -a rarity- ranked in the top twenty invaded southern Ohio with an eye on upsetting the Aviators. Central Ohio, always a power in the Great Lakes Alliance but has not won the conference crown in four years, also was perfect entering the game and ranked #6 entering the game. Sophomore quarterback Robert Guenther, who seems to have found a new level after a very good freshman campaign that guided Whitney College to a New Year's appearance for the first time in school history, had a great start on Saturday and thanks to a pair of touchdown passes to Sal Foot, his Engineers led 14-7 at the break. Central Ohio eventually prevailed with a 66-yard touchdown pass from George Stephens to Michael Smith with less than two minutes remaining provided the margin of victory in a 17-14 Aviators win but Central Ohio knew it was in a game. The Engineers matched the mighty Aviators all day and likely deserved a better outcome but this showing proved their 10-2 season of a year ago was not a fluke and if Central Ohio stumbles, Whitney College might just challenge for a spot in the East-West Classic.
The Detroit City College Knights have headed to Santa Ana each of the past two New Years, but this season has been a disaster as junior quarterback Pete Patterson has had his struggles trying to step into the big shoes formerly filled by graduated stat Harold Robinson. DCC lost each of its opening three games but Patterson looked like a new man in the conference opener. He threw 4 touchdown passes, completing 13 of his 16 throws as the Knights knocked St Magnus from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 31-24. Sophomore Knights running back Bruce Roberts also had a big day, gaining 160 yards on the day. The Vikings entered the game ranked 8th in the nation but indicative of how lightly the Knights are now being taken, St. Magnus dropped out of the top 25 entirely with the loss.
St Ignatius climbed in the polls and knocked Indiana A&M out after the Lancers upset the Reapers in Terre Haute by a 23-10 score. The St. Ignatius defense completely shut down the Reapers offense, holding Indiana A&M to just 115 total yards and their only touchdown came on a 102-yard kick-off return by John Parker. Backs Christopher Agnew and Cory Shinn combined for 195 to lead the Lancers offense. Both schools are now 3-1. St. Ignatius has another tough road game next weekend as they face Whitney College.
In other Great Lakes Alliance opening week action Minnesota Tech took advantage of four Lincoln College turnovers as the Lakers dumped the Presidents 26-7 while in Milwaukee the Wisconsin State Brewers had little trouble with Western Iowa, blanking the Canaries 29-0 on the strength of a pair of James Jackson touchdown passes.
FIGHTING SAINTS REMAIN PERFECT WITH WIN OVER HENRY HUDSON
Henry Sneed threw for 237 yards and four touchdowns to help the St. Blane Fighting Saints improve to 3-0 with a decisive 25-19 victory over the Henry Hudson Explorers. The game, played before a capacity crowd at New York's Gothams Stadium, was a showcase of the Saints offense which ended up compiling 473 yards nearly equally dividend between precision passing from the freshman quarterback Sneed and an impressive ground game keyed by the backfield duo of senior Raleigh Cutler and sophomore Boyd Freeman who rushed for 115 and 114 yards respectively.
Henry Hudson, which has never defeated St Blane, looked outgunned from the opening St Blane possession, which needed just four plays to take the lead including a swing pass to Cutler that the Saints back turned into a 48-yard touchdown run. A pair of first down runs by Cutler on the next Saints possession set up a 1-yard scoring dive by Freeman to put St Blane up 14-0 before the game was eight minutes old. Henry Hudson did get on the scoreboard a short time later with a 43-yard field goal and early in the second quarter the Academia Alliance squad cut the lead to 14-10 when Explorers safety Clark Hager intercepted a Sneed pass and raced 65 yards untouched for a touchdown to cut the St Blane lead to 14-10. That would be as close as the Explorers would get as St Blane extended its lead to 28-13 at the half thanks to a pair of Sneed touchdown throws to wide receiver Javier Chappell.
Next up for St Blane, which defeated Detroit City College and Rome State in its opening two games, is a trip to Boston to face the St. Patrick's Shamrocks, another school that has never defeated the Saints. St. Patrick's fell to 0-4 on Saturday after absorbing a 28-10 loss to the Pittsburgh State Finches in the rain at Fitzpatrick Park.
