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1970–71 Boston Bruins season

NHL team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1970–71 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 47th season in the NHL. As defending champions, Boston set many NHL records. They earned 57 wins and 121 points, surpassing the previous records set by the 1968–69 Montreal Canadiens. They also scored 399 goals to shatter their own record set in 1968–69, and their goal differential of +192 surpassed the previous record set by the 1943–44 Montreal Canadiens as well. The NHL's top four scorers (Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, and Ken Hodge), each with over 100 points, were all Bruins; previously, there had only been four players in the history of the NHL with 100-point seasons, and no other NHL franchise has ever produced the top four scorers in a season (the Bruins replicated the feat in 1973–74). With 76 goals and 152 points, Esposito broke Bobby Hull's single season record for goals, as well as his own single season points record, both set in 1968–69. Finally, with 102 assists, Orr broke the single season record for most assists that he set the previous year.

Division1st East
1970–71 record57–14–7
Home record33–4–2
Road record24–10–5
Quick facts Boston Bruins, Division ...
1970–71 Boston Bruins
East Division champions
Division1st East
1970–71 record57–14–7
Home record33–4–2
Road record24–10–5
Goals for399
Goals against207
Team information
General managerMilt Schmidt
CoachTom Johnson
CaptainVacant
Alternate captainsJohnny Bucyk
Phil Esposito
Ted Green
Ed Westfall
ArenaBoston Garden
Team leaders
GoalsPhil Esposito (76)
AssistsBobby Orr (102)
PointsPhil Esposito (152)
Penalty minutesDon Awrey (141)
WinsEddie Johnston (30)
Goals against averageEddie Johnston (2.52)
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However, the team's unprecedented offence was shut down by rookie goaltender Ken Dryden, who guided the Montreal Canadiens to a seven-game upset against the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs.

All of the Bruins' aforementioned records have since been broken:

  • The Montreal Canadiens earned 58 wins and 127 points in 1975–76. The Bruins reclaimed the record in 2023 with 65 wins and 135 points, beating the aforementioned Canadiens in 2022-23
  • Montreal earned a goal differential of +216 in 1976–77.
  • Wayne Gretzky scored 109 assists and 164 points in 1980–81.
  • Gretzky scored 92 goals while the Edmonton Oilers scored 417 total goals in 1981–82.

Offseason

  • Bobby Orr signed the NHL's first one million dollar contract (to be paid out over five years).[1]

NHL draft

See also: 1970 NHL amateur draft
More information Round, Overall ...
Round Overall Player
1 3 Reggie Leach
1 4 Rick MacLeish
1 9 Ron Plumb
1 13 Bob Stewart
2 27 Dan Bouchard
3 41 Ray Brownlee
4 55 Gord Davies
5 69 Bob Roselle
6 83 Murray Wing
7 96 Glenn Siddall
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Regular season

The 1970–71 Bruins set an NHL record by having 10 different skaters score 20 goals or more in a season.[2] The record was broken by the 1977–78 Bruins when they had 11 different skaters with 20 goals or more.

Playoffs

The postseason ended quickly for the Bruins as they lost in the opening round to the Montreal Canadiens and their rookie goaltender Ken Dryden in a seven-game upset.

Season standings

More information GP, W ...
East Division[3]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1Boston Bruins7857147399207+192121
2New York Rangers78491811259177+82109
3Montreal Canadiens78422313291216+7597
4Toronto Maple Leafs7837338248211+3782
5Buffalo Sabres78243915217291−7463
6Vancouver Canucks7824468229296−6756
7Detroit Red Wings78224511209308−9955
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Record vs. opponents

More information NHL records, Team ...
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Schedule and results

