1977–78 Houston Aeros season

The 1977–78 Houston Aeros season was the Houston Aeros' sixth and final season of operation in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Aeros again qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the first round to the Quebec Nordiques.

Regular season Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 12, 1977||0–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||0–1–0

|2||L||October 14, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||0–2–0

|3||W||October 15, 1977||5–1 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||1–2–0

|4||W||October 21, 1977||6–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||2–2–0

|5||W||October 26, 1977||8–7 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||3–2–0

|6||L||October 29, 1977||2–7 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||3–3–0

|7||L||October 30, 1977||4–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||3–4–0

|8||L||November 1, 1977||3–6 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||3–5–0

|9||W||November 2, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||4–5–0

|10||L||November 4, 1977||6–7 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||4–6–0

|11||L||November 6, 1977||1–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||4–7–0

|12||L||November 9, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||4–8–0

|13||W||November 11, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||5–8–0

|14||W||November 18, 1977||6–5 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||6–8–0

|15||L||November 19, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||6–9–0

|16||W||November 23, 1977||3–0 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||7–9–0

|17||W||November 25, 1977||3–1 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||8–9–0

|18||T||November 30, 1977||3–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||8–9–1

|19||L||December 2, 1977||2–4 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||8–10–1

|20||W||December 4, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||9–10–1

|21||L||December 6, 1977||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||9–11–1

|22||L||December 7, 1977||2–5 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||9–12–1

|23||W||December 9, 1977||5–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||10–12–1

|24||W||December 11, 1977||4–2 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||11–12–1

|25||L||December 13, 1977||3–5 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||11–13–1

|26||T||December 15, 1977||3–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||11–13–2

|27||W||December 18, 1977||3–2 || align="left"| Czechoslovakia (1977–78) ||12–13–2

|28||W||December 20, 1977||6–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||13–13–2

|29||L||December 21, 1977||3–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||13–14–2

|30||L||December 23, 1977||2–6 || align="left"| Soviet All-Stars (1977–78) ||13–15–2

|31||W||December 29, 1977||7–1 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||14–15–2

|32||T||December 30, 1977||5–5 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||14–15–3

|33||W||January 1, 1978||2–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||15–15–3

|34||L||January 4, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||15–16–3

|35||L||January 6, 1978||4–6 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||15–17–3

|36||L||January 7, 1978||1–2 OT|| align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||15–18–3

|37||L||January 8, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||15–19–3

|38||W||January 13, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||16–19–3

|39||W||January 14, 1978||5–4 OT|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||17–19–3

|40||W||January 20, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||18–19–3

|41||W||January 21, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||19–19–3

|42||W||January 22, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||20–19–3

|43||W||January 24, 1978||6–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||21–19–3

|44||W||January 26, 1978||2–1 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||22–19–3

|45||L||January 28, 1978||0–3 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||22–20–3

|46||W||January 29, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||23–20–3

|47||W||January 31, 1978||4–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||24–20–3

|48||L||February 3, 1978||0–1 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||24–21–3

|49||W||February 4, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||25–21–3

|50||W||February 9, 1978||2–1 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||26–21–3

|51||W||February 11, 1978||8–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||27–21–3

|52||L||February 12, 1978||5–6 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||27–22–3

|53||W||February 15, 1978||5–2 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||28–22–3

|54||L||February 16, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||28–23–3

|55||L||February 17, 1978||3–4 OT|| align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||28–24–3

|56||W||February 18, 1978||3–2 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||29–24–3

|57||W||February 22, 1978||6–5 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||30–24–3

|58||L||February 24, 1978||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||30–25–3

|59||L||February 26, 1978||6–9 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||30–26–3

|60||L||February 28, 1978||2–5 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||30–27–3

|61||L||March 1, 1978||1–5 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||30–28–3

|62||W||March 3, 1978||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||31–28–3

|63||T||March 4, 1978||3–3 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||31–28–4

|64||W||March 5, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||32–28–4

|65||W||March 7, 1978||4–3 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||33–28–4

|66||W||March 9, 1978||6–4 || align="left"| New England Whalers (1977–78) ||34–28–4

|67||L||March 11, 1978||2–4 || align="left"| @ Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||34–29–4

|68||W||March 12, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Indianapolis Racers (1977–78) ||35–29–4

|69||L||March 17, 1978||2–3 || align="left"| Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||35–30–4

