1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season

1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins
Division	5th West
1972–73 record	32-37-9
Goals for	257
Goals against	260
Team information
General manager	Jack Riley
Coach	Red Kelly
Captain	None
Alternate captains	Syl Apps Bryan Hextall Ken Schinkel
Team leaders
Goals	Al McDonough (35)
Assists	Syl Apps (56)
Points	Syl Apps (85)
Penalty minutes	Bryan Watson (179)
Wins	Jim Rutherford (20)
Goals against average	Jim Rutherford (2.91)

The 1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's sixth season in the National Hockey League.

Regular season

Final standings

West Division

		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	DIFF	Pts
1	Chicago Black Hawks	78	42	27	9	284	225	+59	93
2	Philadelphia Flyers	78	37	30	11	296	256	+40	85
3	Minnesota North Stars	78	37	30	11	254	230	+24	85
4	St. Louis Blues	78	32	34	12	233	251	−18	76
5	Pittsburgh Penguins	78	32	37	9	257	265	−8	73
6	Los Angeles Kings	78	31	36	11	232	245	−13	73
7	Atlanta Flames	78	25	38	15	191	239	−48	65
8	California Golden Seals	78	16	46	16	213	323	−110	48

Schedule and results

1972–73 Game log
October: 5–5–0 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 1 October 7 Los Angeles 2–4 Pittsburgh 11,105 1–0–0 2 2 October 11 Pittsburgh 5–2 St. Louis 17,853 2–0–0 4 3 October 14 California 2–5 Pittsburgh 12,201 3–0–0 6 4 October 15 Pittsburgh 4–8 Boston 15,003 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Pittsburgh 5–0 NY Islanders 8,175 4–1–0 8 6 October 18 Pittsburgh 3–4 Toronto 16,248 4–2–0 8 7 October 21 Boston 4–2 Pittsburgh 12,761 4–3–0 8 8 October 24 Pittsburgh 4–0 Vancouver 15,570 5–3–0 10 9 October 27 Pittsburgh 3–6 California 3,298 5–4–0 10 10 October 28 Pittsburgh 2–5 Los Angeles 9,181 5–5–0 10
November: 7–5–2 (Home: 6–2–1; Road: 1–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 11 November 1 Montreal 7–1 Pittsburgh 10,472 5–6–0 10 12 November 2 Pittsburgh 2–4 Philadelphia 13,511 5–7–0 10 13 November 4 NY Rangers 4–6 Pittsburgh 12,255 6–7–0 12 14 November 5 Pittsburgh 1–1 Detroit 14,041 6–7–1 13 15 November 8 Philadelphia 2–5 Pittsburgh 7,449 7–7–1 15 16 November 11 Vancouver 4–3 Pittsburgh 11,896 7–8–1 15 17 November 12 Pittsburgh 0–1 Buffalo 15,668 7–9–1 15 18 November 15 Minnesota 1–7 Pittsburgh 8,649 8–9–1 17 19 November 18 Atlanta 1–6 Pittsburgh 10,959 9–9–1 19 20 November 19 Pittsburgh 5–3 NY Rangers 17,500 10–9–1 21 21 November 22 St. Louis 4–10 Pittsburgh 12,405 11–9–1 23 22 November 25 NY Islanders 2–2 Pittsburgh 12,319 11–9–2 24 23 November 26 Pittsburgh 2–6 Atlanta 9,041 11–10–2 24 24 November 29 Toronto 4–7 Pittsburgh 9,971 12–10–2 26
December: 3–6–4 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 0–4–3) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 25 December 2 Chicago 2–3 Pittsburgh 12,459 13–10–2 28 26 December 3 Pittsburgh 2–4 Chicago 13–11–2 28 27 December 6 Pittsburgh 4–4 California 2,062 13–11–3 29 28 December 9 Pittsburgh 1–3 Los Angeles 9,687 13–12–3 29 29 December 13 NY Islanders 1–9 Pittsburgh 7,866 14–12–3 31 30 December 16 Atlanta 3–5 Pittsburgh 11,095 15–12–3 33 31 December 17 Pittsburgh 1–9 NY Rangers 17,500 15–13–3 33 32 December 19 Boston 3–2 Pittsburgh 10,419 15–14–3 33 33 December 23 Pittsburgh 3–6 Montreal 16,132 15–15–3 33 34 December 26 Pittsburgh 1–1 Detroit 14,427 15–15–4 34 35 December 27 Pittsburgh 3–3 Toronto 16,488 15–15–5 35 36 December 29 Toronto 4–0 Pittsburgh 11,336 15–16–5 35 37 December 30 Detroit 2–2 Pittsburgh 11,621 15–16–6 36
