Monday, April 24, 2023

The EHL Syracuse Blazers Historical 1972-73 Season

Follow the 1972-73 Syracuse Blazers through their historic 1972-73 Eastern Hockey League season week by week 50 years later. The Blazers' 63-9-4 record is one of the finest in hockey history, not to mention they won the last EHL Championship ever. So, this is also a history of the final EHL season, as seen through the lens of the Syracuse Blazers. As you will note "week"s are relative. (I originally started with "Days", but that quickly became unsustainable.)

P.S. If you know where the Blazers put the Walker Trophy (that's the one in the middle), please let us know so we can get it to the Hockey Hall of Fame where it belongs. Thanks!

Week 1: Summer 1972. April 25 - September 30, 1972 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159796094556590/

Week 2: Preseason. Oct 2-11, 1972 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159799722961590/

Week 3: October 11, 1972
Syracuse Blazers 8 at New England Blades 3 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159801126576590/

Week 4: October 13, 1972
Syracuse Blazers 6 at Jersey Devils 2 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159803086036590

Week 5: October 15, 1972 
Syracuse Blazers 9 at Clinton Comets 3 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159804383921590/

Week 6: October 16-23, 1972
Oct 18 Clinton Comets 0 at Syracuse Blazers 5
Oct 20 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Johnstown Jets7
Oct 22 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Suncoast Suns 2 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159817115341590

Week 7: October 24-31, 1972 
Oct 24 Syracuse Blazers 2 at Charlotte Checkers 3
Oct 25 Syracuse Blazers 5 at Greensboro Generals 9
Oct 26 Syracuse Blazers 6 at Roanoke Valley Rebels 2
Oct 27 Suncoast Suns 0 at Syracuse Blazers 5
Oct 29 Syracuse Blazers 5 at New England Blades 4 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159868123816590/

Week 8: November 1-7, 1972
Nov 1 Syracuse Blazers 2 at New England Blades 1
Nov 3 Johnstown Jets 3 at Syracuse Blazers 7
Nov 4 Syracuse Blazers 2 at Johnstown Jets 4 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159884087196590/

Week 9: November 7-13, 1972 
Nov 10 Clinton Comets 3 at Syracuse 6
Nov 11 Syracuse 4 at Clinton Comets 5 
Nov 12 Syracuse 9 at Rhode Island Eagles 3 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159892780146590/

Week 10: November 14-22, 1972
Nov 14 New England Blades 2 at Syracuse 6
Nov 15 Johnstown Jets 2 at Syracuse 3
Nov 17 Syracuse 6 at Jersey Devils 3
Nov 18 Jersey Devils 3 at Syracuse 6
Nov 21 Syracuse 6 at Cape Cod Cubs 3
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159919000751590/

Week 11: November 23-30, 1972 
Nov 23 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Johnstown 3 
Nov 24 Syracuse Blazers 6 at Clinton 4 (Utica) 
Nov 26 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Rhode Island 4 
Nov 29 Long Island 3 at Syracuse Blazers 7 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159959784496590/

Week 12: November 30 - December 6, 1972 
Nov 30 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Johnstown Jets 3 
Dec 1 Syracuse Blazers 8 at Clinton Comets 1 
Dec 3 Jersey Devils 2 at Syracuse Blazers 5 

Week 13: December 7 - 14, 1972
Dec 7 Long Island Ducks 1 at Syracuse Blazers 8
Dec 9 Jersey Devils 4 at Syracuse Blazers 8
Dec 13 Clinton Comets 3 at Syracuse Blazers 6
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159986587931590/

Week 14: December 15-23, 1972
Dec 16 Rhode Island 0 at Syracuse Blazers 11
Dec 20 Johnstown 0 at Syracuse Blazers 4
Dec 22 Syracuse Blazers 7 at Cape Cod 4
Dec 23 Cape Cod 0 at Syracuse Blazers 11 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159993752661590/

Week 15: December 24-31, 1972 
Dec 27 Johnstown Jets 4 at Syracuse Blazers 9 
Dec 29 Syracuse Blazers 7 at Clinton Comets 2 (Utica) https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160001660006590/

Week 16: January 1-7, 1973
Jan 3 Clinton Comets 3 at Syracuse Blazers 9
Jan 5 Greensboro Generals 0 at Syracuse Blazers 11
Jan 7 Clinton Comets 0 at Syracuse Blazers 7 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160019907826590/

Week 17: January 8-14 1973
Jan 9 Johnstown Jets 2 at Syracuse Blazers 4
Jan 11 Syracuse Blazers 5 at Clinton Comets 2
Jan 12 Cape Cod Cubs 4 at Syracuse Blazers 12
Jan 13 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Johnstown Jets 2
Jan 14 Long Island Ducks 2 at Syracuse Blazers 4 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160027649231590/

Week 18: January 15-21, 1973
Jan 16 Syracuse Blazers 5 Long Island Ducks 1
Jan 19 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Clinton Comets 2 (Utica)
Jan 20 Syracuse Blazers 6 at Cape Cod Cubs 3
Jan 21 Syracuse Blazers 7 at Jersey Devils 3
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160043053961590/

