Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 57

57 THE HARTFORD C0URANT: Friday, January 12, 1979 Whalers' Notes: Layoff Not to Dineen's Liking Area's Biggest Shows Scheduled This Month Several streaks will be on the line when the Whalers and Oilers meet. New England has won its last five games and nine of its last 10 at home. The only setback during that stretch was a 7-4 loss to the Soviet All-Stars Dec. 9. Oilers' right wing Bill "Cowboy" Flett will carry a 12-game scoring streak into the game, a string which equals the club record set by Rusty Patenaude during the 1973-74 season.

Ironically, Flett, who has four goals and 11 assists during the streak, was put on waivers by Edmonton in early November. When he wasn't claimed by any other team, the Oilers decided to keep him. Flett now has 10 goals and 21 assists to rank second only to teen-age sensation Wayne Gretzky, who has 18 goals and 17 assists. I i P' i i V- i fLU. vL-, guys to do," Dineen said.

"It's not too exciting when you're doing the same old thing every day. It's mighty difficult to keep everyone on edge." With that in mind, practice sessions Tuesday and Wednesday included having forwards play defense, defensemen play forward and the Canadian members of the team facing their American counterparts. 'Fun' Is Over All that "fun" ended Thursday when the Whalers started "to build more intensity" for the resumption of the WHA wars. "We have to work on getting more aggressive and back into game conditions," said Dineen, whose club is on an 8-2-2 streak that has vaulted them into a first-place tie with the Quebec Nordiques. "It probably will be tough in the first period, like it was the other night (a 5-4 win over Cincinnati last Sunday).

We weren't as sharp as we had been in the previous few games, but that's something we will hopefully work out quickly. "I'm glad to get back in the thick of things because that's the only way to build momentum." Mark Howe Ailing Dineen's other concern is the status of standout left wing Mark Howe. The Whalers' leading scorer had to sit out the second half of Thursday's practice session because of recurring back spasms, an ailment which kept him out of two games earlier this season. "He's one guy we can't afford to lose," Dineen said of Howe, who has 24 goals and' 36 assists in 33 games. Howe's latest physical problems occurred after he returned from playing with Team WHA in its three-game exhibition series against Moscow Dynamo.

Dineen said Howe probably will miss this morning's practice and then skate lightly Saturday morning to determine whether he can play that night. Whalers' All-Star defense-man Rick Ley is nursing a groin injury which forced him to the sidelines during the win over the Stingers. He is expected to play against Edmonton. Palmer Puckers Five-time Bob Hope Desert Classic winner Arnold Palmer puckers after leaving a putt on the edge of the fourth hole Thursday during second-round play in Palm Springs, Calif. Palmer, putting for a birdie, settled for a par on the hole(AP).

Boating power cruisers that sell for as much as $180,000 each. Much More Among the new boats and accessories to be shown are the J-24, a new racing sloop that sells for BMW's new 10-model marine engine line and a load of other new engines, interiors, equipment and accessories. Show hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

and weekdays from noon to 10 p.m. Adult admission is $4, except on Monday when U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadron members can get in free with proof of membership. Then on to Boston The Boston show Jan.

31 through Feb. 4 expects to display 400 boats and hundreds of marine accessories in 150,000 square feet of space. All display space is com He hit a shot out of bounds for the double bogey on the second hole and then, on the fourth, left a birdie putt short, dead in the heart of the hole. It cost him a share of the record. He birdied the next seven in a row.

"I can't explain it," said Mahaffey, whose comeback last year helped ease the haunting memory of two consecutive U.S. Open titles that eluded him. "I guess it's something like (Johnny) Miller went through a few years ago. I could just see every line. Everything was right." He started the burst by reaching the par-5 fifth in two1 and 2-putting for birdie.

On two others, he had irons within 18 inches, holed a couple of others from 8 and 12 feet and got the others on long putts in the 30-35 foot range. pletely sold out and the sponsor, the Massachusetts Marine Trade Association, has lined up marine safety seminars, power boat racing displays, daily seminars and films by the Jacques Cous-teau Society. The "Miss Bud-weiser" hydroplane racing boat will be on exhibit. The show will be in Hynes Veterans Auditorium at the Prudential Center. Hours are 2 to 10:30 p.m.

weekdays and 1 to 10:30 p.m. for the weekend. TV WRESTLING ON CHANNEL 22 RETURNS TO ITS REGULAR TIME EVERY SAT. AT 1 P.M. CREYUOUUD PUPPIES FOR SALE BRED FROM OUTSTANDING AMERICAN IMPORTED BLOOD LINES.

