This day in Indianapolis hockey history: June 27

In addition to a draft retrospective, there are three birthdays today: former Checkers Red Laurence (57) and Sean Toomey (49) and late former Capital Lou Jankowski.

June 27 in Indianapolis hockey history 
2009: The NHL Entry Draft concludes in Montreal with two Ice players being picked in the seventh round. Nic Dowd, who would play for the Ice in 2009-10, is picked by Los Angeles. With the next pick, Mike Cichy, who finished the 2008-09 season with the Ice and was the Clark Cup Playoffs MVP, is picked by Montreal. 

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 15

The 1982 Checkers claim a championship, and we honor the birthdays of fomer Capital Jim Hay and IHL Ice Taj Schaffnit.

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 12

A busy day in Indy hockey history. The 2007 Ice see a late goal dash their championship hopes in the USHL semis. The 2000 Ice clinch the city's seventh hockey title with a 3-0 shutout in Game 7 of the Miron Cup Final. In 1990, the Ice get within a game of the Turner Cup on Mike McNeill's OT goal, and the 1982 Checkers have their Adams Cup celebration slowed by one game. Also, birthday celebrations for former IHL Ice Warren Rychel and Dave Christian, and current USHL Ice captain Tyler Pham.  

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 9

In today's edition, the 1990 Ice open the Turner Cup Final, the 1982 Checkers put themselves one game away from a title with Red Laurence's 2OT goal, and we celebrate the birthdays of former IHL Ice Brent Grieve, USHL Ice A.J. Panchenko, Jon Ammerman, Luke McManus and Alex Barron, as well as late former Racer Bruce Greig.

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: May 4

Today's trip back in time sees the Ice clinch a spot in the USHL final four in 2007, Jim Waite making a 12-save shutout in 1990, and the Checkers emphatically clinching a back-to-back title in 1983. Also, birthdays for former Racers Steve Richardson and Dave Morrow, Checker Greg Evtushevski, CHL Ice Joe Gunther and USHL Ice Corey Fienhage. 

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 30

To close out April, we have the 1990 Ice staging a futile rally, who would win the next seven games to win a title. The 1982 and 1983 Checkers post championship-series wins, and the Racers get a shutout from Paul Hoganson in 1977. Also, birthday celebrations for former Racer Charles Constantin, Checker Dave Parro, IHL Ice Geoff Peters, and USHL Ice player Viktor
Shakhvorostov and coach Jeff Brown.

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 29

Today's edition sees Red Laurence score with one second left in overtime to give the Checkers a pivotal win in the 1983 Adams Cup Final, the 1996 Ice season coming to a close, and the 1976 Racers leaving the ice to a standing ovation despite a 6-0 loss. Also, birthdays to former Racer Dean Magee, former Checker 40-goal scorer George Servinis, and former Ice goaltender Marc D'Amour.

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 23

In today's look back at history, Brett Bennett leads the Ice to a key Game 1 win over Green Bay in 2009, John Kemp caps an Ice sweep over the Gamblers with two third-period goals in 2007, Nathan Perrott scores an OT goal to keep the Ice season alive in 1999, the Checkers play the final CHL game at the Coliseum, and the Racers suffer two playoff defeats.  Also, birthday celebrations for former Indianapolis Ice coach Ken McRae, and four players who saw a handful of games in Indy -- Dale Smedsmo, Patrick Poulin, Greg Smyth and Jim Stewart.

This day in Indianapolis hockey history: April 19

April 19 in Indianapolis hockey history
Jim Waite has 26 saves in an epic victory, Fred Creighton replaces his coach with himself mid-series, the last championship series in the old CHL begins on Indy ice, and Red Laurence has a five-point game. Also, happy birthday to Ken Leiter, Lynn Powis and Darwin McCutcheon. 

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 17

In today's edition, we have the Racers' first playoff win, several Checkers entries, and visits by the Indianapolis and Indiana Ice, as well as birthdays for Marty Wilford, Jimmy Mann, Bill Dowd and the late Herb Lewis.

