4 Cups in the 60s

[CentreHice]

64-65, 65-66, 67-68, 68-69. The 70-71 Cup arguably belongs with that group as well...as it was the last season for Big Jean and Fergie...but I'm just going by seasons starting with 60-something. The 71 Cup has its own thread.

Here's rookie Jacques Lemaire with one of his 7 playoffs goals in the 67-68 run....the OT semi-finals' winner over Chicago in Game 5, Montreal. Scroll to 3:35. The play starts with Lemaire blocking a pass that goes to Dick Duff...back to Lemaire in alone on Denis DeJordy. That was pretty much the Cup, as we'd go on to face the first-year expansion Blues...coached by Scotty Bowman.

[CentreHice]

1964-65 Cup Final. Game 7 vs. Chicago @ the Forum. (The first two periods and intermissions....plus part of the third).

Habs win 4-0. Gumper with the shutout....the third of the series for the Habs.

That season, my petition player for Hall of Fame induction, Claude Provost, led the team in scoring with 64 pts.--with most goals (27) and assists (37).

A gem of a clip, complete with commercials, Toronto station ID, intermission with Red Fisher, Ward Cornell--featuring an interview with Sen. Hartland Molson (owner and Chairman of the Board).

And of course, vintage Danny Gallivan.

All 4 goals were scored in the first period.

The Habs came out flying and the 'Hawks were plucked after 20.


Clip times leading to goals.

Goal 1. Might as well watch from the top. Beliveau scores the eventual Cup winner just 14 seconds into the game. Assist: Rousseau.

Goal 2. 7:45. Duff from Beliveau and Rousseau--who made a great backhand chop pass to Big Jean, while falling.

Goal 3. 25:35. Quintessential Cournoyer goal...in his rookie year. Duff catches him at about half-speed just before centre, then MEEP-MEEP! Roadrunner speeds past Moose Vasko. The Habs' 20th PP goal of the playoffs.

Goal 4. 32:00. Richard backhander from the slot. Nice move by Ted Harris at the blue line. PP goal with Phil Esposito having a seat.


Other scroll times....

1:32:07. Canadian folk/pop stars of the day, Ian and Sylvia Tyson, sing the full Molson Canadian jingle.

1:40:40. Ward Cornell interviews Foster Hewitt--who lauds Provost's shadowing of Bobby Hull.

[franko]

Oct 7, 2019 16:10:47 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

1964-65 Cup Final. Game 7 vs. Chicago @ the Forum.

The Habs' 20th PP goal of the playoffs.

Goal 4. 32:00. Richard backhander from the slot. Nice move by Ted Harris at the blue line. PP goal with Phil Esposito having a seat.

21 PP goals in the playoffs. might be more that we get all this season.

[CentreHice]

In the '65 semi-finals, the Habs dethroned the 3-time defending champ Leafs 4-3 in Game 6...with an OT goal by....Claude Provost. Habs trailed 3-1 after the first period.

For the winner, start watching around 2:49:20. I slowed it down to 25% speed. J.C. Tremblay shoots it in from dead-on the centre red line. It's a perfectly placed loft which hits just a few feet in front of Bower, so he can't play it. Richard's speed beats Ron Ellis, and he picks up the puck off the end boards on his backhand--taking a bit of a stick from Bower as he swoops around the back of the net.

One of Dick Irvin's catchphrases was, "Follow the bouncing puck...." Perfect example here.

Richard's backhand pass out front:

--deflects up off Berenson's stick,
--bounces once,
--gets shot mid-air by Provost,
--deflects up off the stick of Toronto's Kent Douglas,
--and knuckles over Bower's glove.

Bill Hewitt with the call.

[GNick99]

I am 56, can't remember these years. I can vaguely remember the year we pulled our goalie in 2nd period but missed playoffs. I remember the players thou. JC Tremblay, ROgie Vachon, etc...

