Semi-finals Game 5: Detroit 3 at Montreal 4 (OT)

Henri Richard slipped a wrist shot through Glenn Hall from the bottom of the face-off circle 6:18 into overtime, and Montreal Canadiens eliminated Detroit Red Wings in five games in the semi-finals with a 4-3 victory at the Forum.

The goal was Richard's second of the game. Big brother Maurice scored as well, along with Dickie Moore as Canadiens rallied from three one-goal deficits.

Montreal never lead until the game-winning goal.

With Red Wings leading 3-2 in the third period, Moore took a pretty pass from Maurice Richard and blasted a slap shot past Hall at 11:20 for the tying goal, Canadiens then dominated play for the remainder of regulation but couldn't score the go-ahead marker.

Overtime was an up-and-down affair until Henri Richard carried the puck into the Detroit zone. He left the puck for Dollard St. Laurent near the blue line, who flipped it into the corner to the right of Hall. Bert Olmstead took control of the puck and Richard moved into position, taking the feed from Olmstead and snapping a shot at Hall.

Hall got a lot of the puck with his body, but the disc still managed to flutter over the goal line as the Forum crowd burst into celebration while Red Wings players bowed their heads, stunned.

Red Wings led 1-0 in the first period when Maurice Richard took a pass at the Detroit blue line from Doug Harvey and broke in alone on Hall, rifling a wrist shot that beat the Red Wings goalie on the stick side at 17:36.

Gordie Howe scored at 5:26 of the second period and Red Wings led, 2-1 after two periods.

Henri Richard's first goal of the night tied the game at 4:32 of the third period, but Red Kelly scored a power play goal at 7:22 to regain lead for Red Wings.

The loss ends a highly disappointing season for Red Wings, who expected to challenge for the championship. Instead, Detroit didn't qualify for the playoffs until the season's final game, and Red Wings lost the first three games of the semi-finals before winning Game 4 in Detroit.

Canadiens await the winner of Boston-Toronto to play for the Stanley Cup.

1st Period
DET- Delvecchio (Howe, Hollingworth) 8:57
MON- M. Richard (Harvey) 17:36

2nd Period
DET- Howe (Lindsay, Delvecchio) 5:26

3rd Period
MON- H. Richard (Turner, Olmstead) 4:32
DET- Kelly (Howe) PPG 7:22
MON- Moore (M. Richard, Harvey) 11:20

Overtime
MON- H. Richard (St. Laurent, Olmstead) 6:18

SOG
DET 5-7-8-1 = 21
MON 11-11-10-2 = 34

PP
DET 1-5; MON 0-2

Fights
McNeill (DET), M. Richard (MON) 10:48 1st; H. Richard (MON), Ullman (DET) 6:47 2nd

Goalies
DET- Hall
MON- Plante


Henri Richard scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime

Semi-finals Game 4: Montreal 4 at Detroit 6

Detroit Red Wings busted out of a long scoring drought at the right time, defeating Montreal Canadiens, 6-4 in Game 4 of the semi-finals at Olympia Stadium. Red Wings staved off elimination and trail the series, 3-1.

Gordie Howe snapped a 4-4 tie at 12:43 of the third period, and Alex Delvecchio added an insurance goal 17 seconds later to seal the win. Howe's goal, his second of the period, came just 1:04 after Henri Richard tied the game.

Red Wings had scored four goals in the first three games of the series, and had been having trouble scoring goals in the second half of the regular season.

But there was no such trouble scoring goals in Game 4.

Red Wings never trailed, although on three occasions, Canadiens tied the game.

Red Wings led 2-0 after the first period, and held a 16-5 shots on goal advantage.

Canadiens scored twice in the second period to tie the game, but Ted Lindsay stole the puck in the Montreal zone and buried a slap shot past Jacques Plante from between the circles at 16:07 to put Detroit ahead, 3-2.

The third period saw five goals scored, belying how tight checking the first three games of the series had been.

As the final minute ticked off the clock in the third period, the Olympia Stadium crowd was on its feet, cheering loudly for their team and no doubt hoping that there will be a Game 6 in Detroit.

Red Wings continued to keep Canadiens' vaunted power play in check. Montreal went 0-4 with the man advantage and are now 2-12 for the series. Red Wings are 3-11 on the power play.

Maurice Richard scored two goals for Canadiens.

Game 5 will be Thursday in Montreal.

