Bv JOHN KOROBANIK

07 Apr 1975, Mon Fort McMurray Today (Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada)

WINNIPEG (CP) – A hard wrist shot by Bobby Hull of the World Hockey Association Winnipeg Jets made major hockey league history Sunday.

Hull, 36, let the shot go from just inside the blueline at the 19:26 mark of the second period, beating goaltender Russ Gillow of the San Diego Mariners for his 77th goal in 78 games.

The goal, which gave the Jets a 3-3 tie in a game eventually deadlocked 5-5, eclipsed the old record of 76 goals in a season set in 1970-71 by Phil Esposito of the National Hockey League Boston Bruins.

“I didn't hesitate a moment.”' Hull said. “We were both flying when we hit the blueline. Anders (Hedberg) gave i.t to me and I let go with a full wrist shot.”

It was Hull's eighth goal in six games against San Diego this season and raised his major league total to 785 in 1,252 games. He has scored 181 goals in 216 games in the WHA.

CREDITS LINEMATES

Hull, dubbed the Golden Jet for his scoring feats during a 15-year NHL career with Chicago Black Hawks, credited linemates Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg for his success.

“What happened this year was just because of those guys,” Hull said after the game. “Everything that happened was because . . we played unselfishly all year.

“1 guess you could make that all five of us who played together so much,” he said, praising defencemen Lars Erik Sjoberg and Mike Ford.

Winnipeg coach Rudy Pilous said the record was all the more “incredible” because of the constant checking Hull faced all season. “If Bobby would have had the straight up-and-down normal checking, it's conceivable he could have gotten 10 more goals.”

MISSES PLAYOFFS

But the jubilation over Hull's record goal didn't quite dispell the dejection of the Winnipeg players in missing the playoffs for the first time in the WHA's three-year history.

Hull and Nilsson conceded that the club may have been distracted by pressure to get the goal, accounting for three losses in the final four games of the season.