1981 CLARENCE CAMPBELL CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL
| PHILADELPHIA vs. MACKINAC ISLAND | |
| A noisy excited crowd fills the stands for game #1 in The Prince of Wales Conference Finals between the hometown Mackinac Island Moose, and the visiting Philadelphia Firebirds. During the regular season, the Moose held a slight advantage with 3 wins, 2 losses and 1 tie. A competitive series looks to be in the offing. | |
| GAME #1 | The Firebirds draw first blood early, when Schmautz deflects a Hartsburg shot over the shoulder of Meloche and into the net. Only 2 minutes in and the visitors are up 1-0. After another 6 minutes of spirited play, a faceoff leads to a zone entry for the visitors, and Langway is able to blast one from the perimeter, past Meloche, and Philly is now up 2-0 with 12 minutes left in the game. A roughing penalty by Linseman give the Moose some hope of responding. But the powerplay generates only 2 SOG and no damage. A little later a trip by Kurri gives the Firebirds a chance to go up 3, but the Moose are solid on the kill. And with 1 minute to go in the 1st, Ruff is called for a high stick. As the Firebirds reorganize after a line change, the Moose take advantage of some confusion and its Lysiak to Kurri who scores stick side low to cut the lead to 1, with less than a minute to go. Period ends 2-1 Firebirds.
Period 2 starts with a bang, when the Moose enter the zone and Kurri blasts a long one in to tie it at 2, with just over 17 minutes to go in the 2nd. A sigh of relief in the arena as the crowd senses the momentum change and anticipate good things coming. Another Linseman penalty gets hope up, but the Firebirds easily kill it off. Shortly after that, things turn around when Maruk deflects as shot by Schmautz past Meloche, and the Firebirds are up one again. When Maruk is called for hooking a few minutes later, the Moose hope to even things up, but are unable to get much going on the powerplay, and the game moves on 3-2 Philly. A few minutes later, Philly wins a faceoff in the Moose zone, and Lee shoots a bullet through a crowd and into the net to give the Firebirds a 2 goal lead late in the 2nd. The Firebirds kill a Bridgman penalty late in the 2nd and into the 3rd, and the game continues. Both teams have chances to score in the period, but nothing materializes in the first 10 minutes. A Napier penalty hinders the effort for the Moose. Finally, the Moose revive their hopes when Russell shoots a laser into the net, just after a faceoff with over 7 minutes left, and the arena comes back to life. The Moose crank up the intensity, but nothing happens. In a final act of desperation, they pull Meloche. A couple shots on goals, but finally a rebound and breakout by the Firebirds leads to an open empty net shot by Ruff to seal the deal. Philadelphia 5, Moose 3. 1st star – Schmautz 1G 3 pts The Firebirds come to the Island with a strong effort and take game 1, and the home ice advantage. The Moose are up against the wall and have to win game 2 before the series goes back to Philadelphia. |
| GAME #2 | Game 2 of the series sees the Firebirds winners of game 1, with the chance to win game 2 and take a monster advantage. The Moose come into a must win game. Mike Palmateer had the heavy task in net to try and even the series up.
Both teams come out anxious, but the goalies rule the first 10 minutes as the score reads 0-0 at the 10 minute mark. A 4 minute Dupont penalty and 2 minute Langway penalty gives each team powerplay opportunities that neither can cash in. Just as Langway enters the ice, Dunlop executes a nifty wraparound to make it 1-0 Moose with just over 9 minutes left in the 1st. Ferguson (2 minutes) and Busniak (2 minutes) each give the teams one chance on the powerplay, but the PK units stand tall, sending the teams to intermission with Mackinac Island up 1-0. 2nd period opens with O’Connell (2 min.) giving the Firebirds the advantage, but nothing comes of it. Propp adds another 2 minute penalty soon after, but the Firebirds continue to be stymied by the Moose PK unit. Carlyle returns the favor to the Moose, but still no damage. Finally about 7 minutes of 5 on 5 play (no scores) until the Engblom (2 min.) puts the Moose PK units on the ice again. After the successful kill, the Firebirds turn the table and give the Moose the advantage with Stewart the villian this time. No damage, and finally Dunlop (2 minutes) returns the favor to no avail, as the Moose kill yet another. As the teams change lines, the Firebirds get confused and are called for too many men on ice. Finally a powerplay unit converts as the Moose find Napier in front of the net for a close in goal, and the game goes to 2nd intermission 2-0 Moose, after a period with 6 powerplays. Those of you who had a penalty as the first action in the 3rd win, as Dionne gets called for interference. Before he gets back on the ice, the Moose powerplay converts with O’Connell hitting a mid range slapshot for the 3rd goal on the home team side of the scoreboard. A few minutes later, the first scuffle of the series sends Linseman and Engblom to the box for 2 each. The Moose take advantage of the less crowded ice as Napier pops one in to make it 4-0 Moose. A Bridgman 2 minute penalty is killed off. But a frustrated Sevigny is called for slashing, and as Schmautz serves the time, the Moose make them pay, as Boutette snakes through the middle of the zone and sneaks one in, making it 5-0. The final 10 minutes sees Barber add another for the Moose, while the Firebirds ruin the shutout with late goals by Holmgren and Lee to make the final 6-2 Moose. 8 penalties to the Moose, and 8 to the Firebirds. 1st star – Napier 2G |
| The Moose bounce back to even the series at 1, heading to Philadelphia. 28 minutes of game 2 played with less than 10 skaters on the ice. The Moose PK units not allowing any goals a major reason for the Moose win. | |
| GAME #3 | In Philly after splitting the series at the Island.
