1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season

The 1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's sixth season in the National Hockey League.

1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins
Division	5th West
1972–73 record	32–37–9
Goals for	257
Goals against	260
Team information
General manager	Jack Riley
Coach	Red Kelly (replaced 13/1/73 by Ken Schinkel)
Captain	Vacant
Alternate captains	Syl Apps Bryan Hextall Ken Schinkel
Team leaders
Goals	Al McDonough (35)
Assists	Syl Apps (56)
Points	Syl Apps (85)
Penalty minutes	Bryan Watson (179)
Wins	Jim Rutherford (20)
Goals against average	Jim Rutherford (2.91)

Regular season

Final standings

West Division

		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	DIFF	Pts
1	Chicago Black Hawks	78	42	27	9	284	225	+59	93
2	Philadelphia Flyers	78	37	30	11	296	256	+40	85
3	Minnesota North Stars	78	37	30	11	254	230	+24	85
4	St. Louis Blues	78	32	34	12	233	251	−18	76
5	Pittsburgh Penguins	78	32	37	9	257	265	−8	73
6	Los Angeles Kings	78	31	36	11	232	245	−13	73
7	Atlanta Flames	78	25	38	15	191	239	−48	65
8	California Golden Seals	78	16	46	16	213	323	−110	48

Record vs. opponents

Vs. West Division

1972–73 NHL records
Team	ATL	CAL	CHI	LAK	MIN	PHI	PIT	STL	Total
Atlanta	—	3–1–1	2–4	1–1–3	3–3	1–3–1	1–4	0–3–3	11–19–8
California	1–3–1	—	0–3–2	2–4	1–4	1–3–2	2–2–2	1–3–1	8–22–8
Chicago	4–2	3–0–2	—	2–3	3–2–1	2–2–1	2–3	3–3	19–15–4
Los Angeles	1–1–3	4–2	3–2	—	0–3–2	4–2	2–4	3–2	17–16–5
Minnesota	3–3	4–1	2–3–1	3–0–2	—	2–3	3–2	2–2–2	19–14–5
Philadelphia	3–1–1	3–1–2	2–2–1	2–4	3–2	—	4–2	3–1–1	20–13–5
Pittsburgh	4–1	2–2–2	3–2	4–2	2–3	2–4	—	3–2	20–16–2
St. Louis	3–0–3	3–1–1	3–3	2–3	2–2–2	1–3–1	2–3	—	16–15–7

Vs. East Division

1972–73 NHL records
Team	BOS	BUF	DET	MTL	NYI	NYR	TOR	VAN	Total
Atlanta	0–5	1–2–2	2–3	0–3–2	4–0–1	1–4	2–1–2	4–1	14–19–7
California	0–4–1	2–1–2	2–2–1	0–3–2	1–4	1–3–1	1–3–1	1–4	8–24–8
Chicago	3–2	3–2	3–2	3–2	4–0–1	2–2–1	2–1–2	3–1–1	23–12–5
Los Angeles	2–3	1–2–2	2–2–1	0–4–1	4–1	0–3–2	2–3	3–2	14–20–6
Minnesota	1–3–1	2–3	3–1–1	1–3–1	4–1	2–3	2–2–1	3–0–2	18–16–6
Philadelphia	0–4–1	3–2	1–3–1	2–2–1	4–1	0–4–1	3–1–1	4–0–1	17–17–6
Pittsburgh	1–4	0–3–2	0–2–3	0–5	4–0–1	2–3	2–2–1	3–2	12–21–7
St. Louis	3–2	1–2–2	3–2	0–3–2	3–1–1	0–5	2–3	4–1	16–19–5

