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season card
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| 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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 80 | 47 | 14 | 19 | 113 | 374 | 225 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 80 | 42 | 17 | 21 | 105 | 269 | 185 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 37 | 28 | 15 | 89 | 326 | 289 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 23 | 45 | 12 | 58 | 259 | 335 |
| Washington Capitals | 80 | 8 | 67 | 5 | 21 | 181 | 446 |
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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Guy Lafleur | 70 | 53 | 66 | 119 |
| 20 | Peter Mahovlich | 80 | 35 | 82 | 117 |
| 25 | Jacques Lemaire | 80 | 36 | 56 | 92 |
| 5 | Guy Lapointe | 80 | 28 | 47 | 75 |
| 12 | Yvan Cournoyer | 76 | 29 | 45 | 74 |
| # | #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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Ken Dryden | 56 | 30-9-16 | 4 | 2.69 |
Season results
| DATE | AWAY | HOME |
|---|
THE REGULAR SEASON
The Montreal Canadiens welcomed Ken Dryden back to the team but the bulk of the play in 1974-75 seemed to be at the opposite end of the ice as 10 different Habs potted at least 20 on the way to a league-leading 374 goals.A newly-shorn Guy Lafleur blossomed into one of the NHL’s top attractions, burying 53 pucks behind enemy goaltenders on the way to a 119-point campaign.
Linemate Pete Mahovlich rode his 82 assists, still a team record, to 117 regular season points. Jacques Lemaire quietly and competently continued to produce, with 92 points, while Yvon Lambert and Steve Shutt joined the 30-goal club for the first time.
Hard-working rookies Doug Risebrough, Mario Tremblay and Bob Gainey added grit and determination to the team, all three making the jump from junior ranks to the big club. Also acquired for defensive support were veterans Don Awrey and Glen Sather.
The “Big Three” came into their own as an NHL force on the blue line, not only shutting down the enemy in Habs territory but adding another offensive tool to the Canadiens arsenal. Guy Lapointe set a new record for Habs rearguards with 28 goals, finishing fourth in team scoring with 75 points. Larry Robinson contributed 61 points, good for eighth spot.
The NHL expanded to 18 teams and realigned with Montreal, playing in the Prince of Wales Conference’s Norris Division, losing only 14 of 80 games and finishing with 113 points, tying Buffalo and Philadelphia for the overall league lead.
When the NHL year-end All-Star teams were announced, Lafleur was on the first team and Lapointe on the second.
THE PLAYOFFS
For the first time in NHL history, the postseason involved four rounds of play before a team could lay claim to the Stanley Cup. As one of four division winners, Montreal entered the second round facing the Vancouver Canucks.Playing an opponent with almost 30 fewer regular season points, the Canadiens took the first game at home, winning 6-2 and dropping the second 2-1, Vancouver’s only victory of the series. Allowing the Canucks only one goal in front of their hometown fans, Montreal returned home with 4-1 and 4-0 decisions and a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Game five was tied at four goals apiece after 60 minutes had elapsed. Seventeen minutes later, Guy Lafleur broke a 4-4 deadlock, putting an end to Vancouver’s season.
Powered by 7-0 and 8-2 drubbings in the third and fourth games, the Canadiens outscored their semifinal opponents 29-21. Buffalo, who had won the two opening games at home, also took the fifth in front of friendly fans, sending the series back to the Forum.
After posting a 4-3 victory to end Montreal’s season, Buffalo went on to lose to Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Limited to only 16 regular season games and a half dozen others in the playoffs and with his name inscribed a league-record 11 times on the Stanley Cup as a player, Henri Richard retired after the postseason.
It would be five years before the Montreal Canadiens would lose another playoff series, however.
The playoffs roadmap
| Quarter-finals - Vancouver Canucks | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| April 13th, 1975 | VAN 2 | MTL 6 | ||
| April 15th, 1975 | VAN 2 | MTL 1 | ||
| April 17th, 1975 | MTL 4 | VAN 1 | ||
| April 19th, 1975 | MTL 4 | VAN 0 | ||
| April 22nd, 1975 | VAN 4 | MTL 5 | ||
| Canadiens won best-of-seven series 4-1 | ||||
| Semi-finals - Buffalo Sabres | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| April 27th, 1975 | MTL 5 | BUF 6 | ||
| April 29th, 1975 | MTL 2 | BUF 4 | ||
| May 1st, 1975 | BUF 0 | MTL 7 | ||
| May 3rd, 1975 | BUF 2 | MTL 8 | ||
| May 6th, 1975 | MTL 4 | BUF 5 | ||
| May 8th, 1975 | BUF 4 | MTL 3 | ||
| Buffalo won best-of-seven series 4-2 | ||||
See also...
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