1972–73 Philadelphia Blazers season

The 1972–73 Philadelphia Blazers season was the 1st season of the Blazers' franchise in the World Hockey Association. The Blazers finished 3rd in the Eastern Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the Cleveland Crusaders 4 games to 0.
==Off-season==
The Blazers jersey colours for their only WHA season were red, white and orange with a primarily yellow home jersey and a primarily red away jersey. Outlined shoulders yolks which contained the sleeve numbers and three stripes on the arms and body completed the design. The logo was the word "BLAZERS" with the "L" enlarged to resemble a hockey stick and a puck below the "R". The jerseys had no player names on the back to begin the season but were later added with no nameplate.
==Pre-season==
The Blazers held their training camp in Roanoke, Virginia.
==Regular Season==
High profile signings for the Blazers included John McKenzie, Bernie Parent and Derek Sanderson. Sanderson signed a 10 year deal worth $2.6 million making him the richest athlete in the world at the time. However, Andre Lacroix was the best signing long-term, would lead the team in scoring and finish as the WHA's all-time leader in games, assists and points.
Sanderson scored the first goal in Blazer's history during the 4-3 loss to the New England Whalers on October 12, 1972. During the Blazer's first home game, the fans were given a free orange puck as souvenir. Before the game started, the Zamboni crash through the ice and became stuck, forcing the game to be cancelled. Sanderson was called upon to announce the bad news to the crowd and was promptly pelted with the pucks. During his eighth game, Sanderson stepped on a price of debris on the ice and suffered a slipped disc in his spine. His contract was bought out for $1 million after scoring 3 goals and 3 assists.
John McKenzie, who started the year as the team's player-coach, broke his arm during pre-season and missed the first 18 games of the regular season. After 17 games, with a record of 3-14, he stepped down as coach and Phil Watson was hired. Bernie Parent broke his ankle in November 1972 and missed a month.
This would also be the only season of the Blazers in Philadelphia, as the team relocated to Vancouver for the following season.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results 	Regular Season Results
No. 	R 	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
1 	L 	October 12, 1972 	3–4 	@ New England Whalers (1972–73) 	0–1–0
2 	L 	October 15, 1972 	0–5 	@ New York Raiders (1972–73) 	0–2–0
3 	L 	October 19, 1972 	2–4 	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	0–3–0
4 	L 	October 20, 1972 	1–4 	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	0–4–0
5 	L 	October 22, 1972 	3–6 	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	0–5–0
6 	L 	October 24, 1972 	3–5 	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	0–6–0
7 	L 	October 25, 1972 	2–8 	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	0–7–0
8 	W 	October 27, 1972 	5–4 	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	1–7–0
9 	L 	October 28, 1972 	3–5 	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	1–8–0
10 	W 	November 1, 1972 	7–5 	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	2–8–0
11 	L 	November 2, 1972 	3–6 	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	2–9–0
12 	L 	November 4, 1972 	4–8 	@ New England Whalers (1972–73) 	2–10–0
13 	L 	November 5, 1972 	1–3 	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	2–11–0
14 	L 	November 12, 1972 	1–2 	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	2–12–0
15 	W 	November 14, 1972 	4–3 	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	3–12–0
16 	L 	November 18, 1972 	4–5 OT 	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73) 	3–13–0
17 	L 	November 19, 1972 	0–5 	@ New York Raiders (1972–73) 	3–14–0
18 	W 	November 22, 1972 	5–4 OT 	Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	4–14–0
19 	L 	November 24, 1972 	4–6 	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73) 	4–15–0
20 	L 	November 25, 1972 	3–4 	Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	4–16–0
21 	W 	November 28, 1972 	4–3 	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	5–16–0
22 	W 	December 1, 1972 	5–3 	New England Whalers (1972–73) 	6–16–0
23 	L 	December 2, 1972 	2–8 	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	6–17–0
24 	L 	December 5, 1972 	3–4 OT 	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	6–18–0
25 	W 	December 8, 1972 	3–1 	New York Raiders (1972–73) 	7–18–0
26 	W 	December 9, 1972 	7–1 	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	8–18–0