Schedule and results

1972–73 Game log
October: 5–5–0 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 1 October 7 Los Angeles 2–4 Pittsburgh 11,105 1–0–0 2 2 October 11 Pittsburgh 5–2 St. Louis 17,853 2–0–0 4 3 October 14 California 2–5 Pittsburgh 12,201 3–0–0 6 4 October 15 Pittsburgh 4–8 Boston 15,003 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Pittsburgh 5–0 NY Islanders 8,175 4–1–0 8 6 October 18 Pittsburgh 3–4 Toronto 16,248 4–2–0 8 7 October 21 Boston 4–2 Pittsburgh 12,761 4–3–0 8 8 October 24 Pittsburgh 4–0 Vancouver 15,570 5–3–0 10 9 October 27 Pittsburgh 3–6 California 3,298 5–4–0 10 10 October 28 Pittsburgh 2–5 Los Angeles 9,181 5–5–0 10
November: 7–5–2 (Home: 6–2–1; Road: 1–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 11 November 1 Montreal 7–1 Pittsburgh 10,472 5–6–0 10 12 November 2 Pittsburgh 2–4 Philadelphia 13,511 5–7–0 10 13 November 4 NY Rangers 4–6 Pittsburgh 12,255 6–7–0 12 14 November 5 Pittsburgh 1–1 Detroit 14,041 6–7–1 13 15 November 8 Philadelphia 2–5 Pittsburgh 7,449 7–7–1 15 16 November 11 Vancouver 4–3 Pittsburgh 11,896 7–8–1 15 17 November 12 Pittsburgh 0–1 Buffalo 15,668 7–9–1 15 18 November 15 Minnesota 1–7 Pittsburgh 8,649 8–9–1 17 19 November 18 Atlanta 1–6 Pittsburgh 10,959 9–9–1 19 20 November 19 Pittsburgh 5–3 NY Rangers 17,500 10–9–1 21 21 November 22 St. Louis 4–10 Pittsburgh 12,405 11–9–1 23 22 November 25 NY Islanders 2–2 Pittsburgh 12,319 11–9–2 24 23 November 26 Pittsburgh 2–6 Atlanta 9,041 11–10–2 24 24 November 29 Toronto 4–7 Pittsburgh 9,971 12–10–2 26
December: 3–6–4 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 0–4–3) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 25 December 2 Chicago 2–3 Pittsburgh 12,459 13–10–2 28 26 December 3 Pittsburgh 2–4 Chicago 13–11–2 28 27 December 6 Pittsburgh 4–4 California 2,062 13–11–3 29 28 December 9 Pittsburgh 1–3 Los Angeles 9,687 13–12–3 29 29 December 13 NY Islanders 1–9 Pittsburgh 7,866 14–12–3 31 30 December 16 Atlanta 3–5 Pittsburgh 11,095 15–12–3 33 31 December 17 Pittsburgh 1–9 NY Rangers 17,500 15–13–3 33 32 December 19 Boston 3–2 Pittsburgh 10,419 15–14–3 33 33 December 23 Pittsburgh 3–6 Montreal 16,132 15–15–3 33 34 December 26 Pittsburgh 1–1 Detroit 14,427 15–15–4 34 35 December 27 Pittsburgh 3–3 Toronto 16,488 15–15–5 35 36 December 29 Toronto 4–0 Pittsburgh 11,336 15–16–5 35 37 December 30 Detroit 2–2 Pittsburgh 11,621 15–16–6 36
January: 6–9–0 (Home: 5–3–0; Road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 38 January 2 Pittsburgh 4–5 St. Louis 18,161 15–17–6 36 39 January 3 Pittsburgh 5–3 Chicago 16–17–6 38 40 January 6 Vancouver 2–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 17–17–6 40 41 January 7 Pittsburgh 0–3 NY Rangers 17,500 17–18–6 40 42 January 10 Detroit 2–1 Pittsburgh 9,906 17–19–6 40 43 January 13 Los Angeles 1–3 Pittsburgh 11,506 18–19–6 42 44 January 14 Pittsburgh 2–3 Detroit 12,755 18–20–6 42 45 January 17 Pittsburgh 4–6 Montreal 16,016 18–21–6 42 46 January 18 Montreal 5–2 Pittsburgh 10,388 18–22–6 42 47 January 20 Boston 0–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 19–22–6 44 48 January 21 Pittsburgh 3–9 Chicago 19–23–6 44 49 January 24 Toronto 2–5 Pittsburgh 10,809 20–23–6 46 50 January 25 Pittsburgh 3–6 Philadelphia 16,600 20–24–6 46 51 January 27 Philadelphia 5–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 20–25–6 46 52 January 31 Los Angeles 1–4 Pittsburgh 9,048 21–25–6 48
February: 6–5–1 (Home: 5–0–1; Road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 53 February 3 Minnesota 1–2 Pittsburgh 11,878 22–25–6 50 54 February 4 Pittsburgh 3–4 Minnesota 15,070 22–26–6 50 55 February 7 Pittsburgh 2–5 Montreal 16,028 22–27–6 50 56 February 10 Pittsburgh 3–6 Boston 15,003 22–28–6 50 57 February 14 Vancouver 2–6 Pittsburgh 8,758 23–28–6 52 58 February 17 Buffalo 3–3 Pittsburgh 13,100 23–28–7 53 59 February 18 Pittsburgh 1–4 Buffalo 15,660 23–29–7 53 60 February 20 Pittsburgh 4–0 NY Islanders 13,327 24–29–7 55 61 February 22 NY Islanders 1–2 Pittsburgh 9,200 25–29–7 57 62 February 24 Chicago 0–2 Pittsburgh 13,100 26–29–7 59 63 February 25 Pittsburgh 1–2 Buffalo 15,668 26–30–7 59 64 February 28 St. Louis 2–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 27–30–7 61
March: 4–7–2 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 65 March 3 California 2–1 Pittsburgh 11,688 27–31–7 61 66 March 4 Minnesota 5–2 Pittsburgh 12,624 27–32–7 61 67 March 7 Pittsburgh 4–10 Minnesota 15,273 27–33–7 61 68 March 10 NY Rangers 5–4 Pittsburgh 13,100 27–34–7 61 69 March 11 Pittsburgh 2–3 Philadelphia 16,600 27–35–7 61 70 March 14 Pittsburgh 3–2 Los Angeles 8,007 28–35–7 63 71 March 16 Pittsburgh 5–5 California 5,180 28–35–8 64 72 March 17 Pittsburgh 1–6 Vancouver 15,570 28–36–8 64 73 March 21 California 2–5 Pittsburgh 8,169 29–36–8 66 74 March 24 Buffalo 4–4 Pittsburgh 12,945 29–36–9 67 75 March 25 Pittsburgh 4–2 Atlanta 13,200 30–36–9 69 76 March 28 Atlanta 3–6 Pittsburgh 10,081 31–36–9 71 77 March 31 Pittsburgh 2–7 St. Louis 20,009 31–37–9 71
April: 1–0–0 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 0–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points 78 April 1 Philadelphia 4–5 Pittsburgh 11,253 32–37–9 73
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie

Playoffs

The Penguins failed to make the 1973 playoffs.

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Syl Apps Jr.	77	29	56	85	25	18
Al McDonough	78	35	41	76	20	26
Lowell MacDonald	78	34	41	75	37	8
Bryan Hextall Jr.	78	21	33	54	–23	113
Ron Schock	78	13	36	49	–12	23
Greg Polis	78	26	23	49	–32	36
Eddie Shack	74	25	20	45	–10	84
Jean Pronovost	66	21	22	43	–15	16
Darryl Edestrand	78	15	24	39	3	88
Dave Burrows	78	3	24	27	–4	42
Nick Harbaruk	78	10	15	25	–11	47
Ken Schinkel	42	11	10	21	–10	16
Duane Rupp	78	7	13	20	–3	62
Jack Lynch	47	1	18	19	–21	40
Bryan Watson	69	1	17	18	18	179
Rick Kessell	67	1	13	14	–9	0
Jean-Guy Lagace	31	1	5	6	–8	32
Steve Cardwell	20	2	2	4	–2	2
Jim Shires	18	1	2	3	–8	2
Robin Burns	26	0	2	2	–6	20
Jim Wiley	4	0	1	1	1	0
Sheldon Kannegiesser‡	3	0	0	0	–1	0
Ron Lalonde	9	0	0	0	0	2
Total		257	418	675	—	856

