1977–78 WHA season

The season 1977/78 was the sixth season of the World Hockey Association (WHA ).

After two seasons tasks affected by three other teams had given up during the summer break. Six of the remaining eight teams had openly negotiated with the National Hockey League on a merger of the leagues, but the agreement failed. All teams played through the season, even if the Indianapolis Racers and the Houston Aeros just escaped an imminent bankruptcy.

In December and January, the national teams from the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia toured North America and completed each one game with every team in the WHA.

In the finals at the Avco World Trophy, it was the Winnipeg Jets, the New England Whalers left no chance. With 4-0 victories they decided clearly the series, after they had dominated the regular season.

2,860,211 viewers watched the 328 games of the sixth season. On average, the 8,267 per game, which meant an increase of over 500 per game the previous season were. In the NHL the average attendance was at this time declined to just under 11,842.

  • 2.1 mode
  • 2.2 Playoff Tree
  • 2.3 Quarter Finals ( Round 1 )
  • 2.4 Semifinals ( Round 2)
  • 2.5 Avco World Trophy Championship
  • 2.6 Avco World Trophy winner
  • 2.7 Best Scorer
  • 3.1 WHA All-Star teams 3.1.1 WHA First All -Star Team
  • 3.1.2 WHA Second All-Star Team

Regular Season

Statements Tables

The teams played against some opponents eleven times, against other twelve times. The Soviet All Stars ( December 14 to January 3 ) and Czechoslovakia ( December 9 to 20 ) toured North America and played each game at each WHA team. These games included the regular season.

Note: GP = Games, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals Scored, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points Notes: In parentheses is the placement within the Conference; = Playoff qualification, = division winner = away team

Best Scorer

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = penalty minutes; Fat: Saisonbestwert

Best Goalkeeper

Note: GP = Games, TOI = Ice Age ( in minutes), W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime / Shootout Losses, GA = Goals against, SO = shutouts, Sv % = held shots (in%), GAA = Gegentorschnitt; Fat: Saisonbestwert

Playoff

Mode

After the six best teams had qualified point to start the discharged in the knockout system play-offs. The point best team met on the sixth best. Met the second to the fifth, and the third to the fourth.

Among the victorious teams, the team with the best preliminary round placement directly reached the finals series to the Avco World Trophy, while the other two winners of the quarter finals fought out a semifinal series.

All series of each round were played in best- of-seven - mode, which means that a team four wins needed to reach the next round. The higher placed team had with the first two games venue, the next two the opposing team. Until then no winner emerged from the round, the venue of the game changed to match. Thus, the higher placed team had in Game 1, 2, 5 and 7, ie four of a maximum of seven games, a home advantage.

In the final, the team began with the more points reached in the regular season with two home games. This was followed by two away games.

In games, the 60 minutes were undecided after regulation time, followed by the overtime. The third lasted 20 minutes and still it was played so long until one team scored the first goal.

Playoff Tree

Quarter Finals ( Round 1 )

As expected, dominated the favorite of Winnipeg, the first two games. A narrow victory in Game 3 was all that could bring out the Birmingham Bulls. With two more victories clear the Jets reached the finals directly.

Once it was the Oilers, thanks to an outstanding Don McLeod after two defeats to win their first home game, germinated on hope. But with a clear 9:1 victory in the fourth game, the Whalers scattered all hope and moved to five games the semi-finals.

In their first game, the Aeros already had in the injury time. After 7:19 minutes Ted Taylor secured the win at home. In the second game, the Nordiques were the happier team and decided the overtime after 2:59 minutes by Marc Tardif for themselves. Quebec City could win both home games in the fourth game goalkeeper Richard Brodeur was unable to overcome. Houston returned with a victory in Game 5, but with the 11:2 collection was secured to the semifinals.

Semifinals ( Round 2)

After a victory in the second game, the Nordiques were very confident in their two home games, but the Whalers were able to deny victorious both games. In the fifth game back home then sealed also a place in the finals series.

Avco World Trophy Championship

Avco World Trophy winner

The 25 players of the jets are composed of three goalkeepers, nine defenders and 13 attackers.

Several players who had come in the course of the season to use, did not count for the winning team. Thommie Bergman (62 inserts in the regular season ) was also taken into account as Larry Hornung ( 19) and Fran Huck ( 5), all of which had no use in the final. Had contributed significantly to the second championship win of the Winnipeg Jets in addition to the first attack series, which consisted of the sizes Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg, also actors like Kent Nilsson, Willy Lindstrom, the strong Torwartduo Gary Bromley and Joe Daley and defender and team captain Lars -Erik Sjöberg.

In addition to head coach Larry Hillman and general manager Rudy Pilous following players on the Avco World Trophy, the championship trophy of the WHA were engraved:

Goalkeepers: Gary Bromley, Joe Daley, Markus Mattsson

Defender: Mike Amodeo, Ken Baird, Kim Clackson, Bill Davis, Dave Dunn, Mike Ford, Ted Green, Barry Long, Lars -Erik Sjöberg (C )

Attacker: Bobby Guindon, Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull, Dave Kryskow, Dan Labraaten, Bill Lesuk, Willy Lindstrom, Lyle Moffat, Kent Nilsson, Ulf Nilsson, Lynn Powis, Kent Ruhnke, Peter Sullivan

Head Coach: Larry Hillman General Manager: Rudy Pilous

Best Scorer

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = penalty minutes; Fat: Saisonbestwert

WHA awards and award trophies

The success of winning two trophies in one season, Marc Tardif succeeded the second time. Bill Dineen and Dave Keon were the first two who could defend their trophy.

WHA All-Star teams

WHA First All -Star Team

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, W = Wins, SO = shutouts, GAA = Gegentorschnitt

WHA Second All-Star Team

Note: GP = Games, B = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, W = Wins, SO = shutouts, GAA = Gegentorschnitt

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