ATD #10, Foster Hewitt Quarterfinals. Team Iceland (6) vs Kansas City Scouts (3)

[MXD]

Gunnar Stahl.

Team Iceland​

GM: arrbez & Rick Middleton
Coach: Herb Brooks

Anatoli Firsov - Syl Apps Sr. (A) - Babe Dye
Charlie Simmer - Joe Nieuwendyk - Andy Bathgate (A)
Dany Heatley - Bobby Smith - Pat Verbeek
Pierre Mondou - Craig MacTavish - Kevin Dineen
extra: Tim Hunter

Eddie Shore (C) - Ebbie Goodfellow
Ed Van Impe - Sergei Zubov
Art Coulter - Dallas Smith
extra: Don Awrey

George Vezina
John Vanbiesbrouck

Power play units:
PP1: Simmer - Apps - Dye - Shore - Zubov
PP2: Firsov - Nieuwendyk - Heatley - Goodfellow - Bathgate

Penalty killing units:
PK1: MacTavish - Verbeek - Shore - Van Impe
PK2: Bobby Smith - Dineen - Coulter - D. Smith

VS

Kansas City Scouts​

GM: Pwnasaurus & JimEIV
Coach: Jack Adams

John Tonelli - Bill Cowley - Charlie Conacher
Joe Malone - Hooley Smith (C) - Dave Taylor (A)
Tommy Phillips - Doug Jarvis - Mario Tremblay
Dave Balon - Glen Skov - Jim Pappin
extra: Bronco Horvath

Bobby Orr - Harry Howell (A)
Brad McCrimmon - Rob Ramage
Frank Patrick - Barry Ashbee
extra: Brad Maxwell

Gerry Cheevers
Roger Crozier

Power play units:
PP1: John Tonelli - Bill Cowley - Charlie Conacher - Bobby Orr - Frank Patrick
PP2: Joe Malone - Hooley Smith - Dave Taylor - Tommy Phillips - Rob Ramage

Penalty killing units:
PK1: Doug Jarvis - Tommy Phillips - Harry Howell - Brad McCrimmon
PK2: Glen Skov - Mario Tremblay - Bobby Orr - Barry Ashbee

Click to read more...

 

[Rick Middleton]

Gunnar Stahl.

>all

 

[Pwnasaurus]

I predict this series ends in a tie. Seriously though I'm pulling for my buddy Rick. I will say that we intended for the Scouts to be a trilogy only so this will indeed by my final foray into the world of ATD hockey. It's been a pleasure boys no matter the outcome and may a wealth of successes rain o'er all of you. Theoretically, me too.

 

[camperjr]

After looking at all the match-up page I think this series is going to be the closest, good luck

 

[JimEIV]

Not close at all...

The Scouts will ice a FAR better defense and 4 more balanced lines that should prevail rather easily....Heatley and Verbeek 3rd line All Time, give me a break????

The Iceland teams 3rd line is nothing more than a hodgepodge group that couldn't be a checking line in any era.

Heatley has never performed in the playoffs to date. And while Verbeek is a nice player he isn't either an elite scorer or an elite checker. This 3rd line is a train wreck with exception of Smith.

Heatley has disappeared in every playoff series he has ever played in and in the only series he played in that ever counted. (See Ducks v Ottawa).

And the Coaching is the biggest night and day difference...Besides Brooks' Crowning Glory in 1980 at Lake Placid with college students... Brooks NHL career was hardly stellar. Barely 7 seasons of NHL expirience with a Sub .500 career (.497) and nothing at the pro level to point to success. He was best fit for coaching impressionable kids at the college level and not elite pro's.

This should be a quick series.

 

[Rick Middleton]

Well, that was unnecessarily harsh, and rather myopic.

A far better defense? Really?

