Feb. 27, 1965 - Bruce MacGregor (left) has two souvenirs from the Red Wings’ 4-1 matinee victory over Boston today at the Detroit Olympia.
One will go away quickly — a big red welt around his left eye that will turn black and blue in a day or so but eventually will disappear.
The other will last forever, at least in his memory — his first 20-goal season in the NHL.
MacGregor collected his 20th at 15:10 of the middle period on a pass from Norm Ullman, and it proved to be the winning goal as well as MacGregor’s 20th.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted, always hoped I’d be able to do,” MacGregor said, looking up from his ice bag.
“Do you have a goal bonus?” asked manager-coach Sid Abel from across the training room.
MacGregor put his face back into the ice bag.
Bruce didn’t show any big scoring tendencies in his first three years and some months with the Wings, so he didn’t try for any goal bonuses when he talked contract with Abel last September.
Today’s was the ninth straight victory for the Red Wings at the Olympia, and they haven’t put together a streak like that at the building since 1951-52 when they ruled the league.
They even drew most of the 11,962 fans who had purchased tickets despite the horrible traffic snarl on Grand River and the inability to park in most of the lots because of the snow.
Gordie Howe got the home team on the score sheet at 14:23 of the opening period as he fired the puck past Boston goalie Jack Norris for his 22nd of the season.
The Wings couldn’t register again until Ullman fended off rookie defenseman Bob Woytowich with one arm while waiting for MacGregor to move into position.
MacGregor zipped in, took the pass, and laced it into the short side.
Woytowich later got revenge — he’s the one who crunched MacGregor at the blue line, inflicting the welt and black eye.
It was a shoving, pushing, muscling game, and the Bruins, again last in the league, had some good chances on their rare sorties into Roger Crozier’s territory. Crozier was beaten only by Ed Westfall at 16:27 of the middle frame, after MacGregor had made it 2-0, and the little Wing goalie made some outstanding stops, especially on a breakaway from the red line by Tom Williams.
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments