April 13, 1944: Durnan and The Punch Line lead Habs to their fifth Cup

Bill Durnan wrapped up his first season in the NHL as effectively as it began.

The 29-year-old rookie had already claimed the Vezina Trophy, and was a unanimous pick to the First All-Star Team (a first for a rookie), as he led the Montreal Canadiens to first place in the 1943-44 standings.

The Canadiens lost just five games that season, allowing just 109 goals in 50 games. By comparison, the second fewest goals allowed were by the Toronto Maple Leafs with 174.

Up front, coach Dick Irvin finally found chemistry for struggling winger Maurice Richard. In December, the left-handed shooting Richard was put on the right wing with veterans Elmer Lach and Toe Blake. The Punch Line was born, blending in with a well-balanced Canadiens offense (six players had 20 or more goals) that didn’t slow down entering the semifinals against Toronto.

The Leafs would pull off a surprise 3-1 victory in Game 1, but that would be as far as the blue and white would get. The Canadiens won the next four games, with Durnan allowing just three goals the rest of the series. In the final game, he shut Toronto out as the Canadiens humiliated their rivals 11-0.

Richard scored seven goals in the series, including his famous five-goal Game Two (March 23)that earned him all Three Stars of the game. The Rocket’s legend was beginning, but as history would show, he was just getting warmed up.

The Canadiens would move on to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the Finals.

Chicago had upset the Detroit Red Wings in five games and came in with some offensive firepower of their own. In fact, Doug Bentley, Clint Smith and Bill Moisienko had a better combined point total than Montreal’s top trio in the regular season.

It would be Richard’s first Final appearance and he would not disappoint. Backed by the goaltending of Durnan, the Canadiens would prove to be no match for the Cinderella hopefuls from the Windy City.

The series took a peculiar format due to lack of ice availability at Chicago Stadium. The first game would be played at the Montreal Forum with the next two games played in Chicago. Game Four, and any remaining games needed, would be played in Montreal.

Montreal took Game One at at the Forum, showing their scoring depth, by a 5-1 score

 

In Chicago Richard scored all three goals in the Canadiens 3-1 win in Game Two.

In the third game, the Blackhawks managed to get 23 shots at Durnan. Many came from the outside and were easily stopped as Montreal steamed on with a 3-2 victory.

Richard had a single assist in the game, on a second period goal by Blake, that would break the playoff scoring record with his 15th point. It would be a short lived record.

The series moved back to the Montreal with the home team seeking the four-game sweep.

Chicago was not going away easy, and took a 4-1 lead midway into the third period. The forum crowd became angered and started to jeer the Canadiens players. Some even yelled out “Fake!”, feeling their team was throwing the game.

Blake’s squad, an more so the Punch Line, took the crowd’s reaction to heart, and exploded on the Blackhawks.

Lach responded first with a goal,that bounced off the skates of Blackhawks goaltender Mike Karakas, to cut the lead to two with around five minutes to play.

Then a first in Stanley Cup play occurred when the Canadiens Leo Lamoureux tripped up Virgil Johnson on a breakaway. Johnson would be awarded a penalty shot. A Chicago goal would more than likely end any chance for a Montreal rally. Durnan turned aside the penalty shot and stood his ground the rest of the night in the Montreal goal.

Shortly after, it was Richard’s turn. After Blake foiled a Chicago attempt to put the game away, the trio worked up the ice where Blake fed the Rocket the puck. Richard moved in, stopped and drilled the puck past Karakas.

The Forum erupted in jubilation as the Canadiens were within one.

“It was one of the most sensational goals in a Stanley Cup series,” said broadcaster Doug Smith. “This boy Richard beats you all the time. Just when you think he’s scored a goal that defies all description, he comes across with another one.”

Irvin kept his best weapons on the ice in an effort to tie the game, and his players wouldn’t let him down.

Chicago pushed the puck back into the Canadiens zone, but defenceman Emile “Butch” Bouchard stripped Bentley and moved the puck back up the ice. Once the Canadiens broke the blueline, he flipped the puck into the corner for Blake. Again, the veteran found Richard.

Within a minute and 15 seconds, Richard had potted two goals and the game was tied at four.

The game went into overtime where Blake finally put the Forum crowd at ease at 9:12. Durnan and Lach lifted the overtime hero on their shoulders as the crowd cheered and debris littered the ice.

Toe Blake scores the overtime winner in Game 4 – Montreal Gazette Photo

The Montreal Canadiens had won their first Stanley Cup in thirteen  years. The proverbial torch was being passed from the legends of Morenz and Joliat to the new guard of Blake, Lach and Richard.

Irvin stood proud of the team that proved the skeptical crowd wrong.

“There are always people who think everything is fixed and I suspect they must be shady themselves,” the coach said. “The chanting made my players see red. Why, they tied the score with in ten minutes after hearing those taunts and Toe Blake almost tore off the back of the net with his overtime counter.”