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 13

April 13 in Indianapolis hockey history
1984: The Checkers tie their first-round series against Colorado at two games apiece with a 6-3 victory. Red Laurence, Kevin Devine and Roger Kortko score in the second to give Indy a 3-1 lead. Bob Hess' shorthanded goal at 8:07 of the third ends up the game-winner, as it gave the Checkers a 4-2 edge at the time. After Colorado scores a power play goal to close to one, Garth MacGuigan scores two empty-netters to seal the win. Gerald Diduck assists on three Checkers goals.
1950: In front of 7,727 fans at the Coliseum, the Indianapolis Capitals clinch their second Calder Cup title, sweeping Cleveland with a 3-2 victory. Terry Sawchuk stops 37 shots, Fred Glover scores twice, Pat Lundy adds a goal with a breakaway tally, and Gerry Reid assists on two goals. It marks the first time in AHL history a team sweeps through the playoffs unblemished, as the Caps win all eight postseason contests.

This date in Indianapolis hockey history: April 7

April 7 in Indianapolis hockey history
2001: The Ice are unable to defend their CHL title, as Memphis sweeps them out of the playoffs in three close games, this time by a 3-2 score in Memphis. Don Parsons scores the game-winner for the RiverKings.
1999: Bob Lachance tallies three assists as the Ice beat Kansas City 6-3 on the road. Dave Hymovitz scores twice and captain Mike Vukonich scores a goal and adds two assists.
1993: Sergei Krivokrasov and Brad Lauer score goals 10 seconds apart in the first period to give the Ice a 2-0 lead in an eventual 5-1 win at Kalamazoo. Lauer has two goals and an assist in the game. Shawn Byram had the first assist on both of the rapid-fire goals.
1991: The Ice beat the Kalamazoo Wings in a game that saw little defense - 10-7 in a regular season finale. The Ice jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first 11:01, but Kalamazoo tied it by th end of the period. Indy scored once in the second and five more in the third. Sean Williams had a five-point night with three goals and two assists to finish the year with 46 goals. Marty Nanne had three assists, while Jim Johansson had two goals and an assist. Brian Noonan and Owen Lessard had a goal and two assists each.
1990: The Ice score five times in the first period, including three in a span of 1:46, to beat Phoenix 8-4. Sean Williams (17:39), Jim Playfair (18:01) and Mike Stapleton (19:15) score in rapid succession to make it 5-0. Playfair scores twice. Mike McNeill, Dave Bassegio, Brian Noonan and Guy Phillips each tally a goal and an assist.
1985: The Checkers explode offensively for a 7-1 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. Lance Allen, a former star for the IU club team, scores the winner in front of Rob Holland's fine goaltending.
1982: The Checkers need overtime to beat Tulsa 3-2 and take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. Red Laurence scores at 5:08 of the second OT to clinch the victory. Glen Duncan and Lorne Stamler scored in the second to give the Checkers a lead, but the Oilers tied it in the third.
1980: The Checkers win their first playoff game, blanking Tulsa 4-0. Richard Brodeur made 28 saves for the Checkers, Kevin Devine got into a fight five seconds into the game, and Charlie Skjodt scored the Checkers' first playoff goal at 13:11 of the first period. Skjodt adds an assist, and Alex McKendry assists on two goals. 

Happy birthday to ... 
Eric Manlow: Left wing who had 14 goals and 22 assists in 135 games with the Ice from 1995-97, starting a 13-year playing career that took him through the ECHL, AHL and IHL. He did play 37 NHL games with the Bruins and Islanders between 2000-03. He was an AHL All-Star in 2001. Manlow retired from hockey in 2008 and became a police officer in Niagara Falls, Ontario. A native of Belleville, Ontario, he is 39.  

