BOSTON (CP) – Veteran defenceman Ted Green helped bring Boston its third major league hockey championship in four years Sunday, bringing with him the maturity and experience that molded New England Whalers into the first World Hockey Association champions.

Green hoisted the World Hockey Trophy as hundreds of the 11,186 fans swarmed onto the Boston Garden ice and engulfed both teams after New England defeated Winnipeg Jets 9-6 to win the best-of-seven series in five games.

“It's a great feeling to be on three championships in four years.” An elated Green said after the victory, “and it's an even greater feeling to win both at home.”

Green was a member of the National Hockey League Boston Bruins when they won two Stanley Cups.

The New England victory came on the strength of three goals by centre Larry Pleau and outstanding work by goaltender Al Smith.

JETS CAME CLOSE

Pleau shut off a Winnipeg rally with a pair of last-period goals after the Jets, trailing 6-2 early in the second period, had battled to within one goal early in the third.

“That's the way it's been all season long.” Green said. “When they got close we just pushed it again.”

That feeling was echoed by all the Whalers, including Pleau and coach Jack Kelley who said his club was tired but “came back together in the third period.”

“It was a great team effort,” Pleau said. “It seems every time they came close to us we're able to pull away.”

New England grabbed a 5-2 first-period lead with Pleau, Tom Webster, Rick Ley, Guy Smith and Tim Sheehy scoring.

Danny Johnson and Norm Beaudin replied for Winnipeg.

Webster made it 6-2 just 15 seconds into the second period but by the time the period ended Beaudin and Milt Black had reduced the margin.

GOALIE GIVES EDGE

Smith played brilliantly as he faced 44 shots, and his acrobatics kept the Whalers out front. He made key stops off the stick of playing-coach Bobby Hull, Chris Bordeleau, Black and Wally Boyer before defenceman Bob Woytowich made it 6-5 in the third period.

But that was as close as the Jets could come as Pleau finished off two good plays by wingers Sheehy and John French to complete his first three-goal playoff performance.

“It seemed like we would be in their end for such a long time and all of a sudden they would break out and score.

We'd make one mistake and they'd capitalize,” Hull explained on the flight back to Winnipeg immediately after the game.

“Against that club we gave everything. We threw absolutely everything at them. But we had only so much … and they just kept on coming.”

Winnipeg goalie Joe Daley, who had beaten the Whalers only once this year in gaining the Jets' only victory in the series, faced only 26 shots, but the Whaler forwards were experts at finishing things off as they continually beat the Winnipeg defencemen.

SAYS GOAL WEAK

“They were supposed to have great goaltending,” Pleau said, “but they just didn't get it.”

The lanky centreman added, however, that the Whalers were forcing the Winnipeg defencemen and forwards into mistakes and managed to do what they had to do—-beat the Hull Chris Bordeleau-Beaudin also I think. I don't care who he is, you can't play five-minute shifts and remain effective.”

“They asked that line to do so much. When you're on the ice as long as them you're' bound to get caught,” Kelley said.

Beaudin, the playoff scoring champion with 28 points in 13 games, said the Whalers “are a good club … so strong in every category.”