1975–76 Houston Aeros season

The 1975–76 Houston Aeros season was the Aeros' fourth season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Aeros again qualified first for the playoffs and made it to the Avco Cup Final but lost the championship to the Winnipeg Jets. This was the first season that the Aeros played in the Summit after three seasons at Sam Houston Coliseum.

1975–76 Houston Aeros
Division1st West
1975–76 record53–27–0
Home record33–7–0
Road record20–20–0
Goals for341
Goals against263
Team information
CoachBill Dineen
CaptainTed Taylor
Alternate captainsGordie Howe
Gord Labossiere
Poul Popiel
ArenaThe Summit
Team leaders
GoalsMark Howe
AssistsGordie Howe
PointsGordie Howe

Regular season

Gordie Howe scored 102 points, while his son Mark led the team with 39 goals.[1]

Final standings

Western Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Houston Aeros80532701063412631093
Phoenix Roadrunners8039356843022871292
San Diego Mariners803638678303290716
Minnesota Fighting Saints5930254642112121354

Game log

Regular season schedule
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1WOctober 11, 19755–0@ New England Whalers (1975–76)1–0–0
2LOctober 14, 19753–6@ Toronto Toros (1975–76)1–1–0
3LOctober 18, 19752–3@ Quebec Nordiques (1975–76)1–2–0
4WOctober 19, 19756–5@ Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)2–2–0
5LOctober 23, 19750–4@ Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)2–3–0
6LOctober 25, 19754–7@ Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)2–4–0
7WOctober 30, 19754–2@ San Diego Mariners (1975–76)3–4–0
8WNovember 1, 19753–2@ Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics (1975–76)4–4–0
9WNovember 5, 19756–4Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)5–4–0
10WNovember 7, 19755–3Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)6–4–0
11WNovember 9, 19753–2Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics (1975–76)7–4–0
12WNovember 11, 19755–4Toronto Toros (1975–76)8–4–0
13LNovember 12, 19751–4@ New England Whalers (1975–76)8–5–0
14LNovember 15, 19755–8@ Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)8–6–0
15LNovember 16, 19753–5@ Calgary Cowboys (1975–76)8–7–0
16WNovember 18, 19753–2@ Winnipeg Jets (1975–76)9–7–0
17WNovember 21, 19754–2Edmonton Oilers (1975–76)10–7–0
18WNovember 23, 19754–0Quebec Nordiques (1975–76)11–7–0
19WNovember 25, 19754–1Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)12–7–0
20WNovember 28, 19757–4Edmonton Oilers (1975–76)13–7–0
21WNovember 30, 19758–4San Diego Mariners (1975–76)14–7–0
22LDecember 2, 19752–5New England Whalers (1975–76)14–8–0
23WDecember 5, 19755–4Winnipeg Jets (1975–76)15–8–0
24LDecember 6, 19755–6 OT@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)15–9–0
25WDecember 9, 19756–4Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)16–9–0
26WDecember 12, 19754–2Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)17–9–0
27LDecember 13, 19753–4@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)17–10–0
28WDecember 14, 19754–3@ Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)18–10–0
29LDecember 16, 19752–4San Diego Mariners (1975–76)18–11–0
30WDecember 20, 19754–3@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)19–11–0
31LDecember 21, 19751–3@ San Diego Mariners (1975–76)19–12–0
32WDecember 26, 19759–4Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics (1975–76)20–12–0
33WDecember 27, 19755–0Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)21–12–0
34LDecember 30, 19753–5Winnipeg Jets (1975–76)21–13–0
