This Week in Montreal Canadiens History: April 25th – May 1st

On this week’s edition of Montreal Canadiens history: Big Bill, the best Lemieux (to play in a Montreal Canadiens uniform), clutch performances, the Hall of Fame and more!

April 25th

Clutch Canadiens

On this day, the year of our Lord 1994, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime in the 5th game of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. All the regular time goals came in the third period, with Jozef Stümpel scoring 2 minutes in for the Bruins, and John LeClair tying the game with just over 5 minutes left. And towards the end of the overtime period, Kirk Muller (who also assisted on the LeClair goal) gave the Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 lead in the series.

In all fairness, Montreal probably shouldn’t have won the game, and would go on to lose the series in 7 games. Bruins goalie Jon Casey had a decent night, with 34 saves on 36 shots, but Habs goaltender Patrick Roy faced 61 shots and stopped 60 of them.

But the record-breaking aspect of this win was that it was Patrick Roy’s, and the Canadiens team as a whole, 11th straight playoff overtime win. And that goes back to the magical 1993 Stanley Cup winning run.

It’s ironic, looking back at it, that the very first game of the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs was the Quebec Nordiques beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime, given Montreal’s dominance in the extra frame after that point. On their way to beating the Nordiques in 6 games, two of those were wins in overtime.

Then it was a fascinating little series against the Buffalo Sabres, where every game finished 4-3 in favour of the Canadiens, and the last three games being settled in overtime. Then there was the New York Islanders, who fell to the Canadiens in 5 games, two of which went to overtime. In fact, Montreal’s 2nd straight overtime win over the Islanders also tied the NHL record for longest playoff winning streak at 11 games.

And then there was the Final against the L.A. Kings. Sandwiched between a 4-1 defeat and a 4-1 victory, the Montreal Canadiens rattled off three straight overtime wins. For those keeping count, that is 10 overtime wins in a row during one postseason run.

The Canadiens would go on to win an overtime game against the New York Rangers in 1996 to extend the streak to 12, and then a triple overtime win over the Devils in 1997, and finally beat the Penguins in 1998, before losing to the Sabres later that year in overtime.

Obviously those wins came without Patrick Roy, but Roy would keep his own streak going exactly 2 years later. It was quite the game for the Colorado Avalanche, who won 5-4 in overtime over the Vancouver Canucks. Joe Sakic scored a hattrick, including the game winnner in overtime. Sakic retired with 8 playoff overtime goals, an NHL record. And another NHL record is 12 straight playoff overtime wins by Patrick Roy.

Happy Birthday Alexei Emelin!

On April 25th, 1986, Alexei Vyacheslavovich Emelin was born in Tolyatti, Russia. Emelin was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 3rd round of the 2004 NHL entry draft, the same year as Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, and one year before Carey Price.

Emelin was a rough and tumble defender, who put up many more hits than points as a stay-at-home defender. But you might be surprised that Emelin did not get in many fights during his NHL career. That is because of a fight before he even came into the NHL.

In 2009 in the KHL, Emelin fought Alexander Svitov, in a video that is easy to find on Youtube, but I won’t put here as it is quite violent, even for a hockey fight. Especially since the larger, older Svitov continued to punch Emelin while he was lying on the ice.

The fight left Emelin badly injured and he needed to have a steel plate in his face to help rebuild his eye socket. From then on, Emelin tried to avoid fighting.

Emelin finished his career with 456 games and 15 goals and 81 points. He spent all his career in Montreal, except for one season in Nashville. That was after the Vegas Golden Knights selected him in the expansion draft, and flipped him for a 3rd round pick. Emelin is still playing in the KHL with the Omsk Avangard.

April 26th

Cut and Dryden

On this day, the year of our Lord, 1977, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 3-0 in the second game of their Semi-Final series. The Islanders kept the game close in the first two periods, despite being heavily outshot, but the floodgates opened in the third.

Jimmy Roberts scored a short-handed goal, Larry Robinson scored an even strength goal, and Pete Mahovlich scored a powerplay goal with just 36 seconds left in the game. No surprise the offense came in special teams, as there were 18 minor penalties in the game.

Nevertheless, Ken Dryden stopped all 19 shots he faced for his 50th postseason win. He was the 4th goalie to reach the 50 win plateau, behind Turk Broda, Terry Sawchuk and Jacques Plante. Dryden passed all of them by the time he retired with 80 playoff wins. That’s good enough for 7th on the all-time playoff wins list.

Home Sweet Home

On this day, the year of our Lord, 1977, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 3-0 in the second game of their Semi-Final series. The Islanders kept the game close in the first two periods, despite being heavily outshot, but the floodgates opened in the third.

Jimmy Roberts scored a short-handed goal, Larry Robinson scored an even strength goal, and Pete Mahovlich scored a powerplay goal with just 36 seconds left in the game. No surprise the offense came in special teams, as there were 18 minor penalties in the game.

Hey, did anyone get a weird sense of deja-vu?

Nevertheless, the Montreal Canadiens won at home, and it extended the Montreal Canadiens’ home unbeaten streak to 38 games.