Today in history: June 27

Birthdays

Lou Jankowski: Right wing who played for the Capitals in their final season -- 1951-52. It was the first of 18 professional seasons for the Saskatchewan native. He was considered one of the fastest skaters in the world. Jankowski was a prolific scorer in junior, setting an Ontario Hockey Association record with 124 points in a season, including 65 goals. He was paired with Alex Delvecchio on the same line in Oshawa, and they were teammates in Indianapolis for only six games before Delvecchio got the permanent callup to the NHL. Jankowski actually played his first pro (and NHL) game in 1950-51, got back to Detroit in 1952-53 for 22 games, and in all played 130 NHL games for the Red Wings and Blackhawks prior to the 1954-55 season. He had 15 goals and 13 assists for Chicago in 1953-54, his best NHL season. He became a fixture in the AHL and later, the Western Hockey League. He had a 21-26-47 season with the AHL Buffalo Bisons in 1957-58, then became a prolific scorer in the WHL, putting in 45 goals the next year for Calgary, the first of four straight 40-goal seasons. In 1960-61, he scored 57 goals and totaled 99 points and was the WHL's MVP. He was the league's Most Gentlemanly Player in 1964. After retiring from playing in 1969, he became a scout for the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, NHL Central Scouting Bureau and New York Rangers from 1972-93. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, he was born in 1931, and passed away in 2010.

Red Laurence: A prolific scorer for the Checkers from 1981-84. In those three seasons, he played in 228 games, scored 127 goals and added 147 assists. He ranks 10th all-time among Indianapolis pro hockey players in goals scored and 12th in both assists and points. In addition, he scored 30 goals and 20 assists in 33 playoff games as a Checker, leading the team to the Adams Cup in 1982 and 1983 and the Adams Cup Finals in 1984. He won the Adams Cup four straight years -- also winning it with Salt Lake in 1980 and 1981, scoring the game-winning goal in Game 7 in 1980. Laurence played two seasons in the NHL, totaling 15 goals and 22 assists in 79 games with the Atlanta Flames and St. Louis Blues between 1978-80. In Atlanta, he was coached by Fred Creighton, with whom he would be reunited in Indianapolis. He was the 28th overall selection in the 1977 NHL Draft by Atlanta, and was also the Winnipeg Jets' fourth-round pick in the WHA Draft the same year. He won the CHL's Ironman Award and was a Second Team All-Star in 1983. In 1982 and 1983, he led the Checkers with identical 43-55-98 seasons, and was also the leading scorer the following year with 41 goals and 37 assists. He also was the CHL's leading playoff scorer in 1983 and 1984, with 22 and 13 points, respectively. After his stint in Indianapolis, he played in Europe for several more seasons. A native of Galt, Ontario, he is 54.

Sean Toomey: Center who broke into pro hockey with the Checkers in 1986-87, playing 13 games at the end of the year after finishing his collegiate career at Minnesota-Duluth that spring. He had three goals and three assists -- as well as two goals and two assists in the five-game playoff loss to Fort Wayne. Toomey also earned a callup to the Minnesota North Stars that spring, when he played his only NHL game. Toomey would play one more year in the minors -- splitting the next season between AHL Baltimore and IHL Milwaukee, as Indianapolis was in-between the Checkers and Ice at the time -- and one year in Europe. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, he is 46.

Greatest playoff games #2: Checkers 5, Birmingham South Stars 4 (1983)

If we were putting together a list of the greatest teams to grace the ice in Indianapolis, the early-1980s Checkers would be at the top of the list. It was rare to see a minor-league team keep its core together for two or three consecutive years, but the Checkers had most of its core players together for several years -- including some who were here for all five years the franchise was owned by the New York Islanders and operated in the then-"Triple A" level CHL. They were one of the CHL's premier franchises during that entire five-year run, winning two championships, making three appearances in the Adams Cup Finals and carrying a boatload of hardware year-in and year-out.

The 1982-83 season saw the Chex trying to repeat after they beat the Dallas Black Hawks to win the Adams Cup the previous year. They easily won the regular-season title with a 50-28-2 mark. Their 102 points were 17 more than second-place Colorado. The Checkers dispatched the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in a tough six-game series, while the third-place Birmingham South Stars -- an affiliate of the Minnesota North Stars -- knocked off the Colorado Flames in the other.

