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season card
nhl
| 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 | 70 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 88 | 198 | 157 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 82 | 210 | 155 |
| Boston Bruins | 70 | 34 | 24 | 12 | 80 | 195 | 174 |
| New York Rangers | 70 | 26 | 30 | 14 | 66 | 184 | 227 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 21 | 34 | 15 | 57 | 174 | 192 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 70 | 16 | 39 | 15 | 47 | 169 | 225 |
Season's leaders
see the complete stats
| # | 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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jean Béliveau | 69 | 33 | 51 | 84 |
| 9 | Maurice Richard | 63 | 33 | 29 | 62 |
| 12 | Dickie Moore | 70 | 29 | 29 | 58 |
| 16 | Henri Richard | 63 | 18 | 36 | 54 |
| 2 | Doug Harvey | 70 | 6 | 44 | 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 | Jacques Plante | 61 | 31-18-12 | 9 | 2.00 |
Season results
| DATE | AWAY | HOME |
|---|
THE REGULAR SEASON
Despite their status as reigning Stanley Cup Champions, 1956-57 is nonetheless a year of change for the Canadiens. Upon Butch Bouchard’s retirement, the captaincy is passed on to Maurice Richard. The Rocket responds with a 33-goal campaign, tops on the team alongside Jean Beliveau, who once again leads all Habs in both points and penalty minutes.Doug Harvey assumes the leadership of the defense as the resilient Tom Johnson comes into his own and Dollard St. Laurent continues his rugged style of play. Second-year men Bob Turner and Jean-Guy Talbot see more ice time, and both answer the call with improved play.
Jacques Plante, still at the top of his form, leads all NHL netminders with a 2.00 goals-against average and a league-leading nine shutouts en route to another Vezina Trophy.
Only three forwards, two of them defensive specialists, Don Marshall and Floyd Curry, manage to dress for all 70 regular season games. The Richard brothers, Bert Olmstead and Boom Boom Geoffrion miss a total of 49 games, allowing a number of prospects to take their first strides in the NHL, among them Phil Goyette, Ralph Backstrom and Andre Pronovost. Sophomore Claude Provost continues to develop into one of the league’s premiere shadows.
Once again, Montreal is the NHL’s top scoring team as well as its stingiest, and they finish second to the Detroit Red Wings, who would not top the standings again until the 1964-65 season. Detroit’s Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay stay atop the NHL point ladder, but four Habs are among the top ten – Beliveau, both Richards and Dickie Moore.
THE PLAYOFFS
Most observers predict a repeat of the previous season’s Final match up between Montreal and Detroit, but are forced to rethink things when third-place Boston wins the opening game in Detroit and then captured the series in five games.As the Bruins upset the Wings, Montreal opens their postseason against New York. Playing the first two games at Madison Square Garden before coming home to the Forum for the next three, the Canadiens make sure they don’t have to leave home for a sixth game. After winning the opener, they drop the second game in overtime before ending things at home in Game 5.
Forum fans watch as their heroes take the opener 5-1 on the strength of Maurice Richard’s record-tying, four-goal night before shutting out the Bruins 1-0 two nights later, with Jean Beliveau the lone marksman. A 4-2 win in Boston Garden on the strength of two Geoffrion blasts puts the Bruins down 3-0 in the series.
Boston tries to turn the tables with a 2-0 shut out performance, as both Bruins goals come from Montreal native, Fleming Mackell. The Canadiens put five pucks behind Bruins goaltender Al Simmons in the fifth game and Plante allows only one to find the twine.
Seconds after the opening faceoff in the second period, Dickie Moore scores what proves to be the Stanley Cup-winning goal. It is a sign of things to come for the gritty, fearless forward, who would soon enjoy the best years of his career.
Repeat Stanley Cup Champions for the first time since 1931, the Canadiens take aim on becoming only the second NHL team to threepeat. They would accomplish that and more.
The playoffs roadmap
| Semi-finals - New York Rangers | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| March 26th, 1957 | MTL 4 | NYR 1 | ||
| March 28th, 1957 | MTL 3 | NYR 4 | ||
| March 30th, 1957 | NYR 3 | MTL 8 | ||
| April 2nd, 1957 | NYR 1 | MTL 3 | ||
| April 4th, 1957 | NYR 3 | MTL 4 | ||
| Canadiens won best-of-seven series 4-1 | ||||
| Stanley Cup Finals - Boston Bruins | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| April 6th, 1957 | BOS 1 | MTL 5 | ||
| April 9th, 1957 | BOS 0 | MTL 1 | ||
| April 11th, 1957 | MTL 4 | BOS 2 | ||
| April 14th, 1957 | MTL 0 | BOS 2 | ||
| April 16th, 1957 | BOS 1 | MTL 5 | ||
| Canadiens won best-of-seven series 4-1 | ||||
See also...
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