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Opponents

QUEBEC NORDIQUES

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Logo evolution
Logo 1979-1995
 
Statistics
SEASON
 
GP Games played - Number of games the team has played
W Wins - Games the team has won, either in regulation or in overtime
L Losses - Games the team has lost in regulation
T Ties - Games that have ended in a tie
PTS Points - Team points, calculated from W, L, T, OTL and SOL; used to determine standings
GF Goals for - Number of goals the team has scored
GA Goals against - Number of goals scored against the team
HOME 56 36 12 8 80 242 176
AWAY 57 26 27 4 56 207 191
TOTALS 113 62 39 12 136 449 367
SEASON
 
GP Games played - Number of games the team has played
W Wins - Games the team has won, either in regulation or in overtime
L Losses - Games the team has lost in regulation
PTS Points - Team points, calculated from W, L, T, OTL and SOL; used to determine standings
GF Goals for - Number of goals the team has scored
GA Goals against - Number of goals scored against the team
HOME 17 9 8 18 54 48
AWAY 14 8 6 16 51 37
TOTALS 31 17 14 34 105 85
The battle of Quebec shook the province for almost 15 years.  In the regular season as in the playoffs, Canadiens-Nordiques match-ups were always an extremely intense affair.

When the Nordiques arrived on the scene, joining the NHL in 1979, the natural rivalry between the two cities didn’t transfer over onto the ice immediately; Quebec’s start in the league was more than a little shaky.  

For the rivalry to truly ignite, it took the arrival of the Statsny brothers and the first playoffs match-up between the two franchises in 1982.  Here are a few key milestones in the battle of Quebec that polarized impassioned fans throughout the province until 1995, when the Nordiques relocated to Colorado.

-    The two teams faced off against each other for the first time in the postseason in 1982.  Tied at two games apiece in the best 3-of-5 series, they met for the rubber match of the semifinals at the Montreal Forum.  The Nordiques got the better of the Canadiens, who had captured 30 points from Michel Bergeron’s squad throughout the regular season, as Dale Hunter played the hero, notching the winning goal in overtime to catapult Quebec to victory.  

-    The relationship between the Habs and Nordiques degenerated completely on April 20, 1984.  In Game 6 of the division finals, with Montreal leading the series 3-2, a disgraceful display tarnishes the series.  At the end of the second period, after hostilities boiled over, Dale Hunter and Guy Carbonneau went at it as both benches emptied, resulting in a full-out, on-ice brawl.  Almost 200 penalty minutes were dolled out and 12 players were ejected from the game.  The Canadiens had the last laugh, though, winning the game 5-3 to close out the series.

As the teams faced off against each other again in the playoffs in 1987, the Canadiens were looking to knock off their rivals from the provincial capital for the third consecutive postseason. With the series tied at two for the division title, the Habs were saved by a call from referee Kerry Fraser.  Tied 2-2 at the end of the third period, the Nordiques’ Alain Côté had his goal called back by Fraser for goaltender interference on netminder Brian Hayward.  A few minutes later, Ryan Walter found the back of the net, sealing the deal for Montreal. They went on to close out the series four days later.
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See also
The Battle of Quebec