1st Period
DET- Pronovost (Dea, Kelly) PPG 6:40
DET- Dea (Pronovost, Kelly) 13:50

2nd Period
MON- Beliveau (M. Richard, St. Laurent) 1:45
MON- M. Richard (Beliveau, Johnson) 13:30
DET- Lindsay (unassisted) 16:07

3rd Period
MON- M. Richard (Johnson, Harvey) 3:57
DET- Howe (Delvecchio, Lindsay) 5:15
MON- H. Richard (Turner, Olmstead) 11:39
DET- Howe (Delvecchio, Lindsay) 12:43
DET- Delvecchio (Lindsay, Howe) 13:00

SOG
MON 5-12-13 = 30
DET 16-14-7 = 37

PP
MON 0-4; DET 1-3

Goalies
MON- Plante
DET- Hall


Gordie Howe talks to reporters after scoring two goals in Red Wings' 6-4 victory in Game 4 of the semi-finals

Semi-finals Game 3: Montreal 3 at Detroit 2

Andre Pronovost scored with 2:36 remaining in the third period to snap a 2-2 tie, sending Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over Detroit Red Wings in Game 3 of the semi-finals, at Olympia Stadium.

Canadiens lead the best-of-seven series, 3-0.

Red Wings had battled back from a 2-0 deficit with two markers in the second period, but a tight checking third period quelled all offense until Pronovost took a pretty pass from Doug Harvey between the circles and fired a wrist shot over Glenn Hall's right shoulder.

The goal sucked the air out of the Olympia crowd.

Red Wings pulled Hall with under two minutes to play but despite heavy pressure, the tying goal couldn't be gotten.

Canadiens had a rousing start to the game, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period while holding a 12-6 edge in shots on goal. Phil Goyette and Dickie Moore scored within 2:11 to take the partisan crowd temporarily out of the game.

Moore's goal was his fourth of the series.

But the second period was a totally different frame. Red Wings bounced back with two goals and a 13-6 shot advantage. The crowd got back into it as well.

Lorne Ferguson scored 59 seconds into the period, and less than five minutes later, Ted Lindsay sent Alex Delvecchio alone on a breakaway with a perfect pass. Delvecchio got behind Canadiens defense from the Montreal blue line and blistered a shot under Jacques Plante's glove at 5:45 to tie the game as the crowd went crazy.

But Canadiens still won and can wrap up the series on Monday in Detroit.

1st Period
MON- Goyette (Harvey) 9:05
MON- Moore (Beliveau, M. Richard) 11:16

2nd Period
DET- Ferguson (Kelly, Reibel) :59
DET- Delvecchio (Lindsay, Howe) PPG 5:45

3rd Period
MON- Pronovost (Harvey, Johnson) 17:24

SOG
MON 12-6-5 = 23
DET 6-13-5 = 24

PP
MON 0-2; DET 1-2

Goalies
MON- Plante
DET- Hall


Pronovost broke Red Wings fans' hearts with his late, game-winning goal

Semi-Finals Game 2: Detroit 1 at Montreal 3

Dickie Moore's second power play goal of the game at 5:26 of the third period snapped a 1-1 tie, and Montreal Canadiens went on to defeat Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven semi-finals series.

Red Wings were outplaying Canadiens and the Forum crowd was quiet when Dale Anderson was whistled for a five-minute boarding major at 5:07 of the third period.

Moore capitalized 19 seconds later, firing a wrist shot past Glenn Hall. Red Wings killed off the remaining 4:41 of the major, but momentum shifted to Canadiens even after the penalty expired.

Don Marshall added an insurance goal at 17:01 to seal the victory.

Red Wings had 12 shots at the Montreal net in the first period, but eight of those were blocked.

Just as Montreal scored a goal late in the second period in Game 1, Canadiens did the same in the first period of Game 2. Moore scored with the man advantage with 34 seconds remaining in the period.

Detroit's Al Arbour tied the game, also on the power play, with a wrist shot that fooled Jacques Plante at 8:47 of the second period.

In the first two games of the series, Red Wings have managed to contain Montreal's potent offense for the most part. Canadiens didn't score their third goal until 4:16 was left in Game 1, and it took 57 minutes for them to score their third goal in Game 2.

Still, Red Wings can't find their offense, either, and the series shifts to Detroit with Red Wings facing a must-win situation.

Game 3 is Saturday night in Detroit.

1st Period
MON- Moore (Beliveau) PPG 19:26

2nd Period
DET- Arbour (Lindsay, Howe) PPG 8:47

3rd Period
MON- Moore (Beliveau, Harvey) PPG 5:26
MON- Marshall (St. Laurent, LeClair) 17:01

SOG
DET 4-9-8 = 21
MON 7-8-16 = 31

PP
DET 1-1; MON 2-3

Goalies
DET- Hall
MON- Plante


Moore has three goals in the semi-finals series, all assisted by Jean Beliveau

Semi-Finals Game 1: Detroit 1 at Montreal 3

Jean Beliveau, league MVP candidate, scored a goal and added an assist as Montreal Canadiens defeated Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, in Game 1 of the semi-finals at the Forum.

