1969–70 Minnesota North Stars season



The 1969–70 Minnesota North Stars season was the team's 3rd season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The North Stars finished 3rd in the West Division and lost in the Division Semi-finals to the St. Louis Blues 4 games to 2.

Off-season
GM Wren Blair made two significant trades during the off-season, acquiring Barry Gibbs and Tom Williams from the Boston Bruins for a first round pick and Bob Barlow from the Philadelphia Flyers for cash. Gibbs became one of the North Stars best defensemen for the next six seasons while Williams finished second in team scoring and Barlow ninth during the 1969-70 season.

Regular Season
1969-70 was a break-out season for several North Stars including Lou Nanne, Bill Goldsworthy and J. P. Parisé. Nanne became a regular, played all of his ten seasons for the franchise, and eventually became its coach and general manager. Goldsworthy led the team in 36 goals (6th in the league), while Parise was first in points (8th in the league). After over a decade in the minors, Bob Barlow proved he deserved to be a regular, scoring his first NHL goal and Minnesota's first of the season a little over a minute into their first game on October 11, 1969. He assisted on another as the North Stars defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 with Cesare Maniago earning the shutout.

The North Stars refused to be intimidated by the Flyers and were involved in two melees during the game and another one during their 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers on October 15, 1969. It was a bitter defeat as they had been leading 3-0 after the first period. Leading the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 in the second period on October 16, another melee broke out in which Barry Gibbs was badly cut in a fight with Garry Monahan. Minnesota prevailed 3-2 as goalie Ken Broderick was credited with his first NHL win. The North Stars lost their fourth game of the season to the St. Louis Blues 4-2 as they were badly outshot 35-21. After beating the Chicago Black Hawks on October 19, Minnesota couldn't match Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins on October 22 and lost 3-2. After a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 25, Minnesota continued its success against the original six teams with an impressive 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens on October 29, ending the month with a 4-4-3 record to lead the West Division.

November 1, 1969 saw Minnesota lose 6-3 to Pittsburgh as Michel Brière scored his first NHL goal and then continued their battle against the Flyers on November 2. Two separate melees broke out in the game as the North Stars lost 6-2. After tying the Canadiens 2-2 on November 5, they beat St. Louis 5-2 on November 8, 1969 led by Bill Goldsworthy's first career hat trick. Minnesota had its tamest game of the year against the Flyers on November 12, beating them 4-2 and tied Detroit 2-2 on November 15 on Bob Barlow's slapshot goal on the power play. A two-game slide saw the North Stars lose 4-2 to the Oakland Seals on November 19 and the next night drop a 3-1 decision to the Blues.

Bob Whitlock played the only game of his NHL career on November 22, 1969 in the North Stars 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cesare Maniago stopped 35 shots during the 4-4 tie with Pittsburgh on November 26 but the Toronto Maple Leafs blasted him with 42 shots on November 29 as the North Stars lost 5-2. Minnesota ended the month with an impressive 2-2 tie against the league-leading Rangers behind Fern Rivard's 37 saves and the game-tying goal by J.P. Parise with less than four minutes remaining in the game. The North Stars slipped to second place in the West Division behind St. Louis.

Minnesota continued to show they could hold their own with the "Original Six" teams as they put together a five-game unbeaten streak against them to start December. Ray Cullen had his first career hat trick during the 5-5 tie with Toronto on December 3, and then on December 6 he scored the winner with less than two minutes in the game to defeat Montreal 4-3. During the 2-2 tie with Boston on December 7, 1969, brilliant forechecking by Derek Sanderson gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Excellent goaltending by Cesare Maniago held the North Stars in the game, as they were outshot 44-29. Bob Barlow evened the score with five minutes left and it ended 2-2.

The December 10, 1969 game versus the Black Hawks was a wild one with a combined 90 shots on net. With the score tied 5-5 heading into the third period, Bill Goldsworthy scored the game-winner by knocking a rebound off Tony Esposito out of the air and in. He then added another 11 seconds later and Claude Larose scored short handed, a one-timer as Danny Lawson won a face-off in Chicago's zone, for an 8-5 Minnesota victory. The game was also significant as it was the North Stars' last victory for over a month. In the next nine games, they went 0-4-5, which included an extended Western road trip in which they tied the Los Angeles Kings three times. Minnesota ended 1969 with a 9-13-11 record, still good for third in the West Division.

After a 3-3 tie on January 4, 1970 against the Rangers, during the second period of the January 4 game against the Flyers, Earl Heiskala had a run-in with North Stars goalie Fern Rivard. Both swung their sticks at each other but no penalties were called. Several minutes later, tempers flared by Minnesota's bench and Hieskala and Barry Gibbs fought. Within moments, everyone on the ice was involved, including goalies Rivard and Doug Favell. Punches were traded with the North Stars bench, Hieskala and Gibbs were ejected and the Flyers won 3-1.

Goalie Gilles Gilbert played the first game of his 416-game NHL career on February 8, 1970, losing 6-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. On February 27, 1970, Gump Worsley was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for cash. Worsley went 5-1-1 for Minnesota and solidified a roster spot as the backup to Cesare Maniago for the next four seasons.

The North Stars were battling for a playoff spot with the Oakland Seals and Philadelphia Flyers with six games left in the season. The Flyers held a 5-point lead on the Seals and 6 points on the North Stars. Philadelphia went on a five-game losing streak, including a loss to Oakland. Philadelphia's last game was on April 4, 1970 against Minnesota.

The North Stars and Seals were tied with the Flyers with 58 points and Minnesota had a game in hand. In a very tight defensive game, goalies Bernie Parent and Gump Worsley battled with neither surrendering a goal in the first two periods. Nearly eight minutes into the third period, a soft shot from center ice by Minnesota defenseman Barry Gibbs beat a surprised Parent. Worsley made a incredible save with less than 25 seconds left and the game ended 1-0, clinching a playoff spot for the North Stars and eliminating the Flyers.

Forwards
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Defencemen
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Goaltending
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average

Awards and Records

 * The North Stars did not win any awards this season.

Trivia

 * North Stars who recorded a hat trick this season include:
 * Bill Goldsworthy during the 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on November 8, 1969.
 * Ray Cullen during the 5-5 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 3, 1969.
 * Danny Grant during the 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on January 10, 1970.
 * Ray Cullen during the 6-5 loss to the Boston Bruins on January 29, 1970.
 * Bill Collins during the 8-0 win over Toronto on March 1, 1970.
 * Bill Collins during the 8-3 win over Toronto on March 7, 1970.