[Disgruntled70sHab]

I've been in and out of this thread wondering just what I can contribute ... I can go on about my earliest memories of the Habs, but threads like this bring me back to when I was growing up ... the Hab memories are there, but I often think of my youth in Westboro or, West End Ottawa ... we've already talked about walking a few blocks in your skates just to get to the outdoor rink but I also think about my friends back then, too ... the 70s run of 6 Cups in 10 years absolutely ruined me, as a fan ... one memory I haven't shared in many years is how much the Habs consumed me back then ... I remember I used to watch all of the Habs' big games from the basement of my parents' house because I didn't want anyone around me had they lost ... I remember Mr. Beliveau coming out on crutches to receive the Cup in the 60s, but it wasn't like I remember the entire game ... there was just too much else to do ... besides, everything I needed to know was on the backs of my hockey cards and, yes, I put a few Bobby Orr cards in the spokes of my bike because I disliked the Bruins back then too ... had I only known about the late-80s/early-90s sportscard frenzy ...

Cheers.

[CentreHice]

Great stories, Dis. I’m of the same vintage, so I don’t remember much hockey before the 1968-69 Cup. 1970-71 cemented me as a Habs’ fan. It’s just that the 50s and 70s streaks get most of the glory.

Prior to these 60s Cups, the Habs were being pushed around. New GM Pollock recruited John Ferguson, and bingo! 5 Cups in his 8 years. No coincidence. I know Beliveau was happy about the addition to the roster. I read somewhere that Fergie said (paraphrased), “I’m going to be the meanest SOB in the game.”

[duster]

I remember Bobby Orr and Dave Keon were the only non-Habs players I liked so I kept their cards. The rest were used for flipping or to trade for Habs hockey cards.

A clear memory is John Ferguson simply running over and beating up Keith Magnuson during a game at the Forum in '68. I think it was the blood all over Magnuson's face while he still kept playing that made an impression.

Players were tough as nails at that time. The Stanley Cup playoffs was basically a brutal war on ice with no quarter given or taken.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Oct 16, 2019 12:35:18 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

I read somewhere that Fergie said (paraphrased), “I’m going to be the meanest SOB in the game.”

I remember my late mother with a big hate on for John Ferguson ... "oh, that Ferguson, he's always got a chip on his shoulder ... I could just smash him" ... ah, the triggers ...

Cheers.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Oct 16, 2019 12:44:43 GMT -5 duster said:

I remember Bobby Orr and Dave Keon were the only non-Habs players I liked so I kept their cards. The rest were used for flipping or to trade for Habs hockey cards.

A clear memory is John Ferguson simply running over and beating up Keith Magnuson during a game at the Forum in '68. I think it was the blood all over Magnuson's face while he still kept playing that made an impression.

Players were tough as nails at that time. The Stanley Cup playoffs was basically a brutal war on ice with no quarter given or taken.

I can't remember ever seeing Keith Magnuson win a fight (that's not to say he never won a fight, only I've never seen it) ... he was tough, sure, but every time I saw him in a tiff he usually came out of it with a cut or two ... also, it was Magnuson who Henri Richard walked around to score the Cup-winning goal in '73 ... I think you're right, though, in that the average player back then was as tough as nails ... unlike today, they couldn't make it in the NHL otherwise ...

Cheers.

[CentreHice]

Lots of dirty play in that era, too....from stars! Bench-clearers were common. They played each other 14X per season for most of the 6-team era.

Howe's elbows are the most famous example...but I've seen clips of Frank Mahovlich being Matt Cooke dirty. And he wasn't alone. Which is another reason the Habs got Fergie. I learned something new in this research. I always thought Pollock acquired Fergie...but it was Frank Selke, who retired as GM after Fergie's rookie year, 1963-64. Two great GMs in a row....three, if you skip Grundman and include Serge Savard. Unsurprisingly, 18 of our 24 Cups fall under the management of those 3 gentlemen.