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	W	L	T	GA	SO
James Rutherford	49	20	22	5	129	3
Denis Herron	18	6	7	2	55	2
Andy Brown†	9	3	4	2	41	0
Cam Newton	11	3	4	0	35	0
Total		32	37	9	260	5

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Penguins. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.
^‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

Awards and records

• Jean Pronovost became the first player to score 100 goals for the Penguins. He did so in a 3–3 tie against Buffalo on February 17.
• Syl Apps Jr. became the first player to record 50 assists in a season for the Penguins. He did so in a 5–2 win over California on March 21.
• Syl Apps Jr. established a new franchise record for points in a season with 85, besting the previous high of 59 held by both himself and Andy Bathgate.
• Ken Schinkel established a career franchise record for games (371), assists (143) and points (236). He had led in two categories since 1969 and bested the previous high in games set by Val Fonteyne in 1972 (349).
• Darryl Edestrand established a new franchise record for goals (15) and points (39) in a season by a defenseman. He topped the previous high of 10 goals (held by himself) and 33 points (held by Noel Price, Bob Woytowich, Duane Rupp and himself).
• Lowell MacDonald established a new franchise record for highest plus-minus in a season (+36). He broke the previous high of +18 set by Syl Apps Jr. in 1972.
• Duane Rupp became the first Penguins defenseman to score 100 points. His final total of 104 bested the previous total of 93 held by Bob Woytowich

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1972–73 season:

Trades

October 6, 1972	To Detroit Red Wings Roy Edwards	To Pittsburgh Penguins cash 1973 3rd round pick 1974 2nd round pick
October 30, 1972	To Atlanta Flames Brian McKenzie	To Pittsburgh Penguins cash
January 8, 1973	To St. Louis Blues Joe Noris	To Pittsburgh Penguins Jim Shires
February 25, 1973	To Detroit Red Wings 1973 3rd round pick cash	To Pittsburgh Penguins Andy Brown
March 2, 1973	To New York Rangers Sheldon Kannegiesser	To Pittsburgh Penguins player to be named (Steve Andrascik)

Additions and subtractions

Additions Player Former team Via Jim Wiley Lake Superior State Lakers free agency (1972–06–25)

Subtractions Player New team Via Les Binkley Ottawa Nationals (WHA) free agency (1972) Wally Boyer Winnipeg Jets (WHA) free agency (1972) Val Fonteyne Alberta Oilers (WHA) free agency (1972) Dunc McCallum Houston Aeros (WHA) free agency (1972) Tim Horton Buffalo Sabres Intra-League Draft (1972–06–05) Bob Leiter Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06) Keith McCreary Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06) John Stewart Atlanta Flames Expansion Draft (1972–06–06)

Draft picks

Main article: 1972 NHL Amateur Draft

Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1972 NHL Entry Draft.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
2	24	Jack Lynch	Defense	Canada	Oshawa Generals (OHA)
2	30	Bernie Lukowich	Right Wing	Canada	New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)
3	40	Denis Herron	Goaltender	Canada	Trois Rivieres Ducs (QMJHL)
4	56	Ron Lalonde	Center	Canada	Peterborough Petes (OHA)
5	72	Brian Walker	Center	Canada	Calgary Centennials (WCHL)
6	88	Jeff Ablett	Left Wing	Canada	Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
7	104	D'Arcy Keating	Defense	Canada	Notre Dame (NCAA)
8	120	Yves Bergeron	Right Wing	Canada	Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL)
9	136	Jay Babcock	Left Wing	Canada	London Knights (OHA)
10	149	Don Atchison	Goaltender	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)

Draft notes

• The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a June 10, 1968, trade that sent Bob Woytowich to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.
• ^a The St. Louis Blues' second-round pick (originally from the Montreal Canadiens) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a June 6, 1969, trade that sent Lou Angotti and a 1971 first-round pick to the Blues in exchange for Ron Schock, Craig Cameron and this pick.

References

• Player stats at Hockey Database
• Game log on NHL Database
• "1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins Games". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved May 6, 2009.