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Past Times

Dundee Rockets netted ice hockey legend Garry Unger in ‘signing of the decade’

Garry Unger arrived at Dundee Rockets in a move that was described as "one of the most spectacular of all-time".
Graeme Strachan
Garry Unger set the heather alight during his short spell in Dundee. Image: DC Thomson/Clarke Cooper.
Garry Unger set the heather alight during his short spell in Dundee. Image: DC Thomson/Clarke Cooper.

Dundee Rockets won the Grand Slam three times in a row from 1981-1984 and were the first British team to participate in the European Cup.

The silverware started to dry up when a back injury forced the retirement of Roy Halpin from the game in 1985, aged 29, after scoring over 400 goals and 350 assists.

Cometh the hour, cometh the Iron Man.

Garry ‘Iron Man’ Unger was the “flashy, flamboyant, freewheeling skating dervish” who dated a former Miss America and spent 16 seasons in the NHL.

Unger played in four Stanley Cup Finals and was the MVP of the 1974 NHL All-Star Game played in Chicago, where he received a baby calf to mark the achievement.

He started in the NHL in 1967 and played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, St Louis Blues, Atlanta Flames, Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton-born Unger tallied nine 30-plus-goal seasons during the 1970s and finished with 1,105 career NHL games, scoring 413 goals and 391 assists for 804 points.

He knew nothing about British ice hockey before he was persuaded to come out of retirement aged 37 in August 1985 and play for Dundee Rockets by Tom Stewart.

Stewart Roberts, the editor of The Ice Hockey Annual, described Unger’s capture as “the signing of the decade, and one of the most spectacular of all-time.”

The signing made front-page headlines in many of the top US and Canadian papers.

Garry Unger was box office magic

He spent a season with the Rockets at Dundee Ice Rink on Kingsway West and played 41 games.

He rolled back the years to score 93 goals and make 54 assists.

“It took me a short time to find my feet after being out of the game for two years,” said Unger.

“When I joined the team for their pre-season training in Sweden I must admit my first reaction was – what have I got myself into?”

Dundee Rocket players Garry Unger, Bobby Breskal, Jock McGuff and Roch Bois in 1985. Image: DC Thomson.
Dundee Rocket players Garry Unger, Bobby Breskal, Jock McGuff and Roch Bois in 1985. Image: DC Thomson.

Unger still had the killer touch.

His only regret is that he didn’t return for another season.

The team was made up of British players with an additional three import players who were on full-time contracts.

Unger was joined by centre Roch Bois and defenseman Louis Cote.

He made his debut in the Autumn Cup game against Glasgow Dynamos in September 1985 where he built up a fine partnership with fellow Canadian Bois in the attack.

He scored a hat-trick and provided two assists during the 16-2 thrashing.

Garry Unger scores his fourth goal for the Rockets against Ayr Bruins in November 1985. Image: DC Thomson.
Garry Unger scores his fourth goal for the Rockets against Ayr Bruins in November 1985. Image: DC Thomson.

Other memorable moments included his match-winning performance in the Heineken Premier League game against Streatham Redskins in February 1986.

Streatham were 4-3 up at the Kingsway Rink when Unger took the game by the scruff of the neck and scored a tremendous hat-trick in the final period to win the game.

Then came the pièce de résistance.

Unger played with a broken nose against Murrayfield Racers in March 1986 and the Edinburgh side took a six-goal lead at Kingsway Rink in the televised game.

And the Racers looked as though they would continue their romp.

What happened next ensured this game would go down in history.

Unger scored two goals prior to the end of the second period, although Rockets fans could have been forgiven for thinking it was nothing more than a consolation.

It wasn’t.

Tom Stewart’s men came out like a hurricane for the final 20 minutes and Unger scored another six goals to send the home crowd into delirium.

It was another jaw-dropping moment in a story that would have been thrown out of Hollywood for being too far-fetched.

The game ended 9-9.

Unger and his team-mates celebrated with fish and chips.

Garry Unger was a huge favourite with the fans during his Dundee spell. Image: DC Thomson.
Garry Unger was a huge favourite with the fans during his Dundee spell. Image: DC Thomson.

Stewart’s men got to the play-off final following a memorable 5-4 semi-final win against Durham Wasps where they fought back from two goals down with six minutes to go.