According to Todd Denault's eulogy/tribute post on habsworld, the Bruins and Rangers were also interested in Fergie.

Whew!


The Legend of John Ferguson
By Todd Denault – July 15, 2007

HabsWorld.net --
“The most formidable player of the decade, if not the club’s history was John Bowie Ferguson. But for us Fergie’s biggest contribution was his spirit, he was the consummate team man and probably succeeded in intimidating more of us in the dressing room than he did our opponents on the ice. You would not dare to give less than your best if you wore the same shirt as John Ferguson.” – Jean Beliveau

John Ferguson was the toughest man ever to wear the uniform of the Montreal Canadiens. In looking back at his eight year career with the Canadiens, one is struck by his accomplishments and by the impact that he had on the team. No man who ever played for the Canadiens was more admired by his teammates, both on and off the ice.

Born in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 5th, 1938, John Ferguson did not learn to skate until he was twelve years old.

The turning point of his professional life came two years later when Fergie was the stick boy for the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League. Watching from the bench he was witness to a particularly rough game between the Canucks and the team from Edmonton. He later, watched in horror when Edmonton’s Larry Zeidel started a fight with the Canucks Phil Maloney. Unfortunately, Maloney was no match for Zeidel who pummeled him to the ice. Ferguson looked around in astonishment when no one on the bench was willing to come to the aid of their teammate.

“From the moment I hated the Canucks”, Fergie reflected later. “I vowed that would never happen with any team I might get to play for.”

Three years later Fergie went from a smallish stick boy and thanks to a growth spurt became a 5’11’, 190 pound tough guy. Fergie moved from Vancouver to begin his junior hockey career in Melville, Saskatchewan where he stayed for the next three years.

In his last year in Melville, Fergie scored 32 goals and added 34 assists in only 44 games. For the 1959-60 season, Fergie moved to International League where he starred for the Fort Wayne Comets, where he averaged close to a point a game. This performance allowed Fergie to move up to the AHL where he played the next three seasons with the Cleveland Barons.

It was in Cleveland where Fergie started to make a name for him self. But first Fergie had some unfinished business to take care of in the form of Larry Zeidel. Still fuming from the beating of Phil Maloney years ago, Fergie quickly sought out Zeidel for a fight.

“Yeah, I felt good about that battle,” Fergie reminisced later. “I gave him a few shots to make up for his treatment of Maloney.”
Just as important to Fergie’s future, was his emerging offensive totals in 1962-63. Fergie was named a first team AHL all star, after leading the league with 38 goals and 179 penalty minutes. It was at this point that the NHL came calling.

Despite interest from the Boston Bruins, and the New York Rangers, it was the Montreal Canadiens who signed Fergie to a contract that paid him $8,750 a year. Montreal had just completed a third consecutive year without winning the Stanley Cup.

Convinced that the Canadiens lack of success was due to them being pushed around by the other teams, managing director Frank Selke sent coach Toe Blake down to Cleveland to scout Ferguson.

Legend has it that Blake went down to watch Cleveland practice. During this practice Ferguson fired a puck at a teammate in anger because he was loafing. At that point Blake knew he had found his man.

On October 8th, 1963 Fergie made his NHL debut against the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden. It didn’t take him long to announce his arrival in the NHL. At the time Boston’s Ted Green was considered the NHL’s top tough guy. Fergie opened the game playing on a line with Jean Beliveau and Boom Boom Geoffrion.

It only took 12 seconds for Ferguson and Green to drop the gloves.

In his book, “The Habs”, Brian MacFarlane described what happened next;

“Ferguson threw a solid right that landed in Green’s nostrils. He followed up with a second well aimed punch, and then a third furious blow. Green staggered back, shaken by the ferocity of Fergie’s attack, his face numb from the punches. He realized instantly that there was a new enforcer in the league, a deadly puncher who would bring grief to all who challenged him.”

After he served his penalty time, Fergie scored his first NHL goal, in the second period he added a power play goal, and then a few minutes later he set up Geoffrion for the tying goal.

