1983 PRINCE OF WALES CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL

Portland Sasquatch vs. CapJack Rangers
SERIES PREVIEW Eastern Conference Semi FINALS – Portland vs. CapJack GAME 1 at Madison Round Garden home of all things Rangers.

The Sasquatch holds the edge over the Rangers taking the season series 3-2-1 but the goals were even at 22 apiece. However, Portland has Wayne Gretzky (who probably could win this thing practically single-handed – assuming someone is in the net). Portland got here by taking 4 straight from Pittsburgh while CapJack beat Brooklyn in 6 games.

GAME #1 The Sasquatch can certainly win faceoffs – 59% of them in this game.

And penalties! 17 penalties called – the last part of the 2nd period was actually a boxing match. Foligno vs. Cochrane at 17:29. Wells vs. Neufeld 30 seconds later. And then 19 seconds later Risebrough went off on Blomqvist! Apparently, that was considered enough as the rest of the game was clean (or the refs went home). The first two were called a draw, but Blomqvist clearing skated away the winner in the 3rd fight as he sends Risebrough sprawling to the ice. Tensions were definitely high as the period was closing – and just before the 1st fight, the 9th goal of the game was scored – and that made it 5-4!!! (Let’s recap)

Period 1 – Lukowich (1) gets the scoring started 5 1/2 minutes in. He gets a great pass from Carbonneau, slips a check, shoots, AND HITS THE POST, but it BOUNDS in for the goal! But then the Rangers took the rest of the period scoring twice, 1st on Ray Allison’s 2nd goal of the playoffs then with 2 1/2 to go, Leinonen scores his 1st of the playoffs on a slapshot and the Rangers skate off leading after 1, 2-1! Rangers with 2-1 lead and a 2-1 margin in SOGs in the 1st, 12 to 6.

2nd Period – 3 fights (and 5 other penalties) and SEVER GOALS (only 1 a PP goal). It would take more time to recap this period than the 20 minutes they played. So briefly: Howe (1) scores 45 seconds into the period to tie the game. 30 seconds later Lundholm (3) for the Rangers scores and then we are back on top, 3-2. Then Hamel (3) scores for Portland 8+ minutes in to retie the game. but a minute later, Lundholm (4) scores AGAIN and the Rangers regain the 1 goal lead, 4-3. But then Cry (3) gets the game’s only PP goal for Portland with just over 6 to go and the game is tied again 4-4. Then with three to go, Shutt (2) scores for the Rangers and we are up by 1 again, 5-4! Then there was the break in the hockey game for the boxing matches. And when all the fighting was over, Deblois (3) scores for CapJack, and the period ends with the score of 6-4 CapJack! Besides all the fighting, Portland fired 14 shots on Resch, the Rangers fired 10 (8 against Brodeur who stopped 5 of them and 2 against Lemelin, who stopped 1 of them).

So we head to the 3rd, Portland on their 2nd goalie, and the Rangers do their defensive game plan. Well, defensive in that they no longer fight or do anything stupid. But they do get outshot 11-9 in the 3rd, but Resch stops all 11! And on top of that, Crowder (3) and Leinonen (2) score, and CapJack takes the opener by a whopping 8-4! The Great One led the team in ice time, but in a rare turn of events was blanked on the scoreboard (no goals or assists – that can’t last – or can it??).
STARS (all CAP)
1. Lundholm 2 goals 1 assist
2. Leinonen 2 goals
3. DeBlois 1 goal, 1 assist

GAME #2 As opposed to game 1 where most of the penalties involved simultaneous infractions, not one of the 13 penalties in this game (6 to Portland, 7 to CapJack) was coincidental. So Portland gets 7 PPs and the Rangers 6 – and 3 of those 13 are turned into PP goals! But this game was quite a bit tighter – 40 total shots (21 from Portland) – 55 hits! Lots of defense. Brodeur came back for this game, while the Rangers switched to Garrett.

Well, Portland did not like the game 1 outcome and took it out in the way they opened up the game. Ciccarelli (3) combined with the Great One for an opening goal 65 seconds into the game! (oh-oh) Just over 7 minutes later, Foligno (1) gets the Sasquatch a 2-0 lead when he beats Garrett. Will this continue? Not quite – DeBlois (4) gets one back for CapJack just past the halfway point and then the action dies down for the rest of the period, 2-1 Portland after 1!

Second Period – very defensive, but just enough offense that the period ends with the scored knotted a 2. Shutt (3) scores the only tally of period 2.

So, we go to the 3rd and this is where the penalties start to hurt. Fogolin goes off for interference and 4 1/2 minutes in Ray Allison (3) gets the PP goal for the Rangers and they lead 3-2! We reach the halfway point with the Rangers clinging to the 1 goal lead when Don Maloney (2) pops one in the net for a big 4-2 lead with 9 1/2 to go. But then Neufeld gets whistled for cross-checking and Gretzky (6) finally gets his 1st goal again the Rangers in this series to cut the Rangers lead to 4-3. Then 40 seconds after that goal, Shutt gets whistled for holding. And a minute into the PP, Ciccarelli (4) gets his 2nd goal of the game (set up by Gretzky) and the game is tied 4-4!! And then the game goes defensive again and regulation ends tied 4-4!

So on to OT – Rangers win the faceoff, but Rota takes the puck away but after a play in the Ranger’s end, the Rangers gain control – but Howe does a big check, and Portland gains control. As the 1st minute of play ends, the Sasquatch or heading into CapJack territory. Rota to Gretzky, pass to Howe, to Rowe, to Gretzky to Howe and Howe shots – GOAL – lights up the LAMP and it’s all over. Gretzky sure made his presence known going down the stretch with a goal and 3 assists!! Final: 5-4 Portland in OT
STARS: (all POR)
1. Ciccarelli 2 goals, 1 assist
2. Gretzky 1 goal, 3 assists (real #1 star in everyone else’s eyes as he took full control in the last 11 minutes of the game)
3. Howe 1 goal, 2 assists

  So, with their back against the wall, down a game, down 2 goals with less than 10 to go, Portland (and Wayne Gretzky) wake up and storm back for 3 unanswered goals to win the 2nd game and tie up the series as it heads to Portland!!!

With the series tied 1-1 CapJack visits Portland for 2 games

GAME #3 With a series that has been very offensive and very physical in the first two games CapJack gets off to a quick start with a goal from Maloney (3) 1:41 into the first period. A little over three minutes later Shutt (4) adds another goal to take a quick 2-0 lead. Portland responds though 32 seconds later as Gagne finds the back of the net. At the 8:06 mark, CapJack gets a PP goal from Crowder to take a 3-1 lead. At the 14:44 mark of the period, Cochrane from the Rangers gets sent to the box on a slashing call and Crossman (2) takes advantage in the PP to get Portland within 3-2. Korab/Rota drop gloves 25 seconds later to earn 5-minute penalties each

Second period – The second period was relatively quiet except for Crowder adding his second goal of the game to give CapJack a 4-2 lead

Third period – Portland draws first blood in the third period on a goal from Foligno (2) at the 8:57 mark to draw within one but the Rangers respond with a goal from Cloutier (5) 6 minutes later to keep CapJack ahead by two. With 1:13 left Rota (3) scores to draw the Sasquatch back within one but Portland was unable to get the one additional goal to tie it up

Star #1 – Crowder 2 goals
Star #2 -Shutt 1 goal, 1 assist
Star #3 – Cloutier 1 goal

Game featured 1

GAME #4 Heading into game 4 Portland needs a win to even the series

First period – Portland starts off quickly with a goal from Carbonneau (4) 3:13 into the period but Maloney (4) responds 10 minutes later to even the score at 1-1. Wayne Gretzky gets the crowd on their feet with 37 seconds left in the period to enter the lockerroom ahead 2-1

Second period – At the 9:53 mark Maloney (5) once again finds the back of the net on a PP goal to even the score at 2-2. Portland’s Konroyd gets his first goal of the playoffs to give the Sasquatch back the lead 3-2 after two periods

Third Period – Twenty minutes left in evening up the series Russell (3) scores with 1:18 remaining in the game to silence the Portland crowd. 8:39 into the extra period Crowder (6) scores to give the Rangers the win

Star #1 – Maloney 2 goals
Star #2 – Russell 1 goal
Star #3 – Crowder 1 goal

  CapJack heads to Portland and takes two crucial games on the road to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Garden Announcer: Welcome to Madison Oval Garden for tonight’s game. Game between Portland and CapJack. The Rangers can send the Sasquatch home for the summer…..

