Russ Gillow

1 NHL Game

February 1, 1972 Philadelphia Flyers vs California Golden Seals. 10-3 win.

   When Bruce Gamble suffered a career ending heart attack while playing for the Flyers they were left without a backup goalie during a West Coast road trip, far away from their minor league affiliates. Russ Gillow was playing for the Spokan Jets of the Western International Hockey League when he was offered a job by the Flyers. Gillow dressed as Doug Favell's backup for just one game. While he never made it back to the NHL, the World Hockey Associated came calling the next season and Gillow would go onto play 4 years in the Rebel League.

The great Philadelphia Flyer announcer Gene Hart wrote about Gillow in his book My Twenty-Five Years with The Broad Street Bullies. "Without Bernie Parent or Bruce Gamble, the Flyers were down to Doug Favell and no one else. Since they didn't know until the morning of the game in Oakland that this would be the case, there was no time to call in a goalie from Quebec, or from anywhere else on the East Coast. Keith Allen remembered a goalie from his days in Seattle, placed a call to him in Spokane, and had him fly in that day to sit on the Flyers' bench and back up Doug Favell. Because he never appeared in a game for the Flyers, and because that was the only time he ever had a Flyers' uniform on, the name Russ Gillow does  not appear in the record books, but here's to you, Russ and, thanks again!" (pg. 69)

   Gillow recalls his brief NHL experience. "We, the Spokane Jets, had just finished winning the Allen Cup for senior hockey in Canada. Doug Favell aparently had the flu and I was asked to join the team and play for the Flyers. Turned out Doug was able to play that game so I just sat on the bench.  Probably would have been drafted the following year but I elected to join the new WHA with the Los Angeles Sharks."

• Gene Hart's book notes that Gillow wore #30 with the Flyers

Career stats from Hockeydb.com

Born Sep 2 1940 -- Hespeler, ONT 

Height 5.10 -- Weight 165 -- Shoots L

			RS Scoring			RS Goalie Stats										PO Scoring
Season	Team	Lge	GP	A	PIM	Min	GA	EN	SO	GAA	W	L	T	Svs	Pct	GP	A	PIM
1960-61	Edmonton Flyers	WHL	1	0	0											-	-	-
1960-61	Milwaukee Falcons	IHL	7	0	0		46	0	0	6.57	1	5	0	223	0.829	-	-	-
1960-61	Lacombe Rockets	CAHL	0	0	0
1961-62	Lacombe Rockets	CAHL	0	0	0
1961-62	Edmonton Flyers	WHL	1	0	0											-	-	-
1962-63	Los Angeles Blades	WHL	0	0	0		0	0	0	0.00						-	-	-
1962-63	Edmonton Flyers	WHL	2	0	0		11	0	0	5.50				64	0.853	-	-	-
1962-63	Lacombe Rockets	CAHL	0	0	0
1963-64	Knoxville Knights	EHL	16	0	0
1966-67	Des Moines Oak Leafs	IHL	71	0	0											7	0	0
1967-68	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL	43	0	8	2524	91	0	8	2.16	25	8	9	932	0.911	7	0	2
1968-69	Oklahoma City Blazers	CHL	49	0	0	2870	143	1	4	2.99						10	0	0
1969-70	SLC-Seattle	WHL	50	2	14											-	-	-
1969-70	Seattle Totems	WHL	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	0	0
1970-71	Seattle Totems	WHL	3	0	0	140	11	0	0	4.72						-	-	-
1970-71	Calgary Stampeders	ASHL	0	0	0
1970-71	Drumheller Miners	ASHL	0	0	0
1971-72	Spokane Jets	WIHL	29	0	0
1972-73	Los Angeles Sharks	WHA	38	0	6	1982	96	3	2	2.88	17	13	2	755	0.887	4	0	0
1973-74	Los Angeles Sharks	WHA	18	0	2	1041	69	1	1	3.98	4	13	0	414	0.857	-	-	-
1973-74	Greensboro Generals	SHL	2	0	0	100	7	0	0	4.20	1	1	0	46	0.868	-	-	-
1973-74	Syracuse Blazers	NAHL	9	1	9	550	26	1	1	2.84						9	1	4
1974-75	Syracuse Blazers	NAHL	2	0	0	128	4	0	0	1.86	2	0	0			-	-	-
1974-75	San Diego Mariners	WHA	30	1	4	1653	94	1	1	3.41	15	11	2	770	0.891	3	0	0
1975-76	San Diego Mariners	WHA	23	0	0	1037	74	1	0	4.28	1	10	2	494	0.870	1	0	0