A new era had begun in the NHL. Fergie was disdainful of any player not wearing a Montreal jersey, in every game and in every situation. The days of teams taking advantage of the Canadiens physically, were over. Fergie was determined to see the team succeed, and wasn’t subtle about his methods in achieving that goal.

“There was tremendous pride in those days”, remembered Fergie. “Those teams we had in the 1960’s, we all got along so well together. We played for the sweater.”

After finishing first overall in 1964, the Canadiens advanced to the finals for the first time in five years in 1965. Facing off against the powerful Chicago Black Hawks, the series stood tied at 2-2 heading into game five at the Montreal Forum. With the series momentum up for grabs, Ferguson got involved in an altercation with Eric Nesterenko of the Black Hawks. After a quick three punch knockout of Nesterenko, the momentum seemed to leave Chicago, and Montreal went on to win the Stanley Cup, John Ferguson’s first. This win kicked off the beginning of the Habs “Quiet Dynasty”, a team that would win five of the next seven Stanley Cups.

“The forward I like the best on the club is John Ferguson. He’s a throwback to the old time hockey players. He’s absolutely fearless and he’s strong. There aren’t too many Ferguson’s left in the NHL and the league is all the worse for that.” – Maurice Richard

Ferguson was much more than just a fighter in his career though. In his eight year career Fergie twice scored 20 or more goals, including a career best 29 goals in 1968-69 which culminated in him scoring the Cup winning goal against the St. Louis Blues. During that 1969 playoff run Fergie set a league playoff record with 80 penalty minutes. However, he only led the league in penalty minutes once during his career.

“The point is that Fergie wasn’t, and didn’t have to be, a non stop brawler. His hard earned reputation preceded him, and he could keep the opposition in line without spending all night in the penalty box.” – Jean Beliveau

In the 1960’s as the Canadiens won cup after cup the legend of John Ferguson grew and he became a larger than life sporting figure. After establishing himself as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the NHL, Ferguson was able to entertain offers for endeavors outside of hockey.

The most intriguing of these propositions was the offer to fight Canadian heavyweight boxing champion George Chuvalo in a three round exhibition at the Toronto CNE grounds.

“I was really eager to do it”, Fergie recalled later, “but when I asked Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock for permission, he said, ‘Are you crazy? There’s no bleeping’ way I’m going to let you get in the ring with Chuvalo.”

1969-70 represented another productive year for Fergie. Seven of his nineteen goals were game winners, but injuries caused him to miss 22 games, and this helped contribute to the Canadiens missing the playoffs for the first time in Fergie’s career.

Disappointed and starting to spend more time on his outside business interests, Fergie began contemplating retirement. Having accomplished so much in his NHL career, Fergie feared hanging on too long, and perhaps seeing his legend dim.

The Canadiens front office didn’t take Ferguson’s retirement seriously and expected when the 1970-71 season began that he would be there. Surely, they took it a little more seriously when on October 6th, 1970 (four days before the season opener), he announced his retirement from hockey.

Realizing his value to the team, Sam Pollock immediately began trying to change Fergie’s mind. Pollock knew that the Habs were a team in transition and needed the veteran leadership and toughness that Fergie could provide.

After a little over a month of retirement, Fergie announced his return on November 14th, 1970 and three nights later received a rapturous standing ovation from the fans at the Montreal Forum.

“Ask me my choice of the ten most popular players in the last fifty years of the Montreal Canadiens, and Fergie would be near the top of the list.” – Dick Irvin

1970-71 would turn out to be Fergie’s swan song with the Canadiens and the NHL. It resulted in the fifth Stanley Cup ring of his eight career year. It was truly the end of an era for the Canadiens. Before winning the Cup, Canadiens captain Jean Beliveau had decided to retire at the end of the year.

In his autobiography, Beliveau reminisces about the plane ride home from Chicago, after winning the Stanley Cup.

