Red Wings Win Playoff Opener against Black Hawks

Apr. 1, 1965 - Norm Ullman survived a stick joust with the celebrated Bobby Hull to earn the hero role in the Red Wings’ victorious Stanley Cup playoff opener tonight.

Sitting in the jubilant Detroit dressing room at the Olympia, Ullman grinned about the duel, after which he left the penalty box to score the game-winning goal in the 4-3 triumph.

“Hull hit me with the stick once — and then he hit me again,” Ullman said. “So, I hit him back.”

Both were sent off by referee John Ashley.

Returning to the ice together, Ullman gathered in Bill Gadsby’s pass and skated at Chicago goalie Glenn Hall.

“Hull tied me up,” explained Ullman, “but I managed to get loose and got away a backhander.” His backhander found the range, and bedlam broke loose.

The 14,927 had nearly cheered themselves hoarse earlier on Alex Delvecchio’s goals, which twice brought Detroit from behind.

“They were both sort of screened,” said Delvecchio. “In fact, on the second one, I couldn’t even get off a good shot — couldn’t slap it. But it was there.”

The fan who annually throws an octopus on the ice for the playoffs wasn’t able to hold off for the game-clinching goal. He unleashed the annual missile after Delvecchio’s first goal in the second period. 

“It’s been this way all year,” said Detroit coach Sid Abel. “We get down, then we come back, and Ullman scores.”

Ullman, who had several chances to observe Hull at close range, noted the Chicago blond bomber wasn’t skating as well as before his knee injury.

“He was shooting just as hard,” said Ullman, “but I didn’t think he was skating as well.”Abel wasn’t surprised that Hull played as much as he did.

“I expected it,” Abel commented. “They always try to make you think somebody might not be able to play. They’re probably healthier than we are.”

For a game that was a sellout, there was a surprising number of empty seats. As an usher explained:“The cops picked up 14 ticket scalpers tonight. Those guys really took a beating. They must have got stuck with a couple hundred tickets.”

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