Wikiwand AI

1943–44 Montreal Canadiens season

NHL hockey team season (won Stanley Cup) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1943–44 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 35th season, 27th in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team would win the Stanley Cup for the fifth time. Bill Durnan would join the club as its new goaltender and he won the Vezina Trophy in his rookie season.[1]

League1st NHL
1943–44 record38–5–7
Home record22–0–3
Road record16–5–4
Quick facts Montreal Canadiens, League ...
1943–44 Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup champions
League1st NHL
1943–44 record38–5–7
Home record22–0–3
Road record16–5–4
Goals for234
Goals against109
Team information
General managerTommy Gorman
CoachDick Irvin
CaptainToe Blake
ArenaMontreal Forum
Team leaders
GoalsMaurice Richard (32)
AssistsElmer Lach (48)
PointsElmer Lach (72)
Penalty minutesMike McMahon Sr. (98)
WinsBill Durnan (38)
Goals against averageBill Durnan (2.18)
Close

Offseason

At the Habs' training camp in 1943, Canadiens manager Tommy Gorman settled on Bill Durnan as his goalie. Durnan stated that he was happy as an amateur and happy with less money if it meant avoiding the stress of the professional game. On opening night, Durnan was not yet signed. Ten minutes before the first faceoff, he spoke with Gorman and reached a deal. Durnan signed the contract and played in the game. The result was a 2–2 draw with the Boston Bruins. The rookie netminder was a few months shy of his 27th birthday.[2]

Regular season

Some of Durnan's teammates included the "Punch Line" of Elmer Lach, Rocket Richard and Toe Blake. Durnan was a key element that took Montreal back to the Stanley Cup Final after 13 years of frustration. Durnan led the league in games played, wins and goals-against average in the regular season.[2]

Final standings

More information GP, W ...
National Hockey League[3]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Montreal Canadiens503857234109+12583
2Detroit Red Wings5026186214177+3758
3Toronto Maple Leafs5023234214174+4050
4Chicago Black Hawks5022235178187−949
5Boston Bruins5019265223268−4543
6New York Rangers506395162310−14817
Close

Record vs. opponents

More information NHL Records, Team ...
1943–44 NHL Records [4]
Team BOS CHI DET MTL NYR TOR
Boston —5–51–7–23–5–27–2–13–7
Chicago 5–5—5–50–8–27–1–25–4–1
Detroit 7–1–25–5—0–9–18–1–16–2–2
Montreal 5–3–28–0–29–0–1—9–0–17–2–1
New York 2–7–11–7–21–8–10–9–1—2–8
Toronto 7–34–5–12–6–22–7–18–2—
Close

Schedule and results

More information Game, Result ...
1943–44 regular season[5]
October
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
1TOctober 30, 19432–2Boston Bruins (1943–44)0–0–1
November
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
2WNovember 2, 19432–1New York Rangers (1943–44)1–0–1
3WNovember 4, 19435–3@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)2–0–1
4WNovember 7, 19435–1Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)3–0–1
5WNovember 13, 19434–1Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)4–0–1
6WNovember 14, 19432–0@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)5–0–1
7TNovember 16, 19432–2@ Boston Bruins (1943–44)5–0–2
8WNovember 18, 19435–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)6–0–2
9WNovember 20, 19437–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)7–0–2
10WNovember 21, 194313–4Boston Bruins (1943–44)8–0–2
11WNovember 27, 19436–3New York Rangers (1943–44)9–0–2
12TNovember 28, 19432–2@ New York Rangers (1943–44)9–0–3
December
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
13WDecember 2, 19436–2Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)10–0–3
14WDecember 4, 19438–2Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)11–0–3
15LDecember 5, 19434–5@ Boston Bruins (1943–44)11–1–3
16LDecember 11, 19432–4@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)11–2–3
17WDecember 12, 19435–1@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)12–2–3
18WDecember 19, 19433–1Boston Bruins (1943–44)13–2–3
19WDecember 25, 19435–1Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)14–2–3
20WDecember 30, 19438–3Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)15–2–3
January
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
21WJanuary 1, 19444–0@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)16–2–3
22WJanuary 2, 19445–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)17–2–3
23WJanuary 4, 19446–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)18–2–3
24WJanuary 8, 19448–2New York Rangers (1943–44)19–2–3
25WJanuary 9, 19446–5@ New York Rangers (1943–44)20–2–3
26LJanuary 11, 19440–5@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)20–3–3
27TJanuary 13, 19442–2Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)20–3–4
28TJanuary 16, 19441–1@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)20–3–5
29WJanuary 22, 19446–2Boston Bruins (1943–44)21–3–5
30WJanuary 23, 19444–1@ Boston Bruins (1943–44)22–3–5
31TJanuary 27, 19442–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)22–3–6
32WJanuary 30, 19445–3@ New York Rangers (1943–44)23–3–6
February
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
33WFebruary 5, 19446–1Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)24–3–6
34LFebruary 8, 19440–3@ Boston Bruins (1943–44)24–4–6
35WFebruary 12, 19443–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)25–4–6
36TFebruary 13, 19442–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)25–4–7
37WFebruary 17, 19443–2@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)26–4–7
38WFebruary 19, 19445–2New York Rangers (1943–44)27–4–7
39WFebruary 20, 19447–2@ New York Rangers (1943–44)28–4–7
40WFebruary 24, 19443–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)29–4–7
41WFebruary 26, 194410–2Boston Bruins (1943–44)30–4–7
42WFebruary 27, 19445–1@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)31–4–7
March
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
43WMarch 4, 19445–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)32–4–7
44WMarch 5, 19448–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)33–4–7
45WMarch 9, 19443–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)34–4–7
46WMarch 11, 19444–3Detroit Red Wings (1943–44)35–4–7
47LMarch 12, 19445–6@ Boston Bruins (1943–44)35–5–7
48WMarch 16, 19443–2Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)36–5–7
49WMarch 18, 194411–2New York Rangers (1943–44)37–5–7
50WMarch 19, 19446–1@ New York Rangers (1943–44)38–5–7