“I clearly remember the plane trip home from O’Hare. I sat with Fergie, sharing a few beers, contemplating the future. The toughest player I’d ever seen had tears in his eyes.”

“Jean, I can’t do it anymore”, Fergie said, resignedly. “Reggie Houle carried me all through these playoffs. I can’t do it; I think I’m going to retire with you.”

John Ferguson retired as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the NHL. He never looked back, not that he wasn’t tempted.

Fergie was approached by Harry Sinden to come out of retirement and play in the 1972 summit series between Canada and Russia. Fergie seriously considered the offer, before deciding to become the assistant coach of the team.

Before the series began it was widely assumed that Canada would walk all over the Russians. As everyone now knows, that isn’t how it happened. As the series became a battle of survival, a test of will, and the greatest hockey series ever played the stakes rose to an impossibly high level.

In game six, facing elimination Canada was in dire straits. Having to win the next three games on Soviet ice, team Canada was seeking a way to stop the Russian star, Valery Kharlamov.

With a tap on the shoulder and a word in the ear, Fergie instructed Bobby Clarke to go out and slow Kharlamov down. Following Fergie’s order, Clarke went out and broke Kharlamov’s ankle. With Kharlomov sidelined, Canada went on to win the series.

Fergie never made any apologies for his actions.

“I’ve never played in a series that mattered when the going didn’t get rough. My view on this: I don’t care how we win, as long as we win.”

Even with his outside business interests, Fergie never left hockey behind, serving in various positions with the New York Rangers, the Winnipeg Jets, the Ottawa Senators, and since 1995 as a senior scout with the San Jose Sharks.

In 2005 Fergie was faced with his toughest opponent yet; cancer. And for a while he appeared to beat it, but it fought back with a vengeance. Sadly, even though he fought valiantly, Fergie lost his fight on July 14th, 2007 at the age of 68.

“When you had Fergie as a friend,” former teammate and good friend Serge Savard recalled, “he was a friend for life. You know, we won a lot of Cups with that guy … I loved the guy.”

On a personal note I had the privilege of meeting John Ferguson a year ago in Toronto at an autograph signing. Having always heard of his legend, I was surprised that he wasn’t a huge, towering figure. When I got up to the front of the line, I was immediately struck by the size of his hands. When I shook his hand, my hand was completely engulfed. Here before me, was the toughest player ever to wear the Canadiens uniform, smiling, and nice beyond words. I will always treasure that special moment.

Nobody ever wore the uniform with more pride and passion.

[CentreHice]

Here's that Nesterenko fight highlighted in the article above.

April 27, 1965. Ferguson's second year. Game 5, Finals. Habs won 6-0. They'd lose 2-1 in Game 6.....then score those 4 first period goals in Game 7. (posted above).



Fergie comes in for a hit...

Nesterenko sees him coming, extends a cross check, and rakes Fergie's head.

Fergie wheels around with a glove slap to Nesterenko's face.

Nesterenko then delivers a two-handed chop on Fergie's neck/shoulder area.

The gloves come off, and it's three solid rights to Nesterenko's face. Fergie delivers another on the way down...and two more on the ice. Ugly....but Fergie had just received two vicious stick fouls intended to do severe damage.


Two games later....the first Stanley Cup since 1960. A 4-year drought! Sacrilege!

[Willie Dog]

Just put on the tv and The Rocket is on... was listening on the headphones and when my wife saw it was on, she stopped everything and asked me to turn it up... great movie

[CentreHice]

April 14, 1966. Up 3-0 in Round 1 vs. the Leafs, the Habs sweep with a 4-1 win. Gumper vs. Bower.

At the 3:37 mark of the first period (9:20 of the clip), a long melee breaks out after a faceoff. Ferguson, Larose, and Harris for the Habs involved with Kurtenbach, Stemkowski, and Shack for the Leafs. 122 minutes in penalties. Note: there's zero fight commentary by Bill Hewitt or anyone in the Toronto crew.