1. Eddie Shore (5) vs. Bobby Orr (1). The immovable object vs. the unstoppable force. The best two defencemen to ever lace up skates. I will agree that Orr is the better defenceman, but Shore's ability to handle any forward is unquestioned. Simply put, he will shut down any of Kansas' forwards.
2. Ebbie Goodfellow (108) vs. Harry Howell (113). A Hart Trophy winner and a productive defenceman vs. a Norris Trophy winner and a defenceman who lived under Orr's shadow his entire career. Again, not much to differentiate the two.
3. Ed Van Impe (388) vs. Brad McCrimmon (225). The comparison is somewhat unfair, given that I chose Van Impe much later than McCrimmon, but I will stick with my format of comparing the defenceman by their line. McCrimmon is the better defenceman, but they are quite similar. Both were defensive stalwarts, both provided physical play, and both were leaders on their respective teams. Even though the edge goes to McCrimmon, Van Impe is hardly a pushover.
4. Sergei Zubov (229) vs. Rob Ramage (336) - This is like comparing a scalpel to a jackhammer. These are extremely different players. Zubov is the consummate puckmover, which is why I paired him with Van Impe. Ed will take care of the defensive side of things, Sergei will move the puck. Ramage is far better defensively, but when you look at the pairing of Ramage and McCrimmon, Kansas has two defensive stalwarts, but neither were that prolific a scorer. Undoubtedly you'll get better defense out of Kansas's 2nd pairing, but their puckmoving ability and productivity is far less than Team Iceland's 2nd pairing.
5. Art Coulter (173) vs. Frank Patrick (449) - As I said previously, I will compare players by position and not by when they were selected. As such, it is somewhat unfair to compare Patrick to Coulter. Coulter played at a higher level and in a higher league than Patrick. That's not denigrating Patrick's play or overall contribution to hockey, but Coulter is the clear winner in this comparison.
6. Dallas Smith (500) vs. Barry Ashbee (561) - Had it not been for his eye injury, Ashbee may have won this comparison. However, it's difficult to compare a player with a high peak and short career versus a player with a lesser peak but a long career. The one benefit of comparing these two players is that they played in the same era. Ashbee was a defensive stalwart for Philadelphia, with a +52 rating in 1973-74, Smith was a defensive stalwart for Boston with a +94 rating in 1971. Really, I would call this one a wash.

So, I really don't get where you're coming from by saying that Kansas is icing a far better defence. I'm not sure if you're being lazy and just looking at Orr and saying Orr>all, or don't know the players that arrbez and I selected.

In terms of my 3rd line, I'm still weighing whether I will start Heatley or not. Believe me, it has nothing to do with your comments. After the draft was complete I had thought of moving Mondou to the 3rd line LW and putting Tim Hunter in on the 4th line LW against a more physical team. I'm not sure KC would count as a far more physical team than mine. I don't believe either of us tried to emphasize physicality when we built our team.

Sorry Jim, but your opinion is far off reality, and really leads me to question your ability to anaylze a team constructively.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Final 3 vs. 6 match-up to analyze.

I think that's the first we've heard from JimEIV all draft. And I think we now know why. It's not the sort of analysis that goes over well in this draft, regardless of whether you were joking or trying to be sarcastic. The word muzzle is coming to mind...

I had Kansas City at No. 1 in their division. I think it's a very well-built squad. It helps when you get the best player ever to build around, but they assembled an excellent team around Orr. They have an excellent blend of skill and grit on the top two lines, with skilled, physical players to open up room for the slick players like Cowley and Malone. Cowley-Conacher is one of the most lethal tandems in the draft.

KC also has tremendous third and fourth lines. Among the best in the draft. They won't stop an Apps or a Bathgate, but they'll keep up with them. Balon's probably one of the best guys in the draft to line up against Bathgate.

I still think Bathgate and Apps should be on the same line, for no other reason than they're Bathgate and Apps. Certainly they should be on the first power play unit together. Apps will get lots of points no matter who he plays with. Dye might hold up Apps and Firsov, but few are better in tight than Babe Dye.

I'm not worried about Bathgate's post-season production. The only playoff that I would qualify as "off" would be 64 with Toronto. Never figured out how he could only get nine points in 14 games on a team loaded with clutch scorers. In his peak post-season performances with the Rangers, twice he faced a dynasty Montreal squad, and once he faced a dynasty Toronto squad. No player in NHL history would put up a point-per-game in the post-season in the circumstances Bathgate was in. (O6 era, the only legit offensive threat on his team, playing against dynasties that were outstanding defensively). In 58 with the Rangers, playing against Boston - a team that he could get points against - he had eight in six games.

As far as offensive third lines go, this is a good one. They'll get their goals. But they can disrupt an opponent, too. Smith wasn't afraid to be tough. He was more of a skilled big player, but he could be physical when he had to. And he was terrific in the playoffs. We know what Verbeek brings to the table in terms of goal scoring and grit. Heatley is very good along the boards.