Unger opened the scoring but was left to lick his wounds as Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Racers triumphed in the Wembley final 4-2 in front of 7,657 fans in April 1986.

The Rockets got revenge for the play-off defeat and ended the season in style by winning the Scottish Cup final with a 7-3 victory against the Racers at Kingsway Rink.

Unger scored for the Rockets in the final.

Little did he know it would be his final game for the club.

Unger with Canadian hockey player Marischal de Armond during a practice session in 1985. Image: DC Thomson.
Unger with Canadian hockey player Marischal de Armond during a practice session in 1985. Image: DC Thomson.

Unger loved his time in Dundee and wanted to return after the summer but wouldn’t come back without bringing his family and resettling in Scotland.

Dundee couldn’t find a house for him.

That’s when Peterborough Pirates called him.

They had been relegated to the second-tier and were prepared to move heaven and earth to bring him and his family to England for the 1986-87 season.

It worked.

Unger at home with wife Bev and children Jamie, Kirsten and Kimberley. Image: DC Thomson.
Unger at home with wife Bev and children Jamie, Kirsten and Kimberley. Image: DC Thomson.

Peterborough Pirates were promoted at the first time of asking with Unger racking up 95 goals and 143 assists in his first season while playing in only 30 games.

Unger spent a second season in Peterborough playing in the top-flight before he decided to hang up his skates in 1988 after 26 years in professional ice hockey.

He remains one of the finest players to grace these shores.

Unger entered the coaching ranks following his time in Peterborough, leading teams in the International, Central and Western hockey leagues.

He coached Tulsa to a championship in 1992-93 and, at the age of 75, he currently works with the Banff Hockey Academy in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Unger still speaks fondly of his time in Dundee and highlighted three special games while playing for the Rockets against Murrayfield Racers.

Unger gets in between Racers' Jim Lynch and Paul Hand in a game from 1985. Image: DC Thomson.
Unger gets in between Racers’ Jim Lynch and Paul Hand in a game from 1985. Image: DC Thomson.

“There was the winning of the Scottish Cup, a five-goal fightback for a draw in a TV game at Dundee, and a 7-2 win at Murrayfield in which I scored a hat-trick,” he said.

“I had taken time to figure out the British game and I felt in that game at Edinburgh I had finally sussed it out.

“My reputation gave folk the impression that I should be scoring five or six goals a game, but as long as my club was successful I felt I had more to offer than just goals.

“I was sorry not to return for a second season at Dundee as I felt I had done only half the job I was signed for.”

Dundee Rockets’ demise was quick

His replacement sent shockwaves through the sport.

The signing of New York Rangers player Mark Pavelich in September 1986 attracted global media attention which was similar to Unger joining the Rockets.

Pavelich set up the winning goal for the USA in the “Miracle on Ice” upset of the seemingly invincible Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Pavelich arrived with his hockey gear and a guitar to join his friend and former high school team-mate Craig Homola and play for the Rockets in September 1986.

Chris Brinster (centre) welcomes Mark Pavelich (left) and Craig Homola (right) to Dundee. Image: DC Thomson.
Chris Brinster (centre) welcomes Mark Pavelich (left) and Craig Homola (right) to Dundee. Image: DC Thomson.

Prior to making his debut, however, his former club New York Rangers insisted the player was still theirs under an option clause for the 1986-87 season.

Rockets iced Pavelich against Glasgow Eagles where he scored four times in their 9-1 victory, which included a hat-trick from Gary McEwan and two from Craig Homola.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) then banned Pavelich from playing until his release was obtained, following an approach from NHL president John Ziegler.

Pavelich left Dundee after playing just one game.

Things got worse.

The 1986-1987 season marked the end for the Rockets dynasty when Tom Stewart relinquished his ties with the team and the Rockets were no more.

The Kingsway rink started to be pulled down in 1990. Image: DC Thomson.
The Kingsway rink started to be pulled down in 1990. Image: DC Thomson.

A second Dundee Tigers team was founded in 1987 before eventually being dropped from the top flight in 1989 following the closure of the Dundee rink.

The main stadium was pulled down in 1990 but the annexe known as the ‘back rink’ continued to be used until 1992 before being demolished for a Tesco supermarket.

The sport returned following the opening of Dundee Ice Arena at Camperdown Leisure Park in 2000 at a cost of £6.6 million.

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