21st National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 21st National Hockey League All-Star Game was played on January 16, 1968 in Toronto . The game took place in Maple Leaf Gardens , home of the Stanley Cup winners Toronto Maple Leafs . The Maple Leafs managed a narrow 4-3 victory over the NHL All-Stars in front of 15,753 spectators.
Before the game, it was determined that it would be the final NHL duel between the reigning Stanley Cup champion and a selection of the best NHL players. NHL President Clarence Campbell stated that in the future the Western and Eastern Conferences should play against each other and that there should be no fixed location for the All-Star Games. The 21st All-Star Game was also the last in which the players from the previous year were selected for the match.
Tragic death of Bill Masterton
The game took place in a gloomy mood as Bill Masterton , a Minnesota North Stars player , was checked by two Oakland Seals players on the ice, resulting in his head hitting the ice and death in the hospital the next day.
Immediately after this incident, a general discussion arose as to whether the ice hockey players should wear helmets in the future or whether they could continue to play without them as before. One of the top players of the 1960s, Gordie Howe , didn't want to wear a helmet but wanted to recommend it to the next generation of players. Bobby Hull, on the other hand, was seriously considering playing with a helmet in the future. During the game, however, only two players wore a helmet - JC Tremblay , who had been wearing one all season anyway, and Brian Conacher - in response to Masterton's death.
During the all-star game, it was proposed to introduce a trophy in memory of Masterton. Since the end of 1968, the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy has been awarded annually to the player who best embodies passion and fairness.
particularities
For the first time, a player played for Toronto in the All-Star Game with Al Smith who had no professional appearance for the Maple Leafs in the previous year because regular goalie Johnny Bower was injured and could not play.
Despite the subdued mood, Toronto's coach Punch Imlach celebrated his silver wedding anniversary on the night of the All-Star Games.
The teams
Course of the game
Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 NHL All-Stars
team | time | was standing | scorer | Submitter | Submitter |
1st third | |||||
5:56 | 1–0 | Murray Oliver | Frank Mahovlich | Larry Hillman | |
19:53 | 1-1 | Stan Mikita | Bobby Hull | Jean-Claude Tremblay | |
2nd third | |||||
20:35 | 1-2 | Kenny Wharram | Stan Mikita | ||
27:56 | 2–2 | Allan Stanley | Pete Stemkowski | Wayne Carleton | |
36:36 | 3–2 | Pete Stemkowski | Wayne Carleton | Duane Rupp | |
3rd third | |||||
43:31 | 4-2 | Ron Ellis | Frank Mahovlich | Larry Hillman | |
48:23 | 4-3 | Norm Ullman | Gordie Howe | Bobby Orr |
Referee: Bill Friday
Linesmen: Brent Casselman, Pat Shetler
Spectators: 15,753