RM, I'd keep Hunter as far away from the ice as possible. In this format, he'd be a liability. Your fourth line will have to play a fair amount against one of KC's scoring lines. If you play Hunter, it means one of two things: a) he will be a major liability against Conacher; or b) your fourth line will getting about five minutes of ice time a night - a bad move against a team with physical players who can wear you down.

Both teams have excellent blue-lines. It'll be a joy to watch the two best defencemen of all-time on the ice in the same series. Both teams have well-assembled defence corps that have a good mixture of offensive ability, defensive awareness and physical toughness.

Outside of Orr, the only other "natural" offensive defenceman on the Scouts is Frank Patrick. Howell and McCrimmon are outstanding defensively. (Note: Orr and McCrimmon were partners in ATD 8 when pit nearly won it all, but Orr-Howell is a terrific tandem). Howell's one of the best shot-blockers ever. Ramage gives the Scouts a big, burly defenceman who effectively moves the puck and plays tough.

Shore's an awesome player who won more Hart Trophies than any other defenceman ever. One of the smartest, hardest working and most fiercely competitive players to ever play the game. (He's also an SJHL alum). Zubov and Goodfellow are excellent puck-movers. Van Impe, Smith (former Estevan Bruin) and Coulter are physical and solid defensively. Coulter's good enough to be on a first pairing.
I give an edge to the Scouts in net. This is Cheevers' time. One of the best clutch goalies in the history of the game. There's a reason so many of his peers and contemporaries talk about him being such a tremendous clutch goalie. Didn't care if he won 1-0 or 7-6. A win was a win. But when you needed the big save, he got it. Also one of the first goalies to play the puck, which will help his team in the transition game. As for Vezina, well, it'll certainly help his game that he can now leave his feet to make a save.

I'm a big Jack Adams fan. And I think he has the aggressive, hard-working team to fit his coaching style. Brooks is an excellent coach, too, but I'd rather have Adams.

I think what this series comes down to is if the overall team defence for Team Iceland is good enough to beat the Scouts. I think Iceland has tremendous offensive ability, but will the Scouts be able to get a favourable match-up with one of their scoring lines, or if Orr can break free?

 

[MXD]

1. Eddie Shore (5) vs. Bobby Orr (1). The immovable object vs. the unstoppable force. The best two defencemen to ever lace up skates. I will agree that Orr is the better defenceman, but Shore's ability to handle any forward is unquestioned. Simply put, he will shut down any of Kansas' forwards.
2. Ebbie Goodfellow (108) vs. Harry Howell (113). A Hart Trophy winner and a productive defenceman vs. a Norris Trophy winner and a defenceman who lived under Orr's shadow his entire career. Again, not much to differentiate the two.
3. Ed Van Impe (388) vs. Brad McCrimmon (225). The comparison is somewhat unfair, given that I chose Van Impe much later than McCrimmon, but I will stick with my format of comparing the defenceman by their line. McCrimmon is the better defenceman, but they are quite similar. Both were defensive stalwarts, both provided physical play, and both were leaders on their respective teams. Even though the edge goes to McCrimmon, Van Impe is hardly a pushover.
4. Sergei Zubov (229) vs. Rob Ramage (336) - This is like comparing a scalpel to a jackhammer. These are extremely different players. Zubov is the consummate puckmover, which is why I paired him with Van Impe. Ed will take care of the defensive side of things, Sergei will move the puck. Ramage is far better defensively, but when you look at the pairing of Ramage and McCrimmon, Kansas has two defensive stalwarts, but neither were that prolific a scorer. Undoubtedly you'll get better defense out of Kansas's 2nd pairing, but their puckmoving ability and productivity is far less than Team Iceland's 2nd pairing.
5. Art Coulter (173) vs. Frank Patrick (449) - As I said previously, I will compare players by position and not by when they were selected. As such, it is somewhat unfair to compare Patrick to Coulter. Coulter played at a higher level and in a higher league than Patrick. That's not denigrating Patrick's play or overall contribution to hockey, but Coulter is the clear winner in this comparison.
6. Dallas Smith (500) vs. Barry Ashbee (561) - Had it not been for his eye injury, Ashbee may have won this comparison. However, it's difficult to compare a player with a high peak and short career versus a player with a lesser peak but a long career. The one benefit of comparing these two players is that they played in the same era. Ashbee was a defensive stalwart for Philadelphia, with a +52 rating in 1973-74, Smith was a defensive stalwart for Boston with a +94 rating in 1971. Really, I would call this one a wash.

