4 games1games

1971 Montreal Canadiens vs 1971 Chicago Black Hawks

Game #1 (Chicago Stadium)       Blackhawks nip Habs 1-0
Game #2 (Chicago Stadium)       Pappin Punishes Habs
Game #3 (Montreal Forum)        Marc of Brilliance
Game #4 (Montreal Forum)        Have and Hab-nots
Game #5 (Chicago Stadium)       #1 in Second City

Series Stats: Canadiens and Black Hawks

	GAME 1: (CHI 2, MTL 1) - Chicago's Dan Maloney took a 2 minute high sticking penalty at the 13:39 mark to give Montreal the first PP of the series. Up until this point the game mirrored a great heavyweight title fight with both fighters feeling each other out and slightly afraid to throw serious punches. Montreal fought for their chance to get a shot off, but the best scoring opportunity was a shorthanded attempt by Chicago's King Kong Korab, which Ken Dryden fought off. Montreal became increasingly frustrated and Marc Tardiff took a dumb penalty with 5 seconds left in the Montreal PP. Chicago went on the attack right away after winning the faceoff. Hull and Statpleton barraged Dryden, but the rookie was up to the task as he helped his team kill off the 1:55 penalty time. At the 6:47 mark Peter Mahovolich took an ill advised roughing penalty, while Keith Mangnuson skating away laughing at him. Finally with 5:51 left Dennis Hull broke the ice with a neat one timer from Korrol to beat Dryden and put the Hawks up 1-0. For the balance of the period Chicago really took it to the Canadiens. Dennis Hull hit Cournyoer from behind, which Redmond took exception to and both players immediately dropped the gloves. Neither combatant had a decided advantage, but the Canadiens let it be known that besides being the fleetest skaters on the planet they can also defend themselves. No scoring in the second period doesn't mean that there was no action. Granted the first half of the period started off slow with no discernible territorial advantage, but the final 8 minutes were fast and furious. Dryden saw more rubber than a Michelin factory, yet he was able to keep the Black Hawks from adding to their lead. Late in the period Peter Mahovolich picked a fight with Chicago tough guy, Keith Magnuson, because he was frustrated. Big M had been called for 2 minors already in the contest. The third period started with Chicago desperately looking to throw the knockout punch on the Habs. Dryden to this point saved 23 of 24 shots. Tony Esposito was pitching a shutout, but in fairness he only saw 13 shots. Tight checking and Chicago's offensive barrage on Dryden allowed the Habs little opportunity to score until Frank Mahovolich got a breakaway with 11:53 remaining, but was foiled by the underworked Tony Esposito who has faster feet than anyone in the business. After killing off a Montreal PP Chicago finally got that all important second goal past Dryden. Bobby Hull came up wing and blasted one of his patented 120 mph slapshots into the twine. Chicago Stadium went wild as could be expected. With 2:33 left Guy LaRose fought his way out of the corner and slipped one by Espo to cut the Black Hawk lead to one. The tension in the stadium was thicker than the BBQ sauce served at Portillos. With 1:33 left Montreal was forced to pull Dryden. Chicago hit them with a suffocating defense that prevented them from getting a shot off. The Black Hawks took a well earned 2-1 victory in the opener.
	GAME 2: (CHI 3, MTL 2) - Chicago came out of the locker room ready to take it to the Canadiens with hopes of solving Dryden. The Canadiens became frustrated with Chicago's physical play and at the 15:18 mark Peter Mahovolich dropped the gloves with Stapleton. Both rugged individuals fought to a standoff. The Canadiens didn't have a shot on goal until the 14:11 mark, that's how tight Chicago's defense was. Finally at the 10:22 mark Peter Mahovolich, who just returned from his 5 minute fighting major stuffed home a rebound that came off a Tremblay point shot to give Montreal it's first lead of the series. At 3:24 mark Pappin one timed one past Dryden who was screened. O'Shea gave him a beautiful feed that found him along in the high slot. Chicago wasn't done scoring as Koroll faked out Dryden on a partial breakaway to make the score 2-1 Chicago at the 1st intermission. The second period had some good action. Montreal had back to back power plays and could do nothing until the 4:31 mark when Guy LaRose slapped one by Tony Esposito to tie the game at 2. White fed Pappin with 1:10 left in the period to beat Dryden and give Chicago back it's one goal lead, which eventually held up to be the game winner. Both teams took penalties late in the period, so we would see 4 on 4 action to start the 3rd. The 3rd period was Tony Esposito's time to shine as he shutout the Canadiens who had 7 quality shots on goal. With under a minute Cournoyer came on as the extra attacker as Dryden was pulled from net, but Montreal could not get a quality shot on Espo. The Blackhawks win this one and take a 2-0 lead as the series heads to Chicago.
