Games 61-64: Red Wings go 2-1-1, but playoffs doubtful

The Red Wings are 32-18-14 but are still five points out of a playoff berth with just 12 games remaining.

Thursday, March 5, 1970
PIT 0-1-0 = 1
DET 1-1-2 = 4

DET: 2-for-4 on PP
PIT: Just 17 SOG
DET: Delvecchio, Stemkowski, Unger, Connelly goal scorers
Mahovlich (DET): 2 assists

Saturday, March 7, 1970
DET 1-2-0 = 3
MON 2-3-1 = 6

Edwards (DET): 10 saves, 5 goals (replaced at 9:50 of 2nd period)
MON: Six different goal scorers
DET: Finish season series 1-6-1 vs. MON

Sunday, March 8, 1970
MIN 1-1-0 = 2
DET 0-1-1 = 2

Howe (DET): Game-tying goal at 18:37 of 3rd period w/goalie pulled
DET: Outshot North Stars, 36-27
Rivard (MIN): 34 saves
MIN: 1-for-7 on PP (DET 0-for-4)

Wednesday, March 11, 1970
DET 3-1-1 = 5
TOR 0-0-1 = 1

DET: Lead season series, 6-1
Delvecchio, Mahovlich (DET): Two goals each
Edwards (DET): 32 saves after bad MON game
DET: 3 goals in 8:02 of 1st period

DET: 32-18-14 (19-7-7 Home; 13-11-7 Road)
GF: 220
GA: 176

Games 59 & 60: A pair of ties vs. Rangers

February 28, 1970

NY 2-0-1 = 3
DET 2-1-0 = 3

Nevin (NY): Game-tying goal at :55 of 3rd period
DET goal scorers: Stemkowski, Rolfe, Delvecchio
DET: 3 different goal scorers, six different players with one assist each
DET: 30-17-12 (8-1-1 last 10 games)
DET: Finishes 9-3-2 in February

March 4, 1970

DET 0-1-1 = 2
NY 0-2-0 = 2

Stemkowski (DET): Game-tying power play goal at 14:54 of 3rd period
DET: 30-17-13
NY: 0-for-6 on power play (DET 1-for-3)

Games 57 and 58: Red Wings lose, win

February 22, 1970

Montreal 3, Red Wings 0

MON 0-0-3 = 3
DET 0-0-0 = 0

Myre (MON): 30 saves
Cournoyer (MON): Broke scoreless tie at 1:39 of 3rd Period
Tremblay (MON): Two assists
DET: 0-for-7 on power play
Penalty minutes: MON 26, DET 20
Fight: Tremblay, Ferguson (MON) vs. Unger, Mahovlich (DET) @ :40 of 2nd Period
DET: Seven-game winning streak ends (29-17-11)

February 26, 1970

Red Wings 7, Oakland 2

OAK 1-1-0 = 2
DET 1-4-2 = 7

DET: 44 shots on goal
Howe (DET): Two goals, assist
Brewer (DET): Two assists
DET: 8-1-1 in last 10 games
DET: Outshot OAK, 34-11 in second and third periods
DET: 5-0 vs. Oakland this season
DET: 30-17-11, three points out of playoff spot

Game 56: Red Wings 3, Toronto 1

Toronto, ON (2/21/70)- Roy Edwards made 46 saves and Nick Libett scored twice as the Red Wings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1, for their seventh straight victory.

Edwards came 56 seconds away from a shutout, but Paul Henderson spoiled it with a backhand over Edwards' right shoulder.

Dale Rolfe, acquired via trade from Los Angeles on Friday with Gary Croteau for Garry Monahan and Matt Ravlich, had two assists in his Red Wings debut.

The Red Wings (29-16-11) are one point behind Chicago for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division.


Detroit's Pete Stemkowski eludes Tim Horton on Saturday night

DET 1-1-1 = 3
TOR 0-0-1 = 1

1st Period
DET- Libett (MacGregor, Delvecchio) 10:24

2nd Period
DET- Howe (Rolfe, Karlander) 18:52

3rd Period
DET- Libett (Rolfe, Delvecchio) 1:48
TOR- Henderson (unassisted) 19:04

Shots on Goal
DET 10-11-8 = 29
TOR 21-11-15 = 47

Goalies
Edwards (DET); Gamble (TOR)

Power Plays
DET 0-for-2; TOR 0-for-3

Penalty Minutes
DET 8; TOR 6

Fights
None

Game 55: Red Wings 2, New York 1

Detroit, MI (2/19/70)- The Red Wings hadn't defeated the New York Rangers in three meetings before Thursday's at Olympia Stadium. They came 36 seconds away from extending that streak to four.

Nick Libett converted a pinpoint pass from Matt Ravlich and skated in alone on goalie Ed Giacomin, lifting a backhand over the sprawled netminder at 19:24 of the third period, and the Red Wings beat the Rangers, 2-1.