.

I kindof agree with you on every point, but the Ashbee comparison. His career is somewhat sad, but one can wonder what would we say if Dion Phaneuf would be a starter in this draft.

 

[Rick Middleton]

In today's installment, we're going to look at the two team's forward corps. Continuing with the format that I used for the defence corps, I will be comparing the teams line by line, ignoring any line matching.

Anatoli Firsov - Syl Apps Sr. (A) - Babe Dye
vs
John Tonelli - Bill Cowley - Charlie Conacher​

Starting with the centers, we have Apps versus Cowley. I don't think I'll have too many people argue with me here that Apps is the better player. Cowley was the all-time points leader in the NHL upon his retirement, but I believe Apps brings a more all-around than what Cowley does. Switching to RW, we have the Big Bomber versus the Babe. These two players are almost mirror images. Babe Dye was the goal scoring leader of the 1920's, Conacher of the 1930's. In his first six seasons, Dye scored 176 goals in 170 games, while Conacher led the NHL five times in goals, and twice led in overall scoring. Both were very prolific scorers. I will give the edge to Conacher, but the difference isn't outstanding. On the LW, we have power versus grace. Firsov is undoubtedly the better scorer, Tonelli the better grinder. Each provides their line with an important component. Firsov will be the playmaker and artist on the line, setting up Dye for goals. Tonelli will provide the grist for the mill of the 1st line, digging the puck out of the corner and backing up Cowley and Conacher on defense.

Really, I don't see much to choose from between these lines. Kansas's first line will be better defensively, Team Iceland's will be better offensively. In a transition game, I dont believe anyone on Kansas's 1st line can match Firsov's speed (Cowley perhaps, but that implies that he'll be playing defense, which I dont believe was his forte). In a cycle game, I don't believe that Team Iceland will be able to outwork Tonelli on the boards.

From my perspective, this is a draw.

Charlie Simmer - Joe Nieuwendyk - Andy Bathgate (A)
vs
Joe Malone - Hooley Smith (C) - Dave Taylor (A)

Dany Heatley - Bobby Smith - Pat Verbeek
vs
Tommy Phillips - Doug Jarvis - Mario Tremblay

Pierre Mondou - Craig MacTavish - Kevin Dineen
vs
Dave Balon - Glen Skov - Jim Pappin​

TO BE CONTINUED ...

 

[Transplanted Caper]

I vote for the non-Middleton team.

 

[nik jr]

i think coulter should play on the 2nd pairing. i think he's quite a lot better than van impe, and has the defensive and physical ability to cover for zubov.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Offence: Both teams feel like they went for an uber-1st line then realized the 2nd line was weak and changed things up so the offence is spread out better. Iceland has a scoring 3rd line and more offensive d-men, but KC has the best offensive d-man ever. This really strengthens KC's 2nd line. Very close. But I like Iceland better.

Defence: Both have a lot of good defensemen, KC's bias more defensive though. KC also has a true shut-down line.

Goaltending: Close, I like Vezina though.

Coaching: Clear edge to KC

Intangibles: The biggest question here is whether or not Eddie Shore can keep a level head. If KC can get under his skin, then Orr becomes a huge advantage. If Shore stays focussed, then we have an epic battle on our hands.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Bathgate and Apps control Game 1

