1973-1974 Coach: Bill Needham CLEVELAND Record: 37-32-9, 83 points. CRUSADERS Finish: 3rd, Eastern Division Playoffs: Lost in First Round to Toronto. As in 1972-73, the Crusaders were one of the league’s best defensive squads, allowing just 264 goals—the third-lowest total in the league—with star goaltender Gerry Cheevers leading the league in games played and shutouts, and second in average and wins. But a pop-gun offense—266 goals, third worst in the league—meant the Crusaders were in a lot of low-scoring games, many ending in ties (their 9 ties would be the most by any WHA team). Only Gary Jarrett scored above 30 goals—he had 31—while Jim Wiste, Gerry Pinder and Grant Erickson each scored 23 goals. Even 1972-73 scoring star Ron Ward, who played for the Crusaders for the last third of the season, could not shake the Crusader attack from the doldrums, despite his 19 goals in 23 games. The Crusaders finished in third place in the Eastern Division with a 37-32-9 record, but were no match for Toronto in the first round of the playoffs, losing the series in five games in which the Crusaders scored just nine goals. Summary of Games (@ Away, * Overtime) date opponent score record pts gf-ga date opponent score record pts gf-ga 1. Oct 6 New York 2-2 T 0-0-1 1 2-2 40. Jan 8 @ Chicago 0-0 T 19-16-5 43 124-121 2. Oct 13 Québec 6-3 W 1-0-1 3 8-5 41. Jan 12 Los Angeles 5-4 W 20-16-5 45 129-125 3. Oct 14 Chicago *3-2 W 2-0-1 5 11-7 42. Jan 13 Minnesota 4-2 W 21-16-5 47 133-127 4. Oct 20 Toronto 6-4 W 3-0-1 7 17-11 43. Jan 18 @ Winnipeg 3-7 L 21-17-5 47 136-134 5. Oct 21 @ Houston 2-0 W 4-0-1 9 19-11 44. Jan 20 @ Edmonton 2-5 L 21-18-5 47 138-139 6. Oct 23 @ Los Angeles 3-4 L 4-1-1 9 22-15 45. Jan 23 @ Vancouver 3-6 L 21-19-5 47 141-145 7. Oct 26 Los Angeles 3-1 W 5-1-1 11 25-16 46. Jan 24 @ Toronto 5-3 W 22-19-5 49 146-148 8. Oct 27 Houston 2-2 T 5-1-2 12 27-18 47. Jan 26 @ New England 0-4 L 22-20-5 49 146-152 9. Oct 31 Winnipeg 6-4 W 6-1-2 14 33-22 48. Jan 27 @ Québec 3-4 L 22-21-5 49 149-156 10. Nov 3 Chicago 4-7 L 6-2-2 14 37-29 49. Jan 30 Houston 5-1 W 23-21-5 51 154-157 11. Nov 4 @ New England 5-7 L 6-3-2 14 42-36 50. Feb 2 Minnesota 2-4 L 23-22-5 51 156-161 12. Nov 10 Winnipeg 4-2 W 7-3-2 16 46-38 51. Feb 3 New England 3-1 W 24-22-5 53 159-162 13. Nov 11 @ Minnesota 4-6 L 7-4-2 16 50-44 52. Feb 5 @ Minnesota 1-4 L 24-23-5 53 160-166 14. Nov 13 @ Chicago 5-2 W 8-4-2 18 55-46 53. Feb 8 New England 2-4 L 24-24-5 53 162-170 15. Nov 16 @ Los Angeles *4-3 W 9-4-2 20 59-49 54. Feb 9 Toronto 4-3 W 25-24-5 55 166-173 16. Nov 18 @ Vancouver 2-8 L 9-5-2 20 61-57 55. Feb 15 @ Jersey 2-6 L 25-25-5 55 168-179 17. Nov 20 @ Edmonton 3-5 L 9-6-2 20 64-62 56. Feb 16 Québec 5-2 W 26-25-5 57 173-181 18. Nov 21 @ Winnipeg 2-6 L 9-7-2 20 66-68 57. Feb 17 Chicago 6-5 W 27-25-5 59 179-186 19. Nov 23 Québec 2-3 L 9-8-2 20 68-71 58. Feb 19 @ Québec *5-6 L 27-26-5 59 184-192 20. Nov 24 Toronto 2-1 W 10-8-2 22 70-72 59. Feb 23 Vancouver 7-3 W 28-26-5 61 191-195 21. Nov 29 @ Québec 4-4 T 10-8-3 23 74-76 60. Feb 24 Minnesota 1-2 L 28-27-5 61 192-197 22. Dec 1 Edmonton 4-2 W 11-8-3 25 78-78 61. Feb 28 @ Minnesota 6-6 T 28-27-6 62 198-203 23. Dec 2 Edmonton 3-0 W 12-8-3 27 81-78 62. Mar 1 @ Chicago 4-7 L 28-28-6 62 202-210 24. Dec 6 @ Jersey 2-3 L 12-9-3 27 83-81 63. Mar 3 @ Edmonton 3-3 T 28-28-7 63 205-213 25. Dec 8 New England *2-1 W 13-9-3 29 85-82 64. Mar 5 @ Los Angeles 6-3 W 29-28-7 65 211-216 26. Dec 9 @ New England 2-3 L 13-10-3 29 87-85 65. Mar 7 @ Vancouver 4-2 W 30-28-7 67 215-218 27. Dec 12 Jersey 2-4 L 13-11-3 29 89-89 66. Mar 8 @ Winnipeg 4-1 W 31-28-7 69 219-219 28. Dec 13 @ Toronto 1-3 L 13-12-3 29 90-92 67. Mar 10 @ Toronto 3-8 L 31-29-7 69 222-227 29. Dec 15 Toronto 4-3 W 14-12-3 31 94-95 68. Mar 13 Winnipeg 4-3 W 32-29-7 71 226-230 30. Dec 16 @ Houston 2-2 T 14-12-4 32 96-97 69. Mar 16 Jersey 4-4 T 32-29-8 72 230-234 31. Dec 22 Minnesota 2-1 W 15-12-4 34 98-98 70. Mar 17 @ Houston 3-4 L 32-30-8 72 233-238 32. Dec 23 @ Minnesota 4-2 W 16-12-4 36 102-100 71. Mar 19 @ Chicago 7-4 W 33-30-8 74 240-242 33. Dec 26 Vancouver 3-5 L 16-13-4 36 105-105 72. Mar 20 Houston 4-5 L 33-31-8 74 244-247 34. Dec 27 @ Québec 2-4 L 16-14-4 36 107-109 73. Mar 23 Edmonton 3-1 W 34-31-8 76 247-248 35. Dec 29 Jersey 3-0 W 17-14-4 38 110-109 74. Mar 24 Chicago 3-3 T 34-31-9 77 250-251 36. Dec 30 @ Jersey 2-6 L 17-15-4 38 112-115 75. Mar 27 Québec *5-4 W 35-31-9 79 255-255 37. Jan 1 @ Toronto 0-3 L 17-16-4 38 112-118 76. Mar 28 @ New England 2-3 L 35-32-9 79 257-258 38. Jan 5 New England 1-0 W 18-16-4 40 113-118 77. Mar 30 Los Angeles *5-4 W 36-32-9 81 262-262 39. Jan 6 Vancouver 11-3 W 19-16-4 42 124-121 78. Mar 31 @ Jersey 4-2 W 37-32-9 83 266-264 134 .