Beliveau's goal with 51 seconds remaining in the second period tied the game, and Canadiens scored twice in the third period, with Claude Provost's goal at 15:44 breaking Red Wings' backs.

Red Wings quieted the raucous Montreal crowd early when Billy Dea scored at 1:20 of the first period.

But that was all for Detroit's offense, despite playing over four straight minutes with the power play, including 1:31 with a two-man advantage, in the second period.

Canadiens, despite easily finishing in first place, had been vulnerable while shorthanded, but Detroit went 0-5 on the power play.

It took the vaunted Montreal offense nearly 40 minutes to get going, and until that point it looked like Red Wings might have the recipe for a Game 1 upset. But Beliveau's goal late in the second period ignited the crowd and Canadiens took that momentum into the third period, when Dickie Moore scored at 2:53 to put Montreal ahead, 2-1.

Maurice Richard had two assists for Canadiens, who lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.

Game 2 will be Thursday night.

1st Period
DET- Dea (Kelly, Pronovost) 1:20

2nd Period
MON- Beliveau (Harvey, M. Richard) 19:09

3rd Period
MON- Moore (Beliveau, M. Richard) 2:53
MON- Provost (H. Richard) 15:44

SOG
DET 9-6-8 = 23
MON 7-10-12 = 29

PP
DET 0-5; MON 0-3

Fights
Pavelich (DET), St. Laurent (MON); 16:20 2nd

Goalies
DET- Hall
MON- Plante


Detroit's Gordie Howe and Montreal's Claude Provost search for a loose puck in Game 1

Playoff Preview: The best time of the hockey year!

The playoffs get underway on Tuesday, July 19 (Detroit at Montreal). Here's a preview of the semi-finals series, with my predictions.

#1 Montreal vs. #4 Detroit
Season series: Montreal, 3-1-0

Overview: Canadiens lost their first two games of the season, then were never headed. They won 10 in a row after the 0-2 start and cruised to first place. Even the loss of Bernie Geoffrion for the season about halfway thru the schedule didn't slow down the Habs scoring machine. They led the league in goals scored and their power play is fearsome.

Red Wings, on the other hand, grossly underachieved. After a 2-0-2 start, Detroit finished 5-10-1 yet still managed to squeak into the playoffs on the final day of the season. The problem with Red Wings is the opposite of Montreal: unlike Canadiens, who get balanced scoring, if Lindsay/Howe/Delvecchio aren't scoring, nobody else is, usually.

Prediction: Montreal, for all its fire power, can also be scored upon. They are vulnerable on the penalty kill, except that they earned far more power play opportunities than they surrendered (70 to 47). Red Wings can only hope that their regular season was a fluke and that the "real" team will show up in the playoffs.

There's little reason to believe, however, that the Red Wings will "flick a switch" and turn into a different team than the regular season version. Canadiens, conversely, have shown no signs of slowing down since the 0-2 start.

Canadiens in five.

#2 Boston vs. #3 Toronto
Season series: Boston, 2-1-1

Overview: These teams battled the last several games for second place, jockeying back and forth. Bruins finally won out, breaking an 0-2-1 slide with a season-ending win against Rangers. Boston overcame an underwhelming season from star scorer Real Chevrefils and some early uncertainty in goal. Terry Sawchuk will start the playoffs, having started the last six games for Bruins and playing a majority of the minutes for Boston.

Maple Leafs fared better than most experts thought. The team was expected to miss the playoffs entirely, but coach Howie Meeker kept them afloat without any major slumps. Maple Leafs excelled on the power play, converting about 31 percent of the time. Ed Chadwick started every game in goal and played all 1200 minutes, posting one shutout. Toronto got well-rounded scoring. They're not explosive offensively, but they scored enough to win 10 games.

Prediction: This should be a good, competitive series. If Boston can stay out of the penalty box, it will help their cause. Toronto must avoid any high-scoring shootouts. If Chevrefils suddenly regains his scoring touch, Bruins will be helped immensely. Home ice should help decide this series greatly.

Bruins in six.

Game 60: New York 2 at Boston 5

Boston Bruins clinched second place and home ice advantage in the semi-finals with a 5-2 victory over New York Rangers at Boston Garden.

Cal Gardner scored two goals. Vic Stasiuk and Don McKenney each had a goal and an assist, and Allan Stanley chipped in with three assists for Bruins (11-7-2), who finished one point ahead of Toronto.

