“MAYBE ITS ME.” Hinkson admitted, perceptively. “Maybe I’m not able to motivate players. I know I’ve got guys who are not playing for me. We have six-seven players who are working their tails off. ‘Guys like Jimmy Wasson who played his guts out tonight. The rest seem to be along for the joy ride.”
The Wings were on a roller-coaster ride against Boston, falling behind, 13-4, before scoring 10 straight goals while holding the Bolts scoreless for close to 18 minutes. That comeback lasted from midway through the second period until 9:05 of the third period. Wasson scored 2 of his 4 goals and Terry Rowland scored 2 of his 3 during that stretch.
“You can’t play 18 minutes and win games,” Hinkson assessed. “That is all we seem to do. Play 18-20 minutes a night.” Boston put a damper on the Wings comeback retaking the lead and extending it to 18-15 on a Larry Bell goal with only 3:39 to go.
THE LOSS MAGNIFIED several weaknesses. Having long-range scoring threat Larry Lloyd on the bench didn’t help but, according to Long Island Coach Morley Kells, who scouted the game, “Philly’s better shooters just aren’t getting the shots. Last year, Brian Robinson and Larry Lloyd seemed to be getting most of the shots. This year, the ball will move up floor and a guy like Derek Forbes will end up doing the shooting.”
“Another thing,” Kells pointed out, “is that nobody seems to want to take charge on Philly’s lines.” It is evidence to be filed at an autopsy!
“We’re just about out of it. I guess,” said a dejected Collins. “It’s a question of guys on this team not giving 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. Don’t blame the coach. We could have had anybody back there the past seven games and it wouldn’t have mattered.
“We knew what to do. We had been trained for six months to do it. It was up to us. Maybe we should have reevaluated ourselves.”
That kind of group therapy might have strengthened Jim Hinkson’s job security.
WINGING IT: The Wings got a combined 29 saves from Wayne Platt and John Hamilton, who unexpectedly split the game. Hamilton got off to a shaky start and actually pulled himself with 8 minutes, to play in the first period . … Ted Gernaey had 45 saves for the Bolts.