1972–73 Houston Aeros season

The 1972–73 Houston Aeros season was the Houston Aeros first season of operation in the newly created World Hockey Association (WHA).[1][2]

1972–73 Houston Aeros (WHA)
Division	2nd Western
1972–73 record	39–35–4
Home record	24–16–1
Road record	15–19–3
Goals for	284
Goals against	269
Team information
General manager	James S. Smith
Coach	Bill Dineen
Captain	Ted Taylor
Alternate captains	Poul Popiel Gord Labossiere Keke Mortson (unconfirmed)
Arena	Sam Houston Coliseum
Average attendance	4,616 (49.6%)
Team leaders
Goals	Gord Labossiere (36)
Assists	Gord Labossiere (60)
Points	Gord Labossiere (96)
Penalty minutes	John Schella (239)
Wins	Wayne Rutledge (21)
Goals against average	Wayne Rutledge (2.96)

Regular season

Final standings

Western Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
Winnipeg Jets	78	43	31	4	285	249	757	90
Houston Aeros	78	39	35	4	284	269	1363	82
Los Angeles Sharks	78	37	35	6	259	250	1477	80
Minnesota Fighting Saints	78	38	37	3	250	269	843	79
Alberta Oilers	78	38	37	3	269	256	1134	79
Chicago Cougars	78	26	50	2	245	295	811	54

Game log

Regular season schedule
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	W	October 12, 1972	3–2	Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	1–0–0
2	W	October 13, 1972	3–2	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	2–0–0
3	L	October 15, 1972	1–5	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	2–1–0
4	L	October 18, 1972	1–4	New England Whalers (1972–73)	2–2–0
5	W	October 19, 1972	5–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	3–2–0
6	L	October 21, 1972	2–3	@ New York Raiders (1972–73)	3–3–0
7	L	October 24, 1972	3–5	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	3–4–0
8	W	October 26, 1972	7–3	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	4–4–0
9	L	October 29, 1972	3–5	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	4–5–0
10	W	October 31, 1972	4–3	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	5–5–0
11	L	November 3, 1972	3–4	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	5–6–0
12	L	November 5, 1972	0–4	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	5–7–0
13	W	November 7, 1972	3–2	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	6–7–0
14	L	November 11, 1972	1–3	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	6–8–0
15	T	November 13, 1972	4–4	@ New England Whalers (1972–73)	6–8–1
16	L	November 15, 1972	4–6	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	6–9–1
17	W	November 19, 1972	4–2	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	7–9–1
18	L	November 21, 1972	2–4	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	7–10–1
19	W	November 23, 1972	6–5 OT	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	8–10–1
20	W	November 25, 1972	3–1	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	9–10–1
21	W	November 28, 1972	3–1	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	10–10–1
22	L	November 30, 1972	3–6	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	10–11–1
23	W	December 2, 1972	7–2	@ New York Raiders (1972–73)	11–11–1
24	L	December 3, 1972	4–5	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	11–12–1
25	L	December 5, 1972	4–6	New York Raiders (1972–73)	11–13–1
26	L	December 7, 1972	0–3	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	11–14–1
27	L	December 8, 1972	2–6	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	11–15–1
28	W	December 12, 1972	6–4	Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	12–15–1
29	L	December 13, 1972	2–3	Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	12–16–1
30	W	December 15, 1972	3–2	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	13–16–1
31	T	December 17, 1972	4–4	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	13–16–2
32	W	December 19, 1972	7–5	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	14–16–2
33	W	December 23, 1972	7–3	Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	15–16–2
34	T	December 26, 1972	3–3	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	15–16–3
35	W	December 29, 1972	4–2	@ New England Whalers (1972–73)	16–16–3
36	L	December 30, 1972	3–4 OT	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	16–17–3
37	T	January 1, 1973	4–4	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	16–17–4
38	W	January 9, 1973	7–5	New England Whalers (1972–73)	17–17–4
39	W	January 11, 1973	5–0	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	18–17–4
40	W	January 13, 1973	6–2	Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	19–17–4
41	W	January 15, 1973	5–4	Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	20–17–4
42	L	January 17, 1973	0–5	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	20–18–4
43	W	January 18, 1973	8–3	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	21–18–4
44	W	January 20, 1973	4–3	@ Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	22–18–4
45	W	January 21, 1973	5–2	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	23–18–4
46	W	January 23, 1973	11–3	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	24–18–4
47	W	January 25, 1973	5–2	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	25–18–4
48	W	January 28, 1973	4–3	Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	26–18–4
49	L	January 30, 1973	2–5	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	26–19–4
50	L	February 1, 1973	4–5 OT	New England Whalers (1972–73)	26–20–4
51	W	February 3, 1973	7–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	27–20–4
52	L	February 5, 1973	3–6	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	27–21–4
53	W	February 7, 1973	5–2	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	28–21–4
54	L	February 8, 1973	1–3	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	28–22–4
55	L	February 10, 1973	0–3	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73)	28–23–4
56	L	February 13, 1973	3–5	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	28–24–4
57	W	February 15, 1973	5–3	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	29–24–4
58	L	February 16, 1973	0–7	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	29–25–4
59	L	February 18, 1973	2–4	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73)	29–26–4
60	W	February 22, 1973	4–1	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	30–26–4
61	W	February 25, 1973	4–1	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	31–26–4
62	W	February 27, 1973	5–4	Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	32–26–4
63	W	February 28, 1973	3–2 OT	Alberta Oilers (1972–73)	33–26–4
64	L	March 3, 1973	3–4	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	33–27–4
65	L	March 4, 1973	3–6	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	33–28–4
66	W	March 7, 1973	3–1	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	34–28–4
67	L	March 9, 1973	1–5	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73)	34–29–4
68	W	March 11, 1973	4–2	@ Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	35–29–4
69	L	March 13, 1973	3–4	@ Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	35–30–4
70	L	March 14, 1973	1–5	@ New York Raiders (1972–73)	35–31–4
71	L	March 18, 1973	2–3 OT	New York Raiders (1972–73)	35–32–4
72	W	March 19, 1973	5–1	Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	36–32–4
73	L	March 21, 1973	3–7	Philadelphia Blazers (1972–73)	36–33–4
74	L	March 25, 1973	2–4	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73)	36–34–4
75	W	March 27, 1973	6–1	@ New England Whalers (1972–73)	37–34–4
76	W	March 29, 1973	5–3	New York Raiders (1972–73)	38–34–4
77	L	March 31, 1973	1–5	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73)	38–35–4
78	W	April 1, 1973	6–3	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73)	39–35–4

