When The Habs Shocked The Bruins – And The Hockey World – In The 1970-71 NHL Playoffs
you know it might be considered the most exciting playoff series in 1970s and the team that was expected to win not only uh lost they lost big time at home in most of the key games now this was the bobor esposo Leed brunes against the Jean Bello LED Montreal Canadians it was basically you know uh youth versus experience and the youth couldn’t knock off experience this is probably not one of the biggest chokes in Boston history the biggest deceptions now the Bruins finished the first in the league in 71 with 121 points now the Canadians were third East Division with 97 this was the 15 playoff series between those team two teams with Montreal winning 12 of the 14 previous uh matchups the last met in the 69 C cup semis which Montreal won in six games with pretty well the same lineup for Boston in the series now Boston won five to six games in this year’s regular season series now Bruins were defending St Cup champions of course now the havs were match against Boston and a one of the most extraordinary epets in sports history Ken Dryden then still not a rookie but close enough was hot and gold for the ks and he Ed the broes in seven contests game two featur what many perceive as one of the greatest comebacks in sports history with the broes leading 5-1 late in the second period and 5-2 heading the third the Canadians scored five goals in the final session to win 75 now there was some talk if there was a speech in the dressing room we’re not sure it was Alan McNeil said it directly or maver sh Rashard and basically they were saying yeah we’re behind 5-2 but Boston is is a Civ we can make a comeback we’ll get the first goal sure enough bille was scored twice in a rest in history now prominent Canadian sports journals red Fisher listes the Canadians comeback in this contest his eighth most memorable moment he’s over 49 years of covering hockey I say this I was six years old when I happened when it happened and when it did happen I said to myself this this is completely bizarre this team Boston had so many players to can to run five lines most of the defenseman were strong in the offense espo Kenny Hodge Cashman uh Buck uh you know Teddy green Johnny you know Johnny McKenzie now game one in Boston Boston took a one- nothing lead on Bobby ORS first of the series now second period Ferguson tied it up 1-1 before Cashman in the second and Stanfield in the third wrapped up to scoring Now Jerry chevers made 30 saves in the contest while Dryden showing some of his uh what he call his his emergency Miracles at 39 saves now game two was kind of freaky Conway led the led the Habs early with an opener at Tre 32 in the first that Bob yor would he second and Teddy green scored backto back to make a 2-1 after after for the first now in the second period uh the first eight minutes were all bossing Johnny McKenzie scored in the power play Cashman got his second at 631 while Derek Sanderson scored to make it 5-1 now here where to worm turns ladies and gentlemen hory Rashard scored a 50 and 33 at the time a lot of people said oh it’s just going to make the score a little bit better little did we know the momentum in a rest of the second period Montreal dominated the last five minutes of that stanza now going into third what really hurt bosson he took a penalty early and John Bello scored his first in the postseason at 258 and as the nesson announcer said the time uh or the the Boston Sports affiliate uh it became nail biting time at 422 but Bello scored a second now the next nine minutes we all Montreal jaqu lir scored a 959 to make it 55 John Ferguson in a a great counter made it 65 1523 23 while Frank Mahal on a f Mile breakway with a slap shot that probably is the hardest shot he ever hit scored at 1840 now the key point to this contest ladies and gentlemen in my opinion Eddie Johnson started for Boston that game he was a si in the third period giving up five goals while Ken Dryden stopped 31 of 36 and after those five game of goals he shut the door now game three in Montreal uh was a boss in early he led one nothing after first and a goal by esito actually he first in the series while mavage and get ja La perier scored the second Peri to make a 2-1 then MERS had his third the series at 355 for the insurance marker and uh they held on the rest of the away now chers made 28 saves in this contests while dride made 37 saves now the turning point of the series for a lot of people he felt that this is where Boston was going to take over Bish with his fort made it one- nothing on the power play in the first but from there was on by all Boston Bobby or scored at 1101 in the second and then Mike shaky Walton at 1826 in a power play 2-1 after the first uh even though or scored at uh at uh 37 seconds to make it tree1 corway made a tree2 with 613 but sanfield and ore or scored on a short out in 1957 made it the we this was a rare time a Bost and defenseman scored a hattrick on a playoff game 5-2 for the victors uh dve had a terrible game only 29 saves while Jerry chers had 26 A to take the victory now in Ken Ren’s the game uh he said that basically this where we taught the series was over uh in game five in Boston uh Wayne Cashman scored early to get Boston a one- nothing lead Corner we scored at 538 to make it 1-1 but from that on was all Boston 93 32 aspo on the power