OCTOBER 4, 1948MOTORS OFF TO QUICK START
The Detroit Motors, led by a fast start from young center Francis McKenzie, had a strong opening week of NAHC preseason action with 3 wins in 4 outings, all coming at the expense of the Boston Bees. However, new Detroit coach Badger Rigney, who takes over a last place team, cautions that these are tune-up games and mean nothing in the big picture.
"It is great to see a young guy like Francis (McKenzie) gain some confidence with a couple big games," noted Rigney, "but this is all about getting guys ready for the grind of the season and we clearly did not see the best Boston has to offer."
McKenzie, who was acquired from Montreal last December as part of the deal that sent veteran defensemen Shel Herron and Bryant Williams to the Valiants, spent most of last season in the minors after being drafted 2nd overall by the Vals. He scored once in his first preseason game and then exploded with a 5-point night, including a hat trick in a 6-2 triumph over the Bees last night.
The most important thing right now is staying healthy and Boston and Detroit both failed in that regard. The Bees will be without 32-year-old winger Jim Morey for at least a month after the veteran assistant captain broke his hand last week. Morey had 50 points in 53 games a year ago. Detroit, meanwhile, lost the services of defenseman Spencer Larocque for at least the opening few games of the season after the 22-year-old suffered a sprained ankle last week in a game with Boston. Larocque, another piece of the big deal last December with Montreal, had 23 points in 37 games following the trade after starting the season with just 6 points in 21 games as a rookie with the Valiants.
Like Detroit, the Chicago Packers had a 3-1 start to their preseason slate. Chicago did suffer an injury to Juneau Trophy winning goaltender Norm Hanson but fortunately it is just minor. The 28-year-old netminder dislocated a finger on his catching hand but should be back in time for the Packers regular season opener in Detroit a week from Wednesday.
PRESEASON RESULTS
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 29
Montreal 4 at 3 Detroit - Rey Sclisizzi (2G), Hank Walsh (2G,1A)
Boston 5 at 0 Chicago -Tom Brockers (26 saves) Robert Walker (2G 1A)
New York 0 at 3 Toronto - Gordie Broadway (28 sv), Dick Zimmerman (2G)
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30
Chicago 4 at 0 New York - Michael Cleghorn (29 saves)
Detroit 6 at 2 Boston - Louis Rocheleau (3A)
Toronto 1 at 4 Montreal - Alex MacDonald (1G, 1A), Rey Sclisizzi (2G)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 2
Montreal 2 at 6 Chicago - David Rankin (2G, 1A)
Boston 1 at 4 Detroit - Henri Chasse (36sv)
New York 5 at 4 Toronto - Sam Coates (2A), Les Carlson (2A)
SUNDAY OCTOBER 3
Detroit 6 at 2 Boston Francis McKenzie (3G,2A) Vince Arsenault (1G,2A)
Toronto 6 at 3 New York - Bobbie Sauer (2G,2A) JC Martel (1G,2A)
Chicago 6 at 1 Montreal - Larry Seguin (2A)
UPCOMING GAMES
TOMORROW
Montreal at Toronto
Boston at Chicago
New York at Detroit
THURSDAY OCTOBER 7
Montreal at New York
Detroit at Chicago
Toronto at Boston
FRIDAY OCTOBER 8
Boston at Montreal
New York at Toronto
Chicago at Detroit
end of preseason schedule
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- The Toronto Dukes are a little concerned about the number of goals given thus far in the tune-up games. Bobby Sauer is off to a hot start 3G, 3A, team is showing a bit of truculence with RW Les Carlson leading the way with 11 hits Coach Barrell wants the D-men to take the body more often, finish their checks in the defensive zone.
- The Detroit Motors have brought veteran minor league winger Marsh Spencer into camp. The 28-year-old has spent the past 8 seasons with the Cleveland Eries and is coming off a career best 16 goal, 37 point season for the HAA club. Spencer, who was a Detroit farmhand in his younger days, had an assist in is preseason debut against Boston over the weekend but may face some stiff competition in his efforts to make the Motors regular season roster.
OTHER HEADLINES THIS WEEK
- The St Louis Pioneers and Philadelphia Sailors each repeated as pennant winners and will begin the World Championship Series Wednesday in Philadelphia.
- A wild brawl broke out at the Montreal Arena after the controversial split-decision victory for Canadian Adrian Petrie over world middleweight champion Edouard Desmarais. The American Boxing Federation says it will look into allegations of wrongdoing by two Canadian judges.
- The Oakland Grays and Houston Bulls are tied at 1 win apiece in the best of 7 Bigsby Cup final to decide the Great Western Baseball League champion.
- St Blane crushed Pittsburgh State 40-14 to remain number one in the collegiate grid polls.
- United Nations Assembly delegates cheered British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin following a speech in which he launched a blistering attack on the Soviet Union saying the Russians alone would be responsible if a new World War was to occur.
- France has joined the United States and Britain in blaming Russia for the Berlin crisis, which appears headed to a UN Security Council airing.
- Russia counters by accusing the United States of seeking war and said the Americans have no monopoly on the atom bomb.
- A forthcoming report from the House Committee on Un-American Activities will shed light on efforts of Soviet-directed spies to steal atomic bomb secrets.
Full national sports coverage is available in this week's edition of
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