saintly viewer: The Minnesota Fighting Saints vs The Houston Aero's ** PLAYOFF **

The Minnesota Fighting Saints vs the Houston Aero's

In the playoffs the Saints would waste little time in getting past the Edmonton Oilers, as they won their first round series in five games to set up a showdown with the Houston Aeros in the WHA Semifinals.

Looking for extra toughness the Saints signed notorious enforcer Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe. Goldthorpe was widely regarded as one of the most infamous hockey goons in minor league hockey, a man once dubbed him the "wildest, meanest, most unpredictable player in hockey." Goldthorpe racked up an amazing 1,132 penalty minutes in just 194 professional games. Bill Goldthrope would rack up 25 penalty minutes over three games against the Aeros, but it would not help the Saints win the series, as the Aeros won the Western Division Championship in six games on the way to winning the AVCO Cup.

In the 1974 WHA semifinals against Houston, controversial forward Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe played three games for the Fighting Saints, compiling no points and 25 penalty minutes.

(4-2):

Houston Aeros over Minnesota Fighting Saints

Game 1	April 18	Minnesota Fighting Saints	5	Houston Aeros	4	(OT)
Game 2	April 20	Minnesota Fighting Saints	2	Houston Aeros	5
Game 3	April 21	Houston Aeros	1	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4
Game 4	April 28	Houston Aeros	4	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1
Game 5	April 29	Minnesota Fighting Saints	4	Houston Aeros	9
Game 6	May 1	Houston Aeros	3	Minnesota Fighting Saints	1

Game 6

First Period - 1. Houston, J. Schella 1:08.

Penalties: T. Ball, Min 1:59; T. Taylor, Hou 1:59; L. Lund, Hou 5:32; T. Taylor, Hou (misconduct) 9:29; T. Taylor, Hou (misconduct) 9:29; J. Arbour, Min (major) 9:29; L. Lund, Hou (major) 9:29; B. Goldthorpe, Min (major) 9:29; B. Goldthorpe, Min (game misconduct) 9:29; T. Taylor, Hou (major) 9:29; T. Taylor, Hou (major) 9:29; T. Taylor, Hou 9:29; B. Prentice, Hou 9:29; G. Gallant, Min 9:29; G. Gallant, Min (major) 9:29; G. Gallant, Min (major) 9:29; G. Gallant, Min (misconduct) 9:29; T. Taylor, Hou 9:29.

Second Period - 2. Houston, G. Howe (P. Popiel) 5:28. 3. Minnesota, W. Connelly (M. Walton, M. McMahon) 13:43.

Penalties: J. Johnson, Min 4:20; P. Popiel, Hou 12:02.

Third Period - 4. Houston, G. Labossiere (T. Taylor, M. Hall) 8:31. 5. Houston, F. Hughes (Marty Howe, L. Lund) 10:08.

Penalties: L. Hale, Hou 1:44.

Shots:

Houston	11	7	14	-	32
Minnesota	9	9	16	-	34

Goaltending: D. McLeod, Hou (60:00 34 shots, 33 saves W). M. Curran, Min (60:00 32 shots, 28 saves L).

Attendance: 17,211.

Houston Coach: Bill Dineen.

Minnesota Coach: Harry Neale.

During the playoffs the Saints' Gord Gallant and Houston's Ted Taylor engaged in one of the longest, bitterest hockey fights in WHA history with Gallant winning a unanimous decision. After the series ended Gallant was the first player in the lineup to shake hands and the first player he met was Taylor, the Aero captain, who still was sporting a black eye.