January: 6–9–0 (Home: 5–3–0; Road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 38 January 2 Pittsburgh 4–5 St. Louis 18,161 15–17–6 36 39 January 3 Pittsburgh 5–3 Chicago 16–17–6 38 40 January 6 Vancouver 2–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 17–17–6 40 41 January 7 Pittsburgh 0–3 NY Rangers 17,500 17–18–6 40 42 January 10 Detroit 2–1 Pittsburgh 9,906 17–19–6 40 43 January 13 Los Angeles 1–3 Pittsburgh 11,506 18–19–6 42 44 January 14 Pittsburgh 2–3 Detroit 12,755 18–20–6 42 45 January 17 Pittsburgh 4–6 Montreal 16,016 18–21–6 42 46 January 18 Montreal 5–2 Pittsburgh 10,388 18–22–6 42 47 January 20 Boston 0–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 19–22–6 44 48 January 21 Pittsburgh 3–9 Chicago 19–23–6 44 49 January 24 Toronto 2–5 Pittsburgh 10,809 20–23–6 46 50 January 25 Pittsburgh 3–6 Philadelphia 16,600 20–24–6 46 51 January 27 Philadelphia 5–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 20–25–6 46 52 January 31 Los Angeles 1–4 Pittsburgh 9,048 21–25–6 48
February: 6–5–1 (Home: 5–0–1; Road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 53 February 3 Minnesota 1–2 Pittsburgh 11,878 22–25–6 50 54 February 4 Pittsburgh 3–4 Minnesota 15,070 22–26–6 50 55 February 7 Pittsburgh 2–5 Montreal 16,028 22–27–6 50 56 February 10 Pittsburgh 3–6 Boston 15,003 22–28–6 50 57 February 14 Vancouver 2–6 Pittsburgh 8,758 23–28–6 52 58 February 17 Buffalo 3–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 23–28–7 53 59 February 18 Pittsburgh 1–4 Buffalo 15,660 23–29–7 53 60 February 20 Pittsburgh 4–0 NY Islanders 13,327 24–29–7 55 61 February 22 NY Islanders 1–2 Pittsburgh 9,200 25–29–7 57 62 February 24 Chicago 0–2 Pittsburgh 13,100 26–29–7 59 63 February 25 Pittsburgh 1–2 Buffalo 15,668 26–30–7 59 64 February 28 St. Louis 2–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 27–30–7 61
March: 4–7–2 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 65 March 3 California 2–1 Pittsburgh 11,688 27–31–7 61 66 March 4 Minnesota 5–2 Pittsburgh 12,624 27–32–7 61 67 March 7 Pittsburgh 4–10 Minnesota 15,273 27–33–7 61 68 March 10 NY Rangers 5–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 27–34–7 61 69 March 11 Pittsburgh 2–3 Philadelphia 16,600 27–35–7 61 70 March 14 Pittsburgh 3–2 Los Angeles 8,007 28–35–7 63 71 March 16 Pittsburgh 5–5 California 5,180 28–35–8 64 72 March 17 Pittsburgh 1–6 Vancouver 15,570 28–36–8 64 73 March 21 California 2–5 Pittsburgh 8,169 29–36–8 66 74 March 24 Buffalo 4–4 Pittsburgh 12,945 29–36–9 67 75 March 25 Pittsburgh 4–2 Atlanta 13,200 30–36–9 69 76 March 28 Atlanta 3–6 Pittsburgh 10,081 31–36–9 71 77 March 31 Pittsburgh 2–7 St. Louis 20,009 31–37–9 71
April: 1–0–0 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 78 April 1 Philadelphia 4–5 Pittsburgh 11,253 32–37–9 73
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie

Playoffs

The Penguins failed to make the 1973 playoffs.