27 	L 	December 12, 1972 	2–5 	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	8–19–0
28 	W 	December 13, 1972 	7–4 	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	9–19–0
29 	W 	December 15, 1972 	6–4 	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	10–19–0
30 	L 	December 16, 1972 	6–10 	New England Whalers (1972–73) 	10–20–0
31 	W 	December 17, 1972 	6–3 	@ New England Whalers (1972–73) 	11–20–0
32 	L 	December 19, 1972 	2–7 	New York Raiders (1972–73) 	11–21–0
33 	W 	December 20, 1972 	8–5 	Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	12–21–0
34 	L 	December 23, 1972 	3–7 	@ Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	12–22–0
35 	L 	December 25, 1972 	0–8 	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	12–23–0
36 	W 	December 26, 1972 	6–2 	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	13–23–0
37 	L 	December 28, 1972 	3–6 	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	13–24–0
38 	W 	December 31, 1972 	3–1 	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	14–24–0
39 	W 	January 1, 1973 	3–0 	@ New York Raiders (1972–73) 	15–24–0
40 	L 	January 10, 1973 	1–4 	New York Raiders (1972–73) 	15–25–0
41 	W 	January 12, 1973 	4–3 	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	16–25–0
42 	W 	January 13, 1973 	9–4 	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	17–25–0
43 	L 	January 16, 1973 	3–4 	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	17–26–0
44 	W 	January 19, 1973 	4–2 	Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	18–26–0
45 	L 	January 20, 1973 	3–4 	Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	18–27–0
46 	W 	January 24, 1973 	6–4 	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	19–27–0
47 	W 	January 25, 1973 	7–4 	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	20–27–0
48 	W 	January 27, 1973 	1–0 OT 	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	21–27–0
49 	L 	January 28, 1973 	2–4 	@ Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	21–28–0
50 	W 	January 30, 1973 	5–4 OT 	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	22–28–0
51 	L 	February 2, 1973 	3–5 	@ Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	22–29–0
52 	L 	February 6, 1973 	3–5 	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	22–30–0
53 	L 	February 7, 1973 	0–3 	@ Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	22–31–0
54 	W 	February 10, 1973 	5–4 OT 	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	23–31–0
55 	W 	February 11, 1973 	6–1 	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	24–31–0
56 	W 	February 13, 1973 	5–4 	New England Whalers (1972–73) 	25–31–0
57 	W 	February 14, 1973 	6–5 	Cleveland Crusaders (1972–73) 	26–31–0
58 	W 	February 16, 1973 	9–2 	New York Raiders (1972–73) 	27–31–0
59 	L 	February 18, 1973 	1–4 	Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	27–32–0
60 	W 	February 20, 1973 	4–2 	New England Whalers (1972–73) 	28–32–0
61 	W 	February 22, 1973 	6–5 	@ Ottawa Nationals (1972–73) 	29–32–0
62 	L 	February 25, 1973 	3–5 	@ Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	29–33–0
63 	L 	February 27, 1973 	0–3 	@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73)	29–34–0
64 	W 	March 4, 1973 	4–2 	@ New York Raiders (1972–73) 	30–34–0
65 	L 	March 6, 1973 	1–2 OT 	@ Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	30–35–0
66 	W 	March 8, 1973 	2–1 	Minnesota Fighting Saints (1972–73) 	31–35–0
67 	W 	March 9, 1973 	11–3 	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	32–35–0
68 	L 	March 11, 1973 	2–4 	Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	32–36–0
69 	L 	March 12, 1973 	4–6 	Quebec Nordiques (1972–73) 	32–37–0
70 	W 	March 13, 1973 	4–3 	Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	33–37–0
71 	L 	March 17, 1973 	0–4 	@ New England Whalers (1972–73) 	33–38–0
72 	L 	March 19, 1973 	1–5 	@ Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	33–39–0
73 	W 	March 21, 1973 	7–3 	@ Houston Aeros (1972–73) 	34–39–0
74 	W 	March 23, 1973 	7–3 	@ Los Angeles Sharks (1972–73) 	35–39–0
75 	L 	March 28, 1973 	1–2 	Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	35–40–0
76 	W 	March 29, 1973 	2–1 	Alberta Oilers (1972–73) 	36–40–0
77 	W 	March 31, 1973 	5–1 	Chicago Cougars (1972–73) 	37–40–0
78 	W 	April 1, 1973 	4–2 	Winnipeg Jets (1972–73) 	38–40–0
==Playoffs==
===Cleveland Crusaders 4, Philadelphia Blazers 0===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	Record
1	April 4 	Philadelphia Blazers	2–3 OT	Cleveland Crusaders 	1–0
2	April 7 	Philadelphia Blazers	7–1 	Cleveland Crusaders 	2–0