*** Bandits Extend Win Streak to Five ***
El Paso Methodist, which finished a school best ninth in the polls two years ago when they went 10-2 and played in the Desert Classic for the fifth time in a six year span, are off to a 5-0 start and ranked third in the nation following a 41-3 blasting of Bulein in Greeneville, SC on Saturday. The Bandits were once more led by the rushing duo of senior Mark Wilson and sophomore Grant Chacon who combined for 261 yards on the ground. They do not play a tough schedule but an early season win over defending national champion Redwood has added some credibility to the Bandits 5-0 start and while it is still very early it appears that only a Thanksgiving weekend matchup with Southern Border Conference rival Tempe College stands in the way of a perfect regular season for El Paso Methodist. Tempe College improved to 4-1 with a 26-7 victory over Petersburg on Saturday.
Red River State pulled off its second big upset of the season. The Rowdies opened the season with losses to Chesapeake State and Maryland State but followed that up last week with a convincing victory over struggling Detroit City College. Now they added Lawrence State to their upset victims, knocking the Chippewa from the ranks of the unbeaten with a wild 34-31 victory. The game went back and fourth with the winning touchdown -a 2 yard run by Micheal Hutcheson- coming with just over 2 minutes left in the game and as the culmination of a 17-play drive that saw the Rowdies take over seven minutes to move the ball 63 yards without completing a pass.
In other weekend games of note
- Richard Childress, who leads the nation in passing yards, threw for 188 yards and a touchdown to help Daniel Boone College past Charleston Tech 23-15.
- American Atlantic handed winless Annapolis Maritime its third straight loss. The Pelicans remained perfect with a 24-3 triumph over the naval academy.
- Brian McNeill caught a pair of touchdown passes and ran for a third to pace 4-0 Eastern State to a 27-13 win in Nebraska over College of Omaha.
- Carolina Poly, which meets Eastern State in the South Atlantic Conference opener for both next weekend, ran its record to 3-1 after upsetting Darnell State on the road 23-17. Robert Lightner ran for 142 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals, who rallied after falling behind 14-0 midway through the opening quarter.
- Minns College is 4-0 after barely surviving an encounter with Commonwealth Catholic. Rob Wilbur scored the game winning touchdown on a 4-yard run with less than two minutes remaining to give the Mavericks a 19-15 victory.
- A late score also kept Provo Tech unbeaten as the Lions needed a 59-yard Domingo Patterson to John Johns touchdown pass with 2:30 remaining in the game in order to hold off Alexandria 27-20.
- College of Waco, which knocked off Detroit City College in its season opener, is also 4-0 after the Cowboys edged North Carolina Tech 13-9 at home on Saturday.
- Harold Cox, a sophomore running back, went off for Wyoming AA&I against Richmond State. Cox ran for 246 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries in a 51-10 victory for the Prospectors.
- Rome State's dismal season continues as the Centurions remain winless following a 23-7 loss to St. Pancras. The Lions are a surprising 4-0.
- Both Los Angeles schools won with Coastal California, behind 151 yards rushing from Lou Sledge, beating the Ferguson Wildcats 33-14 while CCLA, with freshman quarterback Mike Byers using his legs to run for 169 yards, downing Northern Minnesota 38-3. The Dolphins are 2-2 while the Coyotes finally picked up their first victory after starting the season with 3 consecutive losses.
WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
Detroit City College Knights - 31, St Magnus Vikings - 24
Minnesota Tech Lakers - 26, Lincoln Presidents - 7
St Ignatius Lancers - 23, Indiana A_M Reapers - 10
Wisconsin State Brewers - 29, Western Iowa Canaries - 0
Central Ohio Aviators - 21, Whitney College Engineers - 14
St Pancras Lions - 23, Rome State Centurions - 7
Minns College Mavericks - 19, Commonwealth Catholic Knights - 15
Pittsburgh State Finches - 28, St Patrick's Shamrocks - 10
Miami State Gulls - 16, Garden State Redbirds - 14
Penn Catholic Crusaders - 41, Idaho A_M Pirates - 7
American Atlantic Pelicans - 24, Annapolis Maritime Navigators - 3
College of San Diego Friars - 41, Boston State Pirates - 14
Liberty College Bells - 41, Lambert College Stags - 3
Huntington State Miners - 42, Wisconsin Catholic Cavaliers - 3
Chicago Poly Catamounts - 31, Topeka State Braves - 24
St Blane Fighting Saints - 35, Henry Hudson Explorers - 19
Travis College Bucks - 9, Coastal State Eagles - 7
Carolina Poly Cardinals - 23, Darnell State Legislators - 17
Amarillo Methodist Grizzlies - 38, Maryland State Bengals - 3
College of Waco Cowboys - 13, North Carolina Tech Techsters - 9
Daniel Boone College Frontiersmen - 23, Charleston Tech Admirals - 15
Eastern State Monitors - 27, College of Omaha Raiders - 13
Oklahoma City State Wranglers - 24, Cowpens State Fighting Green - 14
Eastern Oklahoma Pioneers - 19, Columbia Military Academy Cadets - 6
Boulder State Grizzlies - 23, Arkansas A_T Badgers - 13
Lubbock State Hawks - 9, Iowa A_M Bulls - 6
Red River State Rowdies - 34, Lawrence State Chippewa - 31
Eastern Kansas Warriors - 34, Texas Gulf Coast Hurricanes - 27
Valley State Gunslingers - 14, Potomac College Pelicans - 9
Tempe College Titans - 26, Petersburg Patriots - 7
Central Carolina Lions - 33, Abilene Baptist Chaparrals - 3
El Paso Methodist Bandits - 41, Bulein Hornets - 3
Mile High State Falcons - 20, Texas Panhandle Cowboys - 16
Custer College Cavalry - 9, Canyon A_M Armadillos - 6
Mobile Maritime Middies - 22, South Valley State Roadrunners - 10
Provo Tech Lions - 27, Alexandria Generals - 20
Utah A_M Aggies - 27, Chesapeake State Clippers - 20
Wyoming A_I Prospectors - 51, Richmond State Colonials - 10
Lane State Emeralds - 51, Colorado Poly Redbirds - 3
Cache Valley Cowboys - 29, Spokane State Indians - 13
Portland Tech Magpies - 51, Queen City Monarchs - 0
Redwood Mammoths - 55, Cleveland Tigers - 10
Rainier College Majestics - 51, McKinney State Renegades - 3
CC Los Angeles Coyotes - 38, Northern Minnesota Muskies - 3
Coastal California Dolphins - 33, Ferguson Wildcats - 14
MATCHUPS INVOLVING TOP TWENTY SCHOOLS NEXT WEEKEND
#1 Georgia Baptist (3-0) at #6 Central Kentucky (3-0)
#2 Mississippi A&M (3-0) at Bayou State (0-3)
#17 Minnesota Tech (3-1) at #4 Central Ohio (4-0)
#5 American Atlantic (4-0) at Boston State (2-2)
#23 Carolina Poly (3-1) at #7 Eastern State (4-0)
#8 Minns College (4-0) at Chicago Poly (2-2)
Wyoming A&I (1-3) at #9 Prove Tech (4-0)
#10 St Blane (3-0) at St Patrick's (0-4)
#11 College of Waco (4-0) at Texas Gulf Coast (1-3)
#12 St Pancras (4-0) at Commonwealth Catholic (2-2)
Opelika State (2-1) at #13 Northern Mississippi (3-0)
Sadler (1-1) at #14 George Fox (2-0)
#19 Boulder State (3-1) at #15 Lawrence State (3-1)
Oklahoma City State (3-1) at #16 Daniel Boone College (3-1)
#18 St Ignatius (3-1) at Whitney College (3-1)
Ellery (1-1) at #20 Dickson (2-0)
ROGUES RACE OUT OF GATE AS NAHC SEASON GETS UNDERWAYAdam McPherson picked up right where he left off as last season's NAHC scoring champion had 4 goals and 8 points in his first three games to lead the high-flying Philadelphia Rogues to three straight victories to open the season. The Rogues, Challenge Cup winners two years ago but upset by the Los Angeles Stingrays in the opening round last spring, looked like they have something to prove this time around.
