THE BLUE LINE
Whalers VS Oilers Game 3
WHALERS WIN!!!! 4-1
Blue Line was the official publication of the New England Whalers. The following is from
Volume 6 no48p. The price was $1.50.
The issue started off with a breakdown of who the Whalers were at the time. Don
Blackburn, scorer of the first game-winner at the Civic Center, was head coach. Rick Ley was team captain
and former coach Jack Kelley was Director of Hockey Operations. Players include: John Garrett, Alan Hanglsleben,
Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, Marty Howe, Dave Keon, and Blaine Stoughton.
The playoff profile went through the short history of the Whaler playoff statistics. : 
Cheap General Grabber Hts Tires
Of course the Whalers won the AVCO Cup in 1972/73. They were beaten in the first rounds in 73/74 and 74/75. The 75/76 season saw the Whalers make it
to the semi-finals where the Aeros from Houston defeated them in 7 games. The Whale lost to Quebec in 76/77 in the first round, lost to Winnipeg in the finals of 77/78 and
bowed out to Edmonton in the final WHA year in the second round.
In a section called "Crystal Balling" writer Bob Neumeier didn't hold much hope for the Whale. He had the Oilers, the Whale's second round opponent,
easily winning the Cup.
However, he had been wrong before. Just the previous year, he had the Nordiques beating the Whale in six games. Luckily the Whale didn't follow
the same set of stars Neumeier used to chart their future. They beat the Nordiques and the 78/79 predictions emphasized his inaccuracies from the year before. Unfortunately, Neumeier was close enough
in making this prediction. The Whalers lost a tough 7 game series against Gretzky, Dryden, Semenko and company, who later lost the championship in six to Winnipeg.
The program went on to have a section called Whaler Awards. Mark Howe was named MVP, winner of the Three Star Award of Excellence and Most Valuable Whaler for the 78/79
season. Rick Ley won the Budweiser Cup for the second year in a row for Most Valuable Whaler Defenseman.
Rick Ley had a wonderful story about him in the later sections of the program. Rick Ley, Brad Selwood and Larry Pleau are the only Whalers who made it from the first day to the last day of the team's
turbulent ride through the seven years of the WHA.
"Rick Ley embodies everything
I like in a hockey player.
He is one of a dying breed of 100%'ers,
guys that come to play hockey each and every night
no matter what the circumstances."
Jack Kelley
Among other achievements, Rick Ley was chosen as the best player on Team WHA for his play in the third game of the Soviet/WHA All-Star series in 1974.
That was about it. Just thought I would share this with you. For an interesting look at the WHA version of the Winnipeg Jets, another team that got stolen from
a well-deserving city, go to
The Jet's 
Memorial Page
This guy really has done his homework and has done an excellent job at recreating the Jets and their WHA dynasty.