Ramblers fans got their money’s worth Tuesday night, and then some, as Philadelphia’s skaters tore into the Greensboro Generals with the kind of first‑period fury that has become the calling card of minor‑league hockey in 1960. Before many in the crowd of 1,334 had settled into their seats, the Ramblers had already hung five goals on the shell‑shocked visitors and never looked back, cruising to a bruising 10–2 victory at the Arena.
A First‑Period Stampede
Coach Doug Adam led the charge himself, blasting home two early goals that pushed his season total to 40—putting him within striking distance of Bill Kurtz’s club record of 45 with 11 games still to play. The Ramblers skated with swagger from the opening faceoff, swarming the Greensboro zone and peppering the Generals’ defense with relentless pressure.
Blinkey Boyce and Bryan McLay each added a pair of tallies, with McLay nearly tying a club record when he scored twice in just 16 seconds in the third period—one second shy of Frank Kubasek’s 15‑second mark set back in November.
Scoring Up and Down the Lineup
The Ramblers matched their biggest offensive night of the season, equaling the 10‑spot they hung on the New York Rovers in December. Moose Lallo, Vip Palladino, Jerry Frizzelle, and Gary Luyben also found the net, with Luyben’s second‑period strike giving him 15 goals on a season in which he had never before reached double digits.
Wood Steals the Show in Net
If the forwards supplied the fireworks, young George Wood provided the showmanship. Filling in for Ivan Walmsley, the 21‑year‑old netminder turned aside 45 Greensboro shots and repeatedly brought the crowd to its feet by boldly charging out of his crease to break up plays. Neither of the two goals he surrendered could be pinned on him—both came on rebounds after defensive breakdowns.
Fists Fly, Tempers Boil
No minor‑league hockey night would be complete without a little mayhem, and the Ramblers obliged. Defenseman Carl Kaiser crossed the 100‑minute penalty mark for the season after spending seven more minutes in the box—and absorbing a beating from Greensboro’s Jean Therrien. Kaiser started swinging after a hook and a stick swipe, but Therrien landed the better blows before referee Doug Davies stepped in.
Another scrap broke out between Rambler defenseman Hugh Campbell and Greensboro winger Don Carter, though their wild swings mostly missed. Davies, unimpressed, handed out only two minutes each for roughing, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Greensboro in Disarray
The Generals, still reeling from recent roster shakeups, looked every bit the part of a team trying to remember each other’s names. Their passing was ragged, their power play disorganized, and even with a two‑man advantage they failed to mount a serious threat. Many of their shots came from long range with no screen, making Wood’s job easier than the shot total suggested.
Looking Ahead
The victory vaulted the Ramblers temporarily into second place in the Northern Division, one point ahead of New Haven. The Blades, however, can reclaim the spot Wednesday night when they host these same Generals.
Philadelphia now gets a brief breather before returning to the Arena on Friday night to face New Haven in what promises to be a far more meaningful—and perhaps far more bruising—affair.
Courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer February 17, 1960 via Newspapers.com