# 1960–61 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1960–61 Montreal Canadiens season was the 52nd season in club history. The team placed first in the regular season to qualify for the playoffs. The Canadiens were eliminated in semi-finals by the Chicago Black Hawks 4 games to 2.

## Regular season
### Final standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 41 | 19 | 10 | 254 | 188 | +66 | 92 |
| 2 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 39 | 19 | 12 | 234 | 176 | +58 | 90 |
| 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 29 | 24 | 17 | 198 | 180 | +18 | 75 |
| 4 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 25 | 29 | 16 | 195 | 215 | −20 | 66 |
| 5 | New York Rangers | 70 | 22 | 38 | 10 | 204 | 248 | −44 | 54 |
| 6 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 15 | 42 | 13 | 176 | 254 | −78 | 43 |

### Record vs. opponents

1960–61 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 4–6–4 | 4–8–2 | 2–10–2 | 3–9–2 | 2–9–3 |
| Chicago | 6–4–4 | — | 6–4–4 | 5–5–4 | 7–4–3 | 5–7–2 |
| Detroit | 8–4–2 | 4–6–4 | — | 4–7–3 | 7–5–2 | 2–7–5 |
| Montreal | 10–2–2 | 5–5–4 | 7–4–3 | — | 11–2–1 | 8–6 |
| New York | 9–3–2 | 4–7–3 | 5–7–2 | 2–11–1 | — | 2–10–2 |
| Toronto | 9–2–3 | 7–5–2 | 7–2–5 | 6–8 | 10–2–2 | — |

## Schedule and results

Regular season results :
| No. | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
| 1 | W | October 6, 1960 | 5–0 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 1–0–0 |
| 2 | T | October 8, 1960 | 1–1 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 1–0–1 |
| 3 | T | October 9, 1960 | 4–4 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 1–0–2 |
| 4 | W | October 11, 1960 | 3–2 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 2–0–2 |
| 5 | W | October 13, 1960 | 4–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 3–0–2 |
| 6 | W | October 15, 1960 | 8–4 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 4–0–2 |
| 7 | L | October 16, 1960 | 4–6 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 4–1–2 |
| 8 | L | October 19, 1960 | 1–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 4–2–2 |
| 9 | L | October 22, 1960 | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 4–3–2 |
| 10 | W | October 23, 1960 | 4–2 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 5–3–2 |
| 11 | L | October 25, 1960 | 4–8 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 5–4–2 |
| 12 | W | October 29, 1960 | 3–2 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 6–4–2 |
| 13 | L | October 30, 1960 | 3–5 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 6–5–2 |
| 14 | W | November 3, 1960 | 3–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 7–5–2 |
| 15 | T | November 5, 1960 | 4–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 7–5–3 |
| 16 | W | November 10, 1960 | 9–7 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 8–5–3 |
| 17 | W | November 12, 1960 | 4–2 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 9–5–3 |
| 18 | W | November 13, 1960 | 2–1 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 10–5–3 |
| 19 | L | November 19, 1960 | 3–6 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 10–6–3 |
| 20 | T | November 20, 1960 | 1–1 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 10–6–4 |
| 21 | L | November 24, 1960 | 1–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 10–7–4 |
| 22 | W | November 26, 1960 | 4–2 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 11–7–4 |
| 23 | W | November 27, 1960 | 3–0 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 12–7–4 |
| 24 | W | December 1, 1960 | 6–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 13–7–4 |
| 25 | W | December 3, 1960 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 14–7–4 |
| 26 | W | December 4, 1960 | 7–5 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 15–7–4 |
| 27 | W | December 7, 1960 | 6–2 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 16–7–4 |
| 28 | W | December 10, 1960 | 6–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 17–7–4 |
| 29 | W | December 11, 1960 | 5–1 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 18–7–4 |
| 30 | L | December 15, 1960 | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 18–8–4 |
| 31 | W | December 17, 1960 | 2–0 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 19–8–4 |
| 32 | W | December 18, 1960 | 4–2 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 20–8–4 |
| 33 | W | December 24, 1960 | 3–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 21–8–4 |
| 34 | L | December 25, 1960 | 1–4 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 21–9–4 |
| 35 | W | December 28, 1960 | 4–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 22–9–4 |
| 36 | T | December 29, 1960 | 1–1 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 22–9–5 |
| 37 | W | December 31, 1960 | 3–1 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 23–9–5 |
| 38 | L | January 1, 1961 | 2–3 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 23–10–5 |
| 39 | W | January 7, 1961 | 6–3 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 24–10–5 |
| 40 | L | January 8, 1961 | 2–4 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 24–11–5 |
| 41 | W | January 12, 1961 | 6–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 25–11–5 |
| 42 | W | January 14, 1961 | 4–0 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 26–11–5 |
| 43 | T | January 15, 1961 | 4–4 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 26–11–6 |
| 44 | W | January 18, 1961 | 4–0 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 27–11–6 |
| 45 | L | January 21, 1961 | 2–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 27–12–6 |
| 46 | L | January 25, 1961 | 3–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 27–13–6 |
| 47 | T | January 28, 1961 | 3–3 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 27–13–7 |
| 48 | T | January 29, 1961 | 1–1 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 27–13–8 |
| 49 | W | February 2, 1961 | 7–5 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 28–13–8 |
| 50 | L | February 4, 1961 | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 28–14–8 |
| 51 | L | February 5, 1961 | 2–7 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 28–15–8 |
| 52 | W | February 9, 1961 | 5–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 29–15–8 |
| 53 | T | February 11, 1961 | 3–3 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 29–15–9 |
| 54 | L | February 12, 1961 | 1–3 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 29–16–9 |
| 55 | W | February 15, 1961 | 3–1 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 30–16–9 |
| 56 | W | February 16, 1961 | 9–1 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 31–16–9 |
| 57 | W | February 18, 1961 | 7–4 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 32–16–9 |
| 58 | W | February 19, 1961 | 4–2 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 33–16–9 |
| 59 | L | February 23, 1961 | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 33–17–9 |
| 60 | T | February 25, 1961 | 1–1 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 33–17–10 |
| 61 | W | February 26, 1961 | 3–1 | @ New York Rangers (1960–61) | 34–17–10 |
| 62 | L | March 1, 1961 | 1–3 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 34–18–10 |
| 63 | W | March 4, 1961 | 6–4 | Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 35–18–10 |
| 64 | W | March 5, 1961 | 2–1 | @ Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 36–18–10 |
| 65 | W | March 9, 1961 | 6–1 | New York Rangers (1960–61) | 37–18–10 |
| 66 | W | March 11, 1961 | 7–5 | Boston Bruins (1960–61) | 38–18–10 |
| 67 | W | March 12, 1961 | 6–2 | @ Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 39–18–10 |
| 68 | W | March 16, 1961 | 5–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs (1960–61) | 40–18–10 |
| 69 | L | March 18, 1961 | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks (1960–61) | 40–19–10 |
| 70 | W | March 19, 1961 | 2–0 | @ Detroit Red Wings (1960–61) | 41–19–10 |