	GAME 3: (MTL 4, CHI 1) - With their backs up against the wall and not wanting to go down three games to none the Candiens fed off the Forum crowd, as they chanted "Go Habs Go". 6:19 into the game Marc Tardif scored his first goal of the series to break the ice. Redmond fed him nicely as he slid in off the slot. Almost 6 minutes later Tardif scored his second goal, this one on the power play which was created by Keith Magnuson taking an ill advised tripping penalty. Dryden was as sharp as Findlania cheese and Espo seemed uncomfortable between the pipes. The second period started with Stan Mikita getting under Jean Beliveau's skin and the former striking back with a 5 minute major penalty for spearing. The Forum crowd caused a 10 minute delay as they threw garbage onto the ice in protest of the officials only catching Beliveau and not Mikita. Less than 40 seconds later Mikita enraged the Forum crowd even further by scoring off a rebound from a Bobby Hull blast. This time the crowd reigned boos, not garbage. The Habs rose to the occasion and killed off the next 4+ minutes of the power play. Dryden made some key saves and Laperierre and the defense held their ground. With 2:31 left to go in the period Montreal just killed off a power play and Marc Tardif skated up ice and fed Redmond with a neat little pass, so he could go top shelf on Tony Esposito to increase their lead to 3-1. All pumped up after scoring his first goal of the series, Redmond got caught Boarding Maki into the half boards, which gave Chicago a 2 minute advantage that they could not capitalize on. The 3rd period started with Montreal up by 2. Mostly territorial play occurred in the 1st half of the 3rd, until Maki caught Bobby Hull on a breakaway. If not for Dryden coming out and cutting down the angle Chicago would have scored. Less than 2 minutes later the Habs defense broke down and Dryden again had to stop a breakaway attempt by Koroll. With 3:44 left and Chicago desperately trying to generate offense Montreal scored their 4th of the game to put it away. Frank Mahovolich deked Esposito after Guy LaRose drew two defenders to him. Dryden was again brilliant, this time in victory as he stopped 35 of 36 shots taken by Chicago to get his team back in the series.
	GAME 4: (CHI 2, MTL 1) - Montreal broke the ice with a Jean Beliveau goal with 9:04 left in the first. The smooth skating Beliveau, playing in his final year glided through center ice after receiving a feed from the young Lemaire to beat Esposito cleanly to the stick side. Chicago dominated play to start the period, but Montreal quickly took control and peppered Esposito with 13 shots including 2 breakaways, which the Chicago netminder saved. Less than 5 minutes into the second tempers flared and Stan Mikita and Jacques Laperriere dropped the glove. Mikita was frustrated with Laperriere's stick being between his legs and let the Frenchman know he wasn't going to stand for it. Mikita got in one or two quick shots before the fight turned into one big clinch. No loss of manpower occurred, but Chicago did lose a valuable offensive contributor for 5 minutes. Finally Chicago got on the board as O'Shea deflected a Maloney slapshot past a screened Dryden. Mikita finally made it back to the ice and this time he punished the habs by feeding Dennis Hull for a one timer that Dryden had no chance on. Chicago took their first lead of the game and began to show signs of confidence. With 3:33 left the Habs blew a golden opportunity to tie it when Jacque Lemaire split the defense, beat Esposito, but hit the inside of the post. The red light never went on and play continued. The 3rd period started with Chicago on top 2 to 1 and twenty minutes away from taking a 3 to 1 series lead back home to the Windy City. At the 14:42 mark Jacques Lemaire was called on a controversial high sticking penalty as he inadvertantly opened a gash under Mikita's left eye. Montreal's penalty kill unit and of course Dryden were billiant in killing off all 5 minutes of the major. Everyone in the Forum stood up and groaned as Tremblay had a breakaway attempt sticked aside by Esposito. Montreal was getting prepared to pull Dryden in favor of an extra attacker when Guy Larose Cross Checked Bobby Hull with 58 seconds left. This took all of the life out of the Habs and the Black Hawks played keep away to put themselves 1 win away from their first Stanley cup in 10 years.
