1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders season

1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders

Division

2nd East

1972–73 record

43–32–3

Goals for

287

Goals against

239

Team information

Coach

Bill Needham

Arena

Cleveland Arena

Team leaders

1973–74>

The 1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders season was the first season of operation of the new Cleveland Crusaders in the new World Hockey Association. The team qualified for the playoffs and won its first series, before losing in the Division semi-final.

Regular season

Final standings

Eastern Division
	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
New England Whalers	78	46	30	2	318	263	858	94
Cleveland Crusaders	78	43	32	3	287	239	1095	89
Philadelphia Blazers	78	38	40	0	288	305	1260	76
Ottawa Nationals	78	35	39	4	279	301	1067	74
Quebec Nordiques	78	33	40	5	276	313	1354	71
New York Raiders	78	33	43	2	303	334	900	68

Game log

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

^[1]

Player stats

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Buchanan, RonRon Buchanan	C	75	37	44	81	20	6	0	5
Jarrett, GaryGary Jarrett	LW	77	40	39	79	79	8	0	7
Wiste, JimJim Wiste	C	70	28	43	71	24	4	0	3
Pinder, GerryGerry Pinder	LW	78	30	36	66	121	7	3	3
Andrea, PaulPaul Andrea	RW	66	21	30	51	12	7	0	0
Hardy, JoeJoe Hardy	C	72	17	33	50	80	1	0	0
Shmyr, PaulPaul Shmyr	D	73	5	43	48	169	0	1	0
Clearwater, RayRay Clearwater	D	78	11	36	47	41	1	0	0
Erickson, GrantGrant Erickson	LW	77	15	29	44	23	2	1	0
Pumple, RichRich Pumple	LW	77	21	20	41	45	5	0	0
Hodgson, TedTed Hodgson	RW	74	15	23	38	93	2	0	0
Brindley, DougDoug Brindley	LW/C	73	15	11	26	6	2	0	0
Hanna, JohnJohn Hanna	D	66	6	20	26	68	3	0	0
Krake, SkipSkip Krake	C	26	9	10	19	61	2	0	0
Horton, BillBill Horton	D	74	2	17	19	55	0	0	0
Dillabough, BobBob Dillabough	C	72	8	8	16	8	1	6	0
Muloin, WayneWayne Muloin	D	67	2	13	15	62	0	0	0
Hopiavuori, RalphRalph Hopiavuori	D	29	4	5	9	44	0	0	0
McMasters, JimJim McMasters	D	74	1	7	8	37	0	0	0
Rycroft, AlAl Rycroft	RW	7	0	2	2	0	0	0	0
Cheevers, GerryGerry Cheevers	G	52	0	1	1	30	0	0	0
Whidden, BobBob Whidden	G	26	0	0	0	5	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Cheevers, GerryGerry Cheevers	3144	52	32	20	0	149	2.84	5
Whidden, BobBob Whidden	1609	26	11	12	3	88	3.28	0
Team:	4753	78	43	32	3	237	2.99	5

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Jarrett, GaryGary Jarrett	LW	9	8	3	11	19	3	0	1
Wiste, JimJim Wiste	C	9	3	8	11	13	1	0	1
Pinder, GerryGerry Pinder	LW	9	2	9	11	30	1	0	0
Buchanan, RonRon Buchanan	C	9	7	3	10	0	1	0	1
Andrea, PaulPaul Andrea	RW	9	2	8	10	2	1	0	0
Pumple, RichRich Pumple	LW	9	3	5	8	11	1	0	0
Hodgson, TedTed Hodgson	RW	9	1	3	4	13	1	0	0
Muloin, WayneWayne Muloin	D	9	1	3	4	14	0	0	0
Shmyr, PaulPaul Shmyr	D	8	1	3	4	19	0	0	0
Erickson, GrantGrant Erickson	LW	9	2	1	3	2	0	0	1
Clearwater, RayRay Clearwater	D	9	1	2	3	8	0	0	0
Krake, SkipSkip Krake	C	9	1	2	3	27	0	0	1
Hardy, JoeJoe Hardy	C	7	0	2	2	0	0	0	0
Dillabough, BobBob Dillabough	C	9	1	0	1	0	0	1	0
Hopiavuori, RalphRalph Hopiavuori	D	8	0	1	1	6	0	0	0
Horton, BillBill Horton	D	9	0	1	1	10	0	0	0
McMasters, JimJim McMasters	D	9	0	1	1	6	0	0	0
Ball, BlakeBlake Ball	D	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brindley, DougDoug Brindley	LW/C	9	0	0	0	6	0	0	0
Cheevers, GerryGerry Cheevers	G	9	0	0	0	4	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
Cheevers, GerryGerry Cheevers	548	9	5	4	22	2.41	0
Team:	548	9	5	4	22	2.41	0

^[2]

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;

References

↑ "1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
↑ "1972-73 Cleveland Crusaders Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-06-30.

External links

1972–73 WHA season

Eastern Division	Cleveland New England New York Ottawa Philadelphia Quebec

Western Division	Alberta Chicago Houston Los Angeles Minnesota Winnipeg

See also	Draft

1972–73 Cleveland Crusaders season

Regular season

Final standings

Game log

Player stats

See also

References

External links