The 1976-77 season started appropriately, with a 10-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Canadiens finished the season with a 60-8-12 record. The Canadiens lost one game at home that season, against the Boston Bruins in October. The last 34 home games of the season saw the Montreal Canadiens go 28-0-6.

That dominance extended to the playoffs, where the Canadiens lost just 2 games, both against the New York Islanders. The second loss was an overtime loss at home, which broke the 38 game unbeaten streak.

April 27th

Happy Birthday Mike Condon!

On this day, the year of our Lord, 1990, Michael Johnston Condon was born in Holliston, Massachusetts. Condon has quite the inspirational story, going undrafted in the ECHL, signing a professional tryout with the Ontario Reign; undrafted in the AHL, signing a professional tryout with the Houston Aeros; and finally being signed by the Montreal Canadiens.

Condon got his chance as the Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price was injured through most of the season 2015-16. Condon had a terrific start to his NHL career, winning 6 of his first 7 games, however had a 9 game losing streak in December which he struggled to recover from.

He finished the season with a 21-25-3 record. Definitely not a terrible stat-line for an undrafted goalie thrust into an NHL starting role with no safety net. Condon then bounced around the league, but injuries insured that he would never reach the heights he had in the blu-blanc-et-rouge.

Happy Birthday Paul Byron!

Exactly one year later, James Paul Byron was born in Ottawa, Ontario. The five-foot-nine forward was drafted in the 6th round of the 2007 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres, and made his NHL debut in Buffalo in 2011.

In that offseason, Buffalo dealt Byron and Chris Butler to Calgary for Robyn Regeher, Ales Kotalik and the draft pick that would become Jake McCabe. In 2014-15, the Flames and Byron went to arbitration, and it ended with the Montreal Canadiens picking him up from waivers.

Byron responded with the 4 best seasons of his career in Montreal. His best season was 2015-16, where he finished the season with 22 goals and 43 points. Today, his output and games played have dipped due to injuries, notably knee issues.

Byron has been useful to the team for his great leadership qualities, and still stout defensive play.

Beau Beliveau

On April 27th, 1967, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 in the Stanley Cup Final. Ralph Backstrom and Jean Beliveau both scored 2 goals, and Rogie Vachon made 35 saves. The game tied the series 2-2, but the Toronto Maple Leafs went on to win the final 2 games and the Stanley Cup.

The big Montreal Canadiens news was that with the second goal by Jean Beliveau, he passed Maurice Richard for the most playoff points in Montreal Canadiens history. In fact, at the time, Beliveau’s 128 points were behind just Gordie Howe for most playoff points in NHL history.

Exactly 4 years later, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Minnesota North Stars 6-1. Its too bad Minnesota couldn’t score another goal for the absolute symmetry, but that’s just the way it is. Jean Beliveau registered 3 assists in the win.

Beliveau’s third assist of the game passed who else but Gordie Howe for most playoff assists with 92. That season, the Montreal Canadiens beat the North Stars, Bruins and Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup. It was Beliveau’s last season, as he retired on top as Stanley Cup Champion.

Beliveau retired with 96 playoff assists and 176 points. That is good for 15th most playoff points, 27th in playoff assists and 10th in playoff goals.

April 28th

Singing the Blues

On this day, the year of our Lord 1968, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime. Bobby Rousseau scored the only goal in the first, and the Canadiens and Blackhawks go blow for blow through the game with goals by Bobby Schmaultz, J.C. Tremblay, Stan Mikita, Jacques Lemaire and Wayne Maki tying the game with just over 10 minutes left.

Just 2 minutes into the extra period, Lemaire was the benefactor of a miscue from the Blackhawks defenders, that let him walk in almost alone on goalie Denis DeJordy from a little tap pass by Dick Duff, and fired a slapper into the corner of the net.

The goal sent the Canadiens to their 4th straight Stanley Cup Final against the expansion franchise St. Louis Blues. And the Canadiens promptly swept the Blues in their inaugural season and won the Stanley Cup. In 1968-69, the Blues made it to the Final again, and were swept out of the Final by the Montreal Canadiens, again.

In 1969-70 the Blues made the Stanley Cup Final, but this time met the Boston Bruins. But the result was the same 4-0 sweep. 1970-71 was the first year that the Blues did not make the Stanley Cup Final.

Now you might think that that is quite the impressive feat, even better than the Vegas Golden Knights, who made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. Well, not quite.

The 1967 NHL expansion was the earliest and biggest expansion that the NHL has ever gone through. The Blues, Penguins, Flyers, Kings, North Stars and Seals were all added, doubling the amount of teams in the league. But they weren’t fully integrated into the league. Instead, the league was split in half, with the Original Six teams in one conference, and the expansion teams in another.

This meant that every year one expansion team would make the Stanley Cup Final, and the Blues just happened to be the best expansion team at the time. Which does not mean that they were on the same level as the Original Six, as you can see when the two division champions met in the Stanley Cup Final.