That set up a final where there was certainly no love lost. The Checkers had a veteran team led by Red Laurence, who had 43 goals and just missed a 100-point season, 40-goal scorer Steve Stoyanovich, Scott Howson and Garth MacGuigan -- who both had 30-goal years -- a veteran presence in captain Kevin Devine and a cadre of strong defensemen led by Bruce Affleck, Darcy Regier and Tim Lockridge and a future NHL mainstay in 19-year-old Gord Dineen. In goal, Kelly Hrudey -- on his way to a long NHL career -- and Checkers mainstay Rob Holland formed a potent 1-2 punch.

Needless to say, this was as well-stocked as a minor-league team could be. But championships are not given, and the South Stars were a strong foe. Led by 108-point scorer Wes Jarvis and goaltender Warren Skoerdinski -- another future NHL regular -- the South Stars were upset-minded. The CHL -- which had constricted to six teams that off-season and chopped a round out of the playoffs as a result -- had an unusual best-of-9 format for the finals. It would last only one year, but it would give the Checkers some legs. Early on, Birmingham had the upper hand. The Checkers won Game 1, but the South Stars stole Game 2 on Jim Dobson's hat-trick goal nine seconds into OT. Back at home, Birmingham won Game 3, and was set to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series in Game 4.

That leads us to No. 2 on our list of greatest hockey games in Indianapolis hockey history -- the pivotal moment on the way to a championship, complete with a dramatic comeback and capped by a dramatic goal.

The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center saw 4,133 fans file through the gates on April 29, 1983, hoping to see their team take a big lead in the series. Mario Lessard -- who had replaced Skoerdinski in Game 1 -- took the nets for the Stars. Kelly Hrudey had played every minute of the series for the Checkers, but Rob Holland took his place in net for the Checkers.

But through two periods, Lessard's net had been untouched. Meanwhile, ex-Checker Frank Beaton scored on a deflection just 152 seconds into the game, and then Jim Dobson scored a close-in goal in the second to give the Stars a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes.

Headed into the second intermission, Birmingham defenseman Dave Richter had 1:10 to serve on an elbowing minor. The Checkers -- whose potent power play had been 0-for-3 so far -- would only need 17 of those 70 seconds to get back in the game, and would only need 44 seconds to tie the game. Bruce Affleck shot, Lessard made the save and then Scott Howson banged home the rebound to make it a 2-1 game. That opened the floodgates for the Checkers. Just 27 seconds later, Dave Simpson tied the game on assists from the young pups -- teenagers Gord Dineen and Ron Handy.

Dobson took advantage of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Checkers' Glen Duncan to temporarily give Birmingham a lead at 6:49, but the floodgates had been opened for Indianapolis. With Richter in the box again, Kevin Devine tied the game on a backhander with 7:24 left. When Devine fed Dineen inside the point for the go-ahead goal with 3:07 showing on the clock, the Checkers looked on their way.

Briefly. With a minute left, Birmingham pulled Lessard for the extra attacker, desperately trying to tie the game. Holland stopped Dan McCarthy's shot, but looked unsure of whether or not to cover it up or clear it. He tried to clear, but Dave DeBol intercepted and buried the puck into the net.

With 25 seconds left, the Checkers' four-goal third period comeback appeared for naught. The game was headed for overtime, and the home team had all the momentum.

The Checkers were OT veterans -- this would be their fourth in 10 playoff games, including their second in the series. The overtime was evenly-played. Holland stopped seven Birmingham shots, Lessard had six saves. Neither team had a power play, and the goaltenders kept every chance at bay.

The game appeared to be headed long into the night. The Checkers had an offensive-zone faceoff to Lessard's right with three seconds left in OT. There's not much time for anything except a draw back and a quick shot -- if there's a clean face-off win, which is difficult in such situations.

But that's exactly what happened. Center Garth MacGuigan leaned in to take the draw. Red Laurence -- the team's leading scorer all season -- set up beyond the top of the circle at the point.

MacGuigan won it cleanly. Laurence whizzed one toward the net.

Score.