35WJanuary 3, 19764–2Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics (1975–76)22–13–0
36WJanuary 6, 19767–3Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)23–13–0
37WJanuary 9, 19766–5Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)24–13–0
38WJanuary 10, 19764–1@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)25–13–0
39WJanuary 11, 19765–3@ Edmonton Oilers (1975–76)26–13–0
40LJanuary 14, 19761–4@ Winnipeg Jets (1975–76)26–14–0
41WJanuary 15, 19765–4 OT@ Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics (1975–76)27–14–0
42LJanuary 17, 19762–4@ Calgary Cowboys (1975–76)27–15–0
43LJanuary 20, 19765–7Toronto Toros (1975–76)27–16–0
44WJanuary 21, 19769–3New England Whalers (1975–76)28–16–0
45WJanuary 23, 19762–0Calgary Cowboys (1975–76)29–16–0
46WJanuary 25, 19765–3Calgary Cowboys (1975–76)30–16–0
47WJanuary 28, 19766–5@ Edmonton Oilers (1975–76)31–16–0
48LJanuary 30, 19761–2@ Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)31–17–0
49LJanuary 31, 19761–4@ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)31–18–0
50WFebruary 3, 19768–4Minnesota Fighting Saints (1975–76)32–18–0
51WFebruary 6, 19764–3Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)33–18–0
52WFebruary 8, 19765–2San Diego Mariners (1975–76)34–18–0
53WFebruary 12, 19764–1@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)35–18–0
54LFebruary 14, 19761–5@ San Diego Mariners (1975–76)35–19–0
55LFebruary 15, 19762–4Quebec Nordiques (1975–76)35–20–0
56WFebruary 17, 19764–3New England Whalers (1975–76)36–20–0
57WFebruary 19, 19765–3Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)37–20–0
58LFebruary 22, 19761–2@ Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)37–21–0
59LFebruary 24, 19761–4@ Quebec Nordiques (1975–76)37–22–0
60WFebruary 26, 19765–2@ New England Whalers (1975–76)38–22–0
61WFebruary 27, 19767–6 OT@ Toronto Toros (1975–76)39–22–0
62WFebruary 28, 19764–2@ Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)40–22–0
63WMarch 5, 19766–3Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)41–22–0
64LMarch 6, 19764–5Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)41–23–0
65WMarch 9, 19769–2San Diego Mariners (1975–76)42–23–0
66LMarch 11, 19761–4@ San Diego Mariners (1975–76)42–24–0
67WMarch 13, 19763–2@ San Diego Mariners (1975–76)43–24–0
68WMarch 17, 19767–4@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)44–24–0
69WMarch 19, 19768–3San Diego Mariners (1975–76)45–24–0
70LMarch 20, 19761–2@ Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)45–25–0
71WMarch 21, 19764–3Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)46–25–0
72WMarch 24, 19763–2@ Cleveland Crusaders (1975–76)47–25–0
73LMarch 25, 19763–4 OT@ Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)47–26–0
74WMarch 26, 19765–1Cincinnati Stingers (1975–76)48–26–0
75WMarch 28, 19767–4Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)49–26–0
76LMarch 30, 19763–4San Diego Mariners (1975–76)49–27–0
77WApril 1, 19764–1@ Indianapolis Racers (1975–76)50–27–0
78WApril 3, 19768–2@ Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)51–27–0
79WApril 4, 19765–2San Diego Mariners (1975–76)52–27–0
80WApril 6, 19768–5Phoenix Roadrunners (1975–76)53–27–0

Playoffs

The Aeros defeated the San Diego Mariners in the quarter-final round 4–2. The Aeros next defeated the New England Whalers 4–3 in the semi-final round to advance to the Final. While the Aeros won the series, they had nothing left for the Final and the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Aeros 4–0 to win the Avco Cup.

