# 1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 33rd season in the NHL, and the club was coming off of a fifth-place finish in 1957–58, as they finished the year 24–39–7, earning 55 points, which was their highest point total since last making the playoffs in 1952–53.
It was a quiet off-season for the Black Hawks, who made no major moves. The team named Ed Litzenberger the new team captain, as the spot was left vacant for the 1957–58 season.
Chicago would get off to a good start, going unbeaten in their first four games, before going on a six-game winless streak to drop them under .500. The Black Hawks would hover around the .500 mark all season long, and as a result, the team set a club record with 28 victories, and tied the club record by earning 69 points, as the Black Hawks qualified for the post-season for the first time since 1952–53. Chicago finished in third place, which was their highest finish in the standings since finishing third in the 1945–46 season.
Offensively, Chicago was led by Ed Litzenberger, who led the club with 33 goals and 77 points. His 77 points tied a club record originally set by Max Bentley in 1943–44. Tod Sloan finished with 27 goals and 62 points, while Ted Lindsay rebounded from a poor 1957–58 season by scoring 22 goals and 58 points, while leading the NHL with 181 penalty minutes. Bobby Hull had a solid season, scoring 18 goals and 50 points. On the blueline, Pierre Pilote led the way, scoring 7 goals and 37 points, while Moose Vasko chipped in with 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points.
In goal, Glenn Hall had all the playing time for the second straight season, as he won a club record 28 games and posted a 2.97 GAA, along with a shutout.
Chicago would face the Montreal Canadiens in the best of seven NHL semi-final. The Canadiens finished the year on top of the NHL standings with 91 points, and had won the Stanley Cup three years in a row. The series opened at the Montreal Forum, and the Canadiens took control of the series, winning the opening two games by scores of 4–2 and 5–1 to take the 2–0 series lead. The series moved to Chicago Stadium for the next two games, and the Black Hawks responded, winning their first playoff games since 1953, as they defeated Montreal 4–2 and 3–2 to even the series up at two games a piece. The series returned to Montreal for the fifth game, and the heavily favored Canadiens put the Black Hawks on the brink of elimination with a 4–2 win to take a 3–2 series lead. Montreal ended the series in the sixth game in Chicago, hanging on for a 5–4 victory to win the series.

## Season standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 39 | 18 | 13 | 258 | 158 | +100 | 91 |
| 2 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 32 | 29 | 9 | 205 | 215 | −10 | 73 |
| 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 197 | 208 | −11 | 69 |
| 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 27 | 32 | 11 | 189 | 201 | −12 | 65 |
| 5 | New York Rangers | 70 | 26 | 32 | 12 | 201 | 217 | −16 | 64 |
| 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 25 | 37 | 8 | 167 | 218 | −51 | 58 |

