1973–74 Chicago Cougars season

1973–74 Chicago Cougars
Division	4th Eastern
1973–74 record	38–35–5
Home record	23-13-3
Road record	15-22-2
Goals for	271
Goals against	273
Team Information
General Manager	Jacques Demers
Coach	Pat Stapleton
Alternate captains	Dick Proceviat Bob Sicinski Rosaire Paiement Reg Fleming
Arena	International Amphitheatre Randhurst Ice Arena
Average attendance	4,924 (54.7%)
Team Leaders
Goals	Ralph Backstrom (33)
Assists	Pat Stapleton (52)
Points	Ralph Backstrom (83)
Penalties in minutes	Larry Mavety (157)
Wins	Cam Newton (25)
Goals against average	Cam Newton (3.14)

<1972–73

1974–75>

The 1973–74 Chicago Cougars season was the Cougars' 2nd season in the WHA. The Cougars finished 4th in the East Division and lost in the Avco Cup Finals to the Houston Aeros 4 games to 0.

Off-season

Dunc McCallum and Bob Liddington's 1973-74 jerseys.

The Cougars jersey was the same design as in the 1972-73 season except for the addition of outlining to the numbers.

Regular Season

Final Standings

Eastern Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PIM	Pts
New England Whalers	78	43	31	4	291	260	875	90
Toronto Toros	78	41	33	4	304	272	871	86
Cleveland Crusaders	78	37	32	9	266	264	1007	83
Chicago Cougars	78	38	35	5	271	273	1041	81
Quebec Nordiques	78	38	36	4	306	280	909	80
NY Golden Blades / NJ Knights	78	32	42	4	268	313	933	68

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties Minutes, Pts = Points
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Game Log