Houston Aeros 4, San Diego Mariners 2 – Quarterfinals

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
1April 21San Diego Mariners6–8Houston Aeros1–0
2April 23San Diego Mariners1–3Houston Aeros2–0
3April 25Houston Aeros8–4San Diego Mariners3–0
4April 27Houston Aeros2–3San Diego Mariners3–1
5April 28San Diego Mariners3–2Houston Aeros3–2
6April 30Houston Aeros3–2San Diego Mariners4–2

Houston Aeros 4, New England Whalers 3 – Semifinals

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
1May 5New England Whalers4–2Houston Aeros0–1
2May 7New England Whalers2–5Houston Aeros1–1
3May 9Houston Aeros1–4New England Whalers1–2
4May 11Houston Aeros4–3New England Whalers2–2
5May 13New England Whalers2–4Houston Aeros3–2
6May 15Houston Aeros1–6New England Whalers3–3
5May 16New England Whalers0–2Houston Aeros4–3

Winnipeg Jets 4, Houston Aeros 0 – Avco Cup Finals

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
1May 20Winnipeg Jets4–3Houston Aeros0–1
2May 23Winnipeg Jets5–4Houston Aeros0–2
3May 25Houston Aeros3–6Winnipeg Jets0–3
4May 27Houston Aeros1–9Winnipeg Jets0–4

Player stats

Regular season
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Gordie HoweRW78327010276141214
Mark HoweD7239377638291368
Frank HughesLW8031457626121206
Andre HinseLW703538736121206
Larry LundC73244973503611
Gord LabossiereC8023325518-1403
Rich PrestonRW772233553330124
Don LarwayRW79302050569303
Terry RuskowskiC6514354910018302
Murray HallRW8020264618-3308
Poul PopielD781036467129222
Ted TaylorLW6815264188-10300
John SchellaD74632381068000
Marty HoweD801423378140002
John TonelliLW791714316611312
Larry HaleD7721214307001
Jan PopielLW67471159-13000
Glen IrwinD7238111163000
Bill ButtersD14044188000
Ron GrahameG57011220000
Bob LiddingtonLW200020000
Wayne RutledgeG2500060000
Mike StevensD60002-2000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Ron Grahame334357391701823.273
Wayne Rutledge14562514100773.171
Team:479980532702593.244
Playoffs
Scoring
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Mark HoweD176101618000
Terry RuskowskiC166101664000
John TonelliLW1777148000
Don LarwayRW16751221000
Gordie HoweRW17481231000
Rich PrestonRW1746108000
Gord LabossiereC17281014000
Marty HoweD1644812000
Poul PopielD1735816000
John SchellaD1716738000
Frank HughesLW1751620000
Andre HinseLW172352000
Murray HallRW171450000
Larry HaleD170558000
Ted TaylorLW1122417000
Bill ButtersD1703351000
Larry LundC51124000
Jan PopielLW81124000
Steve WestC70110000
Ron GrahameG140000000
Glen IrwinD50009000
Wayne RutledgeG40000000
Goaltending
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Ron Grahame8171468543.971
Wayne Rutledge200421103.000
Team:10171789643.781

[2]

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Awards and records

Draft picks

Houston's draft picks at the 1975 WHA Amateur Draft.[3]

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
115Richard Mulhern (D) CanadaSherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)
230Doug Jarvis (C) CanadaPeterborough Petes (OHA)
345Kevin Campbell (D) CanadaSt. Lawrence University (ECAC)
460Dave Salvian (LW) CanadaSt. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA)
574Paul Crowley (RW) CanadaSudbury Wolves (OHA)
688Bill Cheropita (G) CanadaSt. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA)
7101John Glynne (D) United StatesUniversity of Vermont (ECAC)
8113Dave Taylor (F) CanadaClarkson University (ECAC)
9125Jim Maxfield (D) CanadaSudbury Wolves (OHA)
10138Chad Campbell (LW) CanadaUniversity of Denver (WCHA)
11150Bill Oleschuk (G) CanadaSaskatoon Blades (WCHL)
12160Jim Lundquist (D) United StatesBrown University (ECAC)
13169Rick St. Croix (G) CanadaOshawa Generals (OHA)
14175Paul Jensen (D) United StatesMichigan Tech University (WCHA)

See also

References

  1. "1975–76 Houston Aeros Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  2. "1975-76 Houston Aeros Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
  3. "1975 WHA Amateur Draft". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
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