What I hope will be a regular feature of Waves in the Atlantic is something I call "Retroblogging." This term, to me, refers to blogging about something hockey-related that has happened in the sport's past as if it were happening now and hopefully, in the process, giving some kind of deeper insight into a former player's career, a past game or a moment that had an impact on hockey's development. How good I am at this, well, you'll have to tell me. Most of these retroblogs will relate to one of the Atlantic Division's teams, but not always. I've got to keep you on your toes.
This is something I've first seen done by ESPN's purveyor of pucks, John Buccigross. So without question here's a big tip of the hat from me to him.
Some only semi-related, product placement: If you haven't read John and Keith Jones' book Jonesy do yourself a favor and check that out. I just finished it and it's a great read. Maybe that will make John want to punch me less encroaching upon his territory.
Anyway, back to the Retroblogging, first up is Game Six of the 1972 Stanley Cup Final:
May 11, 1972:
The Rangers, fresh off a come-from-behind victory in Game Five powered by a pair of goals by Bobby Rousseau, need a victory on home ice to stave off elimination. A win for the Bruins would mean a second Stanley Cup in just three seasons and at least a thirty-third year would separate the Broadway Blueshirts from that same silver chalice.
The following video has highlights of the entire series including the aforementioned Game Five and the two tallies by Little Bobby Rousseau. The Game Five highlights start at 5:40 of the video and the two goals are at 8:10 and 9:10, respectively. I apologize in advance for the video maker's awful choice of Gnarles Barkley for background music. I'm not sure why he did this, but uhh, at least we've got the video, right?:
FIRST PERIOD
Without the technological advances we have today--and I say this like a cheesy scoreboard in the upper-left corner of the TV screen is some amazing achievement of more modern times--I'll mainly be in the dark as far as how much time has transpired.
So, without that "scoreboard bug" up there to help out, as I've found out it's called, I'll go with what the announcers give me every now and then, but beyond that you'll just have to make some inferences.
* The Rangers come out pressing on the very first shift of the game as Pete Stemkowski and Gary Doak throw shots on goal that Boston goaltender Gerry Cheevers is able to keep out. Cheevers' mask has to be one of the best of all time. Quality.
[Photo from Joe Pelletier's Bruins Legends site]
* Some solid forechecking pressure early by both clubs. It hasn't turned into chances yet but it certainly is making the first pass out of the zone difficult for both teams. There hasn't been a lot of tape-to-tape passing thus far.
It could be the forechecking pressure, it could be the size of the rink, the ice could be godawful or maybe I've just grown accustomed to more precise passing, but, in any case, it's a little sloppy out there.
* 3:32 - There still haven't been a lot of chances since the early flurry for the Rangers, but perhaps some are on the way. The Bruins get snagged for a penalty as Johnny Mackenzie collided with Gary Doak at the Ranger blueline.
* After a botched Ranger break-in, the puck is worked behind the net to Bobby Orr. Number four proceeds to spin away from two would-be Ranger attackers and kills 7-8 seconds off the New York man advantage. After this little exhibition of puck-ragging, he works the puck up ice to a teammate and it's cleared.
* Great Odin's Raven! This powerplay has looked pretty punchless. After some more time has been ticked off the clock by solid PK efforts from guys like Derek Sanderson, Bobby Orr flips the puck skyward toward center ice. Ed Westfall catches up to the puck and strides in on Rangers netminder Gilles Villemure. He goes to the backhand but fires the shot wide. That was the first legitimate chance for the Bruins, but they don't get a shot on goal.
Villemure, a season removed from a Vezina Trophy-winning campaign, had a solid year in the net for the Rangers. Splitting time with Eddie Giacomin, Gilles put up a 24-7-4 record and a stingy 2.09 gaa.
* Rangers right winger Bruce MacGregor lets go a shot from the near boards, which although has some good buzz on it, would be considered pretty routine by today's standards.
Boston's goalie Gerry Cheevers gets struck with the shot and immediately drops to the ice in pain. He kept the puck out, but the miniscule amount of padding protecting his body didn't take any of the sting out of that one.
You're immediately reminded how much easier the Stay Puft Marshmallow Men goalies of today's NHL have it when you see a play like this happen.
Trevor Kidd unimpressed.* Not to be one-upped by Bobby Orr's rushes up ice, Brad Park makes a graceful end-to-end rush only to see his pass kick off the skates of Jean Ratelle just inside the Boston zone and skitter harmlessly behind the cage.
* 11:18 - The Bruins are finally able to put a little offensive pressure on the 'gers in the later stages of the first period. They work the puck around down low with the man advantage and find Orr open at the right point. Bobby puts on a beautiful spin move to elude Bruce MacGregor charging out to challenge him and he zips a wrist shot past Villemure from the top of the circle.
G: Orr A: Hodge, Bucyk
BRUINS 1 - RANGERS 0
* A little bit of trivia--only for those like me who were born too late to see/hear/witness games during this period of time--Glen Sather was just on for the last shift. Unfortunately for him, however, so was Bobby Orr.
