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Rochester Americans (AHL: 1972-73)

1972-73 Regular Season:
Americans vs. Providence Reds

      The Rochester Americans are one of the oldest minor-professional hockey teams still in their original city, having been in Rochester since the 1956-57 season. 1972-73 was the Americans' sixteenth season of operation in the AHL, and played their home games at the 7,010-seat Rochester War Memorial Arena (now called Blue Cross Arena, which seats 10,662).

     The Americans operated as an independent franchise after two forgettable seasons as the farm club of the Vancouver Canucks. Former Americans defenseman (and future Coach's Corner host) Don Cherry was Head Coach and General Manager, after serving as player/coach for the end of the 1971-72 season. 

     Cherry's Americans finished tied for third place in the AHL's Eastern Division, with a 33-31-12 record. Their 78 points were a 16-point improvement on last season and tied with Providence on points. Rochester was also a comfortable 26 points ahead of fifth-place New Haven, but 23 behind first-place Nova Scotia. In response to the improved product on the ice, Rochester averaged 5,188 per game, third place in the AHL, at a 74% capacity. The average was an improvement of 1,533 per game from last year.

     The Americans scored the second-fewest goals in the AHL, netting 239. Barry Merrell was the top scorer, with 32 goals and 72 points in 74 games. Former Port Huron Flag Bob "Battleship" Kelly was next with 27 goals and 62 points in 70 games. Kelly would go on to play six years in the NHL with St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago. 

     On defense, Grapes' team was seventh in the league, allowing 276 goals. Lynn Zimmerman was the top net minder that season, playing 58 games with a 3.54 GAA and two shutouts. Former Port Huron Flag Gaye Cooley made it into 24 games, sporting a 3.67 GAA. Pat Flaherty appeared in two games, allowing four goals in 20 minutes of action for a 9.00 GAA. Zimmerman and Cooley would both see action in the postseason.

     Grapes is legendary for loving "Rock 'em, Sock 'em Hockey" and his '72-73 Americans were tough, leading the AHL with 1,289 penalty minutes. Kelly was tops on the team with 206 penalty minutes (with a nickname like "Battleship", how couldn't he?), followed by John Bednarski with 205. Rod Fogal and Bob Malcom were the other players with over 100 PIM that year.  Even goaltender Zimmerman got into the act, piling up 50 PIM!

     The Rochester Americans qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since winning the Calder Cup in 1967-68. Their opening round opponent would be the Boston Braves, the top farm club of the Boston Bruins. Boston finished just three points ahead of Rochester, in second place with a 34-29-13 record. The Americans stretched the series to six games, but eventually fell to the Braves, outscored 27-24 in the process. Boston would then be annihilated by the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in four straight in Round Two. The Cincinnati Swords would win the Calder Cup over Nova Scotia in five games. 

     First of all, let's talk about the cover of this program. This is probably my favorite program cover in my collection. It's pretty much a Rochester Americans version of Superman,  bursting through the Americans shield logo. The program itself is 54 pages long, mostly in black-and-white. This program is from the December 1, 1972 game between the Americans and the Providence Reds. Rochester won, 5-1, to improve to 13-7-4 on the year. Articles previewing that week as well as a review of the previous week are included in this program. A profile on the returning Red Armstrong is on page 24. Armstrong was a long-time American, first joining the team in 1962-63. Red would score 4 goals and 9 points in 45 games, to go along with 22 PIM in his final season. There are some great action pictures as well.

     Local advertisements include Vanderstyne Ford, Key's Super Drug Stores, the Rochester Red Wings baseball team, DLK Radio and Electronics Mart, and Sweet's Party House.


Aftermath: Don Cherry would coach one more season in Rochester before becoming head coach of the Boston Bruins in 1974. 


References:

American Hockey League Statistics: 1972-73, from hockeydb.com


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