# 1970–71 Minnesota North Stars season

The 1970–71 Minnesota North Stars season was the North Stars' fourth season.
Coached by Jack Gordon, the team compiled a record of 28–34–16 for 72 points, to finish the regular season 4th in the West Division. In the playoffs they won the quarter-finals in a 4–2 upset over the St. Louis Blues, becoming the first expansion team to defeat the three-time Stanley Cup finalists in the playoffs. While the North Stars ultimately lost in the semi-finals 4–2 to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens under the revised playoff format, they did become the first expansion team to win postseason games against an Original Six opponent.

## Regular season
### Final standings

West Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 49 | 20 | 9 | 277 | 184 | +93 | 107 |
| 2 | St. Louis Blues | 78 | 34 | 25 | 19 | 223 | 208 | +15 | 87 |
| 3 | Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 28 | 33 | 17 | 207 | 225 | −18 | 73 |
| 4 | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 28 | 34 | 16 | 191 | 223 | −32 | 72 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 25 | 40 | 13 | 239 | 303 | −64 | 63 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 21 | 37 | 20 | 221 | 240 | −19 | 62 |
| 7 | California Golden Seals | 78 | 20 | 53 | 5 | 199 | 320 | −121 | 45 |

### Record vs. opponents
## Schedule and results

| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | L | October 10, 1970 | 1–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | W | October 15, 1970 | 4–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | L | October 17, 1970 | 2–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 1–2–0 |
| 4 | W | October 18, 1970 | 2–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 2–2–0 |
| 5 | W | October 21, 1970 | 3–1 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 3–2–0 |
| 6 | L | October 24, 1970 | 1–4 | New York Rangers (1970–71) | 3–3–0 |
| 7 | W | October 28, 1970 | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 4–3–0 |
| 8 | W | October 31, 1970 | 3–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 5–3–0 |
| 9 | L | November 1, 1970 | 0–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 5–4–0 |
| 10 | L | November 4, 1970 | 3–4 | Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 5–5–0 |
| 11 | T | November 7, 1970 | 1–1 | St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 5–5–1 |
| 12 | T | November 8, 1970 | 3–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 5–5–2 |
| 13 | W | November 11, 1970 | 3–1 | Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 6–5–2 |
| 14 | T | November 14, 1970 | 3–3 | Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 6–5–3 |
| 15 | W | November 17, 1970 | 5–3 | @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 7–5–3 |
| 16 | L | November 18, 1970 | 4–8 | Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 7–6–3 |
| 17 | W | November 21, 1970 | 3–0 | Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 8–6–3 |
| 18 | L | November 22, 1970 | 0–2 | @ New York Rangers (1970–71) | 8–7–3 |
| 19 | L | November 24, 1970 | 2–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 8–8–3 |
| 20 | W | November 27, 1970 | 3–2 | @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 9–8–3 |
| 21 | W | November 28, 1970 | 3–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 10–8–3 |
| 22 | W | December 2, 1970 | 3–2 | California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 11–8–3 |
| 23 | L | December 5, 1970 | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 11–9–3 |
| 24 | L | December 6, 1970 | 0–1 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 11–10–3 |
| 25 | T | December 9, 1970 | 2–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 11–10–4 |
| 26 | L | December 10, 1970 | 1–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 11–11–4 |
| 27 | W | December 12, 1970 | 1–0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 12–11–4 |
| 28 | L | December 13, 1970 | 2–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 12–12–4 |
| 29 | L | December 15, 1970 | 1–2 | @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 12–13–4 |
| 30 | T | December 16, 1970 | 1–1 | Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 12–13–5 |
| 31 | L | December 19, 1970 | 3–5 | New York Rangers (1970–71) | 12–14–5 |
| 32 | L | December 20, 1970 | 2–7 | @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 12–15–5 |
| 33 | W | December 25, 1970 | 6–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 13–15–5 |
| 34 | T | December 26, 1970 | 1–1 | @ St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 13–15–6 |
| 35 | L | December 30, 1970 | 2–6 | Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 13–16–6 |
| 36 | L | December 31, 1970 | 1–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 13–17–6 |
| 37 | T | January 2, 1971 | 3–3 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 13–17–7 |
| 38 | L | January 5, 1971 | 0–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 13–18–7 |
| 39 | T | January 6, 1971 | 4–4 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 13–18–8 |
| 40 | L | January 9, 1971 | 0–1 | New York Rangers (1970–71) | 13–19–8 |
| 41 | W | January 10, 1971 | 3–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 14–19–8 |
| 42 | T | January 14, 1971 | 3–3 | Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 14–19–9 |
| 43 | L | January 16, 1971 | 3–4 | Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 14–20–9 |
| 44 | W | January 17, 1971 | 2–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 15–20–9 |
| 45 | W | January 21, 1971 | 5–3 | St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 16–20–9 |
| 46 | T | January 23, 1971 | 2–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 16–20–10 |
| 47 | L | January 24, 1971 | 2–6 | @ New York Rangers (1970–71) | 16–21–10 |
| 48 | L | January 27, 1971 | 2–6 | @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 16–22–10 |
| 49 | W | January 29, 1971 | 2–1 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 17–22–10 |
| 50 | W | January 31, 1971 | 7–1 | California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 18–22–10 |
| 51 | T | February 3, 1971 | 4–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 18–22–11 |
| 52 | L | February 6, 1971 | 2–6 | Chicago Black Hawks (1970–71) | 18–23–11 |
| 53 | T | February 7, 1971 | 4–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 18–23–12 |
| 54 | L | February 10, 1971 | 3–4 | @ New York Rangers (1970–71) | 18–24–12 |
| 55 | L | February 11, 1971 | 2–6 | @ Montreal Canadiens (1970–71) | 18–25–12 |
| 56 | T | February 13, 1971 | 2–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 18–25–13 |
| 57 | W | February 14, 1971 | 5–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 19–25–13 |
| 58 | W | February 17, 1971 | 3–2 | California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 20–25–13 |
| 59 | L | February 18, 1971 | 3–5 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 20–26–13 |
| 60 | L | February 21, 1971 | 1–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 20–27–13 |
| 61 | W | February 24, 1971 | 5–1 | Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 21–27–13 |
| 62 | T | February 25, 1971 | 1–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1970–71) | 21–27–14 |
| 63 | W | February 27, 1971 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1970–71) | 22–27–14 |
| 64 | L | February 28, 1971 | 2–5 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 22–28–14 |
| 65 | L | March 2, 1971 | 0–6 | Boston Bruins (1970–71) | 22–29–14 |
| 66 | W | March 6, 1971 | 3–1 | Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 23–29–14 |
| 67 | W | March 7, 1971 | 3–1 | Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 24–29–14 |
| 68 | W | March 10, 1971 | 4–0 | St. Louis Blues (1970–71) | 25–29–14 |
| 69 | T | March 13, 1971 | 0–0 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1970–71) | 25–29–15 |
| 70 | L | March 14, 1971 | 0–5 | Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 25–30–15 |
| 71 | W | March 16, 1971 | 7–2 | @ Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 26–30–15 |
| 72 | W | March 21, 1971 | 6–3 | @ Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 27–30–15 |
| 73 | W | March 23, 1971 | 3–1 | Los Angeles Kings (1970–71) | 28–30–15 |
| 74 | T | March 25, 1971 | 2–2 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 28–30–16 |
| 75 | L | March 28, 1971 | 2–4 | @ Buffalo Sabres (1970–71) | 28–31–16 |
| 76 | L | March 30, 1971 | 1–2 | Vancouver Canucks (1970–71) | 28–32–16 |
| 77 | L | March 31, 1971 | 1–4 | @ California Golden Seals (1970–71) | 28–33–16 |
| 78 | L | April 3, 1971 | 2–3 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (1970–71) | 28–34–16 |

## Playoffs

For the third time in four seasons, the North Stars played the Blues. This time, the North Stars gained the upper hand and won over the Blues after winning three in a row.
Stanley Cup Quarterfinals
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record |
| 1 | April 7 | St. Louis | 3–2 | 1–0 |
| 2 | April 8 | St. Louis | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| 3 | April 10 | Minnesota | 0–3 | 1–2 |
| 4 | April 11 | Minnesota | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| 5 | April 13 | St. Louis | 4–3 | 3–2 |
| 6 | April 15 | Minnesota | 5–2 | 4–2 |
North Stars win series 4–2
This was the first series played between the Canadiens and the North Stars. Their win on April 24 was the first win by a member of the expansion squad against the original teams in the playoffs.
Stanley Cup Semifinals
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record |
| 1 | April 20 | Montreal | 2–7 | 0–1 |
| 2 | April 22 | Montreal | 6–3 | 1–1 |
| 3 | April 24 | Minnesota | 3–6 | 1–2 |
| 4 | April 25 | Minnesota | 5–2 | 2–2 |
| 5 | April 27 | Montreal | 1–6 | 2–3 |
| 6 | April 29 | Minnesota | 2–3 | 2–4 |
North Stars lose series 4–2

## Draft picks

Minnesota's draft picks at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 2 | 17 | Buster Harvey | Canada | Hamilton Red Wings (OHA) |
| 2 | 20 | Fred Barrett | Canada | Toronto Marlboros (OHA) |
| 3 | 34 | Dennis Patterson | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHA) |
| 4 | 48 | Dave Cressman | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHA) |
| 5 | 62 | Hank Lehvonen | Canada | Kitchener Rangers (OHA) |
| 6 | 76 | Murray McNeil | Canada | Calgary Centennials (WCHL) |
| 7 | 89 | Gary Geldart | Canada | London Knights (OHA) |
| 8 | 101 | Mickey Donaldson | Canada | Peterborough Petes (OHA) |