"Slats", better known for being the architect of the Oilers dynasty of the 1980's and , of course, attempting to right the Rangers course this decade, was also a hard-working NHL player for ten seasons. He played a substantial chunk of his NHL career with the Rangers but later moved onto play with the Blues, Canadiens and North Stars. He finished his career with the Oilers of the WHA before retiring and taking the coaching reins. I think that went fairly well. Can't be positive though.
* After getting a little bit tangled up coming into the Ranger zone, Ken Hodge, who put up an impressive stat line of 37-44-81 during the regular season, and Vic Hadfield, wearing the captain's "C", decide to drop the mitts. Gloves and curveless wooden sticks are strewn about everywhere as Bruins and Rangers pair off around the two embroiled in the fray. It's a spirited fight as both came out swinging, but the decision certainly has to go to Hodge who kept drilling Hadfield even sneaking a punch or two in as the linesmen tried to step in and break up the bout.
* Jean Ratelle is one finely coiffed individual. Seeing that hair without a helmet on is just awesome.
While on the subject,just taking a glance around, I think that only three of the players in this game are wearing helmets and all of them are Rangers: Stemkowski, Rosseau and MacGregor. Apparently these Bruins are some kind of tough-guys:
* It's a bit of a jarring experience to watch a game in an era without advertisements plastered in every conceivable place. The ice and boards are free from any marking not caused by a stick or puck. The announcer is calling the game and not reminding the viewer that this segment of hockey is brought to them by whoever was willing to shell out the most cash. Breathe in that slight bit of freedom. It's nice.
SECOND PERIOD
* 3:45 - The play and physicality have both certainly ramped up as this game has gone along. This works to the Rangers advantage as they start pounding the Bruins which directly leads to their best chances of the game. Rod Gilbert and Rousseau have a few swipes at pucks in the slot.
* 4:33 - Sanderson and Gilbert go at it in the Ranger corner, though it might be more accurate to say that the latter had the proverbial can of "whoop ass" opened up on him. Can I get bleeped on my own blog?
It seems like that got started up at least in part because of a hit from behind second before. Apparently that was frowned upon even then. Ryan Hollweg is obviously no hockey history buff.
* Watching that fight in the corner, I can't help but notice how low the glass is at MSG. The boards are about the same height, but the glass can't be more than three feet high. No wonder some old rinks were so scary to play in. Now that defines the concept of a "sixth man."
* Maybe Phil Esposito was just huge in comparison to those he played with, but honest to god his body makes him look more like a guy you'd go bowling with than an NHL superstar. Okay maybe I should be slapped in the face for saying that about a Hall-of-Famer. Even if the body on the ice seems to suggest TV repairman, the shot says generational talent.
* A five-on-three powerplay comes and goes for the Rangers, but they can't get the puck into the net. Cheevers came up huge with a point-blank stop on Ratelle.
* Somewhere later in the period Brad Park is the late man in a Ranger rush and he's fed the puck in the slot. He puts a move on, goes backhand and is absolutely robbed by Cheevers with the glove. The Rangers aren't cashing in on their opportunities.
* Yet another dust-up. Wayne Cashman and Walt Tkaczuk tussle this time and it proves nearly impossible to pull these guys apart. I'm watching this and trying to comprehend how it must have been when there was one penalty box in NHL rinks.
* As Bobby Orr was carrying the puck up the ice, he seemed to hit another gear as he crossed the red line. Only a sprawling effort by Brad Park kept Orr from driving the Ranger net.
THIRD PERIOD
* Another Orr rush, this time on the powerplay, ends with a shot on goal and a skate save by Villemure.
* 5:10 - After a faceoff win by Espo, Orr takes the puck at the point, looks off Tkaczuk, steps up and drives a shot into the net from the right point. There has just been too much Bobby Orr in this series for the Rangers. Five dollar bottles of champagne are being put on ice in the Bruins locker room as we speak.
* Park has been one of the Rangers most noticable players but he's been out on the ice an absolute ton. The strain--and perhaps the realization that the season is nearly over--is starting to show as he's coughed up the puck a few times in the last couple of minutes.
* Hadfield slips a defender in the corner and sets up Ratelle for a glorious chance, but the puck slides wide off Ratelle's stick.
* Esposito flips a pass to Cashman in the slot whose shot finds a way to trickle through Villemure's pads. Cashman is mobbed by his teammates, but not before he managed to do some odd little celebratory dance.
G: Cashman A: Esposito A: Hodge
BRUINS 3 - RANGERS 0
* 0:00 - Orr scoops up the puck as a souvenir and hops into the arms of Gerry Cheevers. The Bruins have won the Cup once again. The broadcast closes with Bruins' captain Johnny Bucyk skating the Stanley Cup for a lap around Madison Square Garden.
FINAL SCORE: BRUINS 3 - RANGERS 0
Moments after the victory laps around the rink, the media caught up with the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins:
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