Ravlich, from just past the Detroit blue line, hit a streaking Libett with the pass as the left winger was halfway between the center red line and the New York zone, splitting defenders Brad Park and Rod Seiling. Giacomin charged from his crease, trying to poke check Libett, who avoided Giacomin's stick before flicking the puck into the net.

The goal caused the packed crowd to erupt.

The win was Detroit's (28-16-11) sixth in a row. They are just one point behind Chicago for the final playoff spot in the East Division.

"Exciting win, good stuff," said Red Wings coach Sid Abel. "But maybe we got away with one. New York took it to us pretty good."

The league-leading Rangers outshot Detroit, 30-22, and they jumped on the Red Wings early, dominating the first 8-10 minutes of the game.

Al Karlander scored the other Red Wings goal as Detroit is now 1-1-2 against New York this season.

Jean Ratelle scored for New York, tying the game at 1-1 at 11:46 of the third period.

The teams combined for just nine shots in the third period, but two found the net.

Roy Edwards made 29 saves in his third straight start as Roger Crozier nurses a tender calf muscle.

NY 0-0-1 = 1
DET 0-1-1 = 2

1st Period
No scoring

2nd Period
DET- Karlander (Howe, Brewer) :26

3rd Period
NY- Ratelle (Balon, Seiling) 11:46
DET- Libett (Ravlich) 19:24

Shots on Goal
NY 13-12-5 = 30
DET 8-10-4 = 22

Goalies
Giacomin (NY); Edwards (DET)

Power Plays
NY 0-for-3; DET 0-for-4

Penalty Minutes
NY 8; DET 6

Fights
None

Game 54: Red Wings 5, Minnesota 3

Detroit, MI (2/18/70)- Wayne Connelly scored a hat trick, including two goals in 11 seconds, but the Red Wings needed a late third period goal from Nick Libett to break a 3-3 tie on their way to a 5-3 victory over the reeling Minnesota North Stars at Olympia Stadium Wednesday night.

The Red Wings outshot the North Stars, 46-19, but the game was tied 3-3 when Libett converted a pass from Alex Delvecchio at 15:24 of the third period.

The victory was the Red Wings' fifth in a row.

Connelly scored at 2:47 and 2;58 of the second period. He completed the hat trick with an empty net goal with 47 seconds remaining.

The Red Wings held a 3-0 lead eight minutes into the second period but Minnesota rallied.

Ray Cullen and J.P. Parise scored 2:24 apart to make the score 3-2. At 9:10 of the third period, Bob Barlow's slap shot beat Roy Edwards to complete the comeback.


Minnesota's J.P. Parise (left) is congratulated after his goal in the North Stars' losing effort Wednesday night


But Libett spoiled Minnesota's fun with his goal on a nifty feed across the crease from Delvecchio.

The North Stars remain winless since January 14 (0-12-4).

"Sometimes hockey is like that," Red Wings coach Sid Abel said about the shot discrepancy and the close score. "Give Minnesota credit. They caught us standing around for a bit."

Connelly's hat trick gives him 20 goals on the season. Libett's goal was his 20th as well.

MIN 0-2-1 = 3
DET 1-2-2 = 5

1st Period
DET- MacGregor (Mahovlich, Unger) 19:29

2nd Period
DET- Connelly (Karlander, Stemkowski) 2:47
DET- Connelly (Bergman, Brewer) 2:58
MIN- Cullen (Barlow, Goldsworthy) PPG 8:25
MIN- Parise (Collins) 10:49

3rd Period
MIN- Barlow (Cullen, Nanne) 9:10
DET- Libett (Delvecchio, Popiel) 15:24
DET- Connelly (Karlander, Brewer) ENG 19:13

Shots on Goal
MIN 2-8-9 = 19
DET 13-17-16 = 46

Goalies
Maniago (MIN); Edwards (DET)

Power Plays
MIN 1-for-5; DET 0-for-3

Penalty Minutes
MIN 8; DET 12

Fights
None

Games 51-53: Red Wings on four-game winning streak

February 12, 1970
STL 2-1-0 = 3
DET 1-4-1 = 6

DET: 4 goals in 2nd period
Karlander, Delvecchio (DET): 2 goals each
STL: 2-0 lead (both PPG)
Plante (STL): 4 goals against in 10 shots
DET: 24-16-11

February 14, 1970
DET 2-1-3 = 6
MON 0-2-1 = 3

DET: 3-0 lead 12:36 into 2nd period; MON scored twice in 1:39 (3-2)
MON: 8 SOG after 2 periods
Both teams 1-for-5 on PP
Unger (DET): 2 goals
DET: 25-16-11

February 15, 1970
PIT 0-1-1 = 2
DET 1-2-3 = 6

Stemkowski (DET): Hat trick, assist
Ravlich (DET): 4 assists
Connelly (DET): Goal, 3 assists
DET: 4-game winning streak (28 goals in last 5 games)
DET: 26-16-11