| 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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 82 | 40 | 24 | 18 | 98 | 228 | 188 |
| Boston Bruins | 82 | 39 | 30 | 13 | 91 | 221 | 194 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 36 | 29 | 17 | 89 | 211 | 187 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 37 | 32 | 13 | 87 | 235 | 208 |
| Ottawa Senators | 82 | 34 | 33 | 15 | 83 | 193 | 200 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 33 | 41 | 8 | 74 | 200 | 219 |
Roster 36 PLAYERS
| # | 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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Mark Recchi | 82 | 32 | 42 | 74 |
| 25 | Vincent Damphousse | 76 | 18 | 41 | 59 |
| 11 | Saku Koivu | 69 | 14 | 43 | 57 |
| 27 | Shayne Corson | 62 | 21 | 34 | 55 |
| 26 | Martin Rucinsky | 78 | 21 | 32 | 53 |
| # | #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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Jocelyn Thibault | 47 | 19-15-8 | 2 | 2.47 |
| DATE | AWAY | HOME |
|---|
THE REGULAR SEASON
Alain Vigneault replaces Mario Tremblay as head coach. During the offseason, Rejean Houle signs veteran goalie Andy Moog to back up Jocelyn Thibault.
Vigneault’s arrival behind the bench gets results. The Habs’ play in October and November goes a long way to putting the tough 1996-97 season in the distant past. At the end of November, the team is first in the Northeast Division, tied for the top spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On December 1, just weeks after recording the 6,000th point in franchise history, the Canadiens play their 5,000th NHL game.
On January 15, the team proceeds with a significant trade. Stephane Richer, Darcy Tucker and David Wilkie are dealt to Tampa Bay in exchange for Patrick Poulin, Mick Vukota and Igor Ulanov.
Two weeks later, it’s Valeri Bure’s turn to part ways with the Canadiens. The Habs’ second round draft pick in 1992 is sent to the Calgary Flames in a trade that brings Zarley Zalapski and Jonas Hoglund to Montreal.
As a result of the NHL’s participation in the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, the team plays only five games in February. The compressed scheduled makes for an exhausting end to the season, and the Habs, already hard hit by injuries, struggle the rest of the way.
The Canadiens finish the season seventh overall in the Eastern Conference despite posting a losing record at home for the first time since 1939-40.
THE PLAYOFFS
Facing off against the Penguins, the second seed in the East, Moog and the Habs set the tone for the series by claiming the first game on the road in Pittsburgh. Jaromir Jagr and the Penguins wake up in the second game and even the series. After splitting the next two games in Montreal, the teams return to Pittsburgh and the Canadiens surprise the home team with a 5-2 win before closing out the series by winning Game 6 at the Molson Centre.
On the eve of the conference semifinal, Martin Rucinsky creates a stir when he says that the Buffalo Sabres owe their success to one player, Dominik Hasek.
The comment appears to motivate the Sabres, who go on to sweep the series in four straight and advance to the conference final.
Mark Recchi, the Canadiens’ leading scoring during the regular season, finishes the postseason with 12 points in 12 playoff games.
| Conference quarter-finals - Pittsburgh Penguins | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| April 23rd, 1998 | MTL 3 | PIT 2 | ||
| April 25th, 1998 | MTL 1 | PIT 4 | ||
| April 27th, 1998 | PIT 1 | MTL 3 | ||
| April 29th, 1998 | PIT 6 | MTL 3 | ||
| May 1st, 1998 | MTL 5 | PIT 2 | ||
| May 3rd, 1998 | PIT 0 | MTL 3 | ||
| Canadiens won best-of-seven series 4-2 | ||||
| Conference semi-finals - Buffalo Sabres | ||||
| Date | AWAY | HOME | ||
| May 8th, 1998 | MTL 2 | BUF 3 | ||
| May 10th, 1998 | MTL 3 | BUF 6 | ||
| May 12th, 1998 | BUF 5 | MTL 4 | ||
| May 14th, 1998 | BUF 3 | MTL 1 | ||
| Buffalo won best-of-seven series 4-0 | ||||
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