### Record vs. opponents

1958–59 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 6–7–1 | 8–5–1 | 6–6–2 | 6–5–3 | 6–6–2 |
| Chicago | 7–6–1 | — | 6–7–1 | 1–8–5 | 7–4–3 | 7–4–3 |
| Detroit | 5–8–1 | 7–6–1 | — | 1–9–4 | 6–7–1 | 6–7–1 |
| Montreal | 6–6–2 | 8–1–5 | 9–1–4 | — | 8–5–1 | 8–5–1 |
| New York | 5–6–3 | 4–7–3 | 7–6–1 | 5–8–1 | — | 5–5–4 |
| Toronto | 6–6–2 | 4–7–3 | 7–6–1 | 5–8–1 | 5–5–4 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record | Pts |
| 1 | October 8 | New York Rangers | 1–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–0–1 | 1 |
| 2 | October 11 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–0–1 | 3 |
| 3 | October 12 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–0–1 | 5 |
| 4 | October 16 | Chicago Black Hawks | 7–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–0–1 | 7 |
| 5 | October 18 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–1–1 | 7 |
| 6 | October 19 | Boston Bruins | 4–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–2–1 | 7 |
| 7 | October 23 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–9 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–3–1 | 7 |
| 8 | October 25 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–6 | New York Rangers | 3–4–1 | 7 |
| 9 | October 28 | Montreal Canadiens | 5–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–4–2 | 8 |
| 10 | October 30 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–5 | Boston Bruins | 3–5–2 | 8 |
| 11 | November 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–2 | Montreal Canadiens | 4–5–2 | 10 |
| 12 | November 4 | New York Rangers | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–5–2 | 12 |
| 13 | November 8 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–3 | Detroit Red Wings | 6–5–2 | 14 |
| 14 | November 11 | Boston Bruins | 8–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 6–6–2 | 14 |
| 15 | November 15 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 6–7–2 | 14 |
| 16 | November 16 | Detroit Red Wings | 2–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 7–7–2 | 16 |
| 17 | November 19 | Boston Bruins | 2–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–7–2 | 18 |
| 18 | November 22 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Montreal Canadiens | 8–8–2 | 18 |
| 19 | November 23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–8–3 | 19 |
| 20 | November 27 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–9–3 | 19 |
| 21 | November 29 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 9–9–3 | 21 |
| 22 | November 30 | New York Rangers | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–9–4 | 22 |
| 23 | December 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | New York Rangers | 9–10–4 | 22 |
| 24 | December 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–11–4 | 22 |
| 25 | December 7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 9–11–5 | 23 |
| 26 | December 10 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–11–6 | 24 |
| 27 | December 13 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Boston Bruins | 9–12–6 | 24 |
| 28 | December 14 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–3 | New York Rangers | 9–12–7 | 25 |
| 29 | December 17 | Boston Bruins | 2–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–12–7 | 27 |
| 30 | December 20 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 10–13–7 | 27 |
| 31 | December 21 | Detroit Red Wings | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 11–13–7 | 29 |
| 32 | December 25 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Boston Bruins | 11–14–7 | 29 |
| 33 | December 27 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 11–14–8 | 30 |
| 34 | December 28 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 12–14–8 | 32 |
| 35 | December 31 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 13–14–8 | 34 |
| 36 | January 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 13–14–9 | 35 |
| 37 | January 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 14–14–9 | 37 |
| 38 | January 4 | Boston Bruins | 3–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 15–14–9 | 39 |
| 39 | January 7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–0 | New York Rangers | 16–14–9 | 41 |
| 40 | January 8 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–2 | Boston Bruins | 17–14–9 | 43 |
| 41 | January 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–1 | Montreal Canadiens | 17–15–9 | 43 |
| 42 | January 11 | New York Rangers | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 17–16–9 | 43 |
| 43 | January 17 | New York Rangers | 1–7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 18–16–9 | 45 |
| 44 | January 18 | Montreal Canadiens | 1–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 18–16–10 | 46 |
| 45 | January 21 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 18–17–10 | 46 |
| 46 | January 24 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 18–18–10 | 46 |
| 47 | January 25 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 4–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 18–19–10 | 46 |
| 48 | January 28 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–1 | New York Rangers | 19–19–10 | 48 |
| 49 | January 31 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–3 | Montreal Canadiens | 19–19–11 | 49 |
| 50 | February 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 19–19–12 | 50 |
| 51 | February 5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–1 | Boston Bruins | 20–19–12 | 52 |
| 52 | February 7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 6–3 | New York Rangers | 21–19–12 | 54 |
| 53 | February 8 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 22–19–12 | 56 |
| 54 | February 12 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–5 | Boston Bruins | 22–20–12 | 56 |
| 55 | February 14 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 22–21–12 | 56 |
| 56 | February 15 | Boston Bruins | 3–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 22–21–13 | 57 |
| 57 | February 18 | New York Rangers | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 23–21–13 | 59 |
| 58 | February 21 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–5 | Detroit Red Wings | 23–22–13 | 59 |
| 59 | February 22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 24–22–13 | 61 |
| 60 | February 28 | Boston Bruins | 2–5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 25–22–13 | 63 |
| 61 | March 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 1–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 26–22–13 | 65 |
| 62 | March 4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 26–23–13 | 65 |
| 63 | March 7 | New York Rangers | 6–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 26–24–13 | 65 |
| 64 | March 8 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 26–25–13 | 65 |
| 65 | March 11 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–3 | New York Rangers | 27–25–13 | 67 |
| 66 | March 14 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–8 | Montreal Canadiens | 27–26–13 | 67 |
| 67 | March 15 | Detroit Red Wings | 4–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 27–27–13 | 67 |
| 68 | March 17 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 27–28–13 | 67 |
| 69 | March 21 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 27–29–13 | 67 |
| 70 | March 22 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–1 | Boston Bruins | 28–29–13 | 69 |

### Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 2

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 24 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–1 |
| 2 | March 26 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–2 |
| 3 | March 28 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–2 |
| 4 | March 31 | Montreal Canadiens | 1–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–2 |
| 5 | April 2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–3 |
| 6 | April 4 | Montreal Canadiens | 5–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 |

## Season stats
### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Ed Litzenberger | 70 | 33 | 44 | 77 | 37 |
| Tod Sloan | 59 | 27 | 35 | 62 | 79 |
| Ted Lindsay | 70 | 22 | 36 | 58 | 184 |
| Bobby Hull | 70 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 50 |
| Ron Murphy | 59 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 52 |

### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA |
| Glenn Hall | 70 | 4200 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 208 | 1 | 2.97 |

## Playoff stats
### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Ed Litzenberger | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Tod Sloan | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Ted Lindsay | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| Eric Nesterenko | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Glen Skov | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |

### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | GAA |
| Glenn Hall | 6 | 360 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 3.50 |