Nitzy's Hockey Den

Ex-NHLer Jack Riley The addition of Jack Riley, who had recently been reinstated as an amateur, continued to pay off for the Vancouver Norvans Shipyard squad;The Vancouver Sun headline blared; "NORVANS ALONE ON TOP, Jack Riley Spearhead Of Shipyard Offense Before 4000 at Forum."  The Daily Colonist exclaimed, " Norvans Register Over Clippers to Take First Berth Vancouver Hockey Squad, Paced by Jack Riley, Scores 7-3 Victory Over Nanaimo in Coast Ice League - Breaks First-Place Tie With Victoria Bapcos - Second Period Rough."  The headline and byline said it all, The Daily Colonist went on to describe the rough match; " Jack Riley, recently reinstated pro, paced Norvans with two goals while Frank Pietrosky, Ken Barker, Johnny Ursaki, Bill Nelson and Norm McQuade supplied the others. Jackie Mann was the only Nanaimo scorer, netting all three of his team's goals."  The Vancouver Sun wrote;  "Sticks were high and so were Nanaimo tempers...there wa...

Red Beattie, a veteran of over 300 NHL games with Boston would  score 15 goals in 41/42 tied for the Norvans lead The four-way tie of all the teams in the Coast League was short-lived. On January 5, 1942 a league ruling changed up the look of the standings; " NANAIMO-Commisioners of the Pacific Coast Intermediate Hockey League, in a special meeting here yesterday, upheld the protest of Victoria Bapcos against use by Nanaimo Clippers of three allegedly inelligible players in a December 20 game and ruled that he game in question be replayed on a date to be set later by the clubs involved.  Victoria had protested Nanaimo’s use in a game at Nanaimo, December 20 of Red Carr, Jack Mann  and Fergy McPherson, despite the fact the three had been given match penalties in a game the previous night at Victoria which Nanaimo won 2-1. Clarence Campbell, former N.H.L. referee now at Victoria taking an officers’ training course with the militia, will be appointed to handle Victoria g...

Nanaimo Clipper, against whom the Norvans snapped their 7-game losing streak  After an entire month of losing every game they played, the Vancouver Norvans Shipyards broke a seven-game losing streak with a surprise home win at the Vancouver Forum over New Westminster on Dec. 15, 1941. The Victoria Daily Colonist reported; " Vancouver Norvans Nose Out Spitfires In Hockey Surprise -  Halt Losing Streak at Expense of League Leading New Westminster Club, 4-3 – Beattie Nets Two Goals in Final Period Offensive  With a trio of new players and return of several on the injured list Norvans gave a much improved performance over that of the past few weeks which saw them drop seven games in a row." New Westminster Spitfires The following night back in New Westminster, the Norvans continued their turnaround; " Vancouver Iceman Register Victory Over Rival Squad -  Norvans Continue Bid for Cost Hockey League Honors by Rallying in Final Period to Turn Back New Westnminste...

Victoria Bapcos netminder, Laurel Harney After an impressive two wins to kick off the campaign, the Vancouver Norvan Shipyards squad had dropped five consecutive games. After losing a tightly contested affair by a score of 3-1 in Victoria on Nov. 29, the Norvans proceeded up-island and were dismantled the next night by the Nanaimo Clippers by a tune of 10-7. The Daily Colonist described; " Up-Islanders Score 10-7 Decision Over Norvans in Coast Hockey League Fixture on Mainland – Net Eight Goals in Third Period  VANCOUVER- Nanaimo Clippers climbed into third place in the Pacific Coast Intermediate Amateur Hockey League tonight when they came from behind to trounce Vancouver Norvans, 10-7. The win pulled Clippers a point above Norvans, who dropped down into the cellar spot.  Norvans held  wide edge on play during the first two periods, but lost Goalie George Hart late in the second. Hart went off with a badly cut eye when struck by a stick dur...