# 1940–41 Boston Bruins season

The 1940–41 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 17th season in the National Hockey League, and they were coming off of a successful season in 1939–40, leading the NHL in points for the third season in a row, as they finished with a 31–12–5 record, accumulating 67 points. However, the Bruins lost to the New York Rangers in the NHL semifinals, ending their chances for a second-straight Stanley Cup. This year, the Bruins repeated as regular season champions and returned to the Stanley Cup Finals, defeating the Detroit Red Wings four games to none to win the organization's third Stanley Cup.

## Regular season

Boston would have a slow start to the season, going winless in their first 4 games (0–2–2), and sat with a 6–7–3 record 16 games into the season, fighting with the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Americans for 3rd place in the league. The Bruins would then go on a record breaking unbeaten streak, as they would have a 15–0–8 record in their next 23 games, and sit in 2nd place to the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a 2–0 loss to the New York Rangers, Boston would finish the season 6–0–2 to pass the Leafs, and finish with the most points in the NHL for the 4th straight year. Boston had an amazing 21–1–10 record to close out the season.
Bill Cowley would lead the NHL in scoring with 62 points, as he scored 17 goals and added 45 assists. Roy Conacher led the Bruins in goals with 24, and added 14 assists for a career high 38 points. Eddie Wiseman and Bobby Bauer had productive seasons, earning 40 and 39 points respectively, while Milt Schmidt finished with 38. Team captain Dit Clapper led the Boston blueline with 26 points, while Flash Hollett led the Bruins defense with 9 goals.
In goal, Frank Brimsek had another outstanding season, winning 27 games, while earning 6 shutouts and posting a 2.01 GAA.

### Final standings

National Hockey League :
| | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Boston Bruins | 48 | 27 | 8 | 13 | 67 | 168 | 102 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 48 | 28 | 14 | 6 | 62 | 145 | 99 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 48 | 21 | 16 | 11 | 53 | 112 | 102 |
| New York Rangers | 48 | 21 | 19 | 8 | 50 | 143 | 125 |
| Chicago Black Hawks | 48 | 16 | 25 | 7 | 39 | 112 | 139 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 48 | 16 | 26 | 6 | 38 | 121 | 147 |
| New York Americans | 48 | 8 | 29 | 11 | 27 | 99 | 186 |
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
 Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

### Record vs. opponents

1940–41 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYA | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 4–2–2 | 3–0–5 | 5–2–1 | 7–0–1 | 4–2–2 | 4–2–2 |
| Chicago | 2–4–2 | — | 2–6 | 3–4–1 | 3–2–3 | 4–3–1 | 2–6 |
| Detroit | 0–3–5 | 6–2 | — | 4–3–1 | 5–1–2 | 3–2–3 | 3–5 |
| Montreal | 2–5–1 | 4–3–1 | 3–4–1 | — | 4–3–1 | 2–5–1 | 1–6–1 |
| N.Y. Americans | 0–7–1 | 2–3–3 | 1–5–2 | 3–4–1 | — | 1–6–1 | 1–4–3 |
| N.Y. Rangers | 2–4–2 | 3–4–1 | 2–3–2 | 5–2–1 | 6–1–1 | — | 3–5 |
| Toronto | 2–4–2 | 6–2 | 5–3 | 6–1–1 | 4–1–3 | 5–3 | — |

