1977–78 WCHL season

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The 1977–78 WCHL season was the 12th season for the Western Canada Hockey League. Twelve teams completed a 72-game season. The New Westminster Bruins won their fourth consecutive President's Cup and second consecutive Memorial Cup.

League notes

Regular season

Final standings

East Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Brandon Wheat Kings 72 46 12 14 106 424 299
x Flin Flon Bombers 72 33 30 9 75 396 380
x Regina Pats 72 29 38 5 63 363 405
Saskatoon Blades 72 20 50 2 42 340 460
Central Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x Lethbridge Broncos 72 36 29 7 79 341 328
x Billings Bighorns 72 32 31 9 73 342 336
x Medicine Hat Tigers 72 22 41 9 53 293 365
Calgary Wranglers 72 18 40 14 50 303 404
West Division GP W L T Pts GF GA
x
Portland Winter Hawks
 72 41 20 11 93 361 296
x Victoria Cougars 72 34 29 9 77 365 333
x New Westminster Bruins 72 33 28 11 77 345 310
Seattle Breakers
 72 32 28 12 76 359 316

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Brian Propp Brandon Wheat Kings 70 70 112 182 200
Ray Allison Brandon Wheat Kings 71 73 86 160 254
Steve Tambellini Lethbridge Broncos 66 75 80 155 32
Errol Rausse
Seattle Breakers
 72 62 92 154 60
Bill Derlago Brandon Wheat Kings 52 89 63 152 105
Geordie Robertson Victoria Cougars 61 64 72 136 85
Gerald Minor Regina Pats 66 54 75 129 236
Merlin Malinowski Medicine Hat Tigers 72 48 78 126 131
Ryan Walter
Seattle Breakers
 62 54 71 125 148
Wayne Babych
Portland Winter Hawks
 68 50 71 121 218

1978 WCHL Playoffs

Division Semi-finals

Round Robin format

  • Flin Flon (4–4) advanced
  • Regina (4–4) advanced
  • Brandon (4–4) eliminated
  • Billings (6–2) advanced
  • Medicine Hat (3–5) advanced
  • Lethbridge (3–5) eliminated
  • New Westminster (7–1) advanced
  • Victoria (4–4) advanced
  • Portland (1–7) eliminated

Division Finals

  • Flin Flon defeated Regina 4 games to 1
  • Billings defeated Medicine Hat 4 games to 0
  • New Westminster defeated Victoria 4 games to 1

League semi-finals

Round Robin format

  • Billings (3–1) advanced
  • New Westminster (3–1) advanced
  • Flin Flon (0–4) eliminated

WHL Championship

  • New Westminster defeated Billings 4 games to 0

All-Star game

On January 18, the West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 2–1 at Regina, Saskatchewan with a crowd of 2,814.

WHL awards

Seattle Breakers
Top Scorer: Brian Propp, Brandon Wheat Kings
Most Sportsmanlike Player: Steve Tambellini, Lethbridge Broncos
Top Defenseman: Brad McCrimmon, Brandon Wheat Kings
Portland Winter Hawks and John Ogrodnick, New Westminster Bruins
Portland Winter Hawks
Coach of the Year: (tie) Dave King, Billings Bighorns and Jack Shupe, Victoria Cougars
Regular season champions: Brandon Wheat Kings

All-Star Teams

First Team Second Team
Goal Tim Thomlison Billings Bighorns Bart Hunter
Portland Winter Hawks
Defense Brad McCrimmon Brandon Wheat Kings Dwayne Lowdermilk
Seattle Breakers
Larry Playfair
Portland Winter Hawks
 Keith Brown (tie)
Portland Winter Hawks
- - Brian Young (tie) New Westminster Bruins
Center Ryan Walter
Seattle Breakers
 Bill Derlago Brandon Wheat Kings
Left Wing Brian Propp Brandon Wheat Kings Errol Rausse
Seattle Breakers
Right Wing Wayne Babych
Portland Winter Hawks
 Ray Allison Brandon Wheat Kings

See also

References

Preceded by WHL seasons Succeeded by
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