[3]

Playoffs

Houston Aeros 4, Los Angeles Sharks 2 - Semifinals

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 5	Los Angeles Sharks	2–7	Houston Aeros	1–0
2	April 7	Los Angeles Sharks	4–2	Houston Aeros	1–1
3	April 11	Houston Aeros	2–3	Los Angeles Sharks	1–2
4	April 13	Houston Aeros	3–2 OT	Los Angeles Sharks	2–2
5	April 15	Los Angeles Sharks	3–6	Houston Aeros	3–2
6	April 17	Houston Aeros	3–2	Los Angeles Sharks	4–2

Winnipeg Jets 4, Houston Aeros 0 - Division Finals

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 22	Houston Aeros	1–5	Winnipeg Jets	0–1
2	April 24	Houston Aeros	0–2	Winnipeg Jets	0–2
3	April 26	Winnipeg Jets	2–4	Houston Aeros	0–3
4	April 29	Winnipeg Jets	0–3	Houston Aeros	0–4

Player stats

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG Gord Labossiere C 78 36 60 96 56 0 10 0 1 Ted Taylor LW 73 34 42 76 103 0 5 1 4 Murray Hall RW 76 28 42 70 84 0 7 2 7 Larry Lund C 77 21 45 66 120 0 4 0 2 Poul Popiel D 73 16 48 64 158 0 5 0 2 Don Grierson RW 78 22 22 44 83 0 5 0 0 Duke Harris RW 75 30 12 42 14 0 4 5 0 Frank Hughes LW 77 22 19 41 41 0 4 0 0 Brian McDonald C 71 20 20 40 78 0 0 0 0 Ed Hoekstra C 78 11 28 39 12 0 0 1 0 Larry Hale D 68 4 26 30 65 0 0 0 0 Cleland Mortson RW 67 13 16 29 95 0 2 0 0 Dunc McCallum D 69 9 20 29 112 0 2 0 0 John Schella D 77 2 24 26 239 0 0 1 0 Jack Stanfield LW 71 8 12 20 8 0 0 0 0 Brian Smith LW 48 7 6 13 19 0 2 0 0 Ray Larose D 68 1 10 11 25 0 0 0 0 Gord Kannegiesser D 45 0 10 10 32 0 0 0 0 Bill Prentice D 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Bill Hughes G 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Don McLeod G 41 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 Wayne Rutledge G 36 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO Wayne Rutledge 2163 36 20 14 2 110 3.05 0 Don McLeod 2410 41 19 20 1 143 3.56 1 Bill Hughes 170 3 0 1 1 11 3.88 0 Team: 4743 78 39 35 4 264 3.34 1

Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG Poul Popiel D 10 2 9 11 23 1 0 0 Larry Lund C 10 3 7 10 24 0 0 1 Murray Hall RW 10 4 4 8 18 2 0 2 Frank Hughes LW 10 4 4 8 2 3 0 0 Dunc McCallum D 10 2 3 5 6 1 0 0 Gord Labossiere C 6 1 4 5 8 1 0 0 Ted Taylor LW 10 3 1 4 10 1 0 1 Brian McDonald C 10 3 0 3 16 0 0 0 Larry Hale D 10 1 2 3 2 0 0 0 Ed Hoekstra C 9 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 Cleland Mortson RW 10 0 3 3 16 0 0 0 Duke Harris RW 10 1 1 2 4 0 1 0 John Schella D 10 0 2 2 12 0 0 0 Brian Smith LW 10 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 Jack Stanfield LW 9 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Gord Kannegiesser D 9 0 1 1 11 0 0 0 Don Grierson RW 3 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 Don McLeod G 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wayne Rutledge G 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO Wayne Rutledge 423 7 4 3 20 2.84 0 Don McLeod 178 3 0 3 8 2.70 0 Team: 601 10 4 6 28 2.80 0

[4]

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

See also

• 1972–73 WHA season

References

1. World Hockey Association (1972). WHA 1972-73 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
2. World Hockey Association (1973). WHA 1973-74 Media Guide. World Hockey Association.
3. "1972–73 Houston Aeros Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
4. "1972-73 Houston Aeros Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-29.

External links