That sets the stage for tonight where the Rangers have the 3-1 lead after taking 2 in Portland. And the opening 5 minutes are stuff legends are made of – EXCEPT for what happened during the rest of the game….Brodeur (4-2) in goal for Portland, Garrett (0-3) gets the nod for CapJack

GAME #5 Gretzky gets the opening faceoff but the Rangers take it away from Howe. Crowder sends a 1-timer out of play. Rangers get the next faceoff and a delayed penalty is coming up on Portland but DeBlois (5) slaps one past Brodeur to make it 1-0 Rangers 45 seconds into the game! Back and forth play continues, Cyr gets stopped by Garrett, the puck gets back in the Sasquatch end and Mike Allison is set up for a slap shot that again Brodeur gets a piece of but can’t stop it! 2-0 Rangers, Allison’s 1st of the playoffs and 2 shots, 2 goals for CapJack. TOG 2:15! Portland wins the faceoff and takes it in, Risebrough with a wide slap shot, and the Crowder swoops it up. He gains the zone, passes off to Dore – shot, goal!! 3-0 Rangers at 2:45 into the game. Dore’s 1st and the announcer proclaims “ladies and gentleman, Elvis has left the building.” It May not be true, but the crowd was shaking the building! The next faceoff, won by Portland ends up back on Rangers sticks and Maloney takes it in, to Cloutier (6), he shoots and beats Brodeur stick side high. 4 shots, 4 goals, and 4 minutes haven’t even gone off the clock!! And the Portland bench is sending in Lemelin (he didn’t get the start – but he’s now called on to hold the line. 19 seconds later he STOPS the 1st shot he faces. But then Crowder gets the puck in the Portland end and shoots and scores (his 7th) and the Rangers now have a 5-0 lead with 4:49 gone off the clock! And all this on 6 shots! They will take 4 more shots in the 1st, but they don’t light the lamp anymore! And on top of that, they are playing a stifling defense that holds Portland to 4 shots for the period. But even with this type of period, the team makes a mistake with a minute left when they are whistled for too many men on the ice. And Portland takes advantage as Ciccarelli (5) pops in the PP goal with 18 seconds left in the period to make it 5-1 CapJack. But it appears to have done more than just put a pride goal on the scoreboard.

Period 2 – Rangers open up by giving Portland another PP early when Robinson goes off the ice. Put the PK guys get the job done. But then the Rangers go into a defensive shell – they fire only 3 shots on the Lemelin – but the Sasquatch aren’t getting pucks past Garrett. They’re getting them on him (18 for the period) but he’s holding tight until Gagne gets going. 5 minutes left in the 2nd and Gagne scores his 2nd of the playoffs – hits goal comes off a 1-Timer. It’s now 5-2. Play continues, Garrett stops Gretzky, then on the next drive, he stops Howe. Then after the Rangers were called for offsides, Portland wins the faceoff, Preston works it into the zone, to Hunter to Gagne – he shoots again and SCORES again (3) making it 5-3 CapJack. This goal was 2 minutes after his earlier one and the 2nd-period end 5-3!

So as the THIRD PERIOD starts, the Sasquatch has the momentum and after the Rangers take the opening faceoff into the zone, Crossman blocks a shot and Portland heads up ice. Shades of period 1, Trottier drives Lukowich in the boards and there’s a delayed penalty coming up on CapJack. Gretzky comes on as the extra attacker and Portland sets up – and fittingly Lukowich gains control – fires – SCORES (2) and 39 seconds into the 3rd it’s now 5-4 CapJack. Rota then wins the next faceoff and he and Wells and Ciccarelli work it into the Ranger’s end and Rota shoots – and SCORES!! Beats Garrett stick side high and now the game is TIED – 5-5! I’m thinking Elvis must have returned to the building (if not, he’s missing a classic – but the home crowd is STUNNED, to say the least). The 2nd goal was 24 seconds after the first and we have 18:58 left in regulation and it’s tied 5-5. Then 4 minutes later, the Rangers finally remember they are allowed to play offense and Dauost wins a faceoff in the Sasquatch end (after a couple of Rangers scoring chances). He and Robinson and Cloutier pass it around and then send it to Maloney (6) who fires it past Lemelin and it’s 6-5 Rangers with 15 minutes to go. Then Portland gives the Rangers a very big break when Crossman goes off for 4 minutes for slashing at 12:26. Crowder (8) and the Rangers are able to take advantage of the 1st 2 minutes of that PP and score for a 7-5 lead. All of a sudden they get back on track. But the game isn’t over. Down inside the final minute and a half, Lemelin leaves and Portland presses the attack. And boy do they attack, not only lots of shots but 3 scoring changes before Hamel (4) fires one past Garrett to make the score 7-6 CapJack. However, he looked up at the clock and saw there were only 6 seconds left! And the Rangers with the faceoff, game over, Rangers win and take the series!
STARS
1. CAP – Crowder 2 goals, 1 assist
2. POR – Gagne 2 goals
3. CAP – Cloutier 1 goal, 1 assist

SERIES SUMMARY Rangers charge hard, then survive the amazing comeback with 2 3rd period goals and pull off the win and take the series 4 games to 1, and will move on to the Stanley Cup.

Congratulations to Chris on a great season – and have more fun with Gretzky next year!!