CONTACT: AUBREY WALLIS BRITISH-CONNECTICUT KENNEL (203)774-1796 9X03103) IT fiYiJ mm (T li train By BRUCE BERLET "This practice day in and day out is driving me nuts," New England Whalers' Coach Bill Dineen said Thursday after what seemed the umpteenth straight workout at the Glastonbury arena. "Rest is good to a certain extent, but one game in 13 days is not ideal. Practicing all the time is just not the same as game conditions," Dineen explained. Tough To Stay on Edge When the Whalers take the ice Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Springfield Civic Center to face the Edmonton Oilers, it will be only their second World Hockey Association in 14 days.

A seven-day All-Star break and current six-day layoff have Dineen somewhat concerned. "I've been trying to find something interesting for the Laf leur Inches Ahead in Votes For All-Stars NEW YORK (AP) Montreal Canadiens' superstar Guy Lafleur took the lead from the New York Rangers' Anders Hedberg in fan balloting for the starting right wing position on the National Hockey League All-Star squad that will face the Soviet National team next month, league office said Wednesday. Lafleur's total of 51,450 votes moved him ahead of Hedberg, who trailed by six votes at 51,444. Toronto's Lanny McDonald was third with 43,620. The Rangers' Pat Hickey, who leads all NHL players with 67,040 votes, maintained a comfortable lead over Montreal's Steve Shutt (34,434) and Philadelphia's Bill Barber (32,297) for left wing.

His teammate, Ulf Nilsson, continued to lead all centers with 40,751 votes, with Chicago's Ivan Boldirev (34,322) second and Darryl Sittler of Toronto (28,704) third. Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders, the NHL's leading goal-scorer with 35, was a distant fourth with 18,476 votes. Phil Russell of Chicago moved into the lead for the starting defense position with 53,035, nosing out Toronto's Borge Salming (52,572) and the Rangers' Ron Greschner The two leading defensemen will start. Chicago's Tony Esposito continued to lead goalten-ders by a wide margin. His total of 56,281 votes put him far ahead of Toronto's Mike Palmateer (32,976) and Philadelphia's Bernie Parent The NHL office said approximately 1.3 million votes have been cast by fans in NHL cities thus far.

The final total was expected to reach two million. Balloting will end Jan. 14. The NHL All-Stars and the Soviet National Team will play a three-game series on Feb. 8, 10, and 11 at New York's Madison Square Seven Straight Birdies Give Mahaf ey Lead John Garrett, sporting a 10-5-4 record and 3.51 goals-against average, will start in goal for the Whalers.

First team All-Star Dave Dryden (14-7, 3.05) or ex-Boston University star Ed Walsh (0-2, 3.78) will be in the net for the Oilers. Dryden has a knee injury and may not be able to play. The Oilers' former number two goalie, Ed Mio, was sent to Dallas of the Central Hockey League last week. Former Whaler Brett Cal-lighen is expected back with the Oilers Saturday after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. Peter Driscoll has a charley horse and will not play.

The Whalers lead the league in both power play and short-handed efficiency. New England has scored on 30 of 108 power play chances (27.8 percent) and allowed only 25 goals in 139 short-handed situations (82 percent). The Oilers are third in power plays (29 of 109 for 26.6 percent) and second while short-handed (19 of 98 for 80.6 percent). The Whalers are 4-1 against the Oilers this season, winning 2-1, 6-1, 7-0 and 5-3 and losing 8-2. The Whalers are 19-10-6 overall, while the fifth-place Oilers are 17-16.

By DIANE EROZEK Two of the Northeast's biggest boat shows are coming this month to New York City and Boston. The first opens Saturday at the New York Coliseum where eight acres of displays with more than 500 boats will tempt the winter crowds. The National Association of Engine and Boat Manufacturers, which sponsors the nine-day show, expects more than 400,000 spectators. This year, for the first time, a boating information center will be staffed by National Boating Magazine editors to advise landlubbers on how to get into the sport. Once their interest is aroused, they can make use of the show's printout of boats in the show that meet their aesthetic preferences and financial limits.

Dreamboat The sail fleet in the show is led by the 45-foot Island Trader, a fiberglass ketch with teak interior built in Taiwan. The $82,500 asking price includes a full galley, dining area, separate salon, a head with shower and sleeping room for six. Although she's the queen of the show, the top of the price scale is held by two big fore the final round at Indians Wells. And Wall took note that Mahaffey has played the two tough ones. "I'm well aware of what is happening," he said.