Goals and other scrolls:

1st Period
GOAL: 18:35. Toronto 1-0. Hillman with a slapper.


43:00 First intermission. Ward Cornell interviews Ron Stewart...and the great Rod Gilbert, who talks about his rehab from spinal surgery. Reportedly, his career was in jeopardy at that time.

From Wikipedia: In 1965–66, his career was nearly derailed when he went through a second spinal fusion operation.[5] This surgery was performed by Dr. Kazuo Yanagisawa. Gilbert was out of action for half a season, but he bounced back in 1966–67 and scored 28 goals

Cornell then interviews the winner of the Foster Hewitt Award for Excellence in Sports' Broadcasting -- the superb Rene Lecavalier.

2nd Period
GOAL: 1:07:23. Montreal 1-1. Habs on the PP. Beliveau, Cournoyer, Gilles Tremblay up front. J.C. Tremblay and Rousseau on the points. Beliveau wins the draw back to J.C. Rousseau moves in for a nice backhand pass. Toronto's Wally Boyer gets caught puck-watching and leave Gilles Tremblay open. Rousseau finds him.

GOAL: 1:15:20. Montreal 2-1. Habs on the PP. Gilles Tremblay with his 2nd (and the eventual series winner.) Rousseau flies down the middle. Cournoyer outworks Pronovost quite easily on the end boards. Gilles Tremblay picks up the puck, moves out front and backhands his own rebound into the far side.

1:32:38 Second Intermission. Ward interviews Frank Selke Sr. and Bob Davidson. The topic is coming back from 0-3 down in a series. Selke was GM of the Leafs in 1942 when they pulled it off vs. Detroit in the Finals. Davidson was on that team.

3rd Period
GOAL: 1:44:30. Montreal 3-1. Jim Roberts scores his only goal of that playoffs. Beats the Toronto D in a foot race from the Habs' blue line. Bower didn't even move.

GOAL: 1:50:30. Montreal 4-1. Duff with a shot into the corner. Beliveau retrieves...backhand pass...Duff pots it.


Duff had quite the decade himself. Six Cups. 2 with the Leafs (62 and 63) and 4 with the Habs. He's in the Hall of Fame.

Just another argument for Claude Provost's inclusion.


Provost

REG. SEASON
1005 GP
254 G
335 A
589 PTS.

PLAYOFFS
126 GP
25 G
38 A
63 PTS.

Cups: 9

Awards: Bill Masterton Trophy 1967-68


Duff

REG. SEASON
1030 GP
283 G
289 A
572 PTS.

PLAYOFFS
114 GP.
30 G
49 A
79 PTS.

Cups: 6

[CentreHice]

After ousting the Leafs in Round 1, 1966, the Habs met the Red Wings in the Finals.

Detroit's goalie, Roger Crozier, would win the Conn Smythe in a losing effort.

Here's Game 6 in Detroit.

1st Period

GOAL: 3:05. Montreal 1-0. Beliveau. Provost hits Gilles Tremblay at the blue line. Tremblay gets tripped up by Howe and Crozier's pad. Big Jean whips a backhand into the net from an almost impossible angle. I doubt that goal would count in today's game.

2nd Period

GOAL: 8:20. Montreal 2-0. Leon Rochefort. Henri Richard wins a battle at centre with rookie Bert Marshall, who was victimized by Tremblay on the first goal.

GOAL: 11:30. Detroit cuts the lead in half with a textbook PP goal. Howe back to Delvecchio at the point. Ullman on the doorstep deflects the shot past Worsley.


3rd Period

GOAL: 12:40. Detroit ties it. Floyd Smith is all over Gump in the crease, but he tips in Gary Bergman's point shot.


Overtime

CUP WINNING GOAL: 16:30. Montreal. Rochefort with a great outlet to Richard. Over to Dave Balon. Gary Bergman comes across and ties up Richard...they both fall and Balon's pass goes in off one of them. Richard was credited with the goal. Crozier argued that he pushed it in...but there was a parade on Rue Ste.-Catherine a few days later.

