Norsemen tag Jets in the Aud, transcribed article (Ed Helinski, Tonawanda News, 1976-03-22).pdf
Dublin Core
Title
Norsemen tag Jets in the Aud, transcribed article (Ed Helinski, Tonawanda News, 1976-03-22).pdf
Description
By ED HELINSKI
NEWS Correspondent
After posting a 30-44 record during the regular season of the North American Hockey League, including a poor 2-8 mark against the Johnstown Jets, the Buffalo Norsemen opened their “second season” in winning fashion Sunday afternoon. They recorded an overwhelming 5-1 victory over the Jets at Memorial Auditorium.
The victory, before 4,041 fans, gave the N-men a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five quarterfinal series against the defending Lockhart Cup champions and this season’s Western Division champs.
“We had to win this one,” said N-men goalie Jim Makey following the victory. “It gives our players a lot of confidence and we know we can beat them.” The 25-year-old backstop and Detroit Red Wing product faced 33 Johnstown shots while yielding a single goal to the Jets’ Jean Tetreault with only 3:54 remaining in the encounter.
Veteran Keke Mortson led the N-men to victory. The 42-year-old star scored a pair of goals while linemates Larry Gould and Reggie Lahey combined for five points. Along with the “tight checking game,” Buffalo player Coach Guy Trottier was pleased with the trio’s efforts.
“Reggie played a helluva game after coming out of Junior B,” remarked Trottier and “Keke always plays the same way everywhere.” With the close-checking style evident, Trottier, who did not dress for the contest due to a back ailment, added, “If we keep playing that way, we won’t get beat.”
On the other side, Johnstown Player-Coach Jim Cardiff was disappointed with the loss. “We made some mistakes and they capitalized on a few of them,” he said.
The 31-year-old defenseman noted that his club hadn’t skated for three days due to a boat show at the Cambria War Memorial Auditorium and wasn’t up to par. But the former WHA journeyman was quick to note that the circumstances will be different for Monday’s and Wednesday’s encounters in Johnstown.
The N-men jumped into a 4-0 lead after two periods of play as Mortson’s production and single goals by Gould and Jim Stanfield paved the way.
At the 14:24 mark of the final stanza, Billy Steele upped the lead to 5-0 when he recorded a short-handed marker against Johnstown goalie Ron Docken, who faced 41 shots in his first start in a month. “I like those the best,” said Steele. “The pressure is not on you to score.”
Less than two minutes later, the Jets spoiled Makey’s attempted shutout bid as Tetreault deflected Reg Bechtold’s shot from the right boards. It was the lone hurrah for the losing Jets.
Should there be a fourth game in the series, it will be held at 7:45 p.m. Thursday evening at the Tonawanda Sports Center where the Jets held a 3-2 won-loss record against the N-men.
--
BUFFALO NORSEMEN 5, JOHNSTOWN JETS 1
-----------------------------------
SCORING
1st Period
BUF Mortson 1 (Morin, Gould).............. 6:40
BUF Gould 2 (Lahey)....................... 10:33
2nd Period
BUF Mortson 2 (Lahey, Gould)............. 12:32
BUF Stanfield 1 (Given, McConvey)........ 13:16
3rd Period
BUF Steele 1 (unassisted)................ 14:24
JHN Tetreault 1 (Bechtold, Cardiff)...... 16:06
PENALTIES
1st Period
BUF Harker, holding...................... 2:14
JHN Bench minor......................... 3:50
JHN Docken, slashing.................... 7:06
JHN Cardiff, interference............... 15:29
JHN Head, tripping...................... 19:32
2nd Period
JHN Cardiff, holding.................... 7:03
JHN S. Carlson, roughing................ 16:56
3rd Period
BUF McConvey, cross-checking............ 13:30
BUF Bench minor......................... 16:48
SHOTS ON GOAL
JHN 7 10 16 — 33
BUF 15 12 14 — 41
SCORING BY PERIOD
JHN 0 0 1 — 1
BUF 2 2 1 — 5
ATTENDANCE: 4,041
NEWS Correspondent
After posting a 30-44 record during the regular season of the North American Hockey League, including a poor 2-8 mark against the Johnstown Jets, the Buffalo Norsemen opened their “second season” in winning fashion Sunday afternoon. They recorded an overwhelming 5-1 victory over the Jets at Memorial Auditorium.
