1973–74 Chicago Black Hawks season



The 1973–74 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 48th season in the NHL. The Hawks finished 2nd in the West Division and lost in the Semi-finals to the Boston Bruins 4 games to 2.

Regular Season
Chicago started off the season slow, as they had a 2-4-4 record in their first ten games, however, the club then went on a nine game unbeaten streak to push themselves over the .500 mark. The Hawks would battle with the Philadelphia Flyers all season long for top spot in the West Division, as Chicago would finish the year with a record of 41-14-23, earning 105 points, which was their third highest total in club history. It was not enough though, as the Flyers dethroned the Black Hawks for top spot in the West, as they finished with 112 points. The 14 losses by Chicago was the fewest by the team in one season, while the 23 ties they recorded was a new team record.

Offensively, the Black Hawks were led by Stan Mikita, who had a club high 50 assists and 80 points, while Jim Pappin led the team in goals for the second consecutive season, as he scored 32 goals, and finished with 73 points. Pit Martin had another very solid season, scoring 30 goals and 77 points, while Dennis Hull had 29 goals and 68 points. On defense, Dick Redmond emerged as the offensive leader, scoring 17 goals and 59 points, while Bill White recorded 36 points, while having a team high +51 rating. Phil Russell had 10 goals and 35 points, while having a team high 184 penalty minutes.

In goal, Tony Esposito led the club with 34 victories and a 2.04 GAA, along with ten shutouts while appearing in 70 games. Rookie goaltender Mike Veisor backed up Esposito, going 7-0-2 with a 2.23 GAA in 10 games. Chicago tied the Philadelphia Flyers with the fewest goals against in the league at 164, as both Tony Esposito and the Flyers Bernie Parent would share the Vezina Trophy for their achievements.

As the season progressed, Al Sims was paired more often with Bobby Orr while John Bucyk moved to Esposito's line and Wayne Cashman played with Derek Sanderson and Dave Forbes. After 5-2 and 1-0 wins over Los Angeles and St. Louis, the Bruins played the Black Hawks on January 24 in a signature match between two of the league's powerhouses. Tony Esposito was brilliant and stopped brother Phil on two breakaways in the first period. Pit Martin potted a power play goal off a Dick Redmond rebound and right after Boston failed to convert their only man advantage of the period, Randy Rota raced down the left wing and blasted a low slapshot past Gilbert for a 2-0 lead. Boston pressed in the second period and a brilliant rush by Bobby Orr sent Gregg Sheppard in to cut the lead to 2-1. After Redmond tripped Orr, Derek Sanderson lost his temper with referee Wally Harris for not awarding a penalty shot and was ejected from the game. Boston held Chicago to only 3 shots in both the second and third periods. The Hawks lined up at their blueline every time Orr made a rush and with less than a minute left, Bill White tripped Orr as he skated into Chicago's zone. Harris refused to call a penalty on White and when Orr protested, Harris gave him a game misconduct. Orr had to restrained by his teammates and Harris added a bench minor penalty to the Bruins. Despite widely outshooting the Hawks, the Bruins lost 2-1.

Playoffs
The Hawks opened the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings, who had a record of 33-33-12, earning 78 points, while placing third in the West Division. The series opened with two games at Chicago Stadium, and the Black Hawks used their home ice to their advantage, defeating the Kings 3-1 and 4-1 to take a 2-0 series lead. The series shifted to the The Forum in Los Angeles for the next two games, and the Hawks would continue to shutdown the Kings in the third game, shutting them out 1-0. Los Angeles would avoid the sweep by easily handling the Black Hawks 5-1 to send the series back to Chicago. In the fifth game, the Hawks, led by Tony Esposito, would shutout Los Angeles by a score of 1-0 to eliminate the Kings from the playoffs.

Chicago's next opponent was the Boston Bruins, who had finished the season with a 52-17-9 record, earning 113 points, and a first place finish in the East Division. The Bruins swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. The series opened up with two games at the Boston Garden, but it was Chicago who struck first, doubling the Bruins 4-2 in the series opener. Boston responded in the second game, winning a wild game 8-6 to even the series. The next two games were played in Chicago, and the Black Hawks once again took the series lead, defeating Boston 4-3 in overtime, however, the Bruins once again came back, winning the fourth game 5-2 to even the series once again. The fifth game was back in Boston, and the Bruins took their first series lead, dominating Chicago by a score of 6-2. Boston would clinch the series in the sixth game, winning 4-2 on Chicago ice to eliminate the Black Hawks from the post-season.

Boston Bruins 4, Chicago Black Hawks 2
The Bruins and Black Hawks last met in the 1970 Semi-finals where Boston swept Chicago in four games. This series was closer but Gregg Sheppard continued his excellent playoffs with seven points, John Bucyk led the Bruins with nine points and Phil Esposito continued his scoring prowess over his brother Tony, potting six goals. Gilles Gilbert played every minute of the series in goal for the Bruins.

