Skip to main content

Broome Dusters (AHL, 1978-79)

Here's another set of Broome Duster programs, this time from the 1978-79 season. All the programs I have from this year look the same, so I'll only post one picture.


1978-79 Regular Season--Dusters vs. Nova Scotia Voyageurs


     Before I say anything about the 1978-79 season, take a look at that program cover. That is the gaudiest goalie mask I have seen, almost psychedelic! Wonder if anyone wore that in a game? It was definitely an eye-catcher when I bought it a couple years ago.
     In 1978-79, the Dusters improved somewhat on their first AHL season. The team went 32-42-5, third place in the Southern Division. Their 69 points were 32 points behind first-place Nova Scotia, that night's opponent, and just five points ahead of fourth place Rochester. Joe Hardy replaced Larry Kish as head coach, and Andre Veillieux was the new President-GM. The team was an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
     The offense improved somewhat, scoring an even 300 goals, sixth in the league. Randy MacGregor was tops in points with 75, while Richard Grenier again led the team in goals with 37. Six Dusters scored over 20 goals that season.
     On defense, the team again struggled, allowing 320 goals, fourth-worst in the league. Six different goaltenders were used that season, and Ken Holland played the majority of games. In 41 games, Holland went 19-17-3 with a 3.91 GAA. His main backup was Louis Levasseur, who went 10-12-2 in 25 starts with a 3.77 GAA.
     The Dusters qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time in 1978-79. They faced Hershey in Round One, and knocked off the Bears in four games (best of five). In the semifinals, Binghamton faced New Haven, and fell in six games.
     Attendance dipped in Year Two, as the Dusters drew 3,935 per game, fifth-best in the league.


Sources:
Broome Dusters Statistics: 1978-79 (from HockeyDB.com)
    
    
Labels:

Comments

  1. EricaMay 26, 2026 at 8:49 AM

    Hello, I'm looking for an original copy of this for a gallery showcase of my uncle's work. He passed 2 years ago & we are gathering pieces. Do you have a copy of the program for lease or to purchase?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL, 1998-99)

1998-99 Regular Season: Leafs vs. Chicago Blackhawks      1998-99 was a memorable season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Maple Leaf Gardens, the Leafs iconic home for the past 68 years, was closing midway through the year, replaced by the Air Canada Center.      Since it's grand opening in 1931, the Gardens had been home to not only the Leafs, but also pro basketball, pro wrestling, rock concerts, boxing, you name it. It saw the highs of 11 Stanley Cup championships to the nadir of the Harold Ballard era of the 1970s and 1980s. The building had become not just a legendary sports arena, but a Canadian cultural shrine.      The Maple Leafs were coming off two straight disappointing seasons by the time 1998-99 rolled around. The team had slumped after making two straight conference finals in the early 1990s, and missed the playoffs altogether in 1997 and 1998.       Major changes were made for the upco...
Post a Comment
Read more

Chatham Wheels (CoHL, 1993-94)

1993-94 Regular Season Wheels vs. Detroit Falcons      The Chatham Wheels were in their second season of play in the Colonial Hockey League. The team was named after the Wheels Inn, a hotel/indoor amusement complex in town that closed in 2009. The Wheels were owned by a group led by Tom Kirkconnell and played their home games at the 3,300-seat Chatham Memorial Arena.       The Wheels were coming off a last place finish in 1992-93, going 24-32-4, 12 points back of 6th place Flint. Attendance was brutal as well, as the team drew just 1,174 per game to Memorial Arena. Changes were made, as longtime junior coach Tom Barrett was hired as Head Coach/GM and Governor, replacing Ron Caron. Barrett added veteran talent to the roster, including former Flint Spirits John Vecchiarelli and Brett MacDonald, and former St. Thomas Wildcats goaltender Kevin Butt, to go along with holdover Jim Ritchie.      Barrett's moves paid off, as the Wheels surged up...
2 comments
Read more

Port Huron Hockey: Flags/Wings (1962-81)

Now, on to Port Huron.      Port Huron has had a long, yet checkered, history of pro hockey. The most successful franchise, by far, was the Port Huron Flags (also called Wings for a few years) of the IHL. The Flags were, for the most part, a competitve team on the ice, making the Turner Cup Finals seven times and winning the Cup on three occasions. For three years, (1971-74), the franchise was a farm team of the Detroit Red Wings, and sent numerous players on to the NHL in it's existence. However, the team had problems drawing big enough crowds. While the Flags lasted for nearly 20 years, former GM Morris Snider later admitted that the franchise could have folded three years before it actually did, due to declining attendance. I've found some Flags/Wings programs online over the years, and here's what I have. 1963-64 Regular Season--Flags vs. Windsor       1963-64 was the second year of existence for the Flags. After missing the...
Post a Comment
Read more