Kansas City, Mo. (AP) - Team Iceland's decision to split up their offensive stars paid off in Game 1.
Centre Syl Apps had three assists and right winger Andy Bathgate scored twice as Iceland defeated the Kansas City Scouts 5-3 in the opening game of their best-of-seven Foster Hewitt Division quarter-final.
Team Iceland decided to split up the offensive aces - considered two of the best offensive players in the draft at their respective positions - prior to the season. Coach Herb Brooks and co-GMs Rick Middleton and arrbez were rewarded on this night.
“You almost expect Apps to control a game offensively,†lamented Scouts coach Jack Adams. “He's one of the best two-way centres of all-time. As for Bathgate, few right-wingers combine playmaking ability and goal-scoring ability like he does.â€
Bathgate provided the only goal of the opening period when his point shot on the power play beat a screened Gerry Cheevers.
Kansas City delighted the faithful with two goals in the first five minutes of the second period on markers by John Tonelli and Charlie Conacher. Bill Cowley assisted on both goals. Iceland drew even when Apps made a terrific pass to Anatoli Firsov.
Apps set up the first two goals of the third period to give Iceland a 4-2 lead. The first came from behind the net as he set up a pinching Eddie Shore. The other was to Babe Dye in front of the net.
Bobby Orr scored on one of his trademarked rushes to draw the Scouts within one with five minutes remaining. Kansas City had a couple chances to tie the game in the waning minutes, but goaltender Georges Vezina came up big, including a glove save off of Conacher, who was standing in the slot with 90 seconds remaining.
Bathgate scored his second of the game into an empty net with 15 seconds left in the game.
“I actually thought Eddie Shore was our best player tonight,†said Brooks. “He controlled the game every time he was on the ice. And when a guy plays for 35 minutes, that's a lot of opportunities to control the game.â€
Vezina had 35 saves in the game, including 13 in the final 10 minutes when Kansas City tried to tie the game. Cheevers stopped 23 shots for the Scouts.

Scoring summary
First period
1. Bathgate (Goodfellow, Firsov) PP 16:30
Second period
2. Tonelli (Cowley) 0:32
3. Conacher (Patrick, Cowley) 4:11
4. Firsov (Apps, Shore) 14:32
Third period
5. Shore (Apps) 3:35
6. Dye (Apps, Goodfellow) 10:20
7. Orr (unassisted) 15:00
8. Bathgate (Shore, Goodfellow) 19:45

Team Iceland 5, Kansas City 3
Team Iceland leads 1-0

Three stars:

1. Syl Apps
2. Andy Bathgate
3. Eddie Shore

 

[God Bless Canada]

Jarvis wins match-up against Apps

Kansas City, Mo. (AP) - Doug Jarvis came up with what he labelled as the performance of his life, and Bobby Orr dazzled with four assists as the Kansas City Scouts defeated Team Iceland 5-1 in Game 2.
Jarvis shadowed Syl Apps throughout the night, and played a key role in keeping Iceland's top line off the score sheet. With Apps befuddled by Jarvis' relentless defence, Apps and his linemates were limited to three shots on goal - two of them coming on a shift with three minutes remaining, when the game was already out of reach.
“I don't know if I've ever had a better game,†said Jarvis. “It's not easy shutting down a player the calibre of Apps. But I'm going to need five more games like this if we're to win this series.â€
Iceland outplayed Kansas City in the first period, but Kansas City emerged with a two-goal lead on goals by Joe Malone and Mario Tremblay.
But it was a shift early in the second period by the fourth line that changed the tone of the game. Dave Balon, Glen Skov and Jim Pappin threw several checks, and were rewarded when Skov buried the rebound from an Orr shot.
From there, Kansas City took over, scoring two more times and outshooting Iceland 16-3 in the second period. Orr set up goals by Hooley Smith and Charlie Conacher, the latter on a power play, as Kansas City led 5-0 through two periods.
“Secondary scoring is critical to success in this,†said Iceland coach Herb Brooks. “They got goals from all four lines. We have the potential to get that kind of offence, but so far, our third and fourth lines haven't delivered. Tonight, our first line didn't deliver either.â€
Joe Nieuwendyk scored Iceland's only goal of the game - a power play marker on a redirection of an Ebbie Goodfellow point shot midway through the third period.
“I gave my all on that one,†said Cheevers after the game. “This wasn't one of my 'It could have hit me' specials.â€
Cheevers stopped 26 shots - 13 of them in the first period. He also picked up an assist on Malone's goal as he advanced the puck to Orr, who then set up Malone. Vezina stopped 35 shots in the loss.
Brooks said he would continue to keep Bathgate and Apps on separate lines, as he expects to get Apps away from Jarvis as the scene shifts to Iceland.