## Schedule and results

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

## Playoffs

In the playoffs, Boston would have a first-round bye, advancing straight to the NHL semi-finals, where they would face the second place Toronto Maple Leafs in a best of seven series. The Bruins finished 5 points ahead of the Leafs during the regular season. The series opened at the Boston Garden, with each team winning a game, before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens for games three and four. The Leafs took a 2–1 series lead with a big 7–2 victory, however, Boston evened the series up at two games each with a solid 2–1 win in game four. Game 5 shifted back to Boston, but it was Toronto who took a 3–2 series lead, with a 2–1 overtime victory. The series moved back to Toronto for the 6th game, and with Boston facing elimination, the Bruins would hold off the Leafs for a 2–1 win to force a 7th and deciding game in Boston. The Bruins once again would fend off Toronto, hanging on for a 2–1 win, to take the series 4–3, and earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Bruins opponent was the Detroit Red Wings, who finished the regular season with 53 points, 14 less than Boston. Detroit had defeated the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks to earn a spot in the final. The series opened in Boston, with the Bruins winning the first 2 games by close scores of 3–2 and 2–1 to take a 2–0 series lead. The series moved to the Detroit Olympia for the next 2 games, but Boston would complete the sweep, winning games 3 and 4 by scores of 4–2 and 3–1 to become the first team in NHL history to sweep a 4-game series, and win their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 seasons, and their 3rd in franchise history. It was also the last time the Bruins would win the Stanley Cup until 1970.

### Boston Bruins 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 3

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 20 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 0–3 | Boston Bruins | 1–0 |
| 2 | March 22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5–3 | Boston Bruins | 1–1 |
| 3 | March 25 | Boston Bruins | 2–7 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–2 |
| 4 | March 27 | Boston Bruins | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–2 |
| 5 | March 29 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–1 | Boston Bruins | 2–3 |
| 6 | April 1 | Boston Bruins | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3–3 |
| 7 | April 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–2 | Boston Bruins | 4–3 |

### Boston Bruins 4, Detroit Red Wings 0

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | April 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 2–3 | Boston Bruins | 1–0 |
| 2 | April 8 | Detroit Red Wings | 1–2 | Boston Bruins | 2–0 |
| 3 | April 10 | Boston Bruins | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–0 |
| 4 | April 12 | Boston Bruins | 3–1 | Detroit Red Wings | 4–0 |

## Player statistics
### Regular season
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Bill Cowley | C | 46 | 17 | 45 | 62 | 16 |
| Eddie Wiseman | RW | 48 | 16 | 24 | 40 | 10 |
| Bobby Bauer | RW | 48 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 2 |
| Roy Conacher | LW | 41 | 24 | 14 | 38 | 7 |
| Milt Schmidt | C/D | 45 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 23 |
| Woody Dumart | LW | 40 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 2 |
| Art Jackson | C | 48 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 10 |
| Dit Clapper | RW/D | 48 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 24 |
| Flash Hollett | D | 41 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 23 |
| Herb Cain | LW | 41 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 6 |
| Des Smith | D | 48 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 61 |
| Terry Reardon | C/RW | 34 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| Jack Crawford | D | 45 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 27 |
| Mel Hill | RW | 41 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| Jack Shewchuk | D | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Gordie Bruce | LW | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Red Hamill | LW | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Pat McReavy | C | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Frank Brimsek | G | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| Frank Brimsek | 3040 | 48 | 27 | 8 | 13 | 102 | 2.01 | 6 |
| Team: | 3040 | 48 | 27 | 8 | 13 | 102 | 2.01 | 6 |

### Playoffs
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Milt Schmidt | C/D | 11 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 9 |
| Eddie Wiseman | RW | 11 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| Flash Hollett | D | 11 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| Terry Reardon | C/RW | 11 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Roy Conacher | LW | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Herb Cain | LW | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Dit Clapper | RW/D | 11 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Bobby Bauer | RW | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Pat McReavy | C | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Woody Dumart | LW | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| Art Jackson | C | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 16 |
| Mel Hill | RW | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Jack Crawford | D | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Des Smith | D | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Frank Brimsek | G | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gordie Bruce | LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bill Cowley | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | SO |
| Frank Brimsek | 678 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 2.04 | 1 |
| Team: | 678 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 2.04 | 1 |
    Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
    Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

## Awards and records

* Prince of Wales Trophy: Boston Bruins
* Hart Memorial Trophy: Bill Cowley
* Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Bobby Bauer
* Frank Brimsek, Goaltender, NHL Second Team All-Star
* Bobby Bauer, Right wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
* Woody Dumart, Left wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
* Dit Clapper, Defence, NHL First Team All-Star
* Bill Cowley, Centre, NHL First Team All-Star
* Cooney Weiland, Coach, NHL First Team All-Star