By DAVE CARTER of The Gazette
It was John Ferguson’s 36th birthday yesterday but it was not at all a happy one.
The Rochester Griffins, without leading scorer Rick Dudley, got strong goaltending from Merv Marshall and handed Fergy’s Les Quebecois a 14-11 loss, in the first game of their best-of-seven playoff series.
“We’re a very dull team, but a well balanced team.” said Rochester coach Morley Kells. “If you look at our lines there’s one low draft choice and one high. We picked it so we could have a balanced team, not one with one or two superstars.”
Rochester outshot Montreal 74-36 and without strong goaltending by Ernie Mitchell the score would have been closer to 24-11.
KEPT IT CLOSE
Mitchell held Les Quebecois in it from the beginning, holding the Griffins to only two goals in the first period and shutting them out until the 6:54 mark.
Les Quebecois came out looking strong and roared to a 3-0 lead. Then the Griffins outhustled, outshot and outplayed Montreal for their fifth win of the season in the War Memorial Arena, this one before only 958 fans.
-I thought we played good enough to win.” explained the disappointed Ferguson. “We were very sloppy on loose balls and they had the man advantage six times to our three”
And what Fergy didn’t mention was that the Griffins capitalized on them.
KEPT SHOOTING
They were shooting from even- possible angle — both with the men advantage and without — and Mitchell did everything that could be expected.
They (Rochester! played like a team.” said Mitchell. “I don’t understand. At home we play the break well, but tonight guys were standing around and looking. I’d make a save but whenever I wanted to try a lead pass even-one was yelling at me.”
They were all yelling because they wanted the ball, but it just wasn’t working. One man was standing in the crease — the way Mitchell prefers it — but the other four were just standing around waiting for the pass, yelling “no Ernie no’’ or here Ernie here.”
“We stand around and wait.” said captain John Davis. “But when their goalie stops one, they’re gone, all of them.”
TOP SCORER
Davis, who was the game’s leading scorer with three goals and two assists, also took a stick in the back from one of the Rochester checkers.
“It’s my kidney,’’ he explained. “I’ve hurt it a few times before, but as long as I can dress up, I’ll be out there.”
And despite Les Quebecois’ other problems last night, checking wasn’t one of them. They checked the Griffins’ second-leading scorer Dave Wilfong so well that he only had one shot on net — and that came at the 17-m inute mark of the third period.
Other players came through though. Les Quebecois rallied to tie the game 9-9 in the third after trailing 8-6 but the Griffins didn’t give up.
Instead, they came back and scored three quick goals to pull ahead of the bewildered Quebecois to stay.
Down 13-10 with 1:08 remaining. Ferguson pulled Mitchell. Jim Lynch scored to make it 13-11 but the Griffins came right back with a goal of their own
Leading scorers for Les Quebecois were Davis with three, and Jim Lynch. Dave Litzenberger and Dale MacKenzie with two. Sandy Lynch and Bill Sheehan, scored singles
NOTES – Before 8117 fans in Philadelphia, meanwhile, the Wings defeated the Maryland Arrows 11-10 for the second consecutive night. . .
Fergy recently was talking about how he received his game misconduct in the last game against Philadelphia. They had too many men on the floor: it’s happened so many times to other teams this year and the referee didn’t call it so I called him something.” said Fergy. Well, last night. Les Quebecois were caught with too many men on the floor at 1:25 of the first period and Fergy wasn’t too happy about that either. . .
The Les Quebecois players say tonight will be a different story. To help. Fergy announced a 12:30 curfew. . .
Part-owner Nelson Stoll will not attend tonight’s game, he’s got an important meeting in Bruce Norris’ office this afternoon concerning expansion. Last night, he received a visit from a friend from Long Island where the Toronto Tomahawks will probably move next season.. . .
Rick Dudley, who couldn’t play last night because of a commitment to the NHL Buffalo Sabres, will be back in uniform for tonight’s game.