Scoring summary
First period
1. Malone (Orr, Cheevers) 7:14
2. Tremblay (Phillips, McCrimmon) 16:11
Second period
3. Skov (Orr, Balon) :45
4. H. Smith (Orr, Taylor) 9:14
5. Conacher (Orr, Cowley) PP 14:10
Third period
6. Nieuwendyk (Goodfellow, Bathgate) PP 10:25

Kansas City 5, Team Iceland 1
Series tied 1-1

Three stars:

1. Doug Jarvis
2. Bobby Orr
3. Ebbie Goodfellow

 

[God Bless Canada]

Orr shines as Kansas City wins again

Reykjavik (AP) - The Reykjavik fans were boisterous early on, but Bobby Orr silenced them in a hurry with two first period goals as Kansas City defeated Team Iceland 4-2 in Game 3.
Orr came up with four points for the second straight night. He notched the game-winner, but head coach Jack Adams said Orr's first goal eight minutes into the first period was the big one.
“Team Iceland had a lot of momentum early, and they were buoyed by their hometown fans,” said coach Jack Adams. “But when Bobby got that first goal, the complexion of the game changed. Those fans were quiet as crickets after that.”
The first goal was vintage Orr, as he split the defence of Ed Van Impe and Sergei Zubov, and deked Georges Vezina. The other goal saw him pinch from the point and take a pass from Bill Cowley to score what proved to be the winning goal with four minutes left in the first period.
Iceland cut the lead in half early in the second period on a goal by Bobby Smith. But Orr continued to shine in the second period. He logged big minutes and controlled the game every time he was on the ice. And he picked up two more assists on goals by Hooley Smith and Joe Malone.
Orr set up several more scoring chances, and had a couple more himself, but those were stymied by Georges Vezina.
Andy Bathgate rounded out the scoring midway through what was a fairly uneventful third period. Iceland outshot Kansas City 7-4 in the third.
Eddie Shore assisted on both Iceland goals.
While Iceland managed to get Syl Apps away from the Doug Jarvis match-up, Iceland ran into more problems, as Glen Skov and Hooley Smith were both very effective when matched up against Apps. Apps also struggled when matched up against Brad McCrimmon.
“It's tough out there,” Apps said. “They have two excellent defensive lines, and some other players who are very tough to play against. Skov is almost as good as Jarvis. I have great linemates. And I'll figure it out. But I don't want to do it in the third period with our team down three goals while facing elimination. I have to do it in Game 4.”

Scoring summary
First period
1. Orr (Howell) 8:11
2. Orr (Cowley, Conacher) 16:00
Second period
3. B. Smith (Shore, Verbeek) 2:30
4. H. Smith (Orr, Malone) 3:11
5. Malone (Orr) 14:16
Third period
Third period
6. Bathgate (Shore, Simmer) 12:11

Kansas City wins Game 3 4-2
Kansas City leads the series 2-1

Three stars:

1. Bobby Orr
2. Joe Malone
3. Eddie Shore

 

[God Bless Canada]

The Orr Show


Reykjavik (AP) - Syl Apps had his best game of the series in Game 4, but it still wasn't enough to beat Bobby Orr.
Apps had a goal and two assists, and Eddie Shore scored twice, but it was the Orr show again as the Kansas City Scouts defeated Team Iceland 5-4 in overtime.
Orr didn't score and soar this time, but he did score the game-winner late in the first overtime period on a point shot.
"Bill Cowley won the draw, and got it to John Tonelli," Orr said after the game. "Tonelli passed it back to me. Charlie Conacher set up a great screen in front. I shot it, it got through the screen, and the goaltender."
Apps opened the scoring with a power play goal early in the first period. Pat Verbeek scored late in the first to give Iceland a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes.
"We came out flying," coach Herb Brooks said after the game. "That was our best period of the series. Our guys really responded to the crowd's enthusiasm."
Kansas City regained their form in the second, as they outscored Iceland 4-1. Tommy Phillips, Dave Balon, Charlie Conacher and Joe Malone scored for Kansas City.
Babe Dye had the lone second period marker for Iceland.
Iceland peppered Scouts' goalie Gerry Cheevers in the third period in a furious attempt to tie the game. But Cheevers lived up to his reputation as a big-game goalie, making 14 saves.
He just couldn't stop the final shot of the third, as Andy Bathgate - who came off the bench as an extra attacker - scored the tying goal with 22 seconds remaining.
Both teams were hesitant for most of overtime. Neither squad wanted to make a mistake. Then Orr scored the winning goal with five-and-a-half minutes remaining.
"They should have given Conacher an assist for the screen on the game-winner," Scouts coach Jack Adams said.
Gerry Cheevers stopped 42 shots for Kansas City. Georges Vezina had 31 saves for Iceland.
Kansas City can wrap up the series at home in Game 5.

