Rookie goalie Roger Crozier of the Detroit Red Wings recorded his seventh shutout of the season as he blanked the Chicago Black Hawks 2-0 last night in one of two National Hockey League games.  In the other,  Boston Bruins bombed the New York Rangers 6-1 in a meaningless contest played in New York.

Wings only three points out of first

The Red Wing victory right in Chicago moved them to within three points of the first-place Black Hawks.  It was also their first in 14 games at the Chicago Stadium, a difficult place for visitors to succeed at the best of times.  The Wings are now tied for second with Montreal.

Floyd Smith’s goal just past the 12-minute mark of the second period proved to be the winner.  It was his 14th of the season and came when the veteran right-winger tipped in a long shot by Alex Delvecchio.  Norm Ullman added an insurance marker with only six seconds left in the game and Chicago goalkeeper Glenn Hall on the bench in favour of an extra attacker.

Floyd Smith netted the game-winner for the Wings.

Crozier was the real star for the Red Wings.  He made 30 saves in a flawless performance and was particularly effective on clear-cut chances by Bobby Hull and Phil Esposito.  He also had a bit of luck as a drive by Matt Ravlich cleanly beat him, but bounced off the post and harmlessly away from the net.

Hall was also solid between the pipes for the home side with 29 saves.   He could not be faulted on Smith’s goal.

Oliver leads Bruins over Rangers

Murray Oliver scored two goals to pace the best Boston Bruins attack of the season in their win over the Rangers.  The six scored by Boston equalled their top output this year.

Murray Oliver paced the Bruins’ attack with a pair of goals.

John Bucyk, Ed Westfall, Ab McDonald and Bob Woytowich also counted for the visitors.   Don Marshall was the Ranger goal-getter.

Rookie goalie Jack Norris turned in an outstanding performance for the Bruins.  He made 33 saves and was especially strong in the last half of the game when the Rangers seemed to find their legs and ramp up their attack.

The Bruins also announced that defenceman Tom Johnson has been released from hospital after surgery on his badly cut left calf. His leg is in a cast and he has been sent home to convalesce.  He faces a six-month recovery period.

Canada pegged as underdogs in world championship

The Canadian National Hockey Team is preparing for the 1965 world hockey championships, which gets underway today in Tampere, Finland, as decided underdogs.

While Nationals coach Gord Simpson says this Canadian club is stronger than the one that finished fourth at the 1964 Olympics, most observers feel that this team has a long way to go to compete strongly with the Soviets or Czechs.  The team this time is made up of a combination of the 1964 Canadian Senior champ Winnipeg Maroons and the Olympic Team.

Canadian National Team coach Gord Simpson.

The Nationals took 26 players to Finland and will announce later today which 17 will dress.  Canada drew a bye in today’s opening round of games and will start Friday against host Finland.

Canada is in Group A with the United States, Russia, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Norway and East Germany.  This group decides the first to eighth place finishers.  Group B, which determines ninth to 15th place, consists of West Germany, Britain, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

Notes

• Bobby Baun, who scored that dramatic goal on a broken foot in last year’s playoffs, has not managed to find the back of the net thus far this season.
• Toronto is the only NHL team without a 20-goal scorer so far.
• Milt Dunnell of the Toronto Star reports the Punch Imlach wasn’t entirely correct when he said no other NHL team wanted Billy Harris.  Boston tried to get him added to a package that would have sent Johnny Bucyk to the Leafs last week.
• Pat Hannigan scored 3 goals to pace Buffalo to a 6-2 AHL win over Providence

Pat Hannigan, shown here with the Rangers, was the star for Buffalo vs the Reds.

• Jean-Guy Gendron scored in overtime to give Quebec Aces a 4-3 win over the Hershey Bears