1976-1977  Coach:  Record: 36-37-8, 80 points RACERS  Finish: 3rd, Eastern Division  Playoffs: Lost in Second Round to Québec

Jacques Demers’ crew entered the 1976-77 season buoyed by last season’s dramatic improvement and exciting playoff run, but got started slowly with a 4-9-2 record before reeling off 12 wins in 13 games in November and December. The Racers were effective when they played a pressing, defense-first game for which they were well-suited. Pat Stapleton was again the on-ice leader and most visible star performer for the Racers. Blair MacDonald gave the team some offense with 34 goals, with Reg Thomas and Renald Leclerc netting 25 apiece. Hugh Harris had 21 goals and 56 points in 46 games before suffering a season-ending injury. Nine other players reached double figures in goals, and the Racers, never an offensive force, set the team mark with 276 goals for. Injuries plagued the team and the Racers suffered through a frustrating second half but still finished with a 36-37-8 record, good for third place in the Eastern Division. In the first round, the Racers played rivals Cincinnati. The first game went three overtime periods before Gene Peacosh won it for Indianapolis, a rousing victory that portended a four-game sweep of the Stingers. However, in the Eastern Division final, the Racers were overmatched by the powerful Québec Nordiques, losing in five games.

Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime)

date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 8 Minnesota 4-3 W 1-0-0 2 4-3 41. Jan 14 @ Minnesota 5-9 L 21-18-2 44 136-149 2. Oct 10 @ Minnesota 1-4 L 1-1-0 2 5-7 42. Jan 15 Edmonton 6-3 W 22-18-2 46 142-152 3. Oct 15 Cincinnati *6-5 W 2-1-0 4 11-12 43. Jan 21 Calgary 1-1 T 22-18-3 47 143-153 4. Oct 17 @ Edmonton 2-7 L 2-2-0 4 13-19 44. Jan 22 @ New England 3-3 T 22-18-4 48 146-156 5. Oct 19 @ Winnipeg 1-6 L 2-3-0 4 14-25 45. Jan 23 @ Birmingham 2-6 L 22-19-4 48 148-162 6. Oct 21 @ San Diego 4-4 T 2-3-1 5 18-29 46. Jan 25 @ Québec *1-2 L 22-20-4 48 149-164 7. Oct 23 Birmingham 1-3 L 2-4-1 5 19-32 47. Jan 28 Québec 5-6 L 22-21-4 48 154-170 8. Oct 27 San Diego 1-5 L 2-5-1 5 20-37 48. Jan 30 New England 5-0 W 23-21-4 50 159-170 9. Oct 29 Québec 6-4 W 3-5-1 7 26-41 49. Feb 1 @ Québec 4-5 L 23-22-4 50 163-175 10. Nov 3 @ Cincinnati 2-8 L 3-6-1 7 28-49 50. Feb 2 Québec 6-5 W 24-22-4 52 169-180 11. Nov 4 Cincinnati 5-2 W 4-6-1 9 33-51 51. Feb 5 Birmingham 5-2 W 25-22-4 54 174-182 12. Nov 7 @ San Diego 0-3 L 4-7-1 9 33-54 52. Feb 6 @ New England 5-5 T 25-22-5 55 179-187 13. Nov 9 @ Houston 2-7 L 4-8-1 9 35-61 53. Feb 