play Then shaky at 1645 second period McKenzie with second while Eddie walfall got a shander in a second third period the both teams exchanged two goals mavich and Ferguson at 155 in 819 music made it uh 63 while Kenny Hodge also is first of the campaign scored at 15 57 now uh Dryden had 49 saves in this game Boston really on while chers only had the stop 24 27 now here’s the deal the game six we didn’t see this coming at all because it ended up being A3 Montreal now mahovich scored Peter Mah scored his first in the series at 636 ESO scored a the power play a few seconds later and were saying hey this could be over but 1112 which I considered a goal of the series Rashard second put to Montreal head 21 Stanfield tied it up early in the second at uh 557 but from there was all Montreal Le lir on the power play will be second JC Trombley at 1439 uh then rishard uh he’s third at 514 of the third then Bish at 1446 Peter of course uh Den Sanderson second tardiff at 1715 and jacqu de Perry are in a power play 1934 8 to3 for Montreal now uh chever was was put ringer he uh he only say sered saved 35 of 43 while Kenny had 29 saves and 32 shots now game uh game four back in Boston it was really close after the first period Frank mahovich who I think it was a start to series uh tied it up in 1448 after k h first at 62 at 650 and of all people Ron hul he’s first of the series at 1738 but Montreal Hadad 2-1 now in the third Jas probably with a Series winner 50 and 44 musy scored at 102 to third to make it close but uh uh mavage again scored early in the third at 14 seconds and seven goals and seven games he was the star of the series now ironically Boston had much more shots on goal than uh than the Montreal that game 46 saes for Kenny and only a 304 Achievers so the thing is how did Boston lose the series this this is a set uh both teams combined for over 50 goals but you notice on the score sheet ladies and gentlemen after bobor scored in um that game uh that made it 2-2 he never scored for the rest of the rest of the series and I’m not saying that’s the fault but Esposito only had three counters the whole series uh you know it wasn’t a balanced attack but you look at look at Montreal H scored TR umy uh Frank and Peter movage uh tardiff scored leier hre Rashard uh Ferguson had three goals three goals in the series cordway scored so you look at the you look at the bals attack here and bille ironically never scored the last six games so that’s how the series went uh the big stars for Boston and Montreal were pretty well held off the score sheet but like Frank mahalic you could probably stop Bello but you couldn’t stop bavage and Frank bavage said uh in published reports after that when he was touring U Canada during his senatorial years that’s probably the best series he ever played other than 73 so that’s a breakdown of who scored what and who did the what in the Boston series I I’d like to see a DVD of this either by CBC or the Boston networks which is now n the whole series just to show how an offensive team against an offensive team the team with the more experience like Montreal had JC and everybody but that’s JC was the unoficial quarterback of monreal’s Defense at the time this was well before Larry ROMs and and you know uh Le Point and SAR didn’t score in the the series at all it was just the players up front but you know role players like tardiff and hul you know played a factor as well and uh you know was a pretty freaky series but I always go back to April 871 where the big comeback it’s amazing to see the Montreal that’s why I’m not a Tron mapley fan there’s no no person can make this up what happened in that series only the Glorious ones could have could have bet Bost in that year anyway so ladies and gentlemen if you like what you’re doing here we hockey podcast let us know when a like comment subscribe or share bye
Ken Dryden and company upset Boston in the quarter-finals, as the Montreal Canadiens outlasted Orr and Company on offense and defense in what ended up determining the Cup winner that season
3 Comments
Great resume, you know what you talking about. Its joinful to hear someone who know the game. Thank you. Rick, a fan. Good night,. Or morning here. I watch the game, tomorrow again. I fell in sleep. 2 period.
This was a colossal collapse for the Bruins. Always talked about in Boston.
Wonderful recap! A couple of my observations:
*Pierre Bouchard was the unsung hero for the Habs. He had to fill Serge Savard's skates on defense, and he rose to the occasion.
*While The Big M got the headlines, Pete was devastating. The Bruins were big, tough, and mean, and John Ferguson could not handle them alone. Pete Mahovlich was aggressive as hell and helped Fergy prevent the Bruins from intimidating the Habs. (Phil Roberto also helped)
*I have mixed feelings about Dryden winning the Smythe, and I'm a Dryden fan. But he lost 8 games in the playoffs, including 2 to the North Stars, and maybe 3 if you watch the tape of Brian Bellow's goal at the buzzer in game 6. Personally, I felt The Big M should have won the Smythe Trophy. And yet…what if MacNeil had stayed with Rogy Vachon??? Would we even be having this discussion!
I remember watching game 7 on CBS with Dan Kelly announcing. When J.C. fired in that high wrist shot from the blue line in the 2nd period, I thought to myself, "see Bobby…that's how it's done!"
Thanks again, Gov.