More information Game, Result ...
1970–71 regular season[5]
October
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
1WOctober 11, 19707–3Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)1–0–0
2WOctober 14, 19708–5@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)2–0–0
3WOctober 16, 19705–1@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)3–0–0
4WOctober 18, 19705–3@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)4–0–0
5TOctober 22, 19703–3Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)4–0–1
6WOctober 25, 19704–3Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)5–0–1
7LOctober 29, 19703–5@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)5–1–1
8WOctober 31, 19706–0New York Rangers (1970–71)6–1–1
November
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
9WNovember 1, 19705–0Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)7–1–1
10LNovember 5, 19700–2St. Louis Blues (1970–71)7–2–1
11TNovember 7, 19702–2@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)7–2–2
12WNovember 8, 19706–1Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)8–2–2
13WNovember 10, 19706–3Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)9–2–2
14LNovember 14, 19702–3@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)9–3–2
15LNovember 15, 19701–2California Golden Seals (1970–71)9–4–2
16WNovember 18, 19708–4@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)10–4–2
17WNovember 21, 19705–2@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)11–4–2
18WNovember 22, 19704–2Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)12–4–2
19TNovember 24, 19705–5@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)12–4–3
20WNovember 26, 19703–2Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)13–4–3
21TNovember 28, 19703–3@ New York Rangers (1970–71)13–4–4
22WNovember 29, 19704–2Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)14–4–4
December
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
23LDecember 2, 19703–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)14–5–4
24TDecember 3, 19704–4@ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)14–5–5
25WDecember 5, 19704–2@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)15–5–5
26WDecember 6, 19706–3Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)16–5–5
27WDecember 10, 19708–2Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)17–5–5
28WDecember 12, 19701–0@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)18–5–5
29WDecember 13, 19706–2Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)19–5–5
30WDecember 16, 19706–4Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)20–5–5
31WDecember 19, 19707–1@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)21–5–5
32WDecember 20, 19707–2Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)22–5–5
33WDecember 23, 19702–1@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)23–5–5
34WDecember 25, 19708–4Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)24–5–5
35LDecember 26, 19702–4@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)24–6–5
36WDecember 30, 19706–2@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)25–6–5
January
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
37WJanuary 1, 19719–4@ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)26–6–5
38WJanuary 3, 19715–1@ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)27–6–5
39WJanuary 7, 19716–4Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)28–6–5
40LJanuary 9, 19713–4@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)28–7–5
41WJanuary 10, 19717–4California Golden Seals (1970–71)29–7–5
42WJanuary 14, 19719–5Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)30–7–5
43LJanuary 16, 19712–4@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)30–8–5
44WJanuary 17, 19719–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)31–8–5
45WJanuary 23, 19716–2Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)32–8–5
46WJanuary 24, 19714–2Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)33–8–5
47TJanuary 27, 19712–2@ New York Rangers (1970–71)33–8–6
48WJanuary 28, 19716–2Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)34–8–6
49WJanuary 31, 19716–0St. Louis Blues (1970–71)35–8–6
February
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
50WFebruary 3, 19717–3Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)36–8–6
51WFebruary 6, 19714–3Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)37–8–6
52TFebruary 7, 19714–4Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)37–8–7
53WFebruary 9, 19716–3New York Rangers (1970–71)38–8–7
54WFebruary 11, 19715–3@ St. Louis Blues (1970–71)39–8–7
55WFebruary 14, 19715–1@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)40–8–7
56LFebruary 16, 19714–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)40–9–7
57WFebruary 19, 19715–0@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)41–9–7
58LFebruary 20, 19714–5@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)41–10–7
59WFebruary 23, 19716–3@ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)42–10–7
60WFebruary 25, 19718–3Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)43–10–7
61WFebruary 28, 19714–3Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)44–10–7
March
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
62WMarch 2, 19716–0@ Minnesota North Stars (1970–71)45–10–7
63WMarch 4, 19717–0California Golden Seals (1970–71)46–10–7
64WMarch 6, 19716–3@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71)47–10–7
65WMarch 7, 19714–1St. Louis Blues (1970–71)48–10–7
66WMarch 10, 19718–1@ California Golden Seals (1970–71)49–10–7
67WMarch 11, 19717–2@ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71)50–10–7
68WMarch 13, 19716–3@ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71)51–10–7
69WMarch 16, 197111–4@ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)52–10–7
70WMarch 18, 19717–3Detroit Red Wings (1970–71)53–10–7
71WMarch 20, 19715–3Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71)54–10–7
72LMarch 21, 19715–7Buffalo Sabres (1970–71)54–11–7
73LMarch 24, 19711–2@ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71)54–12–7
74LMarch 27, 19713–6New York Rangers (1970–71)54–13–7
75LMarch 28, 19711–2@ New York Rangers (1970–71)54–14–7
76WMarch 31, 19716–3@ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)55–14–7
April
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecord
77WApril 3, 19718–3@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71)56–14–7
78WApril 4, 19717–2Montreal Canadiens (1970–71)57–14–7

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

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Playoffs

Quarterfinals: (E1) Boston Bruins vs. (E3) Montreal Canadiens

April 7 Boston Bruins 3–1 Montreal Canadiens Boston Garden
April 8 Boston Bruins 5–7 Montreal Canadiens Boston Garden
April 10 Montreal Canadiens 3–1 Boston Bruins Montreal Forum
April 11 Montreal Canadiens 2–5 Boston Bruins Montreal Forum
April 13 Boston Bruins 7–3 Montreal Canadiens Boston Garden
April 15 Montreal Canadiens 8–3 Boston Bruins Montreal Forum
April 18 Boston Bruins 2–4 Montreal Canadiens Boston Garden
Montreal won series 4–3

Player statistics

Regular season

= Indicates league leader
Scoring
More information Player, Pos ...
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG
Phil EspositoC787676152717125116
Bobby OrrD783710213991124535
John BucykLW7851651168362205
Ken HodgeRW78436210511371407
Wayne CashmanLW7721587910059403
John McKenzieRW65314677120271103
Fred StanfieldLW752452761232803
Derek SandersonC7129346313039160
Ed WestfallD/RW782534594858075
Wayne CarletonLW692224464435005
Dallas SmithD73738456894021
Ted GreenD78537426037000
Don MarcotteLW751513283020062
Don AwreyD744212514140001
Rick SmithD67419234430001
Mike WaltonC223581011000
Reggie LeachRW2324607000
Garnet BaileyLW36066444000
Eddie JohnstonG3801160000
Ivan BoldirevC200000000
Gerry CheeversG4000040000
Danny SchockLW60000−1000
Bill SpeerD100040000
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Goaltending
More information Player, MIN ...
Player MIN GP W L T GA GAA SO
Eddie Johnston2280383062962.534
Gerry Cheevers24004027851092.723
Team:468078571472052.637
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Playoffs

Scoring
More information Player, Pos ...
Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM PPG SHG GWG
Bobby OrrD7571225111
Phil EspositoC737106200
Fred StanfieldLW73470100
John BucykLW72570000
Ken HodgeRW72576000
Wayne CashmanLW732515001
John McKenzieRW723522101
Derek SandersonC721313000
Ed WestfallD/RW71232010
Dallas SmithD703326000
Mike WaltonC520219100
Ted GreenD710125000
Don AwreyD700017000
Garnet BaileyLW100010000
Wayne CarletonLW40000000
Gerry CheeversG60004000
Eddie JohnstonG10000000
Reggie LeachRW30000000
Don MarcotteLW40000000
Rick SmithD60000000
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Goaltending
More information Player, MIN ...
Player MIN GP W L GA GAA SO
Gerry Cheevers360633213.500
Eddie Johnston6010177.000
Team:420734284.000
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[6]

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

References

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