The Canadiens celebrate their fifth Stanley Cup – Montreal Gazette photo

Richard finished the series with five goals in the Finals as he and his linemates scored 10 of the teams 16 goals. His twelve goals in the playoffs were a new league record.

Blake had factored in on all five goals on the night and jumped ahead of Richard for the playoff scoring race, breaking the league record yet again in the same season.

Some Canadiens Stanley Cup Fun and Games

Bill Durnan not only thwarted the opposition on the way to his first Stanley Cup, but also thwarted his teammates practical jokes along the way as this April 12, 1944 Montreal Gazette shot demonstrates.

The photo on the left shows Durnan dumping water on the head of  Murph Chamberlain as he attempts a hot foot on Toe Blake.

Stanley Cup Typos

You’ll notice a few typos on the Cup after the Habs won in 1943 (Bill Durman, Leo Lamoureuz). Durnan’s name was corrected when a Replica cup was created in 1992-93.

Gerald Heffernan won just one Cup in his career but had his first name redone three times. It was originally stamped as Gerald in 1944, then Jerry when the Cup ring was redesigned in 1958 and later Gerry in 1993 on the Replica ring.

Sources for this article:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette April 5 and 7, 1944

Montreal Gazette April 6-14, 1944

Diamond, Dan, 2008 Playoff Media Guide:Total Stanley Cup

Jenish, D’Arcy,  The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory

McFarlane, Brian,  True Hockey Stories: The Habs

In Case You Missed It: Habs News and Blogger Views for December 7,2009

The Flyers face the Canadiens( well, the 2009-10 editions) Monday night

There’s been lots of interesting posts in the Habs media world in the last few days.

Here’s a few that caught my attention:

Rogers Sportsnet was the first to get this out from former Canadien Saku Koivu on his ex-teammate, Alex Kovalev.

Dave Stubbs does a great piece on the surprise that his long time friend, and latest jersey retiree, Elmer Lach received on Friday night.

You have to love excerpt below, where on the legend’s long-time joke he shared with his wife over the years.

"I've long told Lise that, if the day came that the Canadiens were going to hang my number, I'd tell them I'd not be available," Lach said, laughing at the very idea.

"Yes, he's been saying this for years," Lise said. "And I've been telling him: 'Elmer, that's not nice.' "

Team990’s Mitch Melnick had a great write-up on the Habs Centennial Ceremony on his blog.

Rejean Houle and Patrick Roy at the Centennial ceremony. (CP photo)

CJAD’s Abe Hefter was not happy with the luke-warm reception Bob Gainey received Friday night.

The Canadiens have released the movie theatres that will be screening “Pour Toujours les Canadiens” .

HabsEyesOnThePrize: Still skeptical on the Latendresse deal.

Team Canada has announce their roster for the 2009 Spengler Cup

Reader Poll results: Toe Blake's #6 should be retired next

A big thanks to all the readers who voted on this weeks poll to see which Habs legend should be retired next.

It was a close race but Hector "Toe" Blake's #6 got the nod with 31% of the votes.

#6 Hector “Toe” Blake

Though he has 500 wins as a coach with the Canadiens and nine Stanley Cups, Hector “Toe” Blake was one of the greatest players of his era.

He led the NHL in scoring in the 1938-39 season and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

With just two penalty minutes in the 1945-46 season, Blake took the Lady Byng Trophy.

He played on the famous “Punch Line” with Maurice Richard and Elmer Lach, and scored at least 20 goals a season with his linemates.

In thirteen season as a player, Blake won two Stanley Cups and scored 527 points in 569 games.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966.

Blake is already honored in the Canadiens Ring of Honor as well as their Builders’ Row.

Emile "Butch" Bouchard was a close second with 25 percent, followed by Elmer Lach and Jacques Lemaire, who tied for third.

Which Montreal Canadiens number should be the next to be retired?

Fifteen members of the Montreal Canadiens have been honored by having their jersey numbers retired.

The Canadiens acknowledged all of their Hall of Fame players last season by constructing the Ring of Honor around the Bell Centre.

But As the club continues it centennial celebrations, is there room in the Bell Centre rafters for a few more names to hang in the upper echelon?

Here are a few suggestions. I’ve added a link on the players names (below the photo) to the Canadiens “Our History” site profiles.

Before you ask, Saku Koivu is still an active player, so he was excluded from the list.

#3 Emile “Butch” Bouchard

Bouchard played fifteen years (eight as captain) and won four Stanley Cups along the way.

Known for his solid checking and his excellent ability to clear the puck to his forwards, Bouchard was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame 1966.

#6 Hector “Toe” Blake

Though he has 500 wins as a coach with the Canadiens and nine Stanley Cups, Hector “Toe” Blake was one of the greatest players of his era.

He led the NHL in scoring in the 1938-39 season and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

With just two penalty minutes in the 1945-46 season, Blake took the Lady Byng Trophy.

He played on the famous “Punch Line” with Maurice Richard and Elmer Lach, and scoredat least 20 goals a season with his linemates.

