Momentum Turner or Misconception? A Closer Look Shultz versus Rolfe

It's become some type of urban legend that after Schultz/Rolfe the Rangers just rolled over against the Flyers in that 73/74 series. That whole 73-74 playoff series is completely blown out of proportion. Everyone seems to subscribe to this myth that the Flyers just pummeled the Rangers and they had no response. Truth is, the Rangers gave as good as they got in that series.

In Game 2 of that series, Kelly jumped Jerry Butler and put him out of the game. Ron Harris paid Kelly back in spades with an open ice hit that put Kelly out of the series. Harris was also put on the ice in place of Gilbert during a face-off when Schultz was looking to rough up Gilbert. Harris confronted Schultz and Schultz made some half-hearted attempts to get at him, but he somehow couldn't break free from the linesman. Additionally, both Ron Harris and Steve Vickers beat up Dornhoefer during that series.

That series was anything but a cakewalk for the Flyers. They won that series because of one guy, Bernie Parent. The most common misconception is that the Schultz/Rolfe fight took the heart out of the Rangers players. This seems to be one of those great myths that has multiplied over time. The Rangers ended up losing that game by 1 goal. Additionally, outside of a little blood and maybe some embarrassment, Rolfe was never the worse for wear after that fight; he never missed a shift and played just as effective after that fight as before. He wasn't hurt; he didn't need any help skating to the box.

Many have incorrectly brought up the notion that someone should have jumped in to save Rolfe from the Schultz mugging. However, you have to remember that this is Game 7 of the 73/74 playoffs and the Schultz/Rolfe fight takes place midway through the first period, with the scored tied at 1-1.



At the time of this fight, the Rangers had their number one line out there in Hadfield, Gilbert and Ratelle, with Park and Rolfe on defense. So the only toughness on the ice at the time was Park and Hadfield, two very skilled players that the Rangers could not afford to lose during a crucial Game 7 in exchange for a player of Schultz' caliber. As a fight fan, I wish someone would have jumped in too; but you have to look at this realistically. Who was going to jump in? Gilbert, Hadfield, Ratelle or Park, in game 7 of a tied series? That's exactly what Schultz was hoping for - take a skilled player off the ice with him. As for the fight taking the heart out of the Rangers and providing the spark for the Flyers, remember that this fight happened at around the 11:00 minute mark of the first period and neither team scored during the remaining 9:00 minutes in period one. So much for the Rangers folding their tent and the Flyers using this fight as any sort of momentum builder.

The Flyers did jump out to an early lead by scoring 2 goals in the second period and taking a 3-1 lead entering the third period. The Rangers come back and make it 3-2 on a goal by Vickers. Dornhoefer eventually scores to make it a 4-2 Flyers lead, but Pete Stemkowski scores with about 5 minutes to play in the third period to make it a one-goal game. The Rangers completely dominate the final 5 minutes as the Flyers are thoroughly disorganized and are just trying to hold on to this slim lead. But the Rangers are stonewalled by the outstanding goaltending of Bernie Parent and the Flyers barely hang-on and advance to the final round against the Bruins.

The Rangers also made one of the most bone-headed mistakes in their dreadful playoff history. With a minute to go in the third period of a one-goal game, the Rangers pull goalie Eddie Giacomin for an extra attacker. Immediately thereafter, they are whistled for a too many men on the ice penalty and Vic Hadfield serves the two-minute minor killing almost any chance the Rangers had at tying that game. This was also the end of the line for Hadfield as a Ranger as he was seen joking with fans while serving his minor penalty. He was traded to Pittsburgh in the off-season.

What the record books won’t show is that this was one of the most physical and well-played series in the history of the Stanley Cup. The series itself is often overshadowed by the Schultz/Rolfe altercation and the misconception that the Rangers failed to meet the physical challenge of the Flyers.

The difference in that series was Bernie Parent, not Schultz vs Rolfe. The Rangers didn't get run out of the building against the Flyers nor were they physically outplayed. Dornhoefer may have taken some runs at Giacomin, but both Ron Harris and Steve Vickers held him accountable. Ron Harris hit everything that moved that series and put Hound Kelly out of the series in Game 2 with a bone-jarring open ice hit. The Rangers lost to a better team that got outstanding goaltending from one of the game’s greatest, Bernie Parent.

Certainly the Rangers history is that of a soft team, especially those early 70s teams. But they matched the Flyers in 73/74 hit for hit and fight for fight. Now if you want to say that their lack of toughness cost them the Cup in 72 against the Bruins; I'd agree completely. Sanderson ran Giacomin with no accountability, Sanderson beat up Bobby Rousseau and Rod Gilbert and no one held him accountable. Ace Bailey ran everyone and everything and no one did a thing about it. Hodge and Cashman also had their way with the Rangers with no policeman to hold them accountable.

73/74 Rangers vs Flyers was a different story and the Rangers actually acquitted themselves quite well in the physical play. Much better than expected and much better than they've been given credit for.

Craig Coxe Interview with the Province

In between running their enforcer tournament, the Province interviewed one of their panelists, former tough guy Craig Coxe. Coxe is best remembered for his two slugfests with legendary enforcer Bob Probert. A couple of tidbits from the article:

Fighting gave him a chance to play in the NHL. It earned him the respect of his peers. It afforded him a certain notoriety.

"The first couple of years, I really enjoyed it. You're young, you're ready to take on the world. You think you're invincible. I had fun doing it."

Coxe fought the most feared heavyweights of his era, including Bob Probert and Dave Brown in a span of five weeks in the fall of 1985 while he was with the Canucks.
He did not approach his work half-heartedly. Coxe watched tapes of other fighters and built up a book on each man. He learned trade secrets from Canucks scouting director Ron Delorme, who was then winding down his playing career, and veteran tough guy Glen Cochrane. He fought early and he fought often.

His first fight with Probert came at the Coliseum early in the 1985-86 season. The minute-long epic started in the faceoff circle in front of the Detroit net, went into the corner, then behind the net and back into the corner before it ended in front of the
Detroit net. If Coxe didn't win the fight, he certainly didn't lose it.

A couple of years later he fought both Joey Kocur and Probert in the same game in Detroit.

"I still have a hard time watching the NHL on TV. I wish I was still there."

The Bruins Weren't the Only Team to Scale the Glass

Hockey went through quite a period during the 1970's thanks in large part to the success of the Flyers and their approach to the game. Although much of the credit can be given to the Flyers, they only picked up where The Big Bad Bruins left off. What was really fascinating about the game back then was that there were these spectacular brawls which usually involved almost every player on both teams, was that for the most part, the teams would return to some semblance of hockey immediately after such a major explosion.

Most of these brawls started because back in those days you simply did not under any circumstances run a star player or take a cheap shot or liberties with another man without paying for it, usually immediately. Unlike the gutless, cowardly approach in today's game where hitting from behind and cheap shots are incorporated into part of the game and many of the regular perpetrators escape their due punishment because of the instigator rule and the inability of some coaches to properly assess what standing up for each other is all about and how important it is to get that message across to each and every player on your roster.

One of the more fascinating brawls I can remember happened in January of 1972 and occurred during a St. Louis Blues/Philadelphia Flyers game. What was different about this one was that it didn’t involve the Flyer players at all, but their fans and the Philadelphia Police Department.