Regular Season Results
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	T	October 7, 1973	4–4	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	0–0–1
2	W	October 11, 1973	4–3	@ New York Golden Blades (1973–74)	1–0–1
3	L	October 13, 1973	4–6	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	1–1–1
4	L	October 14, 1973	2–3 OT	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	1–2–1
5	W	October 18, 1973	7–2	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	2–2–1
6	L	October 20, 1973	3–4	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	2–3–1
7	L	October 21, 1973	1–4	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	2–4–1
8	W	October 25, 1973	4–2	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	3–4–1
9	W	October 28, 1973	3–2	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	4–4–1
10	W	October 30, 1973	4–1	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	5–4–1
11	W	November 3, 1973	7–4	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	6–4–1
12	W	November 6, 1973	5–4 OT	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	7–4–1
13	W	November 10, 1973	3–2	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	8–4–1
14	L	November 13, 1973	2–5	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	8–5–1
15	W	November 15, 1973	3–2	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	9–5–1
16	W	November 17, 1973	5–2	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	10–5–1
17	L	November 18, 1973	3–5	@ New York Golden Blades (1973–74)	10–6–1
18	W	November 22, 1973	4–3	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	11–6–1
19	L	November 24, 1973	3–5	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	11–7–1
20	L	December 1, 1973	4–5 OT	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	11–8–1
21	L	December 2, 1973	3–4	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	11–9–1
22	L	December 4, 1973	0–2	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	11–10–1
23	L	December 8, 1973	1–3	New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	11–11–1
24	L	December 9, 1973	1–6	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	11–12–1
25	L	December 11, 1973	3–5	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	11–13–1
26	W	December 15, 1973	5–2	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	12–13–1
27	W	December 16, 1973	3–2	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	13–13–1
28	T	December 18, 1973	3–3	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	13–13–2
29	L	December 21, 1973	1–5	@ New York Golden Blades/New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	13–14–2
30	W	December 23, 1973	6–5	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	14–14–2
31	L	December 26, 1973	2–4	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	14–15–2
32	W	December 28, 1973	6–4	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	15–15–2
33	L	December 29, 1973	0–3	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	15–16–2
34	W	December 30, 1973	5–3	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	16–16–2
35	W	January 1, 1974	5–4	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	17–16–2
36	L	January 5, 1974	5–6	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	17–17–2
37	L	January 6, 1974	0–4	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	17–18–2
38	T	January 8, 1974	0–0	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	17–18–3
39	L	January 13, 1974	1–3	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	17–19–3
40	W	January 17, 1974	5–2	@ New England Whalers (1973–74)	18–19–3
41	W	January 19, 1974	5–2	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	19–19–3
42	W	January 22, 1974	5–3	New England Whalers (1973–74)	20–19–3
43	L	January 25, 1974	2–6	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	20–20–3
44	W	January 30, 1974	4–2	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	21–20–3
45	L	February 1, 1974	2–3	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	21–21–3
46	L	February 3, 1974	2–4	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	21–22–3
47	W	February 5, 1974	3–1	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	22–22–3
48	L	February 6, 1974	2–7	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	22–23–3
49	W	February 9, 1974	5–2	New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	23–23–3
50	W	February 10, 1974	4–2	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	24–23–3
51	W	February 12, 1974	3–2	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	25–23–3
52	L	February 14, 1974	3–5	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	25–24–3
53	L	February 16, 1974	4–5	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	25–25–3
54	L	February 17, 1974	5–6	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	25–26–3
55	L	February 18, 1974	3–4	@ New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	25–27–3
56	W	February 21, 1974	5–4	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	26–27–3
57	L	February 23, 1974	0–3	New England Whalers (1973–74)	26–28–3
58	L	February 24, 1974	1–3	@ Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	26–29–3
59	W	February 26, 1974	4–2	Los Angeles Sharks (1973–74)	27–29–3
60	L	February 28, 1974	4–9	Houston Aeros (1973–74)	27–30–3
61	W	March 1, 1974	7–4	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	28–30–3
62	L	March 3, 1974	4–5	Toronto Toros (1973–74)	28–31–3
63	L	March 5, 1974	2–3	New England Whalers (1973–74)	28–32–3
64	W	March 7, 1974	3–2	@ Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	29–32–3
65	W	March 9, 1974	5–4 OT	Winnipeg Jets (1973–74)	30–32–3
66	W	March 12, 1974	5–3	New England Whalers (1973–74)	31–32–3
67	W	March 14, 1974	7–4	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1973–74)	32–32–3
68	W	March 16, 1974	4–3 OT	Quebec Nordiques (1973–74)	33–32–3
69	W	March 17, 1974	4–2	@ Toronto Toros (1973–74)	34–32–3
70	L	March 19, 1974	4–7	Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	34–33–3
71	T	March 21, 1974	5–5	Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	34–33–4
72	W	March 23, 1974	4–1	New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	35–33–4
73	T	March 24, 1974	3–3	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1973–74)	35–33–5
74	W	March 26, 1974	4–2	Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	36–33–5
75	W	March 29, 1974	5–2	@ Vancouver Blazers (1973–74)	37–33–5
76	L	March 31, 1974	1–4	@ Edmonton Oilers (1973–74)	37–34–5
77	W	April 2, 1974	7–3	New Jersey Knights (1973–74)	38–34–5
78	L	April 3, 1974	1–3	@ Houston Aeros (1973–74)	38–35–5

Playoffs

The International Amphitheatre was unavailable for the second round because it had booked a production of Peter Pan, featuring former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby in the title role. Though the team did negotiate for use of Chicago Stadium, the home of the rival Chicago Black Hawks of the NHL and the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls, it too was unavailable because both those teams were playing in their own playoffs. The team briefly considered playing the matches at the Cleveland Arena before deciding to go to stay in Illinois at a public skating rink, the Randhurst Ice Arena, adjacent to Mount Prospect's Randhurst Mall. Though the arena could only hold 2000 spectators, the team played its three home matches of the series in Randhurst.