	GAME 5: (CHI 5, MTL 3) - Chicago Stadium was 'amped up knowing full well that one more win would bring them Lord Stanley's chalice. The 'Hawks came out flying in the first 3 minutes as both Hull brothers unleashed wicked shots on Dryden, who again showed he was up for the task. Montreal has experience and a core group of HOF'ers who were able to weather the storm and turn the tables on Chicago. In what could be his final game ever future HOF'er Jean Beliveau was able to turn back the clock as he beat Espo by going 5 hole with 3:25 gone in the game. The raucus crowd in the stadium became almost silent. Beliveau split the defense after receiving a great neutral ice feed from Cournoyer. Stan Mikita struck back right after Chicago killed off a penalty to even the score at 1 at the 13:23 mark. With a bit over 3 minutes left to go the Pocket Rocket Henri Richard fed Frank Mahovolich on a 2 on 1 to beat Espo to put the Canadiens back up by 1. The scored stayed that way until the final minute when Pit Martin blasted a one timer by Dryden to tie the game back up at 2. then with 2 seconds left to go in the period Dryden was caught napping and Pit Martin scored again with a neat little tip in off a fluttering shot from White at the point. Chicago had a 1 goal lead and all the momentum heading into the locker room at the end of the first period. Chicago was in the process of killing off back to back penalties when the Road Runner, Yvan Cournoyer beat Esposito on a breakaway. Chicago was in the process of changing their defensive pair that was completely exhausted. This knotted the game back up at 3 apiece with 7 minutes gone in the 2nd period. At the 8:03 mark Dennis Hull went around 2 Canadien defenders and blasted one by Dryden who was screened to put Chicago up 4-3. The period ended without any further scoring and just after Chicago killed a Canadien powerplay off. The third period started with the Habs down by 1 goal and Dryden looking very shaky in the pipes. With the outcome of their season riding on this game the Canadiens decide to pull Dryden in favor of the veteran Roggie Vachon. Dryden had kept his team in the series up until this point, but the young netminder either wasn't sharp or began to crumble under the pressure of a win or die game. At the 16:43 mark Frank Mahovolich beat Espo, but hit the post. A key chance to tie the game was blown. Montreal blew another chance at the 14:22 mark when Beliveau took a center ice feed from Cournoyer and had a clean breakaway, but Espo challenged him and poked the puck off his stick. No more than a minute later Tremblay had a breakaway as well and Espo cut the angle down on him and made a neat pad save. Chicago needed to concentrate more on defense in order to protect their one goal lead. At the 9:52 mark D.Jarrett took a slashing penalty and the Canadiens got the power play opportunity they so coveted. 47 seconds later Marc Tardiff took an ill advised offensive zone hooking penalty and just like that Montreal lost their 1 man advantage. Chicago then got real stupid as Keith Magnuson took a 5 minute major penalty for spearing Jacque Lemaire. Sure Lemarire elbowed him, but with the cup on the line like that Magnuson needed to swallow his pride in favor of victory. Instead, the retaliator got caught and Montreal would have almost 4 minutes of power play time after the 4 on 4 ended. Tremblay hit the post with 6:50 left to play just after Tardiff left the box giving the Habs a man advantage. Chicago hit a post of their own while shorthanded as White had a clean slapper from the point. Then at 5:26 Peter Mahovolich tripped Korab in the offensive zone to create a 4 on 4 and vitually kill off the power play chance for his team. Vachon was pulled in favor of an extra skater with less than a minute to go, but Montreal could not get a it by Espo. With 13 seconds to go Koroll scored an empty netter to put it away and clinch the cup for the Blackhawks.

Composite Team Stats