21st National Hockey League All-Star Game
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Date | January 16, 1968 | |||||||||||||||
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Arena | Maple Leaf Gardens | |||||||||||||||
City | Toronto | |||||||||||||||
MVP | Bruce Gamble (Toronto) | |||||||||||||||
Attendance | 15,753 | |||||||||||||||
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The 21st National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Maple Leaf Gardens on January 16, 1968, where the host Toronto Maple Leafs battled a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams. It was the last time that Maple Leaf Gardens would host the game, and it was also the final game under the Stanley Cup champions-versus-NHL All-Stars format, as the NHL would switch to a divisional format for the game in 1969.
Death of Bill Masterton
The game, compared to other years, was in a somber mood: two days before,
The death of Masterton raised an issue about the use of helmets in hockey - whether they should be mandatory, and whether they affect a player's abilities. Response was mixed in the helmet debate even in the days following Masterton's death: Gordie Howe claimed that he would not, but nevertheless encouraged the next generation of players to do so, while Bobby Hull claimed that he was in serious consideration. At one extreme, Stafford Smythe claimed that helmets should be made mandatory.
As for the game itself, only two players would wear helmets:
On the day of the all-star game, the National Hockey League Writers' Association proposed that a trophy should be presented in Masterton's honor, and by the end of the season, the league made it a reality. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to each year to the player who best exemplifies dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship.
As an aside, despite the somber mood, Toronto coach Punch Imlach and his wife celebrated their silver wedding anniversary the night of the All-Star Game.
The game
The 1968 classic was also home to a notable first: because Toronto goaltender Johnny Bower was injured and could not play, he was replaced with Al Smith, their starting minor league goaltender.
As it turned out, this year would be the last in which the defending champions faced off against a team consisting of the "best of the rest" -
Orr was injured in the third period by Pete Stemkowski, breaking his collarbone.[1]
Game summary
# | Score | Team | Goalscorer (Assist(s)) | Time | ||||||||||
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First period | ||||||||||||||
Toronto | Goaltender in: Gamble | 0:00 | ||||||||||||
All-Stars | Goaltender in: Giacomin | 0:00 | ||||||||||||
1 | 0-1 | Toronto | Goal: Oliver (Mahovlich, Hillman) | |||||||||||
0–1 | Toronto | Penalty: Stemkowski | 14:10 | |||||||||||
0–1 | All-Stars | Penalty: Howell | 17:54 | |||||||||||
2 | 1-1 | All-Stars | Goal: Mikita (Hull, Tremblay) (SH) | 19:53 | ||||||||||
Second period | ||||||||||||||
1–1 | All-Stars | Goaltender out: Giacomin Goaltender in: Sawchuk |
0:00 | |||||||||||
3 | 2–1 | All-Stars | Goal: Wharram (Mikita) | 0:35 | ||||||||||
2–1 | All-Stars | Penalty: Howe | 3:53 | |||||||||||
4 | 2–2 | Toronto | Goal: Stanley (Stemkowski, Carleton) | 7:56 | ||||||||||
5 | 2–3 | Toronto | Goal: Stemkowski (Carleton, Rupp) | 16:36 | ||||||||||
Third period | ||||||||||||||
2–3 | Toronto | Goaltender out: Gamble Goaltender in: Smith |
0:00 | |||||||||||
2–3 | All-Stars | Goaltender out: Sawchuk Goaltender in: Hall |
0:00 | |||||||||||
6 | 2-4 | Toronto | Goal: Ellis (Mahovlich, Hillman) | 5:56 | ||||||||||
7 | 3-4 | All-Stars | Goal: Ullman (Howe, Orr) | 8:23 | ||||||||||
3–4 | Toronto | Penalty: Walton | 14:42 | |||||||||||
3–4 | All-Stars | Penalty: Howe | 14:42 | |||||||||||
3–4 | All-Stars | Goaltender out: Hall | 18:59 | |||||||||||
Goaltenders | ||||||||||||||
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Shots on goal | ||||||||||||||
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Officials | ||||||||||||||
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- MVP: Bruce Gamble, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Attendance: 15,753
Source: Podnieks[2]
Rosters
Note: G = Goaltender, D = Defence, C = Centre, LW = Left Wing, RW = Right Wing Source: Podnieks[2]
See also
References
- Podnieks, Andrew (2000). The NHL All-Star Game: 50 years of the great tradition. Toronto: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-200058-X.
Notes:
- ^ Podnieks 2000, p. 105.
- ^ a b Podnieks 2000, p. 106.