1976–77 Houston Aeros season

The 1976–77 Houston Aeros season was the Aeros' fifth season of operation in the World Hockey Association. The Aeros finished first in the West to qualify for the playoffs. The Aeros lost in the semi-finals to the Winnipeg Jets.

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 8, 1976||2–4 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||0–1–0

|2||W||October 9, 1976||5–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||1–1–0

|3||W||October 13, 1976||2–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||2–1–0

|4||W||October 16, 1976||3–0 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||3–1–0

|5||T||October 19, 1976||4–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||3–1–1

|6||L||October 21, 1976||5–8 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||3–2–1

|7||L||October 22, 1976||2–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||3–3–1

|8||L||October 23, 1976||2–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||3–4–1

|9||W||October 26, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||4–4–1

|10||T||October 28, 1976||1–1 || align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) ||4–4–2

|11||L||October 30, 1976||4–6 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||4–5–2

|12||W||October 31, 1976||4–0 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||5–5–2

|13||W||November 2, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||6–5–2

|14||W||November 5, 1976||9–1 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||7–5–2

|15||L||November 6, 1976||1–4 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||7–6–2

|16||W||November 9, 1976||7–2 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||8–6–2

|17||W||November 12, 1976||4–1 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||9–6–2

|18||W||November 16, 1976||4–2 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||10–6–2

|19||L||November 19, 1976||3–5 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||10–7–2

|20||W||November 20, 1976||5–2 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||11–7–2

|21||W||November 23, 1976||5–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||12–7–2

|22||T||November 26, 1976||1–1 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||12–7–3

|23||T||December 3, 1976||0–0 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||12–7–4

|24||L||December 5, 1976||2–7 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||12–8–4

|25||L||December 8, 1976||1–5 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||12–9–4

|26||L||December 10, 1976||2–6 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||12–10–4

|27||L||December 11, 1976||1–4 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||12–11–4

|28||W||December 12, 1976||3–1 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||13–11–4

|29||W||December 14, 1976||8–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||14–11–4

|30||L||December 17, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||14–12–4

|31||L||December 18, 1976||3–4 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||14–13–4

|32||W||December 19, 1976||6–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||15–13–4

|33||W||December 21, 1976||4–0 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||16–13–4

|34||W||December 23, 1976||6–5 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||17–13–4

|35||L||December 26, 1976||2–6 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||17–14–4

|36||W||December 28, 1976||6–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||18–14–4

|37||L||January 2, 1977||2–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||18–15–4

|38||W||January 4, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||19–15–4

|39||W||January 5, 1977||4–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||20–15–4

|40||T||January 7, 1977||1–1 || align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints (1976–77) ||20–15–5

|41||L||January 12, 1977||2–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||20–16–5

|42||W||January 14, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||21–16–5

|43||W||January 16, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||22–16–5

|44||W||January 21, 1977||6–1 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1976–77) ||23–16–5

|45||W||January 22, 1977||6–0 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||24–16–5

|46||W||January 23, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||25–16–5

|47||W||January 25, 1977||5–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||26–16–5

|48||W||January 28, 1977||4–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||27–16–5

|49||W||January 29, 1977||6–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||28–16–5

|50||W||February 1, 1977||6–1 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||29–16–5

|51||L||February 3, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||29–17–5

|52||W||February 4, 1977||4–1 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1976–77) ||30–17–5

|53||T||February 8, 1977||4–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||30–17–6

|54||W||February 12, 1977||7–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||31–17–6

|55||W||February 15, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||32–17–6

|56||W||February 18, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||33–17–6

|57||W||February 19, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||34–17–6

|58||L||February 22, 1977||2–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||34–18–6

|59||L||February 23, 1977||2–3 || align="left"| @ Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||34–19–6

|60||W||February 25, 1977||9–3 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||35–19–6

|61||W||February 26, 1977||5–4 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||36–19–6

|62||W||February 27, 1977||5–4 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||37–19–6

|63||W||March 1, 1977||8–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||38–19–6

|64||L||March 4, 1977||2–3 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1976–77) ||38–20–6

|65||W||March 6, 1977||7–3 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||39–20–6

|66||W||March 8, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||40–20–6

|67||W||March 11, 1977||5–0 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||41–20–6

|68||W||March 13, 1977||5–0 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||42–20–6

|69||W||March 15, 1977||4–3 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||43–20–6

|70||W||March 18, 1977||6–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Roadrunners (1976–77) ||44–20–6

|71||W||March 20, 1977||8–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||45–20–6

|72||L||March 22, 1977||2–6 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1976–77) ||45–21–6

|73||W||March 25, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| Calgary Cowboys (1976–77) ||46–21–6

|74||L||March 27, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||46–22–6

|75||W||March 29, 1977||5–2 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1976–77) ||47–22–6

|76||L||March 30, 1977||0–8 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1976–77) ||47–23–6

|77||W||April 1, 1977||5–4 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1976–77) ||48–23–6

|78||L||April 3, 1977||3–7 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1976–77) ||48–24–6

|79||W||April 5, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||49–24–6

|80||W||April 6, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| @ San Diego Mariners (1976–77) ||50–24–6