8 Houston 4-4 T 25-22-6 56 183-191 14. Nov 10 @ Phoenix 3-3 T 4-8-2 10 38-64 54. Feb 9 @ Cincinnati 0-9 L 25-23-6 56 183-200 15. Nov 13 @ Cincinnati 3-7 L 4-9-2 10 41-71 55. Feb 11 Québec 1-5 L 25-24-6 56 184-205 16. Nov 14 @ Québec 3-1 W 5-9-2 12 44-72 56. Feb 12 @ New England 5-1 W 26-24-6 58 189-206 17. Nov 16 Cincinnati 5-3 W 6-9-2 14 49-75 57. Feb 13 Winnipeg 5-7 L 26-25-6 58 194-213 18. Nov 19 Birmingham 4-0 W 7-9-2 16 53-75 58. Feb 17 @ Winnipeg 2-4 L 26-26-6 58 196-217 19. Nov 20 Winnipeg 8-4 W 8-9-2 18 61-79 59. Feb 19 Phoenix 5-6 L 26-27-6 58 201-223 20. Nov 23 New England 4-3 W 9-9-2 20 65-82 60. Feb 20 @ Birmingham 2-2 T 26-27-7 59 203-225 21. Nov 24 @ Cincinnati 6-4 W 10-9-2 22 71-86 61. Feb 22 @ Québec 2-4 L 26-28-7 59 205-229 22. Nov 25 Québec 0-5 L 10-10-2 22 71-91 62. Feb 25 @ Edmonton 3-2 W 27-28-7 61 208-231 23. Nov 27 @ Québec 8-2 W 11-10-2 24 79-93 63. Feb 27 @ Calgary 1-2 L 27-29-7 61 209-233 24. Nov 28 @ New England 4-3 W 12-10-2 26 83-96 64. Mar 4 San Diego 7-4 W 28-29-7 63 216-237 25. Dec 2 Calgary 2-1 W 13-10-2 28 85-97 65. Mar 5 @ Cincinnati 0-6 L 28-30-7 63 216-243 26. Dec 4 Edmonton 5-3 W 14-10-2 30 90-100 66. Mar 6 Phoenix *3-2 W 29-30-7 65 219-245 27. Dec 7 @ Birmingham *3-2 W 15-10-2 32 93-102 67. Mar 10 Edmonton 3-4 L 29-31-7 65 222-249 28. Dec 10 San Diego 3-2 W 16-10-2 34 96-104 68. Mar 12 Birmingham 7-2 W 30-31-7 67 229-251 29. Dec 12 Houston 1-3 L 16-11-2 34 97-107 69. Mar 13 @ Houston 0-5 L 30-32-7 67 229-256 30. Dec 16 Minnesota 3-5 L 16-12-2 34 100-112 70. Mar 15 Calgary 3-1 W 31-32-7 69 232-257 31. Dec 17 @ New England *5-4 W 17-12-2 36 105-116 71. Mar 17 @ Birmingham 5-2 W 32-32-7 71 237-259 32. Dec 19 Birmingham *3-2 W 18-12-2 38 108-118 72. Mar 18 Winnipeg 5-7 L 32-33-7 71 242-266 33. Dec 26 @ San Diego 1-2 L 18-13-2 38 109-120 73. Mar 20 Houston 3-8 L 32-34-7 71 245-274 34. Dec 28 @ Phoenix 3-4 L 18-14-2 38 112-124 74. Mar 22 Cincinnati 3-1 W 33-34-7 73 248-275 35. Jan 2 Phoenix 4-1 W 19-14-2 40 116-125 75. Mar 24 Québec 4-3 W 34-34-7 75 252-278 36. Jan 4 @ Winnipeg 1-2 L 19-15-2 40 117-127 76. Mar 26 @ New England 4-2 W 35-34-7 77 256-280 37. Jan 8 @ Calgary 3-4 L 19-16-2 40 120-131 77. Mar 27 @ Birmingham 3-7 L 35-35-7 77 259-287 38. Jan 9 @ Edmonton 3-5 L 19-17-2 40 123-136 78. Mar 30 Cincinnati 5-5 T 35-35-8 78 264-292 39. Jan 11 @ Calgary *4-3 W 20-17-2 42 127-139 79. Apr 2 New England *2-3 L 35-36-8 78 266-295 40. Jan 13 New England 4-1 W 21-17-2 44 131-140 80. Apr 3 @ Houston 7-3 W 36-36-8 80 273-298 81. Apr 6 @ Phoenix 3-7 L 36-37-8 80 276-305

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