Bruins only needed a tie to secure second place, but they came out acting like they needed more than that, taking a 3-0 lead after the first period.

After a scoreless second frame, Rangers made things interesting with two goals by the 6:48 mark of the third period. Bruins fans were uneasy, but Stasiuk scored at 13:47 to restore the two-goal lead.

Gardner's second goal at 16:36 rounded out the scoring.

Gardner got Bruins started at 8:47 of the first period. Larry Regan banged home a rebound four minutes later and Boston led, 2-0.

Rangers (6-11-3), whose playoff hopes were dashed when Detroit beat Toronto earlier in the week, only managed 18 shots on goal.

Bruins will host Games 1 and 2 of the semi-finals vs. Toronto.

1st Period
BOS- Gardner (Bionda, Mohns) 8:47
BOS- Regan (Stasiuk, Stanley) 12:36
BOS- McKenney (Flaman, Stanley) PPG 18:27

2nd Period
No scoring

3rd Period
NY- Sullivan (Cahan) 2:25
NY- Henry (Cahan, Hebenton) 6:48
BOS- Stasiuk (Armstrong, McKenney) 13:47
BOS- Gardner (Flaman, Stanley) 16:36

SOG
NY 3-5-10 = 18
BOS 13-6-7 = 26

PP
NY 0-2; BOS 1-6

Fights
Labine (BOS), Sullivan (NY); 8:29 2nd

Goalies
NY- Worsley
BOS- Sawchuk


Gardner opened and closed the scoring for Bruins as they clinched second place

Game 59: Montreal 0 at Chicago 7

Montreal Canadiens rested most of their starting forwards in a meaningless game at Chicago and Black Hawks took advantage with a 7-0 whitewashing.

Montreal (15-5-0), with first place sewn up, dressed 7 forwards who have either barely played at all this year or who were making their season debut. And backup goalie Gerry McNeil got the start in net.

It all added up to an easy win for Black Hawks (5-14-1), who at least got to finish a tough season on a high note, albeit against a skeletal version of the first-place Habs.

Glen Skov scored twice---his first two goals of the season---and five other Black Hawks tallied as the most lopsided game of the season was played out on the Chicago Stadium ice.

McNeil was shaky, allowing the seven Chicago goals on 31 shots. But he wasn't helped much by the inexperienced lineup dressed by coach Toe Blake.

Conversely, Chicago goalie Al Rollins only faced 21 shots but he made the few big saves he was forced to make.

Montreal will host Detroit in Games 1 and 2 of the semi-finals series, which starts next week.

1st Period
CHI- Skov (Hergesheimer) PPG 3:58
CHI- Hergesheimer (Skov, Pilote) 13:37

2nd Period
CHI- Wilson (Martin, Mortson) 1:30
CHI- Skov (Hergesheimer) 13:39

3rd Period
CHI- Lalande (Mickoski, Mortson) 5:29
CHI- McIntyre (Wilson, Martin) 10:06
CHI- Z. Toppazzini (Watson, Vasko) PPG 19:59

SOG
MON 5-5-11 = 21
CHI 13-14-4 = 31

PP
MON 0-1; CHI 2-4

Fights
St. Laurent (MON), Pilote (CHI); 5:59 1st

Goalies
MON- McNeil
CHI- Rollins


Skov scored two goals and five other teammates chipped in as Black Hawks romped

Game 58: Toronto 1 at Detroit 4

Glenn Hall made 25 saves, several of them spectacular, and Detroit Red Wings finally clinched a playoff berth with a 4-1 victory over Toronto Maple Leafs at Olympia Stadium.

Red Wings (7-10-3) will face Montreal in the semi-finals.

The loss put a dent in Toronto's (10-7-3) hopes to finish in second place and secure home ice advantage in the semi-finals vs. Boston. Maple Leafs need a Bruins loss to New York Rangers; anything else, and Boston will finish in second place.

Red Wings fell behind 1-0 in the first period on a goal by Sid Smith at 11:08. Smith slapped at the puck in a scramble in front of Hall and the disc fluttered over the goal line.

Ted Lindsay tied the game at 7:29 of the second period and Billy Dea followed about six minutes later with a goal to put Red Wings ahead, 2-1.

Red Wings put the game away in the third period on goals by Alex Delvecchio (10:46) and Dale Anderson (14:18).

Hall kept the game at 1-0 when Maple Leafs were on a power play early in the second period, making several crucial saves. Throughout the evening, Hall came up big, earning no. 1 star honors.

Red Wings fired 36 shots at Toronto goalie Ed Chadwick.

