1985 WALES CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL
  ST. CLAIR SHORES SAINTSvs. MACKINAC ISLAND MOOSE |
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| SERIES PREVIEW | The Saints come up to the Island for some playoff hockey. This promises to be a classic as the teams each won 3, lost 3, and tied 2 in the regular season with only a 2-goal difference. |
| GAME #1 | Both teams get off a fair number of shots with no damage. Finally, a Kurri penalty puts the Moose in a hole. But the PK unit does its thing and we continue scoreless. The period continues and both teams still get pucks on goal, but no damage until just under 5 minutes to go, a Maruk shot is saved only to have Kurri grab the rebound and stuff it in. Moose is up 1-0, and just a few minutes later, Kurri puts his stamp on this game with a deflection of a shot by Marois to make it 2-0 with just over a minute to go. Late in the period Kurri with some more action, this time the kind that gets you an early trip to the locker room as he and Stevens rough each other up. The period ends with only 8 skaters on the ice, and the score 2-0 Moose.
The Moose momentum carries into the 2nd as early on Quinn leads a rush into the Saints end, and one shot sees the rebound go right back to Quinn who buries it in the net. 3-0 Moose. A glimmer of hope for the Saints mid-period when Federko and McCarthy go on an odd-man rush, but Beaupre makes a nifty save to keep his sheet clean. The Saints kill off one more minor near the end of the 2nd, and it’s 3-0 at the break. Saints control the shots in the 3rd period, but Beaupre is in rarified air this night, and he stops all challenges in the 3rd. The Moose are content to play conservatively and only take 6 shots, none go in, and the final is 3-0 Moose. 1st star – Beaupre 39 save shutout Moose is very happy to see the defensive units play well after giving up 5 goals in the last game against Dallas. Extra pizza for Beaupre for the clean sheet, and 39 saves. Moose is up 1 game to 0 in the series. Veteran netminder Gilles Meloche in goal. The Saints looking to even this up and head home. |
| GAME #2 | An early mistake by Tocchet put the Moose on the Powerplay, and a Giles shot, rebound, and Maruk slides the puck across the crease to Kurri and he buries it. Moose is up 1-0 just 4 minutes in. A couple of minutes later, a Murray cross-check puts the Saints on the PK again, but this time they confound the Moose offense to avoid another goal. Galley and Quinn are in a little fight near the halfway point, but the 4 on 4 yields no damage to either team. Defenses control the final 10 minutes and the Moose to the locker room with a 1-goal lead.
Both teams killed off one minor on the way to the midway point in a pretty tense Bullwinkle Arena. As the period is winding down, and it appears to be another defensive tussle, the Moose work a little give and go between Propp and Kurri, who dekes around Stevens and flips the puck in the net. Now 2-0 Moose. Galley and Ladouceur in a little scuffle that opens up the ice for some 4 on 4, but neither team can get anything to happen. Then a Bridgman minor gives the Moose some 5 on 4 time, but the PK unit does their thing, until just as Bridgman comes back on the ice, Kurri finds his happy spot in the crease, and Maruk sends one at the net, Kurri with a little deflection, and hats fly on to the ice. After a little break to clear the ice, 54 seconds left, the Moose fumble the face-off, Federko and Gustafson with a 2 on 1 rush, and Gustafson silences the arena with a goal just as the clock hits zero. The Saints with a glimmer of hope, and just a little momentum as we head to break, Moose up 3-1. Saints and Moose are in a defensive duel through the first 10 minutes of the 3rd. The Saints kill off a minor. With 9 minutes to go, MacLean gets nailed with a double minor for elbowing, and it’s pucker time. Does not take long for the Saints to figure things out, as Benning rips one into the net on the zone entry just 30 seconds into the first minor, and we got a game now. Saints throw 5 shots in th3 2nd minor with the first 3 blocked, and the last 2 saved, and the Moose ease to 5 minutes to go and the 1-goal lead. The Moose is happy to get out of their zone and across the blue line. A scrum along the boards sees the puck squirt out to the stick of Kurri, and he wastes no time finding an opening, and the Moose have a little breathing room now, up 4-2. Lively play up and down the ice until just under 2 minutes and Goring gets called for a cross-check. Saints pull the goalie and we face off in a 6 on 4. McCarthy shoots, a Meloche save, Wilson shoots, Price blocks, Moose go up ice but Seiling misses the empty net. The Saints come back up ice. McCarthy shoots, Meloche saves. Faceoff goes to the Moose who go up ice and this time the shot by McPhee finds the empty net, and the Moose now up 5-2 on the rare shorthanded empty netter. The clock is killed off and the Moose celebrate a big night with Jari Kurri and his 4 goals. 1st star – Kurri 4G |
| With the win, Moose hold serve and head downstate for some hockey. Whatever Jari Kurri is having, feed that to the rest of the team.
The Saints host Mackinac Island in game 3 of the playoffs. The Moose lead the series, 2-0. |
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| GAME #3 | The Saints score the first goal of the game as Federko lights the lamp. The score is 1-0 after one period. The Saints outshot the Moose 9-8 in a tight-checking game.
The 2nd period was different as the Moose impose their will and win most of the playoffs and have most of the shots on goal, 21-9. MacLean ties it up on a power-play goal. The Saints take the lead again on a power play goal by Tocchet. At the end of 2, it’s 2-1, Saints. 3rd period – The Moose get 2 goals early by Propp and Maruk. At 15:41, Craven ties it up for the Saints. We are at 3-3. Kurri who has been on fire and gets lots of scoring chances gets his 10th of the playoffs and the Moose lead 4-3 with 1:14 left. The Saints pull their goalie and Propp scores his 8th to seal the win. Moose 5 Saints 3 Tough game for the Saints, but the Moose dominate faceoffs until the 3rd period and generally control play. Stars The Moose go up 3-0 after winning, 5-3. Mackinac Island leads the Saints, 3 games to 0. SCS tries to avoid a sweep. |
| GAME #4 | The Moose get a power play early and do not convert. But, they are given another chance at a power play, and this time the puck finds the net. MacLean gets the goal with an assist from Zezel.
With 5:30 to go in the first, Maruk enters the penalty box for the Moose. The Moose successfully defend the power play. With 13 seconds to go, Engblom gets called for a penalty. 1st period ends with the Moose 1 and Saints 0. Saints lead on shots, 13-10. Faceoffs – 50/50. 2nd period-Before the Moose kill the power play, and the Saints help them as Tocchet gets put in the box. With 17:55 to go the Saints get generous as Murray gets tossed in the box. The Moose have a 5-3 advantage. The Saints fight off the disadvantage. After fighting off the power play, the Saints finally score on a Federko tip-in. It’s 1-1. A few offsetting penalties, then the Saints go to the box again and fight it off. With 5:34 left in the period, Gustafsson scores an even-handed goal. It’s 2-1, Saints. The period ends that way. Shots are 25-23 in favor of the Saints. 3rd period -Maruk gets tossed into the box early. At 19:11 Tocchet scores and it’s 3-1. With 1:48 to go, Maruk scores with an empty net. And with 1:21 the Moose strikes again to tie the game as they hammer the net. It’s 3-3. We go to OT. At the 3:26 mark, Mackinac Island wraps the series as MacLean scores another goal for a hat trick. The Saints are a little shell-shocked as they give up 2 goals very late and one early in OT. Congrats to Mackinac Island on the sweep. Stars 1-MacLean hat trick and game-winning goal The Saints were better on defense this year and struggled to score goals at times. The Saints fought hard in game 4, but drop the game to the higher-seeded Moose. |
| SERIES SUMMARY | Mackinac Island sweeps the Saints. |