1969–70 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1969–70 Minnesota North Stars season was the team's 3rd season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The North Stars finished 3rd in the West Division and lost in the Division Semi-finals to the St. Louis Blues 4 games to 2.
==Off-season==
GM Wren Blair made two significant trades during the off-season, acquiring Barry Gibbs and Tom Williams from the Boston Bruins for a first round pick and Bob Barlow from the Philadelphia Flyers for cash. Gibbs became one of the North Stars best defensemen for the next six seasons while Williams finished second in team scoring and Barlow ninth during the 1969-70 season.
==Regular Season==
1969-70 was a break-out season for several North Stars including Lou Nanne, Bill Goldsworthy and J. P. Parisé. Nanne became a regular, played all of his ten seasons for the franchise, and eventually became its coach and general manager. Goldsworthy led the team in 36 goals (6th in the league), while Parise was first in points (8th in the league). After over a decade in the minors, Bob Barlow proved he deserved to be a regular, scoring his first NHL goal and Minnesota's first of the season a little over a minute into their first game on October 11, 1969. He assisted on another as the North Stars defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 with Cesare Maniago earning the shutout.
The North Stars refused to be intimidated by the Flyers and were involved in two melees during the game and another one during their 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers on October 15, 1969. It was a bitter defeat as they had been leading 3-0 after the first period. Leading the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 in the second period on October 16, another melee broke out in which Barry Gibbs was badly cut in a fight with Garry Monahan. Minnesota prevailed 3-2 as goalie Ken Broderick was credited with his first NHL win. The North Stars lost their fourth game of the season to the St. Louis Blues 4-2 as they were badly outshot 35-21. After beating the Chicago Black Hawks on October 19, Minnesota couldn't match Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins on October 22 and lost 3-2. After a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 25, Minnesota continued its success against the original six teams with an impressive 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens on October 29, ending the month with a 4-4-3 record to lead the West Division.
November 1, 1969 saw Minnesota lose 6-3 to Pittsburgh as Michel Brière scored his first NHL goal and then continued their battle against the Flyers on November 2. Two separate melees broke out in the game as the North Stars lost 6-2. After tying the Canadiens 2-2 on November 5, they beat St. Louis 5-2 on November 8, 1969 led by Bill Goldsworthy's first career hat trick. Minnesota had its tamest game of the year against the Flyers on November 12, beating them 4-2 and tied Detroit 2-2 on November 15 on Bob Barlow's slapshot goal on the power play. A two-game slide saw the North Stars lose 4-2 to the Oakland Seals on November 19 and the next night drop a 3-1 decision to the Blues.
Bob Whitlock played the only game of his NHL career on November 22, 1969 in the North Stars 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cesare Maniago stopped 35 shots during the 4-4 tie with Pittsburgh on November 26 but the Toronto Maple Leafs blasted him with 42 shots on November 29 as the North Stars lost 5-2. Minnesota ended the month with an impressive 2-2 tie against the league-leading Rangers behind Fern Rivard's 37 saves and the game-tying goal by J.P. Parise with less than four minutes remaining in the game. The North Stars slipped to second place in the West Division behind St. Louis.
Minnesota continued to show they could hold their own with the "Original Six" teams as they put together a five-game unbeaten streak against them to start December. Ray Cullen had his first career hat trick during the 5-5 tie with Toronto on December 3, and then on December 6 he scored the winner with less than two minutes in the game to defeat Montreal 4-3. During the 2-2 tie with Boston on December 7, 1969, brilliant forechecking by Derek Sanderson gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Excellent goaltending by Cesare Maniago held the North Stars in the game, as they were outshot 44-29. Bob Barlow evened the score with five minutes left and it ended 2-2.
The December 10, 1969 game versus the Black Hawks was a wild one with a combined 90 shots on net. With the score tied 5-5 heading into the third period, Bill Goldsworthy scored the game-winner by knocking a rebound off Tony Esposito out of the air and in. He then added another 11 seconds later and Claude Larose scored short handed, a one-timer as Danny Lawson won a face-off in Chicago's zone, for an 8-5 Minnesota victory. The game was also significant as it was the North Stars' last victory for over a month. In the next nine games, they went 0-4-5, which included an extended Western road trip in which they tied the Los Angeles Kings three times. Minnesota ended 1969 with a 9-13-11 record, still good for third in the West Division. 
After a 3-3 tie on January 4, 1970 against the Rangers, during the second period of the January 4 game against the Flyers, Earl Heiskala had a run-in with North Stars goalie Fern Rivard. Both swung their sticks at each other but no penalties were called. Several minutes later, tempers flared by Minnesota's bench and Hieskala and Barry Gibbs fought. Within moments, everyone on the ice was involved, including goalies Rivard and Doug Favell. Punches were traded with the North Stars bench, Hieskala and Gibbs were ejected and the Flyers won 3-1. 
Goalie Gilles Gilbert played the first game of his 416-game NHL career on February 8, 1970, losing 6-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. On February 27, 1970, Gump Worsley was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for cash. Worsley went 5-1-1 for Minnesota and solidified a roster spot as the backup to Cesare Maniago for the next four seasons.