This one started innocently enough when, at the conclusion of the second period, Blues coach Al Arbour walked across the ice to question a penalty call made by referee John Ashley. Arbour and Ashley engaged in a heated argument when Ashley slapped Arbour with an additional two-minute bench minor.Incensed, Arbour followed referee Ashley the length of the ice and up the runway leading to the dressing room. As they argued on the runway leading away from the ice, Philadelphia fans began throwing trash and beer on Coach Arbour.The Blues players, led by Bob Plager, came to the aid of their coach and over the Spectrum glass they went. The Blues players stood between two sections of seats and began swinging their sticks at the fans. In the ensuing melee, more than 200 Philadelphia police were called in to quell the riot.When the dust had settled, four fans were injured, and Blue coach Al Arbour required 10 stitches to close a wound in his head. Defenseman John Arbour also required 15 stitches to close a head wound. 4 members of the Blues, Coach Arbour, Phil Roberto, John Arbour and Floyd Thompson were all arrested. Both Arbours and Roberto were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and conspiracy. Thompson was charged with aggravated assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and conspiracy. Two police officers also received minor injuries. During the one-hour delay, Flyers vice-president Joe Scott and Blues vice-president Lynn Patrick almost came to blows, going nose-to-nose and Blues owner Sidney Salomon, who was in attendance, sued the city of Philadelphia calling it the worst case of police brutality that he had ever seen. Coach Arbour was able to return to the game and coached the third period minus his shirt and tie.

As stated earlier, after this wild melee, the teams returned and played the third period without any further incidence. And for those that think that fighting and sticking up for each other doesn’t influence or impact the game itself, it is no coincidence that after 2 periods the Flyers were leading the game 2-0. After the brawl, and minus 3 players who were under arrest and being detained at the Philadelphia police headquarters, the Blues came back and scored 3 unanswered goals in the third period to win the game 3-2.

The hockey fight I can hardly stomach to watch... poor Craig Berube.

Craig "the Chief" Berube was one of my favorite Caps growing up. I still remember the excitement from reading the Washington Post article about the trade that brought Berube from the Flames to the Caps... there was the Chief hammering away on another opponent. It might have actually been Dennis Vial. Berube spent the next six years with the Caps before being shipped back to Philly for a year and half. We got to see him for another 22 games 2001-2002, but his time was pretty much up.

Now the fight below is probably the fight I most hate in the history of the NHL. It takes place in 1996 against the Panthers. As you can see in the video, Paul Laus absolutely destroys Berube with a right from out of nowhere. I say no more... I am at my weakest.

Time to Bring Back Traditional Divisions?

Tom Powers, from Minnesota’s Twin Cities newspaper, says that that the NHL needs to go back to a playoff/divisional format that promotes rivalries. According to Powers:

One of the many problems bedeviling the NHL is a lack of rivalries. Oh, there are a million other problems, such as the awful TV deal with Versus, a bunch of failing teams — the result of the owners' expansion money grab — and the monotonous Eurohockey style that has all but eliminated rough-and-tumble play.

Folks, you don't see it here in Minnesota, where the Wild are thriving. But hockey is dying in many other parts of the country. And that includes traditional markets such as Boston and Chicago. The sellouts you see at Xcel are the exception, not the rule.

Still, it could take a common-sense approach. (Fat chance.) Ask any general manager or coach what it takes to kindle a rivalry. He'll tell you: meeting the other team in the playoffs. So someone please explain to me why we don't do it like we used to: Team 1 vs. Team 4 and Team 2 vs. Team 3, right in their own division during the first round.

This added familiarity not only breeds contempt, but it also adds extra oomph down the stretch to divisional games. The NHL should get rid of this stupid six-division format and go back to four divisions. Take the West, for example. Switch Dallas and Minnesota into the current Central. Then merge the remainder of the Northwest and Pacific for a true West Division.

Chelios Misses the Old-Time Hockey

Thanks to Kuklas Corner for pointing out this blip in the New York Post.

“Coaches like Mike Keenan and Darryl Sutter encouraged going out there antagonizing and intimidating,” Chelios said of his time with the Blackhawks, which ended with a 1999 trade to Detroit and a coach with a different philosophy. “Scotty Bowman didn’t like that type of play, the scrums after the whistle, the penalties. “You look back at the old Chicago days, players hated coming into that building. It was like the gladiators, a battle every time they came in there. I love that type of game.”