Legend:

Playoffs The Aeros defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Division Semi-final 4–1. In the Division Final, the Aeros were defeated by the Winnipeg Jets 4–2 in a rematch of the 1976 Avco Cup final.

| 1 || April 13 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–4 OT || Houston Aeros || 1–0

| 2 || April 15 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–6 || Houston Aeros || 2–0

| 3 || April 17 || Houston Aeros || 2–7 || Edmonton Oilers || 2–1

| 4 || April 20 || Houston Aeros || 4–1 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–1

| 5 || April 22 || Edmonton Oilers || 3–4 || Houston Aeros || 4–1

| 1 || April 26 || Winnipeg Jets || 4–3 OT || Houston Aeros || 0–1

| 2 || April 28 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–7 || Houston Aeros || 1–1

| 3 || April 30 || Houston Aeros || 3–4 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–2

| 4 || May 1 || Houston Aeros || 4–6 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–3

| 5 || May 3 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–3 || Houston Aeros || 2–3

| 6 || May 5 || Houston Aeros || 3–6 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–4

Legend:

Player statistics Regular season Scoring + Regular season Player C 80 24 60 84 14631705 RW 80 38 41 79 5437655 D 57 23 52 75 4641538 RW 62 24 44 68 5727513 D 80 12 56 68 8753200 RW 76 35 32 67 22423616 C 80 29 38 67 36207011 LW 80 24 31 55 10914610 LW 78 16 35 51 9028400 LW 68 27 18 45 6720600 D 80 17 28 45 10329300 RW 47 21 20 41 2522300 D 51 7 21 28 2019100 RW 75 11 13 24 1125300 D 67 0 14 14 189000 LW 27 3 8 11 2−5000 RW 22 4 3 7 6−4000 D 44 2 4 6 168−12000 D 20 0 6 6 288000 LW 26 2 3 5 8−9000 D 29 1 2 3 63000 G 42 0 3 3 60000 RW 5 0 0 0 6−3000 C 4 0 0 0 0−4000 G 39 0 0 0 00000 C 3 0 0 0 2−3000 + GoaltendingPlayer 2345 39 27 10 2 107 2.74 4 2512 42 23 14 4 132 3.15 3 Team: 4857 80 50 24 6 239 2.95 7

Playoffs Player C 11 6 11 17 67000 D 11 4 10 14 2001 LW 11 6 4 10 19001 C 11 2 8 10 17000 RW 11 5 3 8 11000 LW 11 4 4 8 28002 RW 11 3 5 8 10000 RW 11 3 4 7 47000 LW 11 3 4 7 12000 D 11 0 7 7 10000 D 11 3 1 4 10001 D 10 1 3 4 9000 D 6 1 2 3 6000 RW 8 1 1 2 4001 D 11 0 2 2 6000 RW 3 1 0 1 0000 G 9 0 1 1 2000 RW 6 0 1 1 8000 D 2 0 0 0 0000 G 2 0 0 0 0000 C 6 0 0 0 0000 + Player 120 2 4 5 4 2.00 0 561 9 2 0 36 3.85 0 Team: 681 11 6 5 40 3.52 0

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals       MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts;

Awards and records Mark Howe, WHA All-Star Team (Second Team) Poul Popiel, WHA All-Star Team (Second Team) Bill Dineen, Howard Baldwin Trophy (Coach of the Year)

WHA All-Star Game (January 18, 1977) Wayne Rutledge Poul Popiel Gordie Howe

Draft picks Houston's draft picks at the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)222Morris Lukowich (LW)Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)334Jim Roberts (LW)Ottawa 67's (OHA)446Mike Fedorko (D)Hamilton Fincups (OHA)558Larry Skinner (C)Ottawa 67's (OHA)670Kevin Schamehorn (RW)New Westminster Bruins (WCHL)782Mike Hordy (D)Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHA)893Larry Riggin (D)London Knights (OHA)9104Bill Wells (LW)Cornwall Royals (QMJHL)10116Bob Pazzelli (F)University of Denver (WCHA)

See also 1976–77 WHA season

References