The North Stars were battling for a playoff spot with the Oakland Seals and Philadelphia Flyers with six games left in the season. The Flyers held a 5-point lead on the Seals and 6 points on the North Stars. Philadelphia went on a five-game losing streak, including a loss to Oakland. Philadelphia's last game was on April 4, 1970 against Minnesota. 
The North Stars and Seals were tied with the Flyers with 58 points and Minnesota had a game in hand. In a very tight defensive game, goalies Bernie Parent and Gump Worsley battled with neither surrendering a goal in the first two periods. Nearly eight minutes into the third period, a soft shot from center ice by Minnesota defenseman Barry Gibbs beat a surprised Parent. Worsley made a incredible save with less than 25 seconds left and the game ended 1-0, clinching a playoff spot for the North Stars and eliminating the Flyers.
===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 	W 	October 11, 1969 	4–0 	Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 	1–0–0
2 	L 	October 15, 1969 	3–4 	@ New York Rangers (1969–70) 	1–1–0
3 	W 	October 16, 1969 	3–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	2–1–0
4 	L 	October 18, 1969 	2–4 	@ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	2–2–0
5 	W 	October 19, 1969 	4–1 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70)	3–2–0
6 	L 	October 22, 1969 	2–3 	Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	3–3–0
7 	L 	October 25, 1969 	1–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 	3–4–0
8 	W 	October 29, 1969 	4–1 	Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	4–4–0
9 	L 	November 1, 1969 	3–6 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70)	4–5–0
10 	L 	November 2, 1969 	2–6 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70)	4–6–0
11 	T 	November 5, 1969 	2–2 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	4–6–1
12 	W 	November 8, 1969 	5–2 	St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	5–6–1
13 	W 	November 12, 1969 	4–2 	Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 	6–6–1
14 	T 	November 15, 1969 	2–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	6–6–2
15 	L 	November 19, 1969 	2–4 	Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	6–7–2
16 	L 	November 20, 1969 	1–3 	@ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	6–8–2
17 	W 	November 22, 1969 	4–1 	Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	7–8–2
18 	T 	November 26, 1969 	4–4 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 	7–8–3
19 	L 	November 29, 1969 	2–5 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70)	7–9–3
20 	T 	November 30, 1969 	2–2 	@ New York Rangers (1969–70) 	7–9–4
21 	T 	December 3, 1969 	5–5 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 	7–9–5
22 	W 	December 6, 1969 	4–3 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	8–9–5
23 	T 	December 7, 1969 	2–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	8–9–6
24 	W 	December 10, 1969 	8–5 	Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 	9–9–6
25 	T 	December 11, 1969 	2–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	9–9–7
26 	L 	December 13, 1969 	2–5 	New York Rangers (1969–70) 	9–10–7
27 	T 	December 15, 1969 	4–4 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	9–10–8
28 	L 	December 17, 1969 	1–3 	@ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	9–11–8
29 	T 	December 20, 1969 	3–3 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	9–11–9
30 	L 	December 23, 1969 	3–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	9–12–9
31 	T 	December 25, 1969 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 	9–12–10
32 	L 	December 27, 1969 	3–5 	Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	9–13–10
33 	T 	December 30, 1969 	0–0 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	9–13–11
34 	T 	January 3, 1970 	3–3 	New York Rangers (1969–70) 	9–13–12
35 	L 	January 4, 1970 	1–3 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70)	9–14–12
36 	T 	January 7, 1970 	3–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70)	9–14–13
37 	L 	January 10, 1970 	4–6 	Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	9–15–13
38 	W 	January 14, 1970 	5–2 	St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	10–15–13
39 	T 	January 15, 1970 	1–1 	@ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	10–15–14
40 	L 	January 17, 1970 	1–3 	New York Rangers (1969–70) 	10–16–14
41 	L 	January 22, 1970 	2–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	10–17–14
42 	L 	January 24, 1970 	0–6 	Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 	10–18–14
43 	L 	January 25, 1970 	1–4 	Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	10–19–14
44 	L 	January 28, 1970 	4–5 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	10–20–14
45 	L 	January 29, 1970 	5–6 	@ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	10–21–14
46 	L 	January 31, 1970 	2–4 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 	10–22–14
47 	L 	February 1, 1970 	4–7 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70)	10–23–14
48 	L 	February 4, 1970 	5–7 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 	10–24–14