On the ice for Detroit on Richard's winner...Paul Henderson, Norm Ullman, and Bruce MacGregor. Marshall and Bergman on defense. Two years later, Henderson and Ullman would be involved in the Frank Mahovlich trade. Here's a clip of Imlach, Clancy, the Big M, Garry Unger, and Pete Stemkowski after the trade was announced.

[GNick99]

Oct 15, 2019 16:30:38 GMT -5 Disgruntled70sHab said:

I've been in and out of this thread wondering just what I can contribute ... I can go on about my earliest memories of the Habs, but threads like this bring me back to when I was growing up ... the Hab memories are there, but I often think of my youth in Westboro or, West End Ottawa ... we've already talked about walking a few blocks in your skates just to get to the outdoor rink but I also think about my friends back then, too ... the 70s run of 6 Cups in 10 years absolutely ruined me, as a fan ... one memory I haven't shared in many years is how much the Habs consumed me back then ... I remember I used to watch all of the Habs' big games from the basement of my parents' house because I didn't want anyone around me had they lost ... I remember Mr. Beliveau coming out on crutches to receive the Cup in the 60s, but it wasn't like I remember the entire game ... there was just too much else to do ... besides, everything I needed to know was on the backs of my hockey cards and, yes, I put a few Bobby Orr cards in the spokes of my bike because I disliked the Bruins back then too ... had I only known about the late-80s/early-90s sportscard frenzy ...

Cheers.

Can you remember the year we missed the playoffs by a thread. Pulled our goalie in 2nd period. To try and make playoffs on goal difference? I can remember it but only a little. I remember the next year way better. We traded for Frank Mahovlich late in the year and recall Ken Dryden at end of seasons. All the turmoil with the Pocket Rocket, John Ferguson and Al MacNeil. We struggled out of the gate that season, but take a .500 team, add 2 top players have a very dangerous team. I think we can do this season. Where we have a strong farm team.

[franko]

Oct 22, 2019 6:18:34 GMT -5 GNick99 said:

Can you remember the year we missed the playoffs by a thread. Pulled our goalie in 2nd period. To try and make playoffs on goal difference?

1970 v Chicago. goalie pulled halfway through the third. not goal differential but goals scored. didn't get enough.

looked it up: The Montreal Canadiens were in a desperate race to qualify for the NHL playoffs. The Canadiens hosted the Chicago Blackhawks. With 9 minutes and 30 seconds left in the third period, Montreal was down by a score of 5–2. Montreal's only hope of qualifying for the playoffs was to score three more goals. Canadiens coach Claude Ruel removed his goalie, Rogatien Vachon from the net. Vachon would return to the net only for faceoffs. Chicago would score five empty net goals and win the game by a score of 10–2. Montreal would miss the playoffs for the first time in 22 years. wiki

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Oct 22, 2019 6:18:34 GMT -5 GNick99 said:

Oct 15, 2019 16:30:38 GMT -5 Disgruntled70sHab said:

I've been in and out of this thread wondering just what I can contribute ... I can go on about my earliest memories of the Habs, but threads like this bring me back to when I was growing up ... the Hab memories are there, but I often think of my youth in Westboro or, West End Ottawa ... we've already talked about walking a few blocks in your skates just to get to the outdoor rink but I also think about my friends back then, too ... the 70s run of 6 Cups in 10 years absolutely ruined me, as a fan ... one memory I haven't shared in many years is how much the Habs consumed me back then ... I remember I used to watch all of the Habs' big games from the basement of my parents' house because I didn't want anyone around me had they lost ... I remember Mr. Beliveau coming out on crutches to receive the Cup in the 60s, but it wasn't like I remember the entire game ... there was just too much else to do ... besides, everything I needed to know was on the backs of my hockey cards and, yes, I put a few Bobby Orr cards in the spokes of my bike because I disliked the Bruins back then too ... had I only known about the late-80s/early-90s sportscard frenzy ...

