1977–78 Houston Aeros season

World Hockey Association team season August 2023 The Summit WHA 1977–78 1977 Houston Aeros (WHA)Houston Aeros 42–34–4 24–13–2 18–21–2 3rd Bill Dineen Terry Ruskowski Andre LacroixJohn SchellaPoul Popiel 296 302 Morris Lukowich (40) Andre Lacroix (77) Andre Lacroix (113) Cam Connor (217) Ernie Wakely (28) Ernie Wakely (3.24) 1976–77 The 1977–78 Houston Aeros season was the Houston Aeros' sixth and final season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Aeros again qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the first round to the Quebec Nordiques. 2 Regular season Final standings Schedule and results background:#fff; border-top:#101077 5px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 5px solid; 1977–78 regular season1977-78 Houston Aeros Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/HSA/1978_games.html Hockey-Reference.com April 9, 2025 y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; October: 3–4–0, 6 points (home: 3–1–0; road: 0–3–0) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |1||L||October 12, 1977||0–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||0–1–0 |- |2||L||October 14, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||0–2–0 |- |3||W||October 15, 1977||5–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||1–2–0 |- |4||W||October 21, 1977||6–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||2–2–0 |- |5||W||October 26, 1977||8–7 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||3–2–0 |- |6||L||October 29, 1977||2–7 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||3–3–0 |- |7||L||October 30, 1977||4–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||3–4–0 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; November: 5–5–1, 11 points (home: 5–1–1; road: 0–4–0) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |8||L||November 1, 1977||3–6 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||3–5–0 |- |9||W||November 2, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||4–5–0 |- |10||L||November 4, 1977||6–7 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||4–6–0 |- |11||L||November 6, 1977||1–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||4–7–0 |- |12||L||November 9, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||4–8–0 |- |13||W||November 11, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||5–8–0 |- |14||W||November 18, 1977||6–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||6–8–0 |- |15||L||November 19, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||6–9–0 |- |16||W||November 23, 1977||3–0 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||7–9–0 |- |17||W||November 25, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||8–9–0 |- |18||T||November 30, 1977||3–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||8–9–1 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; December: 6–6–2, 14 points (home: 2–4–1; road: 4–2–1) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |19||L||December 2, 1977||2–4 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||8–10–1 |- |20||W||December 4, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||9–10–1 |- |21||L||December 6, 1977||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||9–11–1 |- |22||L||December 7, 1977||2–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||9–12–1 |- |23||W||December 9, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||10–12–1 |- |24||W||December 11, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||11–12–1 |- |25||L||December 13, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||11–13–1 |- |26||T||December 15, 1977||3–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||11–13–2 |- |27||W||December 18, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| Czechoslovakia (1977–78) ||12–13–2 |- |28||W||December 20, 1977||6–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||13–13–2 |- |29||L||December 21, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||13–14–2 |- |30||L||December 23, 1977||2–6 || align="left"| Soviet All-Stars (1977–78) ||13–15–2 |- |31||W||December 29, 1977||7–1 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||14–15–2 |- |32||T||December 30, 1977||5–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||14–15–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; January: 10–5–0, 20 points (home: 5–3–0; road: 5–2–0) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |33||W||January 1, 1978||2–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||15–15–3 |- |34||L||January 4, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||15–16–3 |- |35||L||January 6, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||15–17–3 |- |36||L||January 7, 1978||1–2 OT|| align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||15–18–3 |- |37||L||January 8, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||15–19–3 |- |38||W||January 13, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||16–19–3 |- |39||W||January 14, 1978||5–4 OT|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||17–19–3 |- |40||W||January 20, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||18–19–3 |- |41||W||January 21, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||19–19–3 |- |42||W||January 22, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||20–19–3 |- |43||W||January 24, 1978||6–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||21–19–3 |- |44||W||January 26, 1978||2–1 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||22–19–3 |- |45||L||January 28, 1978||0–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||22–20–3 |- |46||W||January 29, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||23–20–3 |- |47||W||January 31, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||24–20–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; February: 6–7–0, 12 points (home: 3–3–0; road: 3–4–0) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |48||L||February 3, 1978||0–1 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||24–21–3 |- |49||W||February 4, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||25–21–3 |- |50||W||February 9, 1978||2–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||26–21–3 |- |51||W||February 11, 1978||8–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||27–21–3 |- |52||L||February 12, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||27–22–3 |- |53||W||February 15, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||28–22–3 |- |54||L||February 16, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||28–23–3 |- |55||L||February 17, 1978||3–4 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||28–24–3 |- |56||W||February 18, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||29–24–3 |- |57||W||February 22, 1978||6–5 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||30–24–3 |- |58||L||February 24, 1978||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||30–25–3 |- |59||L||February 26, 1978||6–9 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||30–26–3 |- |60||L||February 28, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||30–27–3 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; March: 9–4–1, 19 points (home: 6–1–0; road: 3–3–1) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |61||L||March 1, 1978||1–5 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||30–28–3 |- |62||W||March 3, 1978||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||31–28–3 |- |63||T||March 4, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||31–28–4 |- |64||W||March 5, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||32–28–4 |- |65||W||March 7, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||33–28–4 |- |66||W||March 9, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||34–28–4 |- |67||L||March 11, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||34–29–4 |- |68||W||March 12, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||35–29–4 |- |69||L||March 17, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||35–30–4 |- |70||L||March 22, 1978||2–9 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||35–31–4 |- |71||W||March 24, 1978||1–0 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||36–31–4 |- |72||W||March 25, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||37–31–4 |- |73||W||March 28, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||38–31–4 |- |74||W||March 30, 1978||5–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||39–31–4 |- y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; April: 3–3–0, 6 points (home: 2–0–0; road: 1–3–0) Game Result Date Score Opponent Record |- |75||L||April 2, 1978||1–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||39–32–4 |- |76||L||April 3, 1978||6–8 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||39–33–4 |- |77||W||April 4, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||40–33–4 |- |78||L||April 7, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||40–34–4 |- |79||W||April 8, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||41–34–4 |- |80||W||April 9, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||42–34–4 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Playoffs background:#fff; border-top:#101077 5px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 5px solid; 1978 Avco Cup playoffs y background:#fff; border-top:#101077 