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Syl Apps	77	29	56	85	25	18
Al McDonough	78	35	41	76	20	26
Lowell MacDonald	78	34	41	75	37	8
Bryan Hextall	78	21	33	54	−23	113
Greg Polis	78	26	23	49	−32	36
Ron Schock	78	13	36	49	−12	23
Eddie Shack	74	25	20	45	−10	84
Jean Pronovost	66	21	22	43	−15	16
Darryl Edestrand	78	15	24	39	3	88
Dave Burrows	78	3	24	27	−4	42
Nick Harbaruk	78	10	15	25	−11	47
Ken Schinkel	42	11	10	21	−10	16
Duane Rupp	78	7	13	20	−3	62
Jack Lynch	47	1	18	19	−21	40
Bryan Watson	69	1	17	18	18	179
Rick Kessell	67	1	13	14	−9	0
Jean-Guy Lagace	31	1	5	6	−8	32
Steve Cardwell	20	2	2	4	−2	2
Jim Shires	18	1	2	3	−8	2
Robin Burns	26	0	2	2	−6	20
Jim Wiley	4	0	1	1	1	0
Sheldon Kannegiesser	3	0	0	0	−1	0
Ron Lalonde	9	0	0	0	0	2

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO	G	A	PIM
Jim Rutherford	49	2660	20	22	5	129	2.91	3	0	0	0
Dennis Herron	18	967	6	7	2	55	3.41	2	0	1	0
Cam Newton	11	533	3	4	0	35	3.94	0	0	1	0
Andy Brown	9	520	3	4	2	41	4.73	0	0	0	2

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1972–73 season:

Trades

October, 1972	To Pittsburgh Penguins cash	To Atlanta Flames Brian McKenzie
October 6, 1972	To Pittsburgh Penguins cash	To Detroit Red Wings Roy Edwards
January 8, 1973	To Pittsburgh Penguins Jim Shires	To St. Louis Blues Joe Noris
February 25, 1973	To Pittsburgh Penguins Andy Brown	To Detroit Red Wings 3rd round pick in 1973 Draft (Nelson Pyatt) cash
March 2, 1973	To Pittsburgh Penguins cash	To New York Rangers Sheldon Kannegiesser

Additions and subtractions

Additions Player Former team Via Jim Wiley Lake Superior State Lakers free agency (1972–06–25)

Subtractions Player New team Via Les Binkley Ottawa Nationals (WHA) free agency (1972) Wally Boyer Winnipeg Jets (WHA) free agency (1972) Val Fonteyne Alberta Oilers (WHA) free agency (1972) Dunc McCallum Houston Aeros (WHA) free agency (1972) Tim Horton Buffalo Sabres Intra-League Draft (1972–06–05) Bob Leiter Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06) Keith McCreary Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06) John Stewart Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06)

Roster

1972-73 Pittsburgh Penguins
Goaltenders 1 – Denis Herron  29 – Jim Rutherford  30 – Andy Brown  30 – Cam Newton		Defencemen 2 – Duane Rupp  3 – Jack Lynch  4 – Dave Burrows  5 – Bryan Watson  6 – Sheldon Kannegiesser  24 – Jean-Guy Lagace  25 – Darryl Edestrand	Wingers 9 – Al McDonough  10 – Robin Burns  11 – Nick Harbaruk  12 – Ken Schinkel  18 – Lowell MacDonald  19 – Jean Pronovost  20 – Steve Cardwell  22 – Greg Polis  23 – Eddie Shack  27 – Jim Shires		Centers 7 – Bryan Hextall  - A 8 – Jim Wiley  15 – Rick Kessell  16 – Ron Lalonde  17 – Ron Schock  - A 26 – Syl Apps  - A GM: Jack Riley Coach: Red Kelly (17-19-6) Coach: Ken Schinkel (15-18-3)

Draft picks

Main article: 1972 NHL Amateur Draft

Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1972 NHL Entry Draft.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
2	24[a]	Jack Lynch	Defence	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
2	30	Bernie Lukowich	Right Wing	Canada	New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)
3	40	Denis Herron	Goaltender	Canada	Trois Rivieres Ducs (QMJHL)
4	56	Robert Lalonde	Center	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
5	72	Brian Walker	Center	Canada	Calgary Centennials (WCHL)
6	88	Jeff Ablett	Left Wing	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
7	104	D'Arcy Keating	Defence	Canada	Notre Dame (NCAA)
8	120	Yves Bergeron	Right Wing	Canada	Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL)
9	136	Jay Babcock	Left Wing	Canada	London Knights (OHA)
10	149	Don Atchison	Goaltender	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)

Draft notes

• The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a June 10, 1968 trade that sent Bob Woytowich to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.
• ^a The St. Louis Blues' first-round pick (originally from the Montreal Canadiens) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a June 6, 1969 trade that sent Lou Angotti and a 1971 first-round pick to the Blues in exchange for Ron Schock, Craig Cameron and this pick.

References

• Player stats at Hockey Database
• Game log on NHL Database
• "1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-05-06.