Red Wings Take 2-0 Lead in Playoff Series with Black Hawks

Apr. 4, 1965 - Gordie Howe, somewhat forgotten in all the fussing over Norm Ullman, Alex Delvecchio, and Bobby Hull, showed again tonight that he’s the old master.

Howe lifted the jammed house of 15,002 fans at the Detroit Olympia with a shorthanded goal at 15:36 of the second period and then scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the third period while leading the Red Wings to a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks.

It gave the league champions a 2-0 bulge to take to Chicago, where their best-of-seven Stanley Cup semifinal series resumes Tuesday and Thursday.

The Wings capitalized on penalties. Referee Frank Udvari was in good whistle-tooting form, calling 22 minors, one major, and a misconduct. Detroit got 10 of the minors and Ted Lindsay — who else? — got the misconduct for mouthing off at Udvari. 

As they did all season when they were the second-best power play scorers with 56 to 57 for Montreal, the Wings weren’t exactly beautiful to watch in power play formation.

But, like the ugly duckling, the end result is what matters, and the Wings scored four of their goals while Chicago was shorthanded. The Hawks got only one power goal.

Al Langlois scored the only full-strength goal for Detroit, wiping out a 1-0 Hawk lead provided by 20-year-old rookie Fred Stanfield at 1:29 of the first period.

It was a rough tilt.

Detroit’s Larry Jeffrey went to the hospital, his back reinjured, after a set-to with Hull along the boards in the second period.

Then in the third period, Detroit defenseman Doug Barkley had a four-stitch wound opened in his upper lip by the Golden Jet’s stick.

“Jeffrey was off-balance,” said Red Wing coach Sid Abel. “It was a play along the boards, and it can be called either way. I don’t think it was an intentional injury.”But battle-scarred Ted Lindsay had a different view.

“It was charging,” Lindsay said firmly, sitting in sweaty long johns and sipping coffee. Redemption came with Lindsay in the penalty box.

Lindsay and Hull had a roughing session, and Ted wound up with the penalty. During his sentence, Howe scored the goal that turned the tide for the Wings — at Hull’s expense.

“Hull tried to glove the puck near the blue line,” Howe explained, “and he missed. So, I just poked it clear.” he then skated in alone and planted a shot past Denis DeJordy to give the Wings a two-goal lead.

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