1954 - 55 NHL season The 1954 - 55 NHL season was the 38th season of the National Hockey League . Six teams each played 70 games . The Detroit Red Wings were the Stanley Cup winners as they beat the Montreal Canadiens four games to three in the best - of - seven final series . Art Ross announced at the league governors meeting that his connection with Boston would terminate at the end of September . As this would be his last appearance at a league meeting , he took the opportunity to thank the governors and others associated with the league during the 30 years of his being officer of the Boston club for the kindness , courtesy and cooperation he had received , and extended his good wishes for the continued success of the league . Conn Smythe and Frank Selke voiced the good wishes of all present to Ross on his retirement . Regular season . Prior to the season , Red Wings head coach Tommy Ivan left Detroit to become general manager of the Chicago Black Hawks , and Jimmy Skinner replaced him behind the bench in the Motor City . One of the first things Ivan did at Chicago was to establish an extensive farm system , something the Black Hawks never had . On November 3 , although he was booed throughout most of the game , Eric Nesterenko of Toronto scored the tying goal to salvage a 1 - 1 tie with Detroit . The main feature of the game was the constant heckling of referee Red Storey by Red Wings assistant trainer Ross " Lefty " Wilson . Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe demanded that Wilson be fined $ 1 , 000 by the league . NHL President Clarence Campbell disagreed , but told Wilson to cork it or face a heavy fine . On December 2 at the Detroit Olympia , Montreal beat the Red Wings 4 - 1 . Maurice " Rocket " Richard got his 398th goal and a misconduct penalty for an argument with referee Bill Chadwick . With two minutes left to play , a free - for - all broke out in front of the Detroit bench and both teams had to be sent to their dressing rooms to cool off . Detroit coach Jimmy Skinner exchanged punches with Butch Bouchard in the melee . On December 18 , Richard scored his 400th career goal against Chicago netminder Al Rollins in a 4 - 1 Canadiens victory over the Black Hawks . Montreal and Toronto played to a 1 - 1 tie on December 29 , at Maple Leaf Gardens . Rocket Richard got a standing ovation when he scored his 401st goal late in the first period . With five minutes left in the game , Bob Bailey gave Richard a heavy check near the boards , sending him to the ice . Richard went after Bailey and fists flew before officials restrained them . Richard tried to get a stick from a teammate but was restrained . He finally broke away from linesman George Hayes and struck the linesman with an empty glove . The fans laid a barrage of boos for Richard , whom they had cheered in the first period . Richard received a major penalty and two misconducts , while Bailey also received a major penalty and two misconducts . Ten days later , Richard was fined $ 250 for his attack on Hayes . During a Montreal - Detroit clash on New Year ' s Day , NHL president Clarence Campbell went to the Detroit bench to warn Detroit coach Jimmy Skinner about his players using obscene language . Campbell was told to mind his own business , and that he was only a spectator . Campbell agreed that he was a spectator , but only had the league interest in mind . On January 22 , the Leafs defeated Detroit 3 - 1 at Maple Leaf Gardens when Ted Lindsay got into trouble . A spectator grabbed Gordie Howe ' s stick as he was skating by , and the fan and Howe scuffled briefly . As Howe skated away , the fan made a futile attempt to strike Howe . At that point Lindsay rushed over and struck the spectator with his stick . President Campbell took a dim view of this incident and suspended Lindsay for ten days ( five games ) . Lindsay appealed the suspension , but the board of governors upheld Campbell ' s actions . In a scoreless tie at the Montreal Forum on March 10 , a new ice cleaner and resurfacer called a Zamboni was used for the first time . The fans were not appreciative of Toronto ' s defensive style in this game and threw garbage , including pig ' s feet , on the ice . With three games left in the season , Rocket Richard , the famous 50 - in - 50 goal scorer , got into a stick - swinging fight with Hal Laycoe of Boston Bruins and then punched linesman Cliff Thompson , who was trying to restrain him . NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended the Rocket for the remaining three games of the season and the playoffs . At the time , the Canadiens held a two point lead over the Red Wings for first overall in the NHL and Richard held a two point lead over teammate Bernie Geoffrion for the NHL scoring lead . Geoffrion ended up passing Richard in total points and was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL leading scorer . Two days after the Campbell handed out the suspension , Richard attended a game at the Montreal Forum between the Canadiens and Red Wings . The Wings assumed a 4 - 1 lead , and then NHL president Clarence Campbell rubbed salt into the fans wounds when he showed up near the end of the first period . He was showered with pig ' s feet and other debris , and a fan punched him . One fan rubbed a tomato on his chest . Then a policeman , realizing the president ' s life was in danger , threw a tear gas bomb near the Canadiens goal during the intermission . A stampede for the exits commenced , and the fire director ordered the game called off for the safety of the public . A riot ensued that ended the game and carried over to the next day . The Red Wings won the game by forfeit and eventually went on to take first overall in the NHL for a record seventh straight season . Final standings . " Note : GP = Games played , W = Wins , L = Losses , T = Ties , Pts = Points , GF = Goals for , GA = Goals against , PIM = Penalties in minutes " Scoring leaders . " Note : GP = Games played , G = Goals , A = Assists , PTS = Points , PIM = Penalties in minutes " Debuts . The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1954 - 55 ( listed with their first team , asterisk ( * ) marks debut in playoffs ) : Last games . The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1954 - 55 ( listed with their last team ) :