Game 1 at the Boston Garden saw the Bruins fire 48 shots at Tony Esposito, twice as many as the Black Hawks mustered. After Phil Esposito scored on the power play 6:40 into the first period, a fight broke out between Darryl Edestrand and Cliff Koroll. Play grew rougher until Carol Vadnais and Dale Tallon fought. In the second period, Boston had chance after chance that was foiled by Tony Esposito while Stan Mikita and Darcy Rota put the Hawks up 2-1. In the third period, Edestrand tied the game up and overtime loomed until John Marks scored with a little over three minutes to play. Dennis Hull added an empty net goal and thanks to Tony's superlative goaltending, the Black Hawks upset the Bruins 4-2.

Game 2 at Boston was a wild, high-scoring affair where the lead constantly changed hands. John Bucyk scored twice on the power play in the first period, answered by Darcy Rota and Dale Tallon. Early in the second period, Terry O'Reilly staked Boston to a 3-2 lead until Dennis Hull and Germain Gagnon scored. Bucyk scored on the power play again, completing a hat trick and sending the game into the third period tied 3-3. All three of Bucyk's goals were assisted by Bobby Orr and Carol Vadnais. In the third, Phil Esposito and Hull traded goals before the Bruins took the lead for good as Bobby Schmautz, Don Marcotte and Gregg Sheppard scored. John Marks got one back for the Black Hawks but Gilles Gilbert shut the door as Boston won 8-6 and tied the series at a game apiece.

Game 3 at the Chicago Stadium was the closest game of the series with both team's capitalizing on the man advantage. On the power play, Carol Vadnais scored the only goal of the first period, poking in a loose puck in the crease. 3:09 into the second period, Bill White countered with his own power play marker, blasting a shot along the ice between Gilbert's pads. Gregg Sheppard put the Bruins up 2-1 with his sixth goal of the post season, banging in a rebound off the end boards. In the third period, Ken Hodge added to Boston's lead with Dale Tallon in the penalty box, sliding in a rebound off a Phil Esposito shot. Stan Mikita cut the lead on the power play with a low shot just inside the left post. In the last minute, Mikita tied the game with Tony Esposito pulled for an extra attacker, banking a shot in off Gilbert's pad. In overtime, Bill White found Jim Pappin uncovered at the left post and he one-timed a shot in as the Black Hawks took a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4 at Chicago saw the Bruins play an excellent defensive game in which they held the Black Hawks to under ten shots in each period. Pit Martin opened the scoring before Gregg Sheppard and Ken Hodge gave Boston the lead. In the second period, Phil Esposito scored the game winner on a breakaway after an excellent pass from Hodge. André Savard padded the Bruins lead before Keith Magnuson scored. Late in the period, Phil Esposito fought with Phil Russell. In the third period, Boston choked off Chicago's attacking attempts and Wayne Cashman scored an empty net goal as the Bruins won 5-2 and tied the series at two games apiece.

Game 5 at Boston saw a close-checking first period in which John Bucyk scored the only goal, banking in a low shot off the right post. However, the Bruins broke the game open in the second period, scoring three goal in the first 3:35. Bucyk scored his second of the game on a breakaway, flicking a shot past Tony Esposito's blocker. Phil Esposito scored his fifth of the playoffs, a high shot over Tony's blocker after Ken Hodge dug the puck out from the corner. Dallas Smith then blasted a high shot from the point over Tony's catching glove. Cliff Koroll responded before Esposito scored his second from the slot and Gregg Sheppard added his eighth goal of the post season, blasting a Schmautz pass off the right post and in. Tony Esposito was pulled to start the third period and Mike Veisor played his second NHL playoff game. Veisor shut out the Bruins the rest of the game and though Pit Martin scored, the damage was done as the Bruins won 6-2.

Game 6 at Chicago saw Tony Esposito back in the net for the Black Hawks, who played with desperation and were rewarded with a first period goal by Cliff Koroll. The Bruins took over in the second period and the third line came through with Don Marcotte scoring twice. In the third period at 4:18, Len Frig tied the game up on the power play. The game tightened until stalwart Black Hawks defenseman Bill White took a minor penalty and a misconduct with eight minutes to go in the game. Deprived of White's services, Gregg Sheppard scored his ninth goal of the playoffs with less than two minutes to play. Tony Esposito was pulled for an extra attacker but Bobby Orr retrieved a Chicago dump-in and sent Phil Esposito on a breakaway for an empty net goal. The Bruins won 4-2 and took the series by the same score.

Draft Picks
Chicago's draft picks at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, Quebec.