1972 Kellogg Cup Final


1st Period
STP - 0
SF - 2

The Met Center was filled to capacity as the puck was dropped for the 1972 Kellogg Cup Final. Things got off to a perfect start for the South Dakodans, drawing  powerplay in the opening minute. They made the V's pay for it, exposing the St. Paul defense to give themselves the lead 2:11 into the game. The majority Victoria crowd was in stunned silence as the Packers kept pressuring. St. Paul began to pick up play midway through the period, getting some good chances, but a lucky bounce gave the Hogs a 2-0 lead late in the period.

2nd Period
STP - 1
SF - 2

The second started and St. Paul looked much more composed. We passed the midway point of the period and St. Paul broke out of their zone. They entered the Packer zone with numbers, dropping the puck in the slot that was picked up by Brooks. He faked a shot and dished it cross crease to a teammate who slammed it home, causing the Met Center to erupt as the V's pulled it to within one.

3rd Period
STP - 3
SF - 3

The third started and the St. Paul majority crowd broke out into "Lets Go V's" chants. The Victorias had momentum and quickly went down the ice, firing a shot from far out that was meant to be a pass off the goalie. The rebound shot right out into the slot as they had hoped and it was buried by a Victoria winger, tying the game at 2. St. Paul continued to press for the next few minutes, coming so close to taking the lead, but the Packer goalie held his ground. A Victoria shot from the point was blocked by a Hog, sending him in all alone on a breakaway which he promptly buried five-hole to give Sioux Falls back the lead. We got down to the final 3 minutes of the game and St. Paul became extra aggressive, floating a forward out in the neutral zone while on defense. The puck was turned over and flipped down the ice. It was a footrace to the puck between Brooks and the Packer defenseman. Brooks got in front and blocked the defender from the puck, pulling the puck to his forehand in the slot and firing a shot far side that hit off the inside of the pipe and in, sending the Met Center into mayhem and tying the game with just over two and a half minutes to go.

Overtime
STP - 4
SF - 3

The atmosphere was electric as the puck was dropped for overtime. Both sides played cautiously, not wanting to be the one to make the mistake. Sioux Falls worked the puck around the Victorias zone, firing a hard pass from the point to a winger on the far corner of the slot who rang a one timer off the pipe, coming inches away from winning the game for his Packers. A few minutes passed and St. Paul broke down the ice. The center carried the puck into the corner and looked out into the slot. A Packer pressed him but he banked a pass off the boards to himself, finding a teammate moving in on goal, the teammate happened to be Peter Brooks. The pass was tipped by a Hog, but was caught and gathered by Brooks none the less. He was alone on goal, pulling it to his backhand as the goalie attempted the poke check. The goalies stick tripped up Brooks, but as he was falling he was able to bat at the puck with his backhand, putting it in the back of the net. The Arena erupted and the Victorias swarmed over the bench, St. Paul is back on top of the MAHL! This is the V's 4th Kellogg Cup in Franchise History, putting them in a tie for the second most in MAHL history (along with South St. Paul, Hibbing, and the Duluth Voyageurs).

The Tschida Trophy was awarded to St. Paul RW Peter Brooks for his great season, capping it off with a 2 goal and 1 assist game in the Kellogg Cup Final including the game tying and game winning goals.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!

 

Last edited by Section30 (4/01/2020 4:23 pm)

1972/73 Offseason Highlights

- 4 expansion teams are set to join the MAHL

- 1 team from the past is returning from the dead

- 6 current teams made adjustments to their identities

- 2 new mascots were introduced

- 2 teams moved arenas
               - Minneapolis: The Millers and Bakers are moving out of Williams Arena, leaving it to the Vulcans once more. They will be playing their home games at the new 5,500 seat Parade Ice Garden.

- 2 teams are making the move indoors
               - Mankato: The Moose are moving off of historic Lake Dorothy in favor of the new 1,200 seat All Seasons Arena. This is only the second indoor arena in the Blue Earth Hockey League.
               - Brooklyn Park: The Panthers will now be calling 2,000 seat Northland Community Arena home.

- 2 teams are retiring numbers

- 2 players were signed to the WHA
               - Minneapolis Miller star Kyle Ramsey was signed by the Minnesota Fighting Saints.
               - Steinbach Barbarian defenseman was picked up by the Winnipeg Jets.

 

Last edited by Section30 (4/02/2020 2:19 pm)

Mascots

The Blaine Spartans introduced a mascot named Spartacus.

The La Crosse Brewers made some adjustments to their uniforms. The Brewers kept their iconic striping the same, but promoted their gold away jersey to home status, replacing the brown base. The reason for the switch was to both honor the teams success in gold as well as to be the color of the beverage for which they are named. The new away jersey is white, this is the first time the team has used a color besides brown or gold. They also added numbers to the chest and made the numbers on the back larger.

Virginia left their classic home uniform unchanged besides adding a chest number, but they inverted the striping on their away uniform to add more royal.