2px solid; border-bottom:#34AACD 2px solid; Quarterfinals vs. Quebec Nordiques – Nordiques win 4–2 Game Date Visitor Score Home Series |- | 1 || April 16 || Quebec Nordiques || 3–4 || Houston Aeros || 1–0 |- | 2 || April 18 || Quebec Nordiques || 5–4 || Houston Aeros || 1–1 |- | 3 || April 20 || Houston Aeros || 1–5 || Quebec Nordiques || 1–2 |- | 4 || April 21 || Houston Aeros || 0–3 || Quebec Nordiques || 1–3 |- | 5 || April 23 || Quebec Nordiques || 2–5 || Houston Aeros || 2–3 |- | 6 || April 25 || Houston Aeros || 2–11 || Quebec Nordiques || 2–4 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win 1px solid black #fcc Loss 1px solid black Player statistics Scoring + Regular seasonhockey-reference.com 2009-06-30 1977-78 Houston Aeros Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/HSA/1978.html Player Pos Position GP Games playedG Goals A AssistsPts Points PIM Penalty minutes +/- Plus/Minus PPG Power play goals SHG Short-handed goals GWG Game-winning goals Andre Lacroix André Lacroix (ice hockey) C 78 36 77 113 578700 Morris Lukowich LW 80 40 35 75 131131300 Terry Ruskowski C 78 15 57 72 17013310 John Tonelli LW 65 23 41 64 10313500 Don Larway RW 69 24 35 59 521500 John Gray John Gray (ice hockey) RW 77 35 23 58 8015600 Rich Preston RW 73 25 25 50 523730 Cam Connor RW 68 21 16 37 2174000 Scott Campbell Scott Campbell (ice hockey b. 1957) D 75 8 29 37 11610100 Poul Popiel D 80 6 31 37 53−6110 Steve West Steve West (ice hockey) C 71 11 21 32 234000 John Schella D 63 9 20 29 125−2400 John Hughes ice hockey b. 1954 D 79 3 25 28 13020100 Larry Lund C 76 9 17 26 36−22100 Al McLeod D 80 2 22 24 5418000 Ron Hansis RW 78 13 9 22 510100 Ted Taylor Ted Taylor (ice hockey) LW 54 11 11 22 468110 Larry Hale D 56 2 11 13 224000 Frank Hughes Frank Hughes (ice hockey) LW 11 3 2 5 2−10000 Ernie Wakely G 51 0 4 4 20000 Cleland Mortson RW 6 0 1 1 7−1000 Glen Irwin D 3 0 0 0 00000 John Mazur John Mazur (ice hockey) LW 1 0 0 0 0−1000 Wayne Rutledge G 12 0 0 0 20000 Lynn Zimmerman G 20 0 0 0 40000 + GoaltendingPlayerMIN MinutesGP Games played W WinL Loss T Ties GA Goals against GAA Goals against averageSO Shutouts Ernie Wakely 3070 51 28 18 4 166 3.24 2 Lynn Zimmerman 1166 20 10 9 0 84 4.32 0 Wayne Rutledge 634 12 4 7 0 47 4.45 0 Team: 4870 80 42 34 4 297 3.66 2 Player Pos Position GP Games playedG Goals A AssistsPts Points PIM Penalty minutes PPG Power play goals SHG Short-handed goals GWG Game-winning goals Ted Taylor Ted Taylor (ice hockey) LW 6 3 1 4 10001 Andre Lacroix André Lacroix (ice hockey) C 6 2 2 4 0000 John Tonelli LW 6 1 3 4 8000 Don Larway RW 6 1 2 3 4000 Morris Lukowich LW 6 1 2 3 17000 John Gray John Gray (ice hockey) RW 6 0 3 3 10000 Scott Campbell Scott Campbell (ice hockey b. 1957) D 6 1 1 2 8001 Ron Hansis RW 6 1 1 2 4000 John Hughes ice hockey b. 1954 D 6 1 1 2 6000 Terry Ruskowski C 4 1 1 2 5000 Paul Terbenche D 6 1 1 2 0000 Larry Lund C 6 0 2 2 2000 Poul Popiel D 6 0 2 2 13000 Cam Connor RW 2 1 0 1 22000 Al McLeod D 6 1 0 1 2000 Steve West Steve West (ice hockey) C 6 1 0 1 0000 Cleland Mortson RW 2 0 1 1 0000 John Schella D 6 0 1 1 33000 Wayne Rutledge G 3 0 0 0 2000 Lynn Zimmerman G 4 0 0 0 6000 + PlayerMIN MinutesGP Games played W WinL Loss GA Goals against GAA Goals against averageSO Shutouts Wayne Rutledge 239 3 1 2 21 5.27 0 Lynn Zimmerman 131 4 1 2 8 3.66 0 Team: 370 6 2 4 29 4.70 0 hockey-reference.com 2009-06-28 1977-78 Houston Aeros Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/HSA/1978.html Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals       MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; Awards and records Ernie Wakely, WHA All-Star Team (Second Team) Bill Dineen, Howard Baldwin Trophy (Coach of the Year) WHA All-Star Game (January 17, 1978) Morris Lukowich Draft picks Houston's draft picks at the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/wha1977a.html 1977 WHA Amateur Draft hockeyDB.com December 18, 2018 Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)11Scott Campbell (D)CanadaLondon Knights (OHA)110Dwight Foster (F)CanadaKitchener Rangers (OHA)221Dave Semenko (LW)CanadaBrandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)330Glen Hanlon (G)CanadaBrandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)439Reg Kerr (D)CanadaKamloops Chiefs (WCHL)548Kevin McCarthy (D)CanadaWinnipeg Monarchs (WCHL)657Markus Mattsson (G)FinlandIlves (Liiga)766Harald Luckner (F)SwedenFarjestads BK (Elitserien)874Matti Forss (F)FinlandLukko Rauma (Liiga)982Mike Dwyer (LW)CanadaNiagara Falls Flyers (OHA)1090Dave Parro (G)CanadaSaskatoon Blades (WCHL) See also 1977–78 WHA season References Houston Category:Houston Aeros seasons