Scoring summary:
First period
1. Apps (Shore, Zubov) PP 3:10
2. Verbeek (Smith, Coulter) 14:25
Second period
3. Phillips (Jarvis, McCrimmon) 3:25
4. Balon (Orr) 3:51
5. Conacher (unassisted) 8:28
6. Dye (Apps, Goodfellow) 11:14
7. Malone (Orr, H. Smith) 13:13
Third period:
8. Bathgate (Apps, Shore) 19:38
Overtime:
9. Orr (Tonelli, Cowley) 14:30

Kansas City 5, Team Iceland 4
Kansas City lead best-of-seven 3-1

Three stars:

1. Bobby Orr
2. Syl Apps
3. Eddie Shore

 

[God Bless Canada]

Vezina shines for Iceland


Kansas City, Mo. (AP) - Georges Vezina knew he had to come up with a stellar performance with his team facing elimination. Nobody thought he would be this good.
Vezina stopped all 42 shots he faced, including 18 in the third period, as Team Iceland defeated the Kansas City Scouts 2-0 in Game 5.
All of the scoring came early, as Joe Nieuwendyk and Andy Bathgate scored for Iceland in the first five minutes of the game.
Vezina stopped 11 shots in the first period and 13 in the second period to preserve the lead. But most of the shots were from the perimeter, as Team Iceland prevented the Scouts from getting scoring chances in tight.
"Art Coulter was terrific tonight," Iceland coach Herb Brooks said after the game. "He was almost impenetrable out there. I think the Scouts had one or two quality scoring chances the whole game when Coulter was out there."
Kansas City made adjustments after the second intermission, and came out flying. But there was no beating Vezina on this night.
The Scouts best chance came midway through the third period on a power play. Bobby Orr's point shot was deflected in front by Charlie Conacher. Vezina stopped that, and the rebound to John Tonelli. The puck bounced to Frank Patrick at the point, who quickly shot the puck, only to have Vezina come up with that save, too.
"We knew that we hadn't seen the best of Vezina yet in this series," said Conacher. "I hope we saw his best tonight. That was a tremendous effort by a tremendous goaltender. Even if we were at our best - which we weren't for 40 minutes - we wouldn't have beat this team."
Gerry Cheevers stopped 17 shots for Kansas City. Cheevers faced only seven shots in the final 45 minutes of the game.


Scoring summary
First period:
1. Nieuwendyk (Bathgate, Coulter) 1:25
2. Bathgate (Goodfellow, Shore) 4:31
Second period:
No scoring
Third period:
No scoring

Team Iceland wins 2-0
Kansas City leads the series 3-2

Three stars:

1. Georges Vezina
2. Andy Bathgate
3. Art Coulter

 

[God Bless Canada]

Iceland forces a Game 7


Reykjavik (AP) - Team Iceland's fans were loud at the start of the game, and this time they were loud at the end of the game, too, as Iceland knocked off Kansas City to force a Game 7.
Andy Bathgate gave Team Iceland all the offence they would need. Bathgate had a natural hat trick in the first period, with two power play markers and an even strength goal.
"Andy carried that team on his back tonight," said Kansas City defenceman Eddie Shore. "We didn't have an answer for him. He could have scored five or six goals tonight with a little puck luck."
Kevin Dineen and Dany Heatley also scored for Iceland.
Heatley's goal, with a little more than three minutes left in the third, provided some comic relief for both teams.
Kansas City goaltender Gerry Cheevers misplayed the puck, and put the puck right on Heatley's stick. Heatley took a couple strides, and wound up for a big shot. Cheevers promptly bolted for the net.
"It was 4-1," said Cheevers. "We weren't coming back. Not with the way Iceland was playing. Not with the way Georges Vezina was playing. I give up another goal, who cares? Dany can shoot the puck. I'll give him that one, and stone his team in Game 7."
The Team Iceland announcer sarcastically gave Cheevers an assist. It was the exclamation mark on a one-sided game.
Hooley Smith - who was Kansas City's best player on this night - scored the Scouts only goal late in the second period.
Georges Vezina wasn't as sensational as he was in Game 5, but he was pretty good, stopping 32 shots. Most of them, though, came in the final 30 minutes, when Iceland was already leading 4-0.
Art Coulter was once again lauded for his efforts in shuting down Bill Cowley. Cowley has been a non-factor the last two games.
"Cowley has been the Loch Ness Monster the last couple games," said Adams.
Game 7 is in Kansas City. A contingent of Iceland fans will make the flight across the Atlantic, and across half of the U.S., for the game.

