This Week in Canadiens History: April 12th to April 17th
By Joshua Rosa
April 12th
The Rocket and The Boss
On this day, the year of our Lord 1960, Maurice ‘The Rocket’ Richard scored and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 in the third game of their Stanley Cup Final. The Habs would go on to win that series.
The goal Richard scored was his 82nd and final Stanley Cup playoff goal. It was the most career playoff goals at the time, an NHL record. One that would stand for 26 years.
26 years to the day to be exact. On April 12th, 1986, Mike ‘The Boss’ Bossy scored his 83rd career playoff goal, breaking The Rocket’s record. Bossy would retire with 85 goals, but the leader is, who else? Wayne Gretzky with 122.
Dick Ir’Win’
On April 12th, 1955, Dick Irvin and his Montreal Canadiens beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final. It was Irvin’s 100th and final Stanley Cup playoff win, the first coach to reach that milestone.
Unfortunately, the Red Wings would win the next two games and the 1955 Stanley Cup, forcing Irvin to step down as coach and rejoin the Chicago Blackhawks. Irvin would coach one more season in Chicago, before bone cancer forced him to retire, and would eventually end his life in 1957.
Dick Irvin has only been joined by three other coaches with over 100 Stanley Cup playoff wins. Those others are Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour and Joel Quenneville.
Happy Birthday Mattias Norlinder!
On April 12th, 2000, Matthias Norlinder was born in Kramfors, Sweden.
Norlinder was drafted 64th overall in 2019, after the Canadiens traded down with the L.A. Kings, giving up the draft pick the Habs acquired in the Nick Suzuki – Max Pacioretty trade (Samuel Fagemo).
Mattias Norlinder made his debut earlier this year, and registered his first NHL assist in 6 career games so far, before being sent back to Sweden. He is surely a bright spot on the incredible looking Montreal Canadiens’ defensive prospect group.