|70||L||March 22, 1978||2–9 || align="left"| @ Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||35–31–4

|71||W||March 24, 1978||1–0 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||36–31–4

|72||W||March 25, 1978||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||37–31–4

|73||W||March 28, 1978||5–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||38–31–4

|74||W||March 30, 1978||5–1 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1977–78) ||39–31–4

|75||L||April 2, 1978||1–7 || align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1977–78) ||39–32–4

|76||L||April 3, 1978||6–8 || align="left"| @ New England Whalers (1977–78) ||39–33–4

|77||W||April 4, 1978||6–3 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||40–33–4

|78||L||April 7, 1978||3–5 || align="left"| @ Birmingham Bulls (1977–78) ||40–34–4

|79||W||April 8, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| Cincinnati Stingers (1977–78) ||41–34–4

|80||W||April 9, 1978||5–4 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1977–78) ||42–34–4

Legend:

Playoffs

| 1 || April 16 || Quebec Nordiques || 3–4 || Houston Aeros || 1–0

| 2 || April 18 || Quebec Nordiques || 5–4 || Houston Aeros || 1–1

| 3 || April 20 || Houston Aeros || 1–5 || Quebec Nordiques || 1–2

| 4 || April 21 || Houston Aeros || 0–3 || Quebec Nordiques || 1–3

| 5 || April 23 || Quebec Nordiques || 2–5 || Houston Aeros || 2–3

| 6 || April 25 || Houston Aeros || 2–11 || Quebec Nordiques || 2–4

Legend:

Player statistics Scoring + Regular season Player C 78 36 77 113 578700 LW 80 40 35 75 131131300 C 78 15 57 72 17013310 LW 65 23 41 64 10313500 RW 69 24 35 59 521500 RW 77 35 23 58 8015600 RW 73 25 25 50 523730 RW 68 21 16 37 2174000 D 75 8 29 37 11610100 D 80 6 31 37 53−6110 C 71 11 21 32 234000 D 63 9 20 29 125−2400 D 79 3 25 28 13020100 C 76 9 17 26 36−22100 D 80 2 22 24 5418000 RW 78 13 9 22 510100 LW 54 11 11 22 468110 D 56 2 11 13 224000 LW 11 3 2 5 2−10000 G 51 0 4 4 20000 RW 6 0 1 1 7−1000 D 3 0 0 0 00000 LW 1 0 0 0 0−1000 G 12 0 0 0 20000 G 20 0 0 0 40000 + GoaltendingPlayer 3070 51 28 18 4 166 3.24 2 1166 20 10 9 0 84 4.32 0 634 12 4 7 0 47 4.45 0 Team: 4870 80 42 34 4 297 3.66 2 Player LW 6 3 1 4 10001 C 6 2 2 4 0000 LW 6 1 3 4 8000 RW 6 1 2 3 4000 LW 6 1 2 3 17000 RW 6 0 3 3 10000 D 6 1 1 2 8001 RW 6 1 1 2 4000 D 6 1 1 2 6000 C 4 1 1 2 5000 D 6 1 1 2 0000 C 6 0 2 2 2000 D 6 0 2 2 13000 RW 2 1 0 1 22000 D 6 1 0 1 2000 C 6 1 0 1 0000 RW 2 0 1 1 0000 D 6 0 1 1 33000 G 3 0 0 0 2000 G 4 0 0 0 6000 + Player 239 3 1 2 21 5.27 0 131 4 1 2 8 3.66 0 Team: 370 6 2 4 29 4.70 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 Ernie Wakely, WHA All-Star Team (Second Team) Bill Dineen, Howard Baldwin Trophy (Coach of the Year)

WHA All-Star Game (January 17, 1978) Morris Lukowich Draft picks Houston's draft picks at the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)11Scott Campbell (D)London Knights (OHA)110Dwight Foster (F)Kitchener Rangers (OHA)221Dave Semenko (LW)Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)330Glen Hanlon (G)Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL)439Reg Kerr (D)Kamloops Chiefs (WCHL)548Kevin McCarthy (D)Winnipeg Monarchs (WCHL)657Markus Mattsson (G)Ilves (Liiga)766Harald Luckner (F)Farjestads BK (Elitserien)874Matti Forss (F)Lukko Rauma (Liiga)982Mike Dwyer (LW)Niagara Falls Flyers (OHA)1090Dave Parro (G)Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)

See also 1977–78 WHA season

References