The Library of Congress has three different Sports pages on microfilm for
the Mar 27, 1976 Boston Herald American. It's interesting to see how the
story evolves through the later editions. The first is just a short report
obviously filed during the game. The second was obviously filed after the
game, but before interviewing the coaches. The third includes quotes from
Parker and Brooks.
Wild melee delays BU game
Terriers' Meagher, Gophers' Anderson banished
By Joe Giuliotti
DENVER -- A wild melee that cleared both benches delayed last night s NCAA
semifinal game between Boston University and Minnesota more than 25 minutes.
The fight began when BU captain Terry Meagher was called for a slashing
infraction and drew a punch from Minnesota bench on his way to the penalty
box. When Meagher retaliated, Minnesota defenseman Russ Anderson, already
serving a penalty, jumped him and the Gophers bench joined the fray.
The Terriers bench quickly sprang to Meagher s aid and fighting continued
at least 10 minutes all over the ice, even spilling into a storage area at
center ice.
It took an additional 15 minutes to restore order and, when play resumed,
Minnesota was assessed a bench minor for precipitating the brawl, and both
Meagher and Anderson drew game misconducts.
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Gophers eliminate BU, 4-2
Terriers' Meagher, Gophers' Anderson banished
By Joe Giuliotti
DENVER -- Number one in the east, Boston University, and number two in the
west, Minnesota, went at it last night for the right to meet Michigan Tech
in tonight's 29th NCAA hockey championship game.
BU lost, 4-2.
The Terriers were in quest of their third NCAA crown in the last six years,
while the Gophers, runnerup to Tech last season, were chasing their second
in three years, having won the title in Boston in 1974.
BU went on the power play at the 17 second mark when Anderson went out for
cross checking, but Terry Meagher was called for slashing a short time
later as the opening moments were rough.
As Meagher skated to the box, a Minnesota player tossed a punch at Meagher,
and a wild, full scale brawl broke out with fights all over the ice.
At one time there were a half dozen vicious fights going on. The fighting
spread into an area where the ice making machine is kept, and it took 15
minutes before order was restored. Meagher and Anderson were given game
misconducts, and Minnesota was assessed a bench minor following a meeting
of NCAA officials.
Both Anderson and Meagher are out of today's games, too.
Rick Meagher went out for slashing at 3:41, but the Terriers killed
it. Tom Mohr made the game's first big save, gloving a drive from the
point by Bob Sunderland.
BU ganged the Minnesota end for 30 seconds, and Mohr made rapid fire saves
off Fidler, Bill Buckton, Pete Marzo and Gerry Gryp at the 12-minute mark.
Bruce Lind of the Gophers was chased for interference at 14:05, but BU
couldn't connect. Sunderland of BU was called for hooking at 16:42. Brian
Durocher made four big saves before the penalty expired.
Jerry Gryp came out of the penalty box shortly after the second period
started and was sent in alone by Bob Dudley, but Mohr saved.
Younghans was chased for holding at 4:30, but Pete Brown hooked Miller at
4:40. Fidler was given a 10-minute misconduct on the play.
The teams were playing four a side when Don Madson lifted one through a
crowd at 5:24 after BU's Durocher had sprawled to make two saves. It was
the first score of the game.
Eruzione set up Dudley who was tripped by Verchota. The latter received a
10-minute misconduct at 7:30.
BU tied it when Ken Kuzyk knocked down the puck with his hand in front and
backhanded one home at 8:03.
Dudley went out for tripping at 11:56 and Durocher came out to knock away a
loose puck. He then made a kick save off Micheletti.
BU did a good job killing the penalty until Larson of Minnesota elbowed
Eruzione and was sent out at 13:31.
Younghans drew his third penalty of the game at 16:24 and BU went ahead,
2-1, when Fidler, set up by Gary Fay, beat Mohr from 15 feet at 17:17.
Grpy [sic] was called for tripping at 18:14 and Buckton at 18:42, giving
Minnesota a two-man advantage. Durocher made two gems off Younghans and
Vannelli just before the buzzer.
BU killed the remaining 12 seconds of the two-man disadvantage and also the
second penalty with Brown, Sunderland and Dudley doing yeoman work early in
the final stanza.
Fidler cruised in alone, but Mohr made the save.
Minnesota tied it up at 4:32 on a blistering slap shot from just inside the
blue line from Vannelli.
Mark Lambert put the Gophers ahead, 3-2, a short time later.
Younghans gave the Gophers a 4-2 cushion at 17:22. BU pressed but failed
to score.
==========================================
Gophers eliminate BU, 4-2
Wild brawl delays game for 15 minutes in first period
By Joe Giuliotti
DENVER -- A wild brawl in the opening minute of the game cost Boston
University its co-captain and sparkplug; and, without him, the Terriers
lost a chance to contest the NCAA hockey championship.
Minnesota, a finalist last year, rallied for three third period goals to
send the Terriers down to a 4-2 defeat before a packed house in Denver
University's rink.
BU's Terry Meagher, who had only four penalties all year, was attacked in
the penalty box after being called for slashing at 1:08, precipitating a
vicious free-for-all involving every player on both sides.
It took officials Frank Kelley and Dino Pinnicia almost 15 minutes to
restore order, and meeting had to be held with Burt Smith, chairman of the
NCAA tournament committee, to allow the game to continue.
Meagher was jumped in the box by Minnesota defenseman, Russ Anderson, who
drew a cross-checking penalty after only 17 seconds of play.
The Minnesota bench leaped into the fray followed by BU players. A dozen
fights broke out, with the Gophers all going after Mike Fidler, who looked
as though he was fighting half the team.
"That definitely had an effect on our team. It had a big impact on the
outcome. They lost a player, and we lost our 30-goal scorer," BU coach
Jack Parker said.
"The officiating was terrible," added Parker, who has always been careful
not to criticize arbiters since he took over as head coach at BU three
years ago.
Without Terry Meagher, the Terriers seemed to lose something. But they did
hold a 2-1 lead entering the third period on a pair of power play goals by
Ken Kuzyk and Fidler.
Tom Vannelli tied it early in the third period on a wicked slapshot from
just inside the blue line that Brian Durocher never saw.
Mark Lambert put one past Durocher forma scramble at 9:56, and Tom
Younghans was sent in alone to score the fourth Minnesota goal with less
than three minutes to play.
If anything killed BU, it was the Minnesota goaltender, Tom Mohr. He had
29 saves and more than half of them were dazzling.
His biggest came very early in the third period with BU leading,
2-1. Fidler, who was by far the best player on the ice, broke in alone off
the left wing, Mohr stopped him and also blocked the rebound which came
right back on Fidler"s stick.
Moments later, Vannelli let go his blast which tied the game and turned the
tide in favor of Minnesota, the team which won the championship in Boston
two years ago.
Although BU scored both its goals on the power play, Parker felt it wasn"t
sharp last night. "It didn't click the way we thought it would, and I
think we got a little tired in the third period."
After Fidler's goal at 17:17 of the second period, the officials called a
pair of tripping penalties against Gerry Gryp and Bill Buckton, forcing BU
to play shorthanded for 1:32. And, it was at this point that Minnesota
took control of the game.
Still, the Terriers had some chances in the final 20-minutes, but Mohr was
always there with the big save.
Minnesota coach Herb Brooks wasn't very impressed with BU. "I think they
may be a shade behind the Harvard club we faced in St. Louis in last year's
tournament in terms of skating and stick handling," he said.
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