Chicago Cougars 4, New England Whalers 3

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 6	Chicago Cougars	4 – 6	New England Whalers	0–1
2	April 7	Chicago Cougars	3 – 4 OT	New England Whalers	0–2
3	April 9	New England Whalers	6 – 8	Chicago Cougars	1–2
4	April 10	New England Whalers	1 – 2 OT	Chicago Cougars	2–2
5	April 12	Chicago Cougars	4 – 2	New England Whalers	2–3
6	April 14	New England Whalers	2 – 0	Chicago Cougars	3–3
7	April 16	Chicago Cougars	3 – 2	New England Whalers	4–3

Chicago Cougars 4, Toronto Toros 3

Darryl Maggs scores on Gilles Gratton, 1974 Semi-finals Game 7, May 4, 1974.

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 19	Chicago Cougars	4–6	Toronto Toros	1-0
2	April 22	Chicago Cougars	4–3	Toronto Toros	1-1
3	April 28	Toronto Toros	2–3	Chicago Cougars	1-2
4	April 30	Toronto Toros	7–6	Chicago Cougars	2-2
5	May 1	Chicago Cougars	3–5	Toronto Toros	3-2
6	May 4	Toronto Toros	2–9	Chicago Cougars	3-3
7	May 6	Chicago Cougars	5–2	Toronto Toros	3-4

Houston Aeros 4, Chicago Cougars 0

Larry Lund scores the sixth Aeros goal, Game 4 of the 1974 Avco World Trophy Finals, May 19, 1974.

When the Cougars won their series versus Toronto, the Peter Pan show had moved on, and the International Amphitheatre should have been available. However, the Amphitheatre had a portable ice surface. For reasons that were never stated, the Amphitheatre staff decided the hockey season was over so uncovered and dismantled the copper pipes used to chill the ice. The Cougars had no choice but to return to the Randhurst Ice Arena, a 2,000 seat public skating rink, for the Finals. The Cougars never quite recovered from the public relations disaster. One sports reporter had quipped, "The Cougars were beaten by the greatest lightweight of them all - Peter Pan."

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	May 12	Houston Aeros	3–2	Chicago Cougars	1–0
2	May 15	Houston Aeros	6–1	Chicago Cougars	2–0
3	May 17	Chicago Cougars	4–7	Houston Aeros	3–0
4	May 19	Chicago Cougars	2–6	Houston Aeros	4–0

Player Stats

Regular Season
Scoring
# Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG 14 Backstrom, RalphRalph Backstrom C 78 33 50 83 26 0 6 2 8 9 Paiement, RosaireRosaire Paiement C 78 30 43 73 87 0 7 0 3 25 Hardy, JoeJoe Hardy C 77 24 35 59 55 0 4 0 2 12 Stapleton, PatPat Stapleton D 78 6 52 58 44 0 2 1 0 21 Mavety, LarryLarry Mavety D 77 15 36 51 157 0 4 0 4 7 Liddington, BobBob Liddington LW 73 26 21 47 20 0 4 1 2 17 Sicinski, BobBob Sicinski C 69 11 29 40 8 0 1 0 1 19 Popiel, JanJan Popiel LW 63 22 17 39 36 0 6 0 4 16 Whitlock, BobBob Whitlock C 52 16 19 35 26 0 6 1 2 10 Morris, RickRick Morris LW 76 17 16 33 140 0 1 0 2 20 Harris, DukeDuke Harris RW 64 14 16 30 20 0 3 0 1 4 Maggs, DarylDaryl Maggs D 78 8 22 30 148 0 0 0 1 23 Rochon, FrankFrank Rochon LW 69 12 11 23 27 0 1 0 1 3 Proceviat, DickDick Proceviat D 77 2 20 22 55 0 0 0 1 8 Zaine, RodRod Zaine C 77 5 13 18 17 0 0 1 0 6 Fleming, ReggieReggie Fleming D/LW 45 2 12 14 49 0 1 0 2 11 Coates, BrianBrian Coates LW 50 10 3 13 14 0 0 1 1 22 Benzelock, JimJim Benzelock RW 53 6 7 13 19 0 0 0 0 Gordon, DonDon Gordon RW 23 5 4 9 9 0 3 0 0 15 Nesterenko, EricEric Nesterenko RW 29 2 5 7 8 0 1 0 0 24 Glenwright, BrianBrian Glenwright LW 15 3 2 5 0 0 0 0 1 5 Watson, JimJim Watson D 23 0 5 5 22 0 0 0 0 2 Shmyr, JohnJohn Shmyr D 43 1 3 4 13 0 0 0 1 Rombough, LorneLorne Rombough LW 3 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 18 Brackenbury, CurtCurt Brackenbury RW 4 0 1 1 11 0 0 0 0 6 Connelly, GaryGary Connelly RW 4 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 Walter, DaveDave Walter C 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 30 Newton, CamCam Newton G 45 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Forey, ConnieConnie Forey LW 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jones, JimJim Jones D 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 MacKenzie, AlAl MacKenzie D 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 F. Anderson, RonRon F. Anderson D 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Cahan, LarryLarry Cahan D 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 Gill, AndreAndre Gill G 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 Coutu, RichRich Coutu G 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO Newton, CamCam Newton 2732 45 25 18 2 143 3.14 1 Coutu, RichRich Coutu 1207 20 9 10 1 75 3.73 0 Gill, AndreAndre Gill 803 13 4 7 2 46 3.44 0 Team: 4742 78 38 35 5 264 3.34 1

