February 5, 1980: 7 Flyers represent team at NHL All-Star Game
The 1979-80 NHL All Star game was held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Representing the Campbell Conference, were seven Philadelphia Flyers. Goalie Pete Peeters, defenseman Jimmy Watson and Norm Barnes along with forwards Rick MacLeish, Bill Barber, Brian Propp and Reggie Leach.
Although the Campbell Conference lost the game 6-3 to the Wales Conference, Leach was voted the game's MVP. He recorded a goal and an assist in the game.
This All-Star game also marked the first of 18 for a young superstar by the name of Wayne Gretzky, who once again had the opportunity to play on the same ice as his idol, “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe.
In this game, Howe would play in his 23rd and final All-Star game, at the age of 51 in front of the Detroit Red Wings fans. Most were the same fans that he played in front of for a quarter century in the Motor City and they wanted nothing else than to see him score one more time.
The Wales Conference would jump out to a 2-0 lead early in the first on goals by the Canadiens Larry Robinson and the Minnesota North Stars Steve Payne. At 8:02 of the period, Leach would cut the lead in half and get the Campbell team on the board.
In the second, the Campbell Conference would tie the game on a goal by Kent Nilsson of the Atlanta Flames, assisted by the Blues Bernie Federko and the Flyers MacLeish. The score remained 2-2 heading into the third.
In that third period, the young left winger Propp scored for the Campbell Conference, assisted by Leach and Phil Esposito to take a 3-2 lead. However, the Wales conference would storm back with four straight goals. Tallies by Ron Stackhouse of the Penguins, Craig Hartsburg of the North Stars, Reed Larson of the Red Wings and Real Cloutier of the Quebec Nordiques, assisted by Gordie Howe, would have the Wales Conference win going away by a 6-3 score.
You can see a clip of Howe nearly beating Pete Peeters with a shot, then stripping Jimmy Watson of the puck to set up Cloutier for his goal below.
Mike Watson is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on twitter @Mwats_99.
