“R” LEAGUE WEEKLY UPDATE – JANUARY 17, 2023

I WENT TO THE RED WINGS GAME SATURDAY.

SEATED THE FIRST ROW BEHIND THE WINGS BENCH.

NOT TOO SHABBY!

THE MICHIGAN STINGS OWN TREVOR THOMPSON PICTURED.

HAWKS   2      HABS   0

Hawks sub puck stopper Billy Papciak with the well earned whitewash!  A very good game that could have gone either way.  Power winger Jeff Morton breaks the scoreless tie in the final period.  Mark Smyth with an empty netter.  Habs goalie “Ticker” Chauvin was outstanding in nets!

FLYERS   4    WINGS   2

Robert Stempian scores a shorthanded goal five minutes into the game and the Flyers rally from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Wings.  Kevin Maguire, Al Sparks and sub Justin “Mickey” Brantley also with Flyers goals.  Steve Orr with three helpers.  Grand Rapids call up Paul Violassi with both Wings markers.

BRUINS   3      SHARKS   1

The battle for first place as both teams were tied in the standings going in.  Arena Three was packed with empty seats!  Following the script the last time these two teams played – the Bruins and goalie Mike Schlimgen only allow one goal.  Curt Lesnau smokes one in on a perfect cross crease pass from Al Phipps.  Chuck Mouraine with a top shelf game winning goal.  Schlimgen made the game saving save with the score 2-1, as the dangerous Ben Haynes was all alone in front of the net and the Bruins goalie goes glove hand and shows it to Haynes afterward – Lol!  Haynes just skated away shaking his head.  The Sharks make a Jeff Blashill move and pull their goalie with over two minutes left in a one goal game and it immediately backfires as Steve Lemieux goes empty net.  Gingerly skating down the right side and going behind the net – Steve Dietrich with a beautiful back door backhand pass that Ben Haynes converts for the lone Shark goal!  The Bruins Bo Altherr and Sharks goalie Brian Miller have an inadvertent violent collision as both players were going for the puck.  Both got up.  No penalties in the game.

WINGS   7    HABS   3

First and foremost – the league welcomes Billy Hagen back to the ice, as he subbed for the Habs today!  Good to see you Billy!  The Wings put on a scoring extravaganza as sub Paul Violassi records the hat trick and five goals on the day!  Mike Harke with the deuce.  Singles for Bobby Watson and sub Matt Lawson.  Celebrating his birthday a day early – defenseman Bruce Buntin with the hat trick assist!  Rick Batchelder goes twine twice and John Dooley score for the Habs.  Habs goalie “Ticker” was spewing expletives to anyone who would listen, as spit and food particles dangle from his face mask!  The Bruins Chuck Mouraine visited the Habs locker room to give his well wishes to Billy Hagen.  A very poignant moment happened, as the Habs “Gentleman” Don Courtley invited Chuck to join him in the shower!  Gotta love hockey humor!

BRUINS   0    FLYERS   0

The rare double shutout!  Hats off to goalies Bobby Rutkoske and Mike Schlimgen as they take turns swatting puck after puck away!  Both teams killed off late game penalties to preserve the tie.  The Bruins now have taken three points in five out of the eight weeks played this season!  Pretty rare stat.

SHARKS   3     HAWKS   2

A very good hockey game as the Sharks prevail as both teams split on the day.  General Robert E. Lee, Steve Dietrich and Todd Schurman do the honors for the Fish.  Jeff Morton and Chuck Bowers tally for the Hawks.  Winning goalie Brian Miller and Hawks sub Billy Papciak with strong games between the pipes.  Eddie Higgins of the Hawks and Sharks sub Ken Debus both pick up solo roughing minor penalties.

The Detroit Red Wings Vladmir Konstantinov came in second place in the Norris Trophy(Best Defenseman) in the 1966/67 season.

As we all know, his career came to a tragic end weeks later.

Who won the Norris Trophy that year?

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

James Norris Memorial Trophy

• Top Defenseman Glossary

96/97