Chelios added: “But the league is changing. It’s more of a European style of play. If they think that’s going to fly in North America, I’m all for it if it helps the game, but I’m an old-school defenseman.”

"The farther this sport gets from its roots, the closer it gets to irrelevancy."

Steve Politi, from The Star Ledger, recently weighed in on the perceived lack of passion in today's NHL.

Says Politi...

Cam Janssen could've been somebody. He could've been a contender for the top hockey enforcer of his generation, maybe even putting his name on a list with the great fighters such as Tie Domi, Joey Kocur and, of course, the Grim Reaper himself, Stu Grimson.

Instead, his sport went all peace-love-and-happiness on him, the pansies in the league office making tough guys like him increasingly unimportant. So now Janssen, a kid with
endless guts and a mean right hook, rides the Devils' bench most nights.

Janssen weighs in as well...

"You take (fighting) out of the game, it's not going to be hockey any more. It's going to be soccer with sticks!" Janssen says. He is 22. His lip is swollen from a teammate swiping him in practice. "At least now, a guy knows if he take a run at somebody, he's got to step up and pay the piper.

"The guys will go crazy if there's no fighting," he says. "The fans will go crazy, too."

Politi proceeds to point out that fighting is down some 40% since 2003. But forget stats, Politi adds...

The NHL thought limiting fighting will make the sport more mainstream. It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad. The nerds who run this sport figured without the brawls, some little old lady in Peoria would find Versus on her cable system and declare, "I'm going to give this beautiful sport a try!"

The result, like much of what Gary Bettman has done, is the opposite. Attendance is down in
several markets, and they'll need a breakthrough in nanomathematics to compute recent TV ratings. The lack of fighting is not the main reason, but the farther this sport gets from its roots, the closer it gets to irrelevancy.

Classic Caps/Flyers Brawl

Remember this melee from 91? Dale Hunter started this one with a huge cheap elbow to head of Gord Murphy. Craig Berube (soon to be a Cap at that point) runs Donnie Beaupre later on and receives a blocker to the head for his troubles. Nick Kypreos ends up feeding rights to the head of Dale Kushner. Murray Baron rushes into save Kushner at which point Beaupre jumps Baron. Peeters flies down the ice to subdue Beaupre. Holmgren is incensed on the bench and beats a stick on the top of the glass separating the two benches.

"We need to bring the game back to what is was."

Add former Bruins tough guy Brian Curran to the list of hockey insiders that have spoken out against the new NHL. Currently the coach of the Quad City Mallards in the UHL, had the following to say in an interview with Jeff Wendland of Quad-Cities Online:

"Our NHL game today is boring to watch," he said. "I don't know what was so wrong with it in the '80s. The tough guys knew who the tough guys were, there was intimidation and there were battles all over the ice."Then, it was like we're not going to be able to sell the game to TV if we fight too much, and we're seeing now what a huge mistake that was. The TV deal now is not even worth it."

"I look at Robbie Nichols in Elmira," Curran said. "He's put together what's become a gong show on some nights, but look at his attendance numbers. They're way up because the fans enjoy the fights."I think fans want to see fights. We need to bring the game back to what it was, fill the stands again and forget about TV. Let the fans see the game that they want to see. It doesn't have to be barbaric, but we need to let fights happen."Brian Curran played 381 games in the NHL, totaling 40 points and 1461 penalty minutes. Curran was best remembered for his days in Boston. He also played for four other NHL teams.

Chuck Benson says bring back old-time hockey!

Chuck Benson says bring back old-time hockey! While I can’t agree with some of his individual statements, and new NHL apologists will handpick at this article like a bad scab, I can’t disagree with his overall message. The new NHL needs more grit, emotion, and intensity. It simply isn’t appealing in its current state.