Leonard Thompson was another stroke back at 135 after mastering Tamarisk with a 66 in the cool, cloudy weather. Keith Fergus was next at 136 after a 67 at Indian Wells. The group at 137 included Lanny Wadkins, J.C. Snead and Tom Purtzer. Wadkins, a former PGA champ, had a 66 at La Quinta, Snead 69 at Indian Wells and Purtzer 68 at Tamarisk.

The first-round leaders slipped back. Charles Coody went from an opening 65 to 73 at Indian Wells and Bob Murphy, who had a first-round 65, went to a 74 at Bermuda Dunes. Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus both were at Tamarisk. Trevino shot 68-139 and Nicklaus was 69-140. "I've never had a round like this," Mahaffey murm-ered.

"I don't think I've ever had nine birdies in a round before." South-Aquinas Game Sold Out Saturday night's basketball game between South Catholic and St. Thomas Aquinas is a sellout. The game, which will be played at Berlin High School, will begin at 8 p.m. Aquinas faculty manager Dave McCreesh said Thursday night that passes will be honored only if the school's athletic officials are notified in advance. Hartford CATV To Carry Games Hartford CATV general manager William Chain said Thursday the West Hartford cable television station will join the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network for coverage of University of Connecticut sports events on Jan.

17, when UConn plays Boston College in basketball. The events will be seen on the station's cable news channel. Seven of Connecticut's 17 cable companies are currently committed to carry the UConn events, according to ESP. PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) John Mahaffey shrugged off the potential disaster of a double-bogey 6 with a string of seven birdies and scored another 6-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead Thursday in the second round of the Bob Hope Desert Classic.

Mahaffey's birdie-burst, beginning on the fifth hole at La Quinta, was one short of the all-time PGA tour record. The baby-faced Mahaffey, who capped a dramatic comeback last season with victories in the PGA and the World Cup, had a 36-hole total of 132, 12 strokes under par after playing Tamarisk and La Quinta, generally regarded as the two toughest of the four desert courses used for the first four days of this 90-hole, five-day marathon. His birdie on the final hole, from about 12 feet, lifted him two shots clear of Art Wall, the 55-year-old National Seniors champion who is starting his 31st year on the tour. "Gee whiz," said the mild-mannered Wall, uttering his strongest expletive, "what's happening?" Wall, who won the Masters two decades ago and is seeking to become the oldest man ever to win a tour title, dropped a wide-breaking, uphill, 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole at Bermuda Dunes. It finished off a second consecutive 5-under-par 67 and gave him a two-day total of 134.

The format for this event calls for the pros to play one round on each of the four courses, each day with a different team of amateurs, be I Win a Trip for Two in Rome miiA ASD Falls Short In Late Rally New York's Lexington School for the Deaf held off against a full court press to trim American School for the Deaf 56-48 in independent boys basketball Thursday night. Lexington led 29-27 at the half but opened to a 12-point spread before ASD went to the press but couldn't pull any closer than six points in final quarter. Mike Torres of Lexington paced all scorers with 25 while Roland Granfors led ASD with 20. Lexington 56, ASD 44 LEXINGTON (56): Kaufman 5 3 13, Killoran 1 1 3. Torres 10 5 25, McNulty 1 0 2, Kunskv 6113.

Totals: 23 10 St. ASD (41): Grantors 4 20, Biskupiak 0 10, Ta-miso 6 1 13, Motta 1 1 3. Caoece 1 0 2. Totals: 216 41. Haltttme: Lexington, 29-27.

Celebrate ITMJAN Call the Truck People from and get straight truck talk! o'Blsio'e Triple Numbers Grandfield, Oklahoma's Kenneth Johnson treated basketball fans to an amazing high school basketball show Tuesday night. Johnson scored 105 points in a 120-65 victory over Terral High School. The previous record for an individual in one game was 82 points, set last season. Johnson hit 50 percent of his shots from the floor and was 15 for 16 at the line. He has been averaging 44 points over 11 games (AP).

at Bridgeport Jai Alai Tuesday, an. 16 With everyone in attendance eligible to participate in a drawing for an all-inclusive trip for two in Rome, Italy, courtesy of EMPRESS TRAVEL of Bridgeport. (You need not be present to win). Empress Travel experts will be on hand to discuss your travel plans. Italian entertainment featuring music by I Liguri and tarantelle dancing.

Also, spaghetti dinners (all you can eat) in our Cancha Restaurant. Doors open at 6 p.m. Nitely Bus Service Departure: 5 p.m. Arrow Travel, 84 Conn. E.

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