Red Wings will open the semi-finals at Montreal for Games 1 and 2.

1st Period
TOR- S. Smith (Sloan, Stewart) 11:08

2nd Period
DET- Lindsay (Howe, Delvecchio) 7:29
DET- Dea (Ferguson, Reibel) 13:37

3rd Period
DET- Delvecchio (Howe, Pronovost) 10:46
DET- Anderson (Ullman, Bucyk) 14:18

SOG
TOR 10-10-6 = 26
DET 8-15-13 = 36

PP
TOR 0-1; DET 0-3

Fights
Brian Cullen (TOR), Anderson (DET); 1:29 3rd

Goalies
TOR- Chadwick
DET- Hall


Glenn Hall makes one of his 25 saves in the playoff-clinching win over Toronto

Game 57: Montreal 5 at New York 3

Five different Canadiens players scored goals as Montreal whipped New York Rangers, 5-3 at Madison Square Garden.

The loss kept Rangers (6-10-3) from taking sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot from Detroit, which has an identical record with one game to play. In any scenario where the two teams end up tied in points, Detroit gets fourth place based on head-to-head play.

Montreal (15-4-0), which has clinched first place, had several little-used players in the lineup but Canadiens, who lead the league in goals scored, still had the firepower to score five times on Gump Worsley, albeit on just 25 shots on goal.

The teams exchanged power play goals in the first period. Doug Harvey scored for Montreal at 3:49 and Dean Prentice answered for Rangers at 7:48.

Dollard St. Laurent scored at 19:15, unassisted, to put Montreal, which never trailed, ahead 2-1.

After Camille Henry scored at 4:18 of the second period to tie the game, Claude Provost deflected Henri Richard's shot past Worsley at 8:35. Canadiens were shorthanded at the time.

Dickie Moore scored on a tip-in at 7:47 of the third period to give Canadiens a two-goal cushion, 4-2.

Rangers were trailing 4-3 with less than two minutes to play and were trying to pull Worsley for an extra attacker but couldn't clear their own zone. That Montreal pressure resulted in a goal by Bert Olmstead at 18:30.

1st Period
MON- Harvey (Beliveau, M. Richard) PPG 3:49
NY- Prentice (Creighton) PPG 7:48
MON- St. Laurent (unassisted) 19:15

2nd Period
NY- Henry (Fontinato, Hebenton) 4:18
MON- Provost (H. Richard) SHG 8:35

3rd Period
MON- Moore (Beliveau, Harvey) 7:47
NY- Cahan (Gadsby) 16:00
MON- Olmstead (Provost) 18:30

SOG
MON 8-8-9= 25
NY 7-6-8= 21

PP: MON 1-1; NY 1-3

Goalies
MON- Plante
NY- Worsley


Worsley surrendered five goals on just 25 shots in 5-3 loss to Canadiens

Game 56: Toronto 2 at Boston 2

Al MacNeil scored with 8:52 remaining in the third period to enable Toronto Maple Leafs to tie Boston Bruins, 2-2 in a key match played at Boston Garden.

Maple Leafs (10-6-3) could have clinched second place with a victory. Instead, Toronto must defeat Detroit Red Wings or else get help from Bruins (10-7-2). Boston will clinch second place in any scenario in which Bruins and Maple Leafs finish tied in points, because of Bruins' 2-1-1 advantage in the season series.

Bruins scored first on Vic Stasiuk's goal at 15:38 of the first period.

Toronto's Dick Duff and Boston's Leo Labine traded second period goals.

MacNeil's game-tying goal was a weak, fluttering shot from the top of the faceoff circle that fooled Bruins goalie Terry Sawchuk.

Both teams had good scoring chances in the final minutes, but Sawchuk and Toronto's Ed Chadwick came up big in net.

The game was a tight-checking affair, culminating in 19 blocked shots.

Only four minor penalties were called in the entire game.

Toronto will seek to clinch second place and thus home ice advantage in the semi-finals with a win in Detroit, while Boston plays host to New York Rangers.

Red Wings and Rangers are in a fight as well, for the fourth and final playoff spot---so both games will have a lot on the line.

1st Period
BOS- Stasiuk (Stanley) 15:38

2nd Period
TOR- Duff (Horton) 2:27
BOS- Labine (MacKell, Flaman) 10:55

3rd Period
TOR- MacNeil (Kennedy, Horton) 11:08

SOG
TOR 7-7-11=  25
BOS 5-11-8= 24

PP: TOR 0-0; BOS: 0-2

Goalies
TOR- Chadwick
BOS- Sawchuk


MacNeil's soft shot somehow made it past Sawchuk to salvage a tie for Leafs