A Winning Habit
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Playoff series with the Canadiens and Flyers usually lead to the Stanley Cup Final

By Omar L

MONTREAL - NOVEMBER 16: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens trips behind the net during the NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre on November 16, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Flyers 3-0. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)
MONTREAL - NOVEMBER 16: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens trips behind the net during the NHL game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre on November 16, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Flyers 3-0. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1979: Montreal Canadiens Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Series 2: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers in 1976

The 1975-76 regular season was similar to the 1972-73 season for the Montreal Canadiens. They led the league in points with 127 and were the top team to come out of the Norris Division. But the Flyers had some drive as well coming off back-to-back Stanley Cups and won their Patrick Division with 118 points. It was a clear race to the top for those two teams, so it wasn’t shocking to see them meet up in the Cup Final.

Montreal got off to a hot start sweeping Chicago outscoring them 13-3 while Philadelphia had a battle with Toronto that went the distance. Next for the Habs were the New York Islanders who made it more of a challenge, but they got through them all the same, and with the Flyers beating the Boston Bruins in five games, they knew who their opponent would be.

It was a highly anticipated series, one who many thought would be a battle. However, it was child’s play for the Montreal Canadiens.

All it took was four games for the Habs to do away with the Flyers and claim their 19th Stanley Cup.

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Series 3: Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers in 1987

By this point, 10 years have passed, and the NHL has a lot more teams meaning a lot more competition and the need for an extra round in the playoffs.

The Habs and Flyers remained among one of the best squads in the league, heading into the playoffs off 92 and 100-point campaigns. Philadelphia led the Patrick Division once again while the Canadiens were one point off behind the Hartford Whalers.

The Montreal Canadiens whipped out the broom doing away with the Bruins in four games. Then came a fiery series against the Quebec Nordiques, which took all seven games after the Habs failed to end the series in Game 6. While this was happening, the Philadelphia Flyers took on both ends of New York in the Islanders and the Rangers. They were relatively long series,’ but the Flyers were able to win and advance to the Conference Finals.

Once again, it was the Habs vs. the Flyers. The two teams exchanged wins in Games 1 and 2, making it a best-of-five to start the third match. Unfortunately, Philly was too much to handle, and despite winning Game 5, Montreal would be eliminated in Game 6.

There was some schadenfreude revenge, though, as the Flyers ran into the Wayne Gretzky and the 80s Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.

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