1972–73 New England Whalers season

1972–73 New England Whalers
1972–73 New England Whalers
Avco Cup champions
Division	1st East
1972–73 record	46–30–2
Home record	30–8–1
Road record	16–22–1
Goals for	318
Goals against	263
Team information
General manager	Jack Kelley
Coach	Jack Kelley
Captain	Ted Green
Alternate captains	Tommy Williams; Jim Dorey; Larry Pleau
Arena	Boston Arena (20 games); Boston Garden (19 games)
Average attendance	6,981 (67.2%)
Team leaders
Goals	Tom Webster (53)
Assists	Terry Caffery (61)
Points	Tom Webster (103)
Penalty minutes	Brad Selwood (114)
Wins	Al Smith (31)
Goals against average	Al Smith (3.17)
	1973–74 →

The 1972–73 New England Whalers season was the Whalers' first season (based in Boston). The Whalers were competitive from the start, placing first in the Eastern Division to qualify for the playoffs. They then won three playoff series to become the first winner of the Avco World Trophy.^[1]^[2]

Offseason

Regular season

Final standings

Eastern Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
New England Whalers	78	46	30	2	318	263	858	94
Cleveland Crusaders	78	43	32	3	287	239	1095	89
Philadelphia Blazers	78	38	40	0	288	305	1260	76
Ottawa Nationals	78	35	39	4	279	301	1067	74
Quebec Nordiques	78	33	40	5	276	313	1354	71
New York Raiders	78	33	43	2	303	334	900	68

Schedule and results

1972–73 game log

October: 5–4–0 (Home: 3–2–0; Road: 2–2–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
1	October 12	Philadelphia	3–4	New England		1–0–0	2
2	October 16	Chicago	1–4	New England		2–0–0	4
3	October 18	New England	4–1	Houston		3–0–0	6
4	October 19	Quebec	4–3	New England		3–1–0	6
5	October 21	New England	4–6	Quebec		3–2–0	6
6	October 23	Minnesota	1–5	New England		4–2–0	8
7	October 24	New England	3–2	Cleveland	OT	5–2–0	10
8	October 26	New England	6–7	New York		5–3–0	10
9	October 28	Alberta	4–1	New England		5–4–0	10

November: 8–4–1 (Home: 8–0–1; Road: 0–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
10	November 1	Chicago	2–4	New England		6–4–0	12
11	November 4	Philadelphia	4–8	New England		7–4–0	14
12	November 6	Winnipeg	2–6	New England		8–4–0	16
13	November 11	New York	5–6	New England		9–4–0	18
14	November 13	Houston	4–4	New England	TIE	9–4–1	19
15	November 17	New England	0–3	Cleveland		9–5–1	19
16	November 18	Ottawa	2–3	New England		10–5–1	21
17	November 20	Ottawa	5–7	New England		11–5–1	23
18	November 22	New England	1–3	New York		11–6–1	23
19	November 24	Alberta	2–7	New England		12–6–1	25
20	November 26	New England	1–3	Minnesota		12–7–1	25
21	November 27	Cleveland	0–3	New England		13–7–1	27
22	November 29	New England	6–7	New York		13–8–1	27

December: 11–7–0 (Home: 5–3–0; Road: 6–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
23	December 1	New England	3–5	Philadelphia		13–9–1	27
24	December 2	Quebec	2–7	New England		14–9–1	29
25	December 4	Ottawa	2–7	New England		15–9–1	31
26	December 6	New York	3–4	New England		16–9–1	33
27	December 7	New England	4–2	Ottawa		17–9–1	35
28	December 9	New York	2–4	New England		18–9–1	37
29	December 11	Winnipeg	3–4	New England		19–9–1	39
30	December 13	New England	3–6	Chicago		19–10–1	39
31	December 14	New England	5–2	Los Angeles		20–10–1	41
32	December 16	New England	10–6	Philadelphia		21–10–1	43
33	December 17	Philadelphia	6–3	New England		21–11–1	43
34	December 19	New England	5–7	New York		21–12–1	43
35	December 21	New England	4–5	Quebec		21–13–1	43
36	December 24	Los Angeles	5–3	New England		21–14–1	43
37	December 25	New England	8–2	New York		22–14–1	45
38	December 28	New England	5–3	Quebec		23–14–1	47
39	December 29	New York	4–2	New England		23–15–1	47
40	December 31	New England	3–0	New York		24–15–1	49

January: 6–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0; Road: 3–3–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
41	January 9	New England	5–7	Houston		24–16–1	49
42	January 13	New York	3–4	New England		25–16–1	51
43	January 17	New England	4–2	Chicago		26–16–1	53
44	January 19	New England	2–6	Winnipeg		26–17–1	53
45	January 21	New England	7–2	Winnipeg		27–17–1	55
46	January 24	Winnipeg	1–6	New England		28–17–1	57
47	January 25	New England	4–2	Ottawa		29–17–1	59
48	January 27	Quebec	3–1	New England		29–18–1	59
49	January 29	New England	2–3	Cleveland		29–19–1	59
50	January 31	Cleveland	1–4	New England		30–19–1	61