1st- 30 seconds into the game Mark Hardy blasts one by Meloche his 1st of the playoffs from Busniuk and Martin. Paul “Hockey God” Holgren gets a 4 minute bullcrap penalty minutes later for cross checking. Dupont makes Philly pay with his 1st from Park and Roberts. The teams continue their testy hitfest until Hartsburg beats Meloche from the point his 2nd from Maruk and Linseman. The period ends at 2-1 Philly PHILLY 5 MOOSE 3 Stars Notes Shots 44-26 Philly SC Philly 21 Mac 7 PP Mac 1-4 Philly 0-2 Philly takes a 2-1 lead in the series Meloche stood on his head in game three! |
| GAME #4 | Strap yourselves in i was screaming loudly on this one!
1st- Brian Propp opens the scoring 57 seconds in with his 3rd from Park and my personal arch enemy Blake Dunlop. Smith takes a slashing penalty and Pat Boutette takes the puck on a short handed break away but is stoned by Sevigny Then Philly gets hot Carlyle gets is 4th on a 4on 4 from Linseman and Lee …20 seconds later Dionne beats Meloche with his 5th from Linseman and Hardy and THEN 19 seconds later Carlyle gets hgis 5th from Lee and Tonelli and Philly is going crazy. But Langway gets a another 5 minute crosschecking penalty and Napier makes Philly pay with his 4th from Park and the hated Dunlop The period ends 4-3 Philly 2nd – Bridgeman opens the scoring with his 2nd from Martin then minutes later Al Secord tips in a blast from Hardy for his 2nd . Meloche is replace by Palmateer. Philly leads 6-4 3rd – Sevigny takes over stoning Robert on a tip ..with 2 minutes late they pull Palmateer. Sevigny stones..Kurri, Barber and Lysiak from close in before McKechnie scores his 1st from Barber and Lever with 8 seconds left. But Philly holds on Philly 6 Moose 5 Stars Palmateer 13/13 Secord GWG I mention because I put him in last minte |
| Philly is up 3-1 going back to the Island. | |
| GAME #5 | Backs against the proverbial wall, the Moose must win to stay alive in game 5 on Mackinac Island, down 3 games to 1 against the dreaded Philadelphia Spirit. The Spirit won both games in Philadelphia after the split in games 1 and 2 on the island.
Sevigny in net for the Spirit while the Moose have Meloche. The Moose jump out to the lead early in the game as a Bridgman penalty leads to a powerplay goal by Russell just 3 minutes in. The Moose return the favor just 3 mintues later when Park gets called for a high stick, and Dionne converts the advantage to a goal to even it at 1. Napier puts the home team up 7 minutes later at even strength. Late in the period, as the Moose try to add one more, Carlyle steals the puck and converts the breakaway to even the game at 2 as the teams go to intermission. 2nd period sees a rare goal from Ferguson put the Moose on top, 3-2. The good feeling lasts about 10 minutes until Linseman evens the game at 3, another breakaway, and the period ends tied. Finally in the 3rd period, the Spirit get their first lead of the game when Linseman scores just 30 seconds in, and the lead is 4-3 visitors. The home crowd gets unsettled as the game ticks down without an answering goal. Finally at the 10 minute mark, Napier scores his 6th of the post season to tie the game at 4. A Dionne penalty shortly after gets the home team hopes up, but the Spirit kill takes care of that threat. The Moose continue to shell Sevigny, earning a 21-9 SOG advantage for the 3rd period. It finally pays off with just under 3 minutes to go, as Barber gets one close in and converts, making it 5-4 Moose. The Moose are able to control the puck until the 1 minute mark, when the Spirit get the puck, and pull the goalie. Meloche and the defense is up to the task and hold off the comeback to win. 1st star – Napier 2G |
| Series heads back to Philadelphia. A Spirit win seals the deal. A Moose win sends the series back to the Island for game 7. | |
| GAME #6 | The MAC comes to Philly for game 6!
1st- Palmateer gets the start and Sevigny continues his run Shots 47-23 Philly |
| The Moose give Philly a tough game but Philly moves on !
Great season by the MOOSE!!!!!! |
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