The Checkers poured off the bench in pandemonium. There was brief confusion on the ice, as referee Don Koharski emphatically signaled it a good goal, before the horn sounded to end the period. The linesmen -- Jim Kehm and Mark Khedouri -- weren't as sure. They conferenced, but allowed the goal and a dramatic Checkers overtime victory.

Typical of the Checkers, they spread it around. Of their five goals in the 5-4 victory, they came from five different players. Gord Dineen (G, 2A), Bruce Affleck (2A) and Kevin Devine (G, A) each had multi-point nights. Eleven different players registered a point. Meanwhile, Holland stopped 27 shots. Lessard stopped 41 of the 46 shots that came his way.

Propelled by their dramatic OT victory, the Checkers wouldn't lose a game the rest of the series. Returning home to Indianapolis, they won Game 5 by a 5-2 score and Game 6 on Scott Howson's OT power-play tally. By the time the series returned to Birmingham, the Checkers had a commanding 4-2 lead in the best-of-9, and finished it off with an emphatic 7-2 victory, keyed by Glen Duncan's hat trick and finished off by Howson's 12th playoff goal with 11 seconds left.

The Checkers would clean up when it came to postseason awards and honors. Regier, Hrudey, Stoyanovich, Dineen, Laurence and Holland would be named to either the CHL First or Second All-Star Teams, noting they were the best or second-best at their positions. Hrudey was league MVP. Affleck was Playoff MVP -- which he would win again the following year in a losing effort. Dineen was named the top defenseman and most improved defenseman, while Laurence won the Ironman Award. For the second straight year, Hrudey and Holland shared the Terry Sawchuk Trophy for fewest goals allowed. For the second straight year, coach Fred Creighton would be named the CHL's Coach of the Year.

But the most dramatic moment -- Laurence's OT goal with just one second showing on the clock -- propelled the Checkers to a championship, to date the only back-to-back titles ever won by Indianapolis hockey teams. It was the fifth of what are now eight championship teams to play in Indianapolis.

Game boxscore

Game 4: April 29, 1983 at Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center

Indianapolis	0	0	4	1	--5
Birmingham	1	1	2	0	--4

First period
BIR-Beaton 4 (Bergloff, Martinson), 2:32

Penalties: Handy (I) misconduct, 8:20; Martinson (B) misconduct, 8:20; Simpson (I) holding, 15:05; DeBol (B) holding, 18:06

Second period
BIR-Dobson 6 (Homola), 2:22
Penalties: K. Hanson (B) interference, 4:50; Homola (B) tripping, 10:38; Richter (B) elbowing, 19:10
Third period
IND-Howson 9 (Affleck, Stoyanovich), :17 (pp)

IND-Simpson 5 (Dineen, Handy), :44

BIR-Dobson 7 (McCarthy, Jarvis), 6:49 (pp)

IND-Devine 2 (Regier, Dineen), 12:36 (pp)

IND-Dineen 2 (Devine, Affleck), 16:53

BIR-DeBol 4 (McCarthy), 19:35
Penalties: Duncan (I) unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting, 5:51; Hicks (B) fighting, 5:51; Richter (B) hooking, 10:50

Overtime

IND-Laurence 10 (MacGuigan), 19:59

Shots on goal: IND 13-12-14-7-46 (Lessard 41 saves), BIR 9-7-8-7-31 (Holland 27 saves)
Power play: IND 2-5, BIR 1-2
Att: 4,133
Officials: R-Don Koharski, L-Jim Kehm, Mark Khedouri

Previous entries

#3: Capitals 3, Springfield Indians 2, OT (1942)
#4: Ice 1, Detroit Vipers 0, 2OT (1999)
#5: Checkers 3, Wichita Wind 2, OT (1982)

#6: Ice 2, Muskegon Lumberjacks 1 (1990)

#7: Capitals 6, Cleveland Barons 2 (1950)

#8: Chiefs 3, Louisville Rebels 2 (1958)

#9: Ice 7, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 6 (2009)

#10: Checkers 6, Colorado Flames 5, OT (1984)