The Detroit Red Wings increased their first-place lead in the National Hockey League standings to four points with a wild 6-6 tie with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Norm Ullman, who is carrying this team on his back during their run to the top, was once again the scoring hero for the Red Wings.  He fired three goals and added an assist to pace the Detroit offence.  In his previous game the night before, he scored five points on a goal and four assists against the Bruins.

Ron Murphy, Gordie Howe and Eddie Joyal had the other Wings tallies.  Murphy’s marker was his 20th, the second time in his career he has reached that plateau.

Ron Murphy hits the 20-goal mark.

Jean Ratelle was the Rangers’ best player, with a pair of goals.  His second came with three and a half minutes to play and gave the Rangers the tie.  He now has 10 goals in the last 10 Ranger games.  Also finding the range for New York were Don Marshall, Doug Robinson, John Brenneman and Vic Hadfield.

Jean Ratelle has 10 goals in his last 10 games.

Detroitoutshot the Rangers 36-21, including 13-4 in that wild third period in which the Wings scored three times to overcome a 5-3  second period Ranger lead.  After dominating the final frame so completely, it looked as if the Wings would walk off with two points until Ratelle’s late goal.

The Red Wings now have won nine of their last 11 games.  Coach Sid Abel explained:

“We’ve been skating hard all of the time.  We’ve been using four lines instead of the usual three and it means we can keep that much more pressure on the opposition.”

Ranger coach Red Sullivan is convinced that Detroit is destined to finish first.

“It looks like they’ve got it and they sure worked for it.

“That should do it.  They have four games left, a four-point lead and they play three of their remaining games at home.”

OHA Playoffs – Junior Habs force seventh game

The Montreal Junior Canadiens forced a seventh game with the Toronto Marlboros last night with a narrow 2-1 win over the Marlies in Montreal.  Toronto still leads the series, three games to two, with one game tied.

Norm Ferguson was the hero for the Jr. Habs, scoring both Montreal goals in the third period.  Ferguson was suffering from the flu and was advised by team doctors not to play, but decided at the last minute to suit up.

Brit Selby had given Toronto a 1-0 lead half-way through the first period.

Toronto outshot Montreal 28-25 but were victims of some fine goaltending by Jr. Habs netminder Fern Rivard.  Rivard had been chastised for poor play by coach Scotty Bowman earlier in the series.

Flyers defeat Generals

The Niagara Falls Flyers coasted to an easy 7-2 win over the Oshawa Generals before 3800 fans in Niagara Falls last night.  The Flyers now lead Oshawa two games to one in their best-of-seven playoff series.

The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Generals threw a scare at the home side by scoring twice within 54 seconds.  Niagara ended the second with a 4-2 lead and then put the game out of reach with three unanswered goals in the final frame.

Bernie Parent injured his hand in a late-game fight.

Don Marcotte and Jim Lorentz scored two goals each for the Flyers.  Gilles Marotte, Derek Sanderson and Bill Goldsworthy added singles.  Bill Bannerman and Wayne Cashman connected for the Generals.

With less than six minutes to play a brawl erupted when Cashman jumped Flyer defenceman Gilles Marotte from behind.  Niagara goalie Bernie Parent decided to administer some instant justice to Cashman and landed a solid punch on the truculent Oshawa forward.  Unfortunately for Parent, he re-injured his hand and had to leave the game.  Doug Favell replaced him for the final five and half minutes, which was played mainly at four aside.

Notes

• Rochester Americans tied the AHL record for road wins with their 19th last night, by a score of 8-4 over the Providence Reds.  Dick Gamble led the way with three goals.
• Stan Mikita still has a six-point lead over second-place Norm Ullman in the NHL scoring race. Bobby Hull is in third place with Gordie Howe right behind him.

Stan Mikita continues to lead the NHL scoring derby.

• Both Eric Nesterenko and Matt Ravlich of the Chicago Black Hawks could miss tonight’s game in Montreal against the Canadiens.  Nesterenko is nursing a groin injury while Ravlich has sore ribs.
• Henri Richard will return to the Montreal lineup tonight, but Dave Balon is a doubtful starter.
• Boston Bruins announced that defenceman Leo Boivin will not play in their final three games because of a broken hand.  The Bruins have called up 22-year-old Joe Watson from Minneapolis of the CPHL.

Leo Boivin will miss the rest of the season with a broken hand.

• Defenceman Marcel Goyette of the Port Huron Flags was the only unanimous choice for the International Hockey League’s all-star team.