3	April 8 	Cleveland Crusaders 	3–1 	Philadelphia Blazers	3–0
4	April 11	Cleveland Crusaders 	6–2 	Philadelphia Blazers	4–0
==Player Stats==
Regular Season	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Scoring 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
# 	Player	Pos	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
7 	 	C 	78	50	74	124	83 	0 	16 	0 	11
11 	 	RW 	78	61	45	106	35 	0 	20 	3 	6
19 	 	RW 	60	28	50	78 	157	0 	8 	1 	7
14 	 	C 	75	25	48	73 	85 	0 	6 	0 	1
17 	 	LW 	78	24	48	72 	63 	0 	9 	0 	4
4 	 	D 	78	10	41	51 	66 	0 	6 	0 	0
8 	 	LW 	74	20	22	42 	15 	0 	1 	3 	0
12 	 	RW 	74	16	23	39 	43 	0 	1 	0 	0
23 	 	D 	54	2 	27	29 	43 	0 	0 	0 	0
5 	 	D 	78	3 	24	27 	185	0 	0 	2 	0
24,26 	 	LW 	70	13	12	25 	35 	0 	0 	0 	0
6 	 	D 	75	1 	18	19 	72 	0 	1 	0 	0
18 	 	LW 	55	10	8 	18 	38 	0 	1 	0 	0
9 	 	C 	33	7 	7 	14 	4 	0 	1 	0 	0
15 	 	D 	24	5 	9 	14 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
20 	 	LW 	34	4 	6 	10 	18 	0 	1 	0 	0
16 	 	C 	8 	3 	3 	6 	69 	0 	0 	1 	0
 	 	C 	19	2 	3 	5 	13 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	C 	27	0 	5 	5 	46 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	D 	8 	1 	3 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
2 	 	D 	17	0 	3 	3 	24 	0 	0 	0 	0
15 	 	C 	4 	1 	1 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
25 	 	RW 	8 	1 	0 	1 	18 	0 	0 	0 	0
3 	 	D 	28	0 	2 	2 	34 	0 	0 	0 	0
15 	 	C 	2 	1 	0 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
29 	 	G 	6 	0 	1 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
9 	 	C 	6 	0 	1 	1 	15 	0 	0 	0 	0
21 	 	D 	8 	0 	1 	1 	12 	0 	0 	0 	0
00 	 	G 	63	0 	1 	1 	36 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	LW 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	D 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	D 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	D 	4 	0 	0 	0 	14 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	LW 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
17 	 	RW 	7 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
10 	 	RW 	8 	0 	0 	0 	9 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	G 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	G 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
1 	 	G 	15	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
Playoffs	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Scoring 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Player 	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
 	RW 	4 	3	1	4 	8 	1 	0 	0
 	C 	4 	0	2	2 	18 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	2	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	2	2 	13 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	1	0	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	1	0	1 	17 	1 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	1	0	1 	14 	1 	0 	0
 	C 	3 	0	1	1 	8 	0 	0 	0
 	RW 	4 	0	1	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	RW 	4 	0	1	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C 	2 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	RW 	2 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	3 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	4 	0	0	0 	2 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	0	0 	11 	0 	0 	0
 	D 	4 	0	0	0 	4 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	1 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	1 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	3 	0	0	0 	0 	0 	0 	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==
*Andre Lacroix, Center, WHA First Team All-Star
*Danny Lawson, Right Wing, WHA First Team All-Star
*Bernie Parent, Goalie, WHA Second Team All-Star
==Transactions==
*Trade Bob Brown to the New England Whalers for Brit Selby on November 1, 1972.
==Draft Picks==
==Farm Teams==
==Trivia==
*Blazers who recorded a Hat trick this season include:
**Don Herriman during the 6-3 win over the New England Whalers on December 17, 1972.
==Gallery==
1972-Oct12-Green-Sanderson faceoff.jpg|Ceremonial face-off between former Boston Bruins teammates Ted Green and Derek Sanderson at the Whalers first game, October 12, 1972.
1972-Oct12-Williams scores Parent.jpg|Tom Williams scores on Bernie Parent, October 12, 1972.
1972-Oct12-Pleau Parent.jpg|Larry Pleau scores the winner in the first WHA game for the Whalers and Blazers, October 12, 1972.
1973-Harrison-Mosdell-Parent.jpg|Jim Harrison, Wayne Mosdell, Bernie Parent in 1972-73 season action.
BParentBlazers.jpg|Goalie Bernie Parent.
==See Also==
*1972–73 WHA season
==References==
Philadelphia Blazers season, 1972–73
Philadelphia Blazers season, 1972–73
Category:Vancouver Blazers seasons