Scoring summary
First period:
1. Bathgate (Goodfellow, Apps) PP 3:16
2. Bathgate (Shore, Simmer) 9:15
3. Bathgate (Firsov, Heatley) PP 12:00
Second period:
4. Verbeek (Shore, Mondu) 3:23
5. H. Smith (Ashbee, Taylor) 14:11
Third period
6. Heatley (unassisted) 17:00

Three stars:
1. Bathgate
2. Heatley
3. Vezina

 

[God Bless Canada]

Conacher delivers

Charlie Conacher scored twice, including the series-clinching goal midway through the second period, to lead the Kansas City Scouts to a 3-2, series-clinching win over Team Iceland.
Kansas City won the best-of-seven Foster Hewitt quarter-final series 4-3.
Conacher opened the scoring less than five minutes into the gaming, one-timing a pass from Bill Cowley.
Joe Nieuwendyk tied the game in the final minute of the first period for Team Iceland, redirecting a shot from Eddie Shore.
Kansas City took a 2-1 lead on a terrific individual effort by Hooley Smith, and built a 3-1 lead midway through the frame, as Conacher picked up a rebound from a Bobby Orr shot. They carried that lead into the second intermission.
Iceland narrowed the lead to one three minutes into the third period, as Charlie Simmer took a pass from Andy Bathgate and buried the puck by Gerry Cheevers.
Then Cheevers shut the door.
Cheevers, known as one of the great clutch goalies of all-time, stopped 15 shots in the third period to preserve the one-goal lead.
Nieuwendyk had the best chance - a re-direct of an Eddie Shore point shot in the final minute - but the acrobatic Cheevers somehow made the save.
“I can't believe he wasn't named a star in this game,†said coach Jack Adams. “Whoever chose the three stars should be locked out of the press box for the rest of the playoffs."
Team Iceland head coach Herb Brooks agreed that Cheevers was the difference in the third period.
"When they needed the big save, Cheevers was there for him," said Brooks. "He was terrific in the third period of Game 4, and he was even better tonight."
Cheevers wound up with 27 saves on the night.
Georges Vezina made 32 saves, 15 of them coming in the second period.
Kansas City will play the Kenora Thistles in the second round.
"That'll be a really tough series," said Hooley Smith. "They have tremendous speed and skill. But we also have excellent speed. We're going to have to use our speed, aggressiveness and all-round game to limit their chances. We can't afford to get into a run-and-gun game."

Scoring summary:
First period:
1. Conacher (Cowley, Ramage) 4:22
2. Nieuwendyk (Shore, Goodfellow) 8:07
Second period:
3. H. Smith (Malone, Orr) 3:16
4. Conacher (Orr, Tonelli) 11:10
Third period:
5. Simmer (Bathgate, Apps) 3:00

Kansas City 3, Team Iceland 2

Three stars for Game 7:
1. Conacher
2. Shore
3. Orr

The Kansas City Scouts defeated Team Iceland in seven games.

An excellent effort by both teams in this series. Good luck to KC in Round 2. Hopefully Rick Middleton and arrbez will be back in ATD 11.

Three stars for the series:
1. Bobby Orr
2. Eddie Shore
3. Syl Apps/Andy Bathgate

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Thanks for the great writeups GBC. Congrats to Rick and Arrbez for putting together a very strong team. I look forward to the matchup with Papershoes' excellent squad in the subsequent round.

 

[Rick Middleton]

Congrats Pwnasaurus. Best of luck in the next series.

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Congrats Pwnasaurus. Best of luck in the next series.

Ty. I apologize for my drunken co-GM's outburst. Feel free to vote against him in the ATD Football should you feel obliged.