The victory, before 4,041 fans, gave the N-men a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five quarterfinal series against the defending Lockhart Cup champions and this season’s Western Division champs.
“We had to win this one,” said N-men goalie Jim Makey following the victory. “It gives our players a lot of confidence and we know we can beat them.” The 25-year-old backstop and Detroit Red Wing product faced 33 Johnstown shots while yielding a single goal to the Jets’ Jean Tetreault with only 3:54 remaining in the encounter.
Veteran Keke Mortson led the N-men to victory. The 42-year-old star scored a pair of goals while linemates Larry Gould and Reggie Lahey combined for five points. Along with the “tight checking game,” Buffalo player Coach Guy Trottier was pleased with the trio’s efforts.
“Reggie played a helluva game after coming out of Junior B,” remarked Trottier and “Keke always plays the same way everywhere.” With the close-checking style evident, Trottier, who did not dress for the contest due to a back ailment, added, “If we keep playing that way, we won’t get beat.”
On the other side, Johnstown Player-Coach Jim Cardiff was disappointed with the loss. “We made some mistakes and they capitalized on a few of them,” he said.
The 31-year-old defenseman noted that his club hadn’t skated for three days due to a boat show at the Cambria War Memorial Auditorium and wasn’t up to par. But the former WHA journeyman was quick to note that the circumstances will be different for Monday’s and Wednesday’s encounters in Johnstown.
The N-men jumped into a 4-0 lead after two periods of play as Mortson’s production and single goals by Gould and Jim Stanfield paved the way.
At the 14:24 mark of the final stanza, Billy Steele upped the lead to 5-0 when he recorded a short-handed marker against Johnstown goalie Ron Docken, who faced 41 shots in his first start in a month. “I like those the best,” said Steele. “The pressure is not on you to score.”
Less than two minutes later, the Jets spoiled Makey’s attempted shutout bid as Tetreault deflected Reg Bechtold’s shot from the right boards. It was the lone hurrah for the losing Jets.
Should there be a fourth game in the series, it will be held at 7:45 p.m. Thursday evening at the Tonawanda Sports Center where the Jets held a 3-2 won-loss record against the N-men.
--
BUFFALO NORSEMEN 5, JOHNSTOWN JETS 1
-----------------------------------
SCORING
1st Period
BUF Mortson 1 (Morin, Gould).............. 6:40
BUF Gould 2 (Lahey)....................... 10:33
2nd Period
BUF Mortson 2 (Lahey, Gould)............. 12:32
BUF Stanfield 1 (Given, McConvey)........ 13:16
3rd Period
BUF Steele 1 (unassisted)................ 14:24
JHN Tetreault 1 (Bechtold, Cardiff)...... 16:06
PENALTIES
1st Period
BUF Harker, holding...................... 2:14
JHN Bench minor......................... 3:50
JHN Docken, slashing.................... 7:06
JHN Cardiff, interference............... 15:29
JHN Head, tripping...................... 19:32
2nd Period
JHN Cardiff, holding.................... 7:03
JHN S. Carlson, roughing................ 16:56
3rd Period
BUF McConvey, cross-checking............ 13:30
BUF Bench minor......................... 16:48
SHOTS ON GOAL
JHN 7 10 16 — 33
BUF 15 12 14 — 41
SCORING BY PERIOD
JHN 0 0 1 — 1
BUF 2 2 1 — 5
ATTENDANCE: 4,041
Date
1976-03-22
Collection
Citation
“Norsemen tag Jets in the Aud, transcribed article (Ed Helinski, Tonawanda News, 1976-03-22).pdf,” North Tonawanda History, accessed April 9, 2026, https://nthistory.com/items/show/4710.