Week 19: January 22-28, 1973
Jan 24 Johnstown Jets 3 at Syracuse Blazers 3
Jan 26 Jersey Devils 0 at Syracuse Blazers 6
Jan 28 Roanoke Valley Rebels 2 at Syracuse Blazers 9 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160067170211590/ 

Week 20: January 29 - February 5, 1973
Jan 30 Cape Cod Cubs 3 at Syracuse Blazers 8
Jan 31 Johnstown Jets 1 at Syracuse Blazers 6
Feb 1 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Clinton Comets 6 (Utica)
Feb 2 Charlotte Checkers 2 at Syracuse Blazers 6
Feb 3 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Johnstown Jets 3
Feb 4 Rhode Island Eagles 1 at Syracuse Blazers 6 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160080276376590/

Week 21: February 6-12, 1973
Feb 7 Clinton Comets 0 at Syracuse Blazers 11
Feb 9 Johnstown Jets 3 at Syracuse Blazers 3
Feb 10 Jersey Devils 2 at Syracuse Blazers 6
Feb 11 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Johnstown Jets 1
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160096992816590/

Week 22: February 13 - February 19, 1973
Feb 14 Long Island Ducks 2 at Syracuse Blazers 9
Feb 15 Syracuse Blazers 1 at Johnstown Jets 3
Feb 17 Cape Cod Cubs 2 at Syracuse Blazers 5
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160106125861590/

Week 23: February 20 - February 26, 1973
Feb 21 Clinton Comets 6 at Syracuse Blazers 14 
Feb 22 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Rhode Island Eagles 2 
Feb 23 Syracuse Blazers 9 at Clinton Comets 0 (Utica) 
Feb 24 Syracuse Blazers 3 at Clinton Comets 2 
Feb 25 Syracuse Blazers 9 at Long Island Ducks 3 https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160114416846590/

Week 24: February 27 - March 4, 1973 
Feb 28 Johnstown Jets 0 at Syracuse Blazers 7 
Mar 1 Clinton Comets 4 at Syracuse Blazers 9 
Mar 3 Syracuse Blazers 5 at Johnstown Jets 3 
Mar 4 Johnstown Jets 1 at Syracuse Blazers 4 
END REGULAR SEASON 
Syracuse Blazers 63-9-4

Week 25: March 5 - 17, 1973
PLAYOFFS ROUND 1
Mar 7 Rhode Island Eagles 1 at Syracuse Blazers 6
Mar 10 Rhode Island Eagles 0 at Syracuse Blazers 1 FORFEIT
Mar 16 Syracuse Blazers 5 at Rhode Island Eagles 3
Mar 17 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Rhode Island Eagles 1
(Syracuse wins series 4-0)
Week 26: March 18 - 28, 1973
PLAYOFFS ROUND 2
Mar 21 Cape Cod Cubs 1 at Syracuse Blazers 2
Mar 23 Cape Cod Cubs 1 at Syracuse Blazers 11
Mar 24 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Cape Cod Cubs 3
Mar 27 Syracuse Blazers 3 Cape Cod Cubs 1
(Syracuse wins series 4-0)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160176583111590/

Week 27: March 30-April 14, 1973
1973 EHL PLAYOFF FINALS
Apr 1 Roanoke Valley 5 at Syracuse Blazers 4
Apr 4 Roanoke Valley 1 at Syracuse Blazers 17
Apr 5 Syracuse Blazers 7 at Roanoke Valley 4
Apr 8 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Roanoke Valley 6
Apr 10 Roanoke Valley 1 at Syracuse Blazers 15
Apr 12 Syracuse Blazers 4 at Roanoke Valley 1
(Syracuse wins Series 4-2, EHL Championship & Walker Trophy)
Part 1 - Syracuse Articles: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10160197806196590/
Part 2 - Roanoke Articles:

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

EHL All-Stars Tour of Russia, Czechoslovakia and Latvia, January 15-29, 1964

From January 15-29, 1964 the Soviet Union hosted a tour of an Eastern Hockey League All-Star Team of United States citizens. The following are the articles (the games are mostly AP blurbs) from the tour, plus video of the Moscow game, and memorabilia from the Ken Murphy collection. There were two games in Prague, of which the EHL won one, but there were no articles on those. This poster is for the game vs Riga Daugava in Latvia.

Part 1 - Articles leading up to the Tour: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158599298641590/

Bonus - Game 1 Video from Moscow: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158601196496590/

Part 2 - The Tour (Jan 15-29, 1964): https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158601192301590/

Part 2A -The Tour (Johnstown Articles): https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158618908336590/

Part 3 - Thoughts on Returning Home: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158608076586590/

Part 3-A - Thoughts on Returning Home (Jim McNulty - Charlotte): https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10158716198201590/

Part 4 - Memorabilia from the Ken Murphy Collection: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129103506589/posts/10159185290261590/


This series followed the Soviet 6-city EHL Tour in December 1963, which you can read about here: http://theehl.blogspot.com/2022/08/soviet-tour-of-eastern-hockey-league.html