Dec. 12, 1963 - The Boston Bruins made one of their rare escapes from the National Hockey League cellar tonight and continued a strange domination over the Chicago Black Hawks with a 2-1 victory over the league leaders. It was the Black Hawks’ fourth loss in 27 games this season. The Bruins broke a 1-1 tie to win on a second-period 40-foot goal by Tom Johnson. It was his first score of the season. Dean Prentice got the other Boston score on a first-period slap shot for the 200th goal of his career. Prentice was bleeding freely from a cut behind his right ear where he had been struck by the puck seconds before as the Hawks tried to clear from their zone. Five stitches later were made to close the cut. Stan Mikita of Chicago joined teammate Bobby Hull as the league’s leading scorer when he collected his 18th goal of the season in the first period on a deflection of a long shot by Ab McDonald. The victory put the Bruins into fifth place in the NHL. Boston has finished in last place the last three seasons and hasn’t been out of the basement since the opening days of the current campaign. Boston’s domination of Chicago now includes two victories and a tie. The Bruins, winning their third successive game, got outstanding play from Ed Johnston who, like Glenn Hall of Chicago, had 30 saves. Johnston was mobbed by his mates and treated to a shower of hats from the Boston Garden faithful when the final bell sounded.
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