#OTD in 1976 a pregame brawl between the Johnstown Jets and Buffalo Norseman caused multiple injuries & led to a forfeit of an NAHL playoff game. The brawl began when a Buffalo player made a racist comment toward a Johnstown player. #ASlapShotInTime
www.newspapers.com/clip/98488413/
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1975 - A storm hits the Twins cities dropping 11+” of snow in parts of the state. 13,304 Fighting Saints fans still made it to the Civic Center to see a 4-2 win over the Oilers. #ASlapShotInTime #MNWild www.newspapers.com/clip/1157786...
www.newspapers.com/clip/1157782...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1977 the Fighting Saints attendance record of 17,312 was broken when 17,400 watched the State High School hockey tournament quarterfinals at the St. Paul Civic Center. #StPatricksDay #ASlapShotIntime
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Fun Fact: #OTD in (1972) Mike “Lefty” Curran signs a contract with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, becoming not only the first Fighting Saint, but also the first official player to sign with the WHA. #MnWild #NHL #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/98848472/
Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1976) The Fighting Saints franchise folds in the lobby of the MSP Airport. The team was scheduled to fly to Cincinnati for a game that night against the stingers. (Photos from MNHS/Neale Van Ness)
#ASlapShotInTime #NHL #MNwild
Today is the 50th anniversary of the Fighting Saints final game AND the 49th anniversary of the movie that's loosely based on them and their minor league club the Johnstown Jets.
#ASlapShotInTime: The Wild but True history of the Minnesota Fighting Saints.
a.co/d/jfn2Jpa
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1980 Former Fighting Saint Louie Levasseur starts for the North Stars in a 7-5 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit. It was the only #NHL game in Levassuer’s career. #MnWild #ASlapShotInTime
www.newspapers.com/clip/1195314...
Guess who else had some medal winning Olympians on their team?
#ASlapShotInTime - The Wild but True Story of the Minnesota Fighting Saints
#USAHockey #Olympics2026 #Mnwild #NHL #USAvsCAN
$14.99 Paperback $9.99 Kindle
Purchase link ⬇️
a.co/d/jfn2Jpa
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1975) Bill Butters plays his first game as a Fighting Saint and bites the hand of a Cleveland spectator during a brawl with fans that began when someone dumped beer on coach Harry Neale. #ASlapShotInTIme #MnWild #NHL www.newspapers.com/clip/95470800/
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1973 Harry Neale takes the bench for his first official game as Fighting Saints head coach - A 7-3 victory over the Crusaders in Cleveland. #MNWild #NHL #ASlapShotInTime
www.newspapers.com/clip/1187867...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1975) A brawl with the Phoenix Roadrunners in the final minutes of a 4-1 Fighting Saints loss, racks up 156 penalty minutes and sets a new WHA record for a game total of 204. #Mnwild #NHL #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1181428...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1975) San Diego Mariners fans dump beer on Fighting Saints’ Mike Walton, and throw a foreign object at him injuring his eye causing a melee. #ASlapShotInTime #NHL #MNWild www.newspapers.com/clip/1180031...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1976) The Fighting Saints are sold for $1 to a group of St. Paul businessmen in an effort to save the team from collapsing financially and keep them in Minnesota. #ASlapShotInTime #MnWild #NHL www.newspapers.com/clip/1177132...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1973 Mike Antonovich scored the first hat trick in Fighting Saints history during a 10 – 5 win at Quebec. #ASlapShotInTime #MnWild
www.newspapers.com/clip/1168559...
Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1977) the “New” Fighting Saints franchise officially folds. #ASlapShotInTime #NHL #MnWild www.newspapers.com/clip/1167847...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1974) Fighting Saints coach Harry Neale is ejected for throwing chairs and sticks at referee Pierre Belanger after allowing Quebec players to influence his decision on a disputed goal. #NHL #MnWild #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1167847...
Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1973) Fighting Saints coach Glen Sonmor climbs into the stands
to fight with hecklers behind the bench in Ottawa. #NHL #MNWild #ASlapShotinTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1166515...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1975 a brawl erupts during a Johnstown Jets and Mohawk Valley Comets game in Utica, NY. It eventually spilled over into the stands and led to the arrests of three Jets and a Comets team employee. #NHL #MNWild #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1162917...
Fun Fact: In 1973 the Fighting Saints declared January 7-14 “Hockey Week” in St. Paul. This included a 5 game home-stand at the newly opened Civic Center - including the first ever nationally televised WHA game. #MnWild #NHL #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1159638...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1973) The Fighting Saints lose the WHA's first ever nationally televised game - a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at the newly opened St. Paul Civic Center in front of a record crowd of 13,426. #MNWild #NHL #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1159642...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1976) The Fighting Saints lose 5-2 to the Ottawa Civics at the St. Paul Civic Center. It was Ottawa’s only win in their 7-game existence. (Credit to the Fighting Saints FB page) #MnWild #ASlapShotinTime www.newspapers.com/article/the-...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1974 The St. Paul Civic Center hosted the WHA all-star game. Mike Walton of the Fighting Saints scored a hat trick (on his birthday no less) in the West’s 8-4 Loss to the East. #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1156727...
www.newspapers.com/clip/1156731...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1973 the St. Paul Civic Center opened. Wearing their new "little saint" uniforms, the Fighting Saints skated to a 4-4 tie with the Houston Aeros. #ASlapShotInTime #NewYear #SKOL #MnWild #NHL
www.newspapers.com/clip/1155774...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1975) Fighting Saints players vote to play without pay to temporarily help the financially struggling franchise. #ASlapShotInTime #NHL #MNWild www.newspapers.com/clip/1155133...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1972 The Fighting Saints beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 at the St. Paul Auditorium. It was Bobby Hull’s first game in MN after WHA/#NHL legal issues had kept him out. Jack McCartan got the shut out for MN. #ASlapShotInTime #MnWild www.newspapers.com/clip/1149888...
Fun Fact: #OTD in 1971 The Fighting Saints introduce Glen Sonmor as the franchise’s first head coach and General Manager while also unveiling the first team logo. #ASlapShotInTime
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Fun Fact: #OTD in 1973: Fighting Saint Gord Gallant racks up 22 penalty minutes (on 2 shifts) in a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Blazers.
Chants of “We Want Gallant!” echo throughout the St. Paul Civic Center for the first time. #ASlapShotInTime #MnWild. www.newspapers.com/clip/1142404...
I've discounted my book #ASlapShotInTime for holiday shopping this week. Makes a great gift for hockey fans or movie fans.
a.co/d/cWjBaOz
#OTD in Minnesota Sports History (1975) Jack Carlson sets a WHA record receiving 4 major penalties in a 4-3 loss at Cleveland. A third major normally warrants ejection, but Jack received a double major on his final infraction. #NHL #MNWild #ASlapShotInTime www.newspapers.com/clip/1133091...
#OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1972) A penalty box attendant at the St. Paul Auditorium is involved in a brawl with the entire Cleveland Crusaders team during a game with the Fighting Saints. #NHL #MnWild #ASlapShotinTime www.newspapers.com/article/star...
