| HARTFORD,
Conn. (AP) - Two Cincinnati Stingers and veteren Gordie Howe were among nine players added
Monday to the World Hockey Association all-star team by coach Bill Dineen of the Houston
Aeros. The squad will meet the defending champion Quebec Nordiques January 17th in Quebec
City. Ailing defenseman Pat Stapleton, who has missed several games with an alimentary
disorder, and leading scorer Robbie Ftorek were the Stingers named to the team. For the
49-year-old Howe, it will be his 27th all-star game in both the National Hockey League and
WHA. It will be his fifth WHA all-star appearence. Howe, now
playing center after years as a right winger, and son Mark, a left winger, join 12 first
and seond team selections who were chosen by the WHA media last week. The Howes are
members of the New England Whalers, leading the league with 53 points. Tom Webster, chosen
as a second team right wininger will be unavailable because of an injury. Other players
named by Dineen were defenseman Barry Long of the Winnipeg Jets, right wingers Rusty
Patenaude of the Indianapilis Racers, Mark Napier of the Birmingham Bulls and Bill Flett
of the Edmonton Oilers, and left winger Morris Lukowich of Houston. Gordie Howe currently
is tied for ninth place in the WHA points race with 44, the leading figures for the
Whalers.
The addition of the Howes gives the Whalers seven all-star, although
due to Webster's injury only six will play. Second place Winnipeg will be represented by
five players. Othe members of the all-stars are; goaltenders Al Smith of New England and
John Garrett of Birmingham; defenseman Rick Ley and Gordie Roberts of New England, Al
Hamilton of Edmonton and Lars Erik Sjoberg of Winnipeg; left wingers Bobby Hull of
Winnipeg and Mike Antonovich of New England; centers Andre Lacroix of Houston and Ulf
Nilsson of Winnipeg; and right winger Anders Hedberg of Winnipeg. |