February: 5–6–1 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 3–5–1)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
51	February 1	New England	5–4	Houston	OT	31–19–1	63
52	February 2	New England	1–3	Los Angeles		31–20–1	63
53	February 4	New England	3–4	Los Angeles		31–21–1	63
54	February 6	New England	4–2	Alberta		32–21–1	65
55	February 7	New England	1–3	Alberta		32–22–1	65
56	February 9	Ottawa	7–4	New England		32–23–1	65
57	February 11	New England	2–2	Quebec	TIE	32–23–2	66
58	February 13	New England	4–5	Philadelphia		32–24–2	66
59	February 15	Los Angeles	5–6	New England		33–24–2	68
60	February 17	New England	6–4	Quebec		34–24–2	70
61	February 20	New England	2–4	Philadelphia		34–25–2	70
62	February 23	Alberta	2–4	New England		35–25–2	72

March: 10–5–0 (Home: 8–1–0; Road: 2–4–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
63	March 4	New England	2–4	Minnesota		35–26–2	72
64	March 7	Cleveland	0–1	New England	OT	36–26–2	74
65	March 9	Cleveland	4–5	New England		37–26–2	76
66	March 10	Minnesota	1–3	New England		38–26–2	78
67	March 13	New England	4–3	Chicago	OT	39–26–2	80
68	March 14	New England	7–5	Winnipeg		40–21–2	82
69	March 16	Minnesota	4–7	New England		41–26–2	84
70	March 17	Philadelphia	0–4	New England		42–26–2	86
71	March 20	Los Angeles	1–4	New England		43–26–2	88
72	March 22	New England	2–4	Ottawa		43–27–2	88
73	March 23	Chicago	1–3	New England		44–27–2	90
74	March 26	New England	5–7	Cleveland		44–28–2	90
75	March 27	Houston	6–1	New England		44–29–2	90
76	March 29	New England	2–5	Ottawa		44–30–2	90
77	March 30	New York	4–5	New England	OT	45–30–2	92

April: 1–0–0 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 0–0–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Record	Pts
78	April 1	Quebec	3–8	New England		46–30–2	94

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Finals

E1

New England Whalers

4

E4

Ottawa Nationals

1

E1

New England Whalers

4

Eastern Division

E2

Cleveland Crusaders

1

E2

Cleveland Crusaders

4

E3

Philadelphia Blazers

0

E1

New England Whalers

4

W1

Winnipeg Jets

1

W1

Winnipeg Jets

4

W4

Minnesota Fighting Saints

1

W1

Winnipeg Jets

4

Western Division

W2

Houston Aeros

0

W2

Houston Aeros

4

W3

Los Angeles Sharks

2

Eastern Division Semifinal vs. Ottawa Nationals

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 7	Ottawa Nationals	3–6	New England Whalers	1–0
2	April 8	Ottawa Nationals	3 – 4 OT	New England Whalers	2–0
3	April 10	New England Whalers	2–4	Ottawa Nationals	2–1
4	April 12	New England Whalers	7 – 3 OT	Ottawa Nationals	3–1
5	April 14	Ottawa Nationals	4–5	New England Whalers	4–1

Eastern Division Final vs. Cleveland Crusaders

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 18	Cleveland Crusaders	2–3	New England Whalers	1–0
2	April 19	Cleveland Crusaders	2–3	New England Whalers	2–0
3	April 21	New England Whalers	5–4	Cleveland Crusaders	3–0
4	April 22	New England Whalers	2–5	Cleveland Crusaders	3–1
5	April 26	Cleveland Crusaders	1–3	New England Whalers	4–1

Avco World Trophy Finals vs. Winnipeg Jets

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 29	Winnipeg Jets	2–7	New England Whalers	1–0
2	May 2	New England Whalers	7–4	Winnipeg Jets	2–0
3	May 3	New England Whalers	3–4	Winnipeg Jets	2–1
4	May 5	Winnipeg Jets	2–4	New England Whalers	3–1
5	May 6	Winnipeg Jets	6–9	New England Whalers	4–1

Player statistics

Awards and records

Transactions

Draft picks

Farm teams

References

^ World Hockey Association (1972). WHA 1972-73 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
^ World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.

External links

"1972–73 New England Whalers Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 21, 2009.

[1] World Hockey Association (1972). WHA 1972-73 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.

[2] World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.

[1]

[2]

v t e Hartford Whalers seasons
1970s	1970–71 . 1971–72 . 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 Carolina

v t e 1972–73 WHA season
Eastern Division	Cleveland New England New York Ottawa Philadelphia Quebec
Western Division	Alberta Chicago Houston Los Angeles Minnesota Winnipeg
See also	General player draft All-Star Game

Offseason

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinal vs. Ottawa Nationals

Eastern Division Final vs. Cleveland Crusaders

Avco World Trophy Finals vs. Winnipeg Jets

Player statistics

Awards and records

Transactions

Draft picks

Farm teams

See also

References

External links