| TEAM |
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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Red Wings | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Rangers | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Boston Bruins | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| # | SKATERS |
GP
Games played - Number of games the player has set foot on the ice
|
G
Goals - Number of goals the player has scored
|
A
Assists - Number of goals the player has assisted in
|
PTS
Points - Scoring points, calculated as the sum of G and A
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Toe Blake | 48 | 23 | 36 | 59 |
| 16 | Elmer Lach | 45 | 18 | 40 | 58 |
| 10 | Bud O'Connor | 50 | 15 | 43 | 58 |
| 11 | Joe Benoit | 49 | 30 | 27 | 57 |
| 12 | Gordie Drillon | 49 | 28 | 22 | 50 |
| # | #1 GOALIE |
GP
Games played - Number of games the player has set foot on the ice
|
RECORD
Record - Goalie record (W-L-T)
|
SO
Shutouts - Number of games where the goaltender has not allowed a goal
|
GAA
Goals against average - Mean goals-per-game scored on the goaltender
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Bibeault | 50 | 19-19-12 | 1 | 3.81 |
| DATE | AWAY | HOME |
|---|
THE REGULAR SEASON
The 1942-43 season is a significant one for both the National Hockey League and the Montreal Canadiens. On the league front, the Brooklyn Americans suspend operations and the NHL is reduced to the group of teams that will come to be known as “The Original Six.” As for Montreal, the season marks the beginning of the end of the least successful era in Canadiens history.
On the ice, the Canadiens continue to improve. Coach Dick Irvin assembles the first edition of the “Punch Line” made up of Toe Blake, Elmer Lach and Joe Benoit. The move produces immediate results as Blake records 59 points in 48 games, Lach notches 58 points in 45 games, and Benoit posts 57 points in 49 games.
With 30 goals, Benoit becomes the first Canadiens player to reach that plateau since Howie Morenz in 1929-30. Gordie Drillon scores 28 times, second on the team, in what proves to be his final NHL season.
Rookie Maurice Richard shows huge potential only to see his season come to a sudden end after 16 games when he suffers a broken leg. He still manages to record five goals and six assists for 11 points in his short stint. Richard is sidelined for the remainder of the season and the playoffs.
The Canadiens move up in the standings and finish in fourth place, beating out the Chicago Blackhawks by one point to claim the final playoff spot.
THE PLAYOFFS
In the first round of the playoffs, the Canadiens face the Boston Bruins, who finished the season in second place. The new best-of-seven playoff format adopted prior to the season assures a tight series. The Habs had 4-5-1 record against the Bruins during the regular season.
As expected, each game is a tight struggle. Boston claims each of the first three games, winning two of them in overtime.
The Canadiens come out playing desperate hockey in Game 4 and their energy is rewarded with a 4-0 win at the Forum, as goalie Paul Bibeault delivers a strong performance to claim the shutout.
The Habs’ joy proves short lived as the series shifts to Boston for Game 5. The Canadiens are eliminated following a 5-4 loss, once again in overtime.
Despite the early playoff exit, Buddy O’Connor with nine points, Toe Blake with seven points and Gordie Drillon and Elmer Lach, each with six points, all average better than a point a game.
| Semi-finals - Boston Bruins | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| March 21st, 1943 | MTL 4 | BOS 5 | ||
| March 23rd, 1943 | MTL 3 | BOS 5 | ||
| March 25th, 1943 | BOS 3 | MTL 2 | ||
| March 27th, 1943 | BOS 0 | MTL 4 | ||
| March 30th, 1943 | MTL 4 | BOS 5 | ||
| Boston won best-of-seven series 4-1 | ||||
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