In thirteen season as a player, Blake won two Stanley Cups and scored 527 points in 569 games.

He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966.

Blake is already honored in the Canadiens Ring of Honor as well as their Builders’ Row.

#16 Elmer Lach

A fourteen year member of the Canadiens.

His 26 goals and 54 assists won the NHL scoring title and Hart Trophy in 1944-45, the same year Richard scored 50 goals in 50 games.

Lach won his second NHL scoring title, receiving the inaugural Art Ross Trophy, in 1947-48.

With three Stanley Cups to his name, he was inducted into the HHOF in 1966.

It’s an outside shot to see #16 retired a second time as Henri Richard’s jersey has already been put to the rafters.

As the oldest living Canadiens Hall of Famer (91, Bouchard is 90) it would be a nice gesture.

#22 Steve Shutt

Inducted into the HHOF in 1993, Steve Shutt’s 408 goals with the Canadiens rank him first for left wingers and fifth in team history.

Shutt is only one of two players to record 60 goals in a season and his nine straight 30 goal seasons remains a franchise record.

He ranks eighth all-time in Canadiens scoring (776 points) and won five Stanley Cups in his thirteen years in Montreal.

#25 Jacques Lemaire

In twelve seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, “Coco” never had a season with less than 20 goals and was an exceptional defensive forward as well.

He ranks in the top ten in franchise scoring with 366 goals (7th), 469 assists (5th) and 835 points (7th).

His 139 points in the playoffs place him second to Jean Beliveau.

Lemaire won eight Stanley Cups with the Canadiens and joined the HHOF in 1984.

#26 Mats Naslund

“Le Petit Viking” only played in eight seasons with the Canadiens, but made the most of it.

He is the last player to record 100 points for the Canadiens and had 612 points (11th all-time) in 617 games with the bleu-blanc et rouge.

Naslund was a member of the 1985-86 Stanley Cup winning team, and took the Lady Byng Trophy in 1987-88.

His five assists in the 1988 All-Star Game is a league record.

Naslund would be an extreme long shot, being he only player in this list that is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

If you have any other worthy suggestions, email me or leave a comment. I will add a profile to the player you suggest.

In Case you missed it: Habs news and blogger views for Aug 17, 2009

The rink may be empty for now, but there’s lots of hockey news abound

A nice little compilation of Canadiens related articles I picked up on from the day.

Dave Stubbs looks in detail at the late, Leaf great Teeder Kennedy’s early days as a Montreal Canadiens Prospect.

The article also has some reflections from Canadiens’ Hall of Fame center Elmer Lach, inducted into the Hall the same year as Kennedy in 1966.

Dennis Kane on how Bob Gainey’s playing days justify his restructuring of the Canadiens to create a winner.

A short note (and link) from Yves on Habs, sizing up the Canadiens.

Eric Engels looks back on some recent memorable moments from Canadiens players no longer on the payroll.

I think somebody  might be a tad bitter about Mike Komisarek leaving. Note the Dryden poem….Hmmmm on that note, I wonder what J.T’s thoughts were when Ken Dryden became Leafs President?

OHCanadiens thinks the Habs might still be shopping

Flying Frenchmen with predictions on the bottom seven of the Eastern Conference in 2009-10.

Habs Eyes on the Prize looks at Ten Things that Habs fans would like to see in 2009-10.

Montreal Canadiens features from the National Film Board of Canada

Show of hands, how many of you remember those old National Film Board films that they showed in school?

How many of you dozed off only to be woke up by the sound of the film crunching through the projector?

Now, if the school teachers had shown the film selections I discovered on the NFB’s website, we might have paid attention more.

I’ve pulled three films for our Habs film fest. Get out your popcorn and enjoy.

First up is  one of the NFB’s most popular films.

 Sheldon Cohen’s “The Sweater”

This 1980 animated short is based on Roch Carrier’s book “The Hockey Sweater”

Carrier recounts the most mortifying moment of his childhood.

At a time when all his friends worshipped Maurice "Rocket" Richard and wore his number 9 Canadiens hockey jersey, he was mistakenly sent a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey from Eaton's.

Unable to convince his mother to send it back, he must face his friends wearing the colors of the opposing team.

 

 

 Leslie McFarlane’s 1953 short “Here’s Hockey”.

Featuring Jean Beliveau, this short film focuses on hockey from the inside out.

Known as Canada's national pastime, this film demonstrates why hockey is such an exciting spectator sport. From east to west, the connection between fans and players is evident in the excited cries of "we've won!"

From Pee-Wee to Bantam, from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to the big league pros, Here's Hockey! shows what it takes to make a great hockey player.

 

 

And now, our feature presentation.

Jacques Payette’s 1998 film “The Rocket”

This 42 minute documentary features rare footage along with interviews from journalists, photographers, former NHL President Clarence Campbell, Canadiens GM Frank Selke, referee Red Storey, Emile “Butch” Bouchard, and Maurice Richard himself.