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

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Bernie Geoffrion | RW | 64 | 50 | 45 | 95 | 29 |
| Jean Beliveau | C | 69 | 32 | 58 | 90 | 57 |
| Dickie Moore | LW | 57 | 35 | 34 | 69 | 62 |
| Henri Richard | C | 70 | 24 | 44 | 68 | 91 |
| Marcel Bonin | W | 65 | 16 | 35 | 51 | 45 |
| Bill Hicke | RW | 70 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 31 |
| Doug Harvey | D | 58 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 48 |
| Ralph Backstrom | C | 69 | 12 | 20 | 32 | 44 |
| Donnie Marshall | LW | 70 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 8 |
| Jean-Guy Talbot | D | 70 | 5 | 26 | 31 | 143 |
| Jean-Guy Gendron | LW | 53 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 51 |
| Gilles Tremblay | LW | 45 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 4 |
| Tom Johnson | D | 70 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 54 |
| Claude Provost | RW | 49 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 32 |
| Albert Langlois | D | 61 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 56 |
| Phil Goyette | C | 62 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 4 |
| Andre Pronovost | LW | 21 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Bob Turner | D | 60 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| J.C. Tremblay | D | 29 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 18 |
| Bobby Rousseau | RW | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Cliff Pennington | C | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jean Gauthier | D | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Wayne Connelly | C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Hodge | G | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacques Plante | G | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Glen Skov | C/LW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO |
| Jacques Plante | 2400 | 40 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 112 | 2.80 | 2 |
| Charlie Hodge | 1800 | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 74 | 2.47 | 4 |
| Team: | 4200 | 70 | 41 | 19 | 10 | 186 | 2.66 | 6 |

### Playoffs
#### Scoring

| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Phil Goyette | C | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Henri Richard | C | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 22 |
| Jean Beliveau | C | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Dickie Moore | LW | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Claude Provost | RW | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Gilles Tremblay | LW | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Bernie Geoffrion | RW | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Bill Hicke | RW | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 |
| Jean-Guy Talbot | D | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Donnie Marshall | LW | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Marcel Bonin | W | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 29 |
| Doug Harvey | D | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Tom Johnson | D | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Ralph Backstrom | C | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Jean-Guy Gendron | LW | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Albert Langlois | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Jacques Plante | G | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| J.C. Tremblay | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bob Turner | D | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | GA | GAA | SO |
| Jacques Plante | 412 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 2.33 | 0 |
| Team: | 412 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 2.33 | 0 |
    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

* Hart Memorial Trophy: Bernard Geoffrion
* Art Ross Trophy: Bernard Geoffrion
* James Norris Memorial Trophy: Doug Harvey