1975–76 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1975–76 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 50th season in the NHL. The Hawks finished 1st in the Smythe Division and lost in the Quarter-finals to the Montreal Canadiens 4 games to 0.
==Regular Season==
Chicago started off the regular season on the right foot, as they had a 10-4-11 record in their first 25 games to take the lead in the Smythe Division. The Hawks had a 15 game unbeaten streak (6-0-9) in that span. The team would cool off, but get hot again, and reached a peak of being ten games over .500 with a record of 21-11-16 through 48 games. Chicago would fall into a slump, and actually found themselves under .500 with only four games left in the season, as they fell to 29-30-17. The club would go unbeaten in their last four games (3-0-1) to finish the year with a 32-30-18 record, earning 82 points, which was enough to finish in first place in the Smythe Division. The Hawks 32 wins was their lowest total since 1967-68, when they also won 32 games.
1974-75 Chicago Black Hawks Games - Hockey-Reference.com
Offensively, the Black Hawks were led by Pit Martin, who had a club high 32 goals and 71 points, while Dennis Hull rebounded from a poor 1974-75 season to score 27 goals and 66 points. Ivan Boldirev scored 28 goals and 62 points, while defenseman Dale Tallon led the club with 47 assists, while scoring 15 goals for 62 points. Stan Mikita missed 32 games due to injuries, however, he still earned 57 points. Keith Magnuson had a team high +13 rating, while Phil Russell led the club with 194 penalty minutes.
In goal, Tony Esposito once again led the club with 30 victories and a 2.97 GAA, earning four shutouts in 68 games.Chicago Blackhawks goaltending history : Tony Esposito
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	October 8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–2 	New York Rangers 	0–0–1 	1
2 	October 11 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	0–1–1 	1
3 	October 12 	Vancouver Canucks 	0-3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1-1 	3
4 	October 15 	Detroit Red Wings 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1–2 	4
5 	October 16 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–7 	Buffalo Sabres 	1–2–2 	4
6 	October 18 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–1 	Minnesota North Stars 	2–2–2 	6
7 	October 19 	Minnesota North Stars 	2–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–2–2 	8
8 	October 22 	Los Angeles Kings 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3–2 	8
9 	October 25 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–0 	Kansas City Scouts 	4–3–2 	10
10	October 26 	Washington Capitals 	7–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–4–2 	10
11	October 29 	Montreal Canadiens 	1–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4–2 	12
12	November 1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–1 	Detroit Red Wings 	6–4–2 	14
13	November 2 	Vancouver Canucks 	1–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–4–2 	16
14	November 5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	4-4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–4–3 	17
15	November 8 	Chicago Black Hawks 	7–5 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	8-4–3 	19
16	November 9 	Minnesota North Stars 	0–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	9–4–3 	21
17	November 12	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–4 	New York Rangers 	9-4–4 	22
18	November 13	Chicago Black Hawks 	5-5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	9–4–5 	23
19	November 15	Chicago Black Hawks 	4-4 	Montreal Canadiens 	9–4–6 	24
20	November 19	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–2 	Los Angeles Kings 	10–4–6 	26
21	November 22	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1 	Vancouver Canucks 	10–4–7 	27
22	November 26	Toronto Maple Leafs 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–4–8 	28
23	November 29	Boston Bruins 	4-4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–4–9 	29
24	November 30	Kansas City Scouts 	1–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–4–10 	30
25	December 3 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–4–11 	31
26	December 4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2-5 	Philadelphia Flyers 	10–5–11 	31
27	December 7 	Atlanta Flames 	2-0 	Chicago Black Hawks 	10–6–11 	31
28	December 10	Chicago Black Hawks 	7-2 	Washington Capitals 	11–6–11 	33
29	December 13	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–2 	Minnesota North Stars 	11–7–11 	33
30	December 14	St. Louis Blues 	4–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	11–8–11 	33
31	December 17	Philadelphia Flyers 	4–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	11–9–11 	33
32	December 19	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–5 	California Golden Seals	11–10–11	33
33	December 21	New York Islanders 	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	12–10–11	35
34	December 23	St. Louis Blues 	1–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	13–10–11	37
35	December 27	Chicago Black Hawks 	4-1 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	14–10–11	39
36	December 28	Buffalo Sabres 	2-2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	14–10–12	40
37	December 30	California Golden Seals	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	15–10–12	42
38	January 3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1 	New York Islanders 	15–10–13	43
39	January 4 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	16–10–13	45
40	January 9 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–1 	Atlanta Flames 	16–10–14	46
41	January 11 	New York Rangers 	6–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	16–11–14	46
42	January 14 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2-2 	California Golden Seals	16-11–15	47
43	January 16 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–1 	Vancouver Canucks 	17–11–15	49
44	January 18 	Philadelphia Flyers 	0–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	18-11–15	51
45	January 21 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3 	New York Rangers 	18–11–16	52
46	January 24 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2-1 	St. Louis Blues 	19–11–16	54
47	January 25 	Kansas City Scouts 	1–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	20–11–16	56
48	January 28 	Atlanta Flames 	3–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–11–16	58
49	January 29 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–5 	Boston Bruins 	21–12–16	58
50	January 31 	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–2 	Detroit Red Wings 	21–13–16	58
51	February 1 	Vancouver Canucks 	3–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	21–14–16	58
52	February 4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–8 	Montreal Canadiens 	21–15–16	58
53	February 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–1 	Atlanta Flames 	22–15–16	60
54	February 8 	Washington Capitals 	2–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–15–16	62
55	February 11	Los Angeles Kings 	7-4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	23–16–16	62
56	February 14	Chicago Black Hawks 	5–4 	Kansas City Scouts 	24–16–16	64
57	February 15	Boston Bruins 	4–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	24–17–16	64
58	February 18	Buffalo Sabres 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	24–17–17	65
59	February 21	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–10 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	24–18–17	65
60	February 22	California Golden Seals	5–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	24–19–17	65
61	February 24	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–1 	Vancouver Canucks 	25–19–17	67
62	February 26	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–2 	Los Angeles Kings 	26–19–17	69
63	February 28	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–4 	New York Islanders 	26–20–17	69
64	February 29	Chicago Black Hawks 	1–4 	Washington Capitals