49 	T 	February 7, 1970 	1–1 	Montreal Canadiens (1969–70) 	10–24–15
50 	L 	February 8, 1970 	3–6 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70)	10–25–15
51 	L 	February 11, 1970 	1–2 	@ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	10–26–15
52 	L 	February 14, 1970 	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70) 	10–27–15
53 	T 	February 15, 1970 	3–3 	St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	10–27–16
54 	T 	February 18, 1970 	1–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	10–27–17
55 	L 	February 19, 1970 	2–3 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1969–70)	10–28–17
56 	L 	February 21, 1970 	2–4 	Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	10–29–17
57 	T 	February 25, 1970 	3–3 	Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	10–29–18
58 	L 	February 28, 1970 	2–6 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70)	10–30–18
59 	W 	March 1, 1970 	8–0 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70) 	11–30–18
60 	T 	March 4, 1970 	2–2 	Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70) 	11–30–19
61 	W 	March 7, 1970 	8–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1969–70)	12–30–19
62 	T 	March 8, 1970 	2–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	12–30–20
63 	L 	March 11, 1970 	1–9 	St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	12–31–20
64 	W 	March 14, 1970 	6–3 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70) 	13–31–20
65 	W 	March 15, 1970 	4–2 	@ New York Rangers (1969–70) 	14–31–20
66 	T 	March 17, 1970 	5–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1969–70) 	14–31–21
67 	L 	March 18, 1970 	2–6 	Detroit Red Wings (1969–70) 	14–32–21
68 	W 	March 21, 1970 	5–4 	Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	15–32–21
69 	L 	March 22, 1970 	0–5 	@ Boston Bruins (1969–70) 	15–33–21
70 	T 	March 24, 1970 	2–2 	Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	15–33–22
71 	L 	March 25, 1970 	0–2 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70)	15–34–22
72 	L 	March 28, 1970 	2–4 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	15–35–22
73 	W 	March 29, 1970 	8–3 	@ Oakland Seals (1969–70) 	16–35–22
74 	W 	March 31, 1970 	5–2 	Los Angeles Kings (1969–70) 	17–35–22
75 	W 	April 4, 1970 	1–0 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1969–70)	18–35–22
76 	W 	April 5, 1970 	5–1 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1969–70)	19–35–22
==Playoffs==
===St. Louis Blues 4, Minnesota North Stars 2===
==Player Stats==
===Forwards===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
# 	Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
11 	J. P. Parise 	74	24	48	72 	72
12 	Tommy Williams 	75	15	52	67 	18
6, 8 	Bill Goldsworthy	75	36	29	65 	89
21 	Danny Grant 	76	29	28	57 	23
16 	Claude Larose 	75	24	23	47 	109
10 	Ray Cullen 	74	17	28	45 	8
18 	Bill Collins 	74	29	9 	38 	48
7 	Danny O'Shea 	75	10	24	34 	84
14 	Bob Barlow 	70	16	17	33 	10
15, 26 	Danny Lawson 	45	9 	8 	17 	19
6, 9 	Charlie Burns 	50	3 	13	16 	10
22 	Walt McKechnie 	20	1 	3 	4 	21
26 	Bill Orban 	9 	0 	2 	2 	7
26 	Bob Whitlock 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
24, 26, 28	Grant Erickson 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
===Defencemen===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
# 	Player 	GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
23	Lou Nanne 	74	3	20	23 	75
2 	Barry Gibbs 	56	3	13	16 	182
5 	Leo Boivin 	69	3	12	15 	30
20	Tom Reid 	66	1	7 	8 	51
3 	John Miszuk 	50	0	6 	6 	51
27	Marshall Johnston	28	0	5 	5 	14
24	Tom Polanic 	16	0	2 	2 	53
25	Darryl Sly 	29	1	0 	1 	6
6 	Dick Redmond 	7 	0	1 	1 	4
4 	Elmer Vasko 	3 	0	0 	0 	0
===Goaltending===
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
# 	Player 	GP	MIN 	W	L 	T 	SO	GAA
30	Cesare Maniago	50	2886	9	24	16	2 	3.39
1 	Gump Worsley 	8 	453 	5	1 	1 	1 	2.65
1 	Fern Rivard 	14	800 	3	5 	5 	1 	3.15
1 	Ken Broderick 	7 	453 	2	4 	0 	0 	4.33
1 	Gilles Gilbert	1 	60 	0	1 	0 	0 	6.00
==Awards and Records==
*The North Stars did not win any awards this season.
==Trivia==
*North Stars who recorded a hat trick this season include:
**Bill Goldsworthy during the 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on November 8, 1969.
**Ray Cullen during the 5-5 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 3, 1969.
**Danny Grant during the 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on January 10, 1970.
**Ray Cullen during the 6-5 loss to the Boston Bruins on January 29, 1970.
**Bill Collins during the 8-0 win over Toronto on March 1, 1970.
**Bill Collins during the 8-3 win over Toronto on March 7, 1970.
==Gallery==
Briere_1st_goal-1Nov1969.gif|Michel Brière scores his first NHL goal, November 1, 1969.
Espo_goal-29Jan1970.gif|Phil Esposito scores his second goal of the game, January 29, 1970.
Orr_goal-21Feb1970.gif|Bobby Orr shows his strength, scoring on February 21, 1970.
Orr_goal-22Mar1970.gif|Bobby Orr caps a four point game with a solo rush goal, March 22, 1970.
==See Also==
*1969–70 NHL season
==References==
==External Links==
* 
Category:Minnesota North Stars seasons
Category:1969 in hockey
Category:1970 in hockey