Philadelphia already had plenty of offense a year ago but they took it a step further over the summer by acquiring 31-year-old playmaker Yves Dagenais from Detroit. All Dagenais did last season was lead the NAHC in assists with 85 and his 117 points were just one behind McPherson's Denny Trophy winning pace. The question was would the Rogues break up their talented Scotch Line of McPherson, Glenn McKenzie and Gary Yeadon to accommodate Dagenais on the top line?
The answer came in the season opener, a 4-1 victory at the Liberty Center over the visiting Pittsburgh Sentinels and the answer was in the affirmative as Dagenais replaced McKenzie at center on the top unit between McPherson and Yeadon. The trio combined on a second period goal while McKenzie had a helper as he added to the depth by centering a second line between Andy Kapeller and Louis Nolet.
The depth of firepower became glaringly obvious in the Rogues second game, a 13-3 lambasting of the Calgary Grizzlies. The top line combined for 9 points including a McPherson hat trick while the second unit enjoyed a 10 point performance keyed by two goals and two assists off the stick of Nolet. Philadelphia made it a perfect week by doubling the Sentinels 4-2 in a rematch in Pittsburgh, a game that saw Dagenais pick up three points.
After three games new fewer than 7 Rouges players have accumulated at least five points. The only bad news from Philadelphia in the opening week was a serious injury that will sideline promising newcomer Gord Whitaker for up to two months. A rookie in the NAHC's eyes but far from raw as the 25-year-old has spent the past three seasons playing in the Continental Hockey League with the Denver Peaks and scored 19 goals a year ago. He was off to a great start in his NAHC debut with 3 goals and 5 points before getting hurt in Pittsburgh.
*** Vals Doing Just Fine Without Rucks ***
There was plenty of concern in Montreal after Fred Rucks decided to retire at the age of 34 and just a few months removed from winning the David Welcombe Trophy and leading the Montreal Valiants to their 10th Challenge Cup. Making matters worse is the fact that Rucks waited until early July before informing Montreal General Manager Felix Levesque that he had decided not to return.
Without a solid goaltender in their system the Valiants tried unsuccessfully to acquire one and instead were forced to start the season with only long-time backup Bob Stoffer and 27-year-old rookie Gerry Cormack, who had been playing in the Quebec senior league since 1972. The goaltending was not strong in the opening week but the Vals did manage to go 2-0-1 in their three games.
Cormack made his NAHA debut in the opener on the coast against Los Angeles and Montreal won 6-5 but it was despite the goaltending as the rookie surrendered 5 goals on just 17 shots. Fortunately the Valiants had plenty of offense, led by Roger MacKinnon's four point night. Long-time Montreal coach Matt McGranahan, who has lifted the Cup five times in his 13 years at the helm, elected to go back to the rookie on Saturday against New York. Cormack played a little better but the Vals again needed MacKinnon to bail them out as the 32-year-old scored the tying goal on the power play midway through the third period to earn Montreal a point in a 2-2 draw at Bigsby Garden. Last night against Calgary Stoffer got his first start of the season in a game that the Valiants outshot the Grizzles 55-26 and won 6-4 behind a 3-point evening from all-star rearguard Mark Moggy.
The other big news of the week saw Pat Valentine ink a five-year extension to remain with the St Louis Sawyers. The 27-year-old center was named the NAHC's Most Valuable Player last season after setting career high's with 43 goals and 114 points. Valentine and the rest of the Sawyers, tabbed as one of the favourites this season, have had a slow start. The center is scoreless in two games - a tie against New York followed by a 5-3 loss in Cincinnati.
EDBERG AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED FOR EAGLESSwedish import Stefan Edberg, signed to much ballyhoo by Coach Quinton Pollack and the New York Eagles following last year's World Hockey Championships in West Germany, is looking like he is worth the hype. The 24-year-old scored twice in New York's season opening 5-3 win over Cleveland and followed that up with 2 goals and 2 assists in the Eagles 8-2 drubbing of the Toronto Raiders on Saturday. What is interesting is that Pollack has broken up the two Swedes he brought over, playing Edberg on the wing with his son Jack Pollack and Ben Hirsh while having Sven Holmqvist center the second line with Pollack's youngest sin Billy and another European newcomer in Finnish winger Paavo Virta. It has worked in the early going as Edberg has six points and each of his linemates have collected each.