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Close

Playoffs

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Durnan allowed only 1.53 goals per game as the Canadiens skated to the title. At season's end, Durnan was awarded the Vezina Trophy, the first rookie to win the award, and was selected to the league's First All-Star Team.[2]

Semi-final: Montreal vs. Toronto

Rocket Richard scored seven goals in the series, including all five for Montreal in game two. After giving up the first game at home to Toronto, Montreal took over, winning the next four, finishing the series with an 11–0 shellacking in game five.

More information Date, Away ...
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
March 21Toronto3Montreal1
March 23Toronto1Montreal5
March 25Montreal 2Toronto1
March 28Montreal4Toronto1
March 30Toronto0Montreal 11
Close

[6]

Stanley Cup Final: Montreal vs. Chicago

Main article: 1944 Stanley Cup Final

Maurice 'Rocket' Richard made his Stanley Cup debut with a five-goal performance in the series, including a hat-trick in game two. The Punch Line of Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake scored 10 of the Canadiens 16 goals. Blake scored the Cup winner in overtime. In the same overtime, Bill Durnan stopped the first penalty shot awarded in the finals, awarded to Virgil Johnson.

More information Date, Away ...
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 4Chicago1Montreal 5
April 6Montreal 3Chicago1
April 9Montreal 3Chicago2
April 13Chicago4Montreal 5OT
Close

[7] Montreal won the best-of-seven series 4–0.

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

More information Player, Pos ...
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Elmer LachC4824487223
Toe BlakeLW4126335910
Maurice RichardRW4632225445
Buddy O'ConnorC441242546
Ray GetliffeC/LW4428255344
Phil WatsonRW/C4417324961
Gerry HeffernanRW4328204812
Murph ChamberlainLW4715324785
Fern MajeauC/LW4420183839
Leo LamoureuxC/D448233132
Bob FillionLW417233014
Mike McMahonD427172498
Glen HarmonD435162136
Emile BouchardD395141952
Tod CampeauC20000
Bill DurnanG500000
Bob WaltonC/RW40000
Close

Goaltending

More information Player, MIN ...
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Bill Durnan30005038571092.182
Team:30005038571092.182
Close

Playoffs

Scoring

More information Player, Pos ...
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Toe BlakeLW9711182
Maurice RichardRW91251710
Elmer LachC9211134
Ray GetliffeC/LW954916
Murph ChamberlainLW953812
Phil WatsonRW/C935816
Emile BouchardD91344
Glen HarmonD91234
Gerry HeffernanRW71238
Mike McMahonD812316
Buddy O'ConnorC81232
Leo LamoureuxC/D90338
Bill DurnanG90000
Bob FillionLW30000
Fern MajeauC/LW10000
Close

Goaltending

More information Player, MIN ...
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Bill Durnan549981141.531
Team:549981141.531
Close

[8]

Note:
Pos = Position;GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Pos = Position;GP = Games played; Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved;SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

See also

Citations

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks