Ex-Spokane Jet Rendall Named On Ncaa 50th-Anniversary Team

Tom Rendall of Spokane, a three-year star at Michigan, is one of 21 former college greats on the NCAA’s 50th anniversary all-star hockey team.

For six years a top scorer for the Spokane Jets, who won senior amateur championships in 1970 and ‘72, Rendall was selected by current and former college coaches and members of the NCAA hockey committee.

The golden anniversary team will be introduced between periods of the NCAA championship game March 29 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

Honored were three goaltenders, six defensemen and 12 forwards from 11 schools. Included are former and current NHL stars, including Chris Chelios and Tony Amonte of the Chicago Blackhawks and Paul Kariya of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Joe Marsh, chairman of the NCAA hockey committee, said, “These guys represent the best of the NCAA hockey championship for the past 50 years.”

Rendall, a center and right wing, was named to the NCAA playoffs all-star team for three straight seasons from 1955-57. He led the Wolverines in goal scoring all three years.

“It’s certainly an honor,” said Rendall, whose Michigan teams won two national championships and played for a third.

He was in junior hockey in Winnipeg when he wrote to then-Michigan coach Vic Heyliger. The Wolverines coach responded and Rendall went to Ann Arbor.

“Now, college hockey is one route to the NHL,” Rendall said. “In those days - although it was possible - it wasn’t as likely to make it out of college.”

Nonetheless, Rendall saw college as a good move for him.

“I got an education,” he said, “and played what you’d call semipro in England and Europe. In those days, NHL players didn’t make anything close to what they do now. I got paid to play until I was 42. I feel good about that.”

The stars, the schools they played for and the years they made the playoffs:

Goaltenders - Marc Behrend, Wisconsin, 1981 and ‘83; Ken Dryden, Cornell, 1967-69; Chris Terreri, Providence, 1983, ‘85.

Defensemen - Chelios, Wisconsin, 1982-83; Bruce Driver, Wisconsin, 1981-83; George Konik, Denver, 1960-61; Dan Lodboa, Cornell, 1970; Keith Magnuson, Denver, 1968-69; Jack O’Callahan, Boston, 1976-78.

Forwards - Amonte, Boston, 1990-91; Kariya, Maine, 1993; Lou Angotii, Michigan Tech, 1960, ‘62; Red Berenson, Michigan, 1962; Bill Cleary, Harvard, 1955; Tony Hrkac, North Dakota, 1987; Bill Masterton, Denver, 1960-61; John Matchefts, Michigan, 1951, ‘53; John Mayasich, Minnesota, 1953-54; Jim Montgomery, Maine, 1990-93; Phil Sykes, North Dakota, 1979-80, 82, and Rendall, Michigan, 1955-57.

The champagne’s on ice

The last time the Western Hockey League franchise now in Prince George made the playoffs, Blair Betts was a third grader in Sherwood Park, Alberta.

Betts is now a 16-year-old rookie center with the Cougars, who, with six games left, can do no worse than tie for the sixth and final playoff spot in the WHL West.

The Cougars were in Victoria in 1989 the last time they made the post-season.

Around the WHL

Former Spokane Braves right wing Scott Parker picked up a double major in the waning moments of Saturday night’s ugly Kelowna-Seattle game for cross-checking - one of the incidents that apparently triggered three brawls in the final 45 seconds. Kelowna’s Justin Jack wound up with a match penalty… . The Rockets are the hottest team in the West. Since the Jan. 24 trade deadline, they have gone 13-5-2 to challenge the Chiefs for third place… . There’s a rumor afloat that when Bob Loucks’ three-year contract with Tri-City expires this month, owner Ron Toigo will look for a new head coach. Loucks is the winningest active coach in the WHL.

Although the Brandon Wheat Kings will be out of their building through all of the second round of the East Divison playoffs, should they get that far, the club has signed a lease agreement that will keep the Wheaties in the Keystone Centre for the next 10 years… . Red Deer is 12-5-1 since the trade deadline (when it picked up goaltender Marc Magliarditi from Spokane). A key has been former Tri-City star Terry Ryan. Since Ryan’s Feb. 11 return from Montreal, the Rebels are 7-2-1.

Chiefs notes

Marian Cisar, who’s working on a six-game scoring streak, is the club’s humanitarian of the year award winner. The 18-year-old right wing is an eager volunteer for school and community appearances… . Chiefs media director Dave Ludwig says the last time the Chiefs lost a regular-season game in March was in Mike Babcock’s first year as coach, on March 8, 1995. Spokane is 14-1-2 in regular-season games in March under Babcock… . It’s been a tough season for the brother of Chiefs rookie Jared Smyth. Kevin Smyth of the International League Orlando Solar Bears took a puck to the head on Dec. 28 that left him blind in one eye. There’s hope that with time and nerve regeneration Smyth will regain sight from his right eye. He plans to return Sunday wearing a full face shield.

When the Chiefs play in Kamloops tonight they may encounter 20-year-old defenseman Darren Wright. Wright has been limited to 17 games by a shoulder separated in an early-season game in Spokane. He had surgery Dec. 19… . The Chiefs will break their year-old attendance record in their next home appearance, March 12. With 257,869 paid, Spokane is closing on last year’s mark of 260,524.

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