Playoffs
Scoring
# Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG 14 Backstrom, RalphRalph Backstrom C 18 5 14 19 4 0 0 1 9 Paiement, RosaireRosaire Paiement C 18 9 6 15 16 0 0 2 17 Sicinski, BobBob Sicinski C 18 6 8 14 0 0 0 2 19 Popiel, JanJan Popiel LW 18 8 5 13 12 0 0 1 12 Stapleton, PatPat Stapleton D 12 0 13 13 36 0 0 0 20 Harris, DukeDuke Harris RW 18 6 6 12 2 0 0 0 Gordon, DonDon Gordon RW 18 4 8 12 4 0 0 0 25 Hardy, JoeJoe Hardy C 17 4 8 12 13 0 0 0 21 Mavety, LarryLarry Mavety D 18 4 8 12 46 0 0 1 7 Liddington, BobBob Liddington LW 18 6 5 11 11 0 0 0 4 Maggs, DarylDaryl Maggs D 18 3 5 8 71 0 0 0 10 Morris, RickRick Morris LW 18 4 3 7 42 0 0 0 5 Watson, JimJim Watson D 18 2 3 5 18 0 0 0 22 Benzelock, JimJim Benzelock RW 18 2 2 4 36 0 0 0 6 Fleming, ReggieReggie Fleming D/LW 12 0 4 4 12 0 0 0 3 Proceviat, DickDick Proceviat D 13 0 4 4 10 0 0 0 23 Rochon, FrankFrank Rochon LW 9 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 8 Zaine, RodRod Zaine C 18 2 1 3 2 0 0 0 11 Coates, BrianBrian Coates LW 17 0 3 3 35 0 0 0 30 Newton, CamCam Newton G 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Gill, AndreAndre Gill G 11 0 0 0 4 0 0 0
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO Gill, AndreAndre Gill 614 11 6 5 38 3.71 0 Newton, CamCam Newton 486 10 2 5 34 4.20 0 Team: 1100 18 8 10 72 3.93 0

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

Awards and Records

• Dennis A. Murphy Trophy: Pat Stapleton
• Paul Deneau Trophy: Ralph Backstrom
• Pat Stapleton, Defense, WHA First Team All-Star

Farm Teams

• Long Island Cougars, NAHL

Gallery

Gordie Howe, Duke Harris, Don McLeod, Marty Howe, Ralph Backstrom, 1974 Finals Game 2, May 15, 1974.

See Also

• 1973–74 WHA season