Cheers.

Can you remember the year we missed the playoffs by a thread. Pulled our goalie in 2nd period. To try and make playoffs on goal difference? I can remember it but only a little. I remember the next year way better. We traded for Frank Mahovlich late in the year and recall Ken Dryden at end of seasons. All the turmoil with the Pocket Rocket, John Ferguson and Al MacNeil. We struggled out of the gate that season, but take a .500 team, add 2 top players have a very dangerous team. I think we can do this season. Where we have a strong farm team.

I don't remember watching the multi-empty-net-goals* but I remember my dad telling me about it and the guys I hung around with were talking about it the next day ... I do remember when they traded for Frank Mahovlich ... the Big M was my dad's favourite player and whatever team he played for was my dad's fave team, unlike Mom who was staunch Leafs ... I do remember when they brought up Ken Dryden because he made an immediate impact; the leg save on Jim Pappin is etched ... but what I remember the most was George Steinberg's homeroom class (grade 8 because I'd failed a grade years before) the morning of Game 7 between the Black Hawks and the Habs ... just after doing the attendance he became very sullen ... with our full attention he stood us up and asked us to bow our heads ... here most of us were thinking that we'd lost a teacher or a student, but it wasn't that at all ... with our heads bowed George said, quite clearly, ... "let's have a moment of silence (George had never been that serious with us before, gulp) ... FOR THE CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS WHO WILL GET DESTROYED BY THE MONTREAL CANADIENS TONIGHT"... the whole class broke up at that point and it remains a great trigger to this day ... another, the not-so-nice trigger was my dad being miffed at how Al MacNeil was let go ... the feud was well documented, but it was Henri Richard who went out and backed up his position when he scored the game-tying and series-winning goals* ... as for John Ferguson, IIRC the organization offered him the captaincy to stay on with the club, but he opted to retire instead ... son of a gun ...

Cheers.

[CentreHice]

Here's the series Le Gros Bill missed, Dis.

A poor dub of a Molson Breweries-NHL documentary on the 1968 Finals.

Red, White, and Blues

[CentreHice]

1969 Road to the Cup.

After sweeping the Rangers in quarters (can't find any footage), the Habs met the Bruins in the semis.

It would end at 11:28 of double OT, Game 6 in Boston. 2-1 final.

Fergie, Beliveau, and Provost. Fergie stick-checks Don Awrey's break-out pass and the puck goes to Provost at the point. Provost makes a nice move...over to Beliveau. I heard Gerry Cheevers speaking at a sports banquet back in the late 90s. "One of the biggest regrets of my career was never beating the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs."

Danny and Dick with the call.

[CentreHice]

A collection of more 1969 playoff highlights.

* Serge Savard with a goal vs. the Bruins....on his way to becoming the first d-man to win the Conn Smythe.

* Claude Ruel behind the bench, as Toe Blake had retired after the 1968 Cup.

* Mickey Redmond's OT goal in Game 2 of the Boston series.

* All 5 Bruins' goals in Game 3, as the Habs are shut out.

* The Beliveau series winner in Game 6.

* Finals vs. St. Louis. Dick Duff on the PP.

* Cournoyer with two bullets. The first hits Barclay Plager....the second zips past Glenn Hall.

* A rarity. Ted Harris with his only career playoff goal.

* Game 4. John Ferguson with the eventual Cup winner. Bobby Rousseau with a great feed to Ralph Backstrom in the slot. Backstrom loads up for a one-timer and whiffs. Noel Picard, who had just been in a collision with Fergie along the far side ("...and they both go down," Gallivan says) forgets about Fergie behind him.

[CentreHice]

The groovy Dan Kelly-narrated collection of the 1969 playoffs. The Finals' coverage starts around the 7:00 mark.