April 30th

The Birth of the Hall Of Fame

On this day, the year of our Lord 1945, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced the first batch of players to be inducted into it. Those players were Howie Morenz, Georges Vezina, Hod Stuart, Harvey Pulford, Tommy Phillips, Frank McGee, Eddie Gerard, Chuck Gardiner, Hobey Baker, and Lord Stanley of Preston.

Hobey Baker is perhaps best known today as the namesake for the trophy given to the best US college player, but there is a lot more to him than that. He was the only member of this Hall of Fame class that was American and was an impactful two-sport player: hockey and football.

At school at Princeton, Baker played football without a helmet, and even returned 13 punts for 63 yards, which is a record that still stands. It was the growing corporatizing of hockey that caused Baker to fall out of love with the game, and sadly, Baker was killed in World War 1, where he served in the Air Force.

William Hodgson ‘Hod’ Stuart was another 2-sport athlete, playing football with the Ottawa Roughriders. In hockey, he was what was called at that point a cover point, which is now known as a defender. And Stuart was one of the best scoring cover points of his time.

In 1905, Stuart was suspended, according to the Pittsburgh Press, for “…having won too many championships and that he is too rough.” according to the Western teams. Which is ironic, because Stuart became disillusioned with the game due to the uptick in physicality and violence.

After winning the Stanley Cup in 1907 with the Montreal Wanderers, Stuart left the league to go into construction, and sadly, passed away young, like Baker. A few months after his death, an All Star game was held in 1908 to raise money for his wife and children. It was the first All Star Game ever played.

To keep up the theme, Ernest Harvey Pulford won championships in lacrosse, football, boxing, paddling, rowing and ice hockey, where he won 4 Stanley Cups, all with the Ottawa Hockey Club.

Tommy Phillips won 2 Stanley Cups, one with the Montreal Hockey Club, and was one of the best defensive forwards, and all around players of his time.

Frank McGee was known as ‘One-eyed’ McGee, which is because he was blinded as a child during a hockey game. McGee was a prolific scorer, including a 14 goal game in the Stanley Cup Final. McGee also tragically lost his life in World War 1.

Eddie Gerard also played football for the Ottawa Roughriders, and was the first player to win 4 straight Stanley Cups with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto St. Patricks. After retiring as a player, he had a long career as a coach and manager.

Chuck Gardiner played goaltender with one of the worst teams of all time, the 1926-27 Chicago Blackhawks, who scored just 33 goals in 44 games. However, the team would turn it around, and Gardiner would win the Vezina Trophy twice, and became the first goalie to captain his team to the Stanley Cup.

Frederick Arthur Stanley, Earl of Derby, was a huge sports fan, and two of his sons played hockey. Thanks to their love of hockey, Frederick donated a trophy to the burgeoning sport, one which is still given out to the best North American hockey team each year.

And finally, the Montreal Canadiens part of all this. Everyone knows the name of Georges Vezina, thanks to his trophy given to the goalie tandem with the lowest goals against average, until 1981, where the trophy is given to the goalie that is voted the best.

Between 1910 and 1925, Vezina was the only goalie to play for the Montreal Canadiens, winning two Stanley Cups. Vezina would not miss a game in his career until a sickness that would end his life forced him to miss a game.

Vezina was the first NHL goalie to record a shutout, a 9-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 18th, 1918, and was also the first goalie to record an assist.

And finally there is Howie Morenz, the Mitchell Meteor, the Stratford Streak. Morenz was one of the first offensive all stars in the young NHL, and won the Hart Trophy three times, behind just Eddie Shore, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky.

If the trophies existed, Morenz would have won a Rocket Richard and two Art Ross trophies. After complications due to a broken leg suffered during a game, Morenz passed away, and had a grand funeral at The Forum, and his number was the first number retired in NHL history.

May 1st

Conn Beliveau

On this day, the year of our Lord 1965, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-0. Jean Beliveau scored the fastest Stanley Cup winning goal, and Dick Duff, Yvan Cournoyer, and Henri Richard added first period goals and Gump Worsely was the second goalie to record a shutout in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final.

Beliveau had a disappointing season in 1964-65, scoring just 43 points in 58 games, down from 78 the year before. But Beliveau stepped up his game in the playoffs, scoring 8 goals and 16 points in 13 playoff games.

It was good enough to lead the team in both categories, and win the very first Conn Smythe Trophy, as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

Shout Out to the Shutouts

On May 1st, 1969, the Montreal Canadiens beat the St. Louis Blues 4-0 in the third game of their Stanley Cup Final. Ironically, that was what the series would end at, as well as the series before.

Dick Duff scored 2 goals and had an assist to lead the Canadiens over the newly expanded Blues, and Rogie Vachon made 29 saves for his first NHL playoff shutout.

Exactly 6 years later, Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 7-0. Guy Lafleur scored a shutout, included two goals in under a minute, and Dryden recorded 27 saves for his 3rd career Stanley Cup playoffs shutout.

Dryden would have 10 playoff shutouts, which ties him for 12th all time with Henrik Lundqvist. The only active player above Dryden is Marc-Andre Fleury, tied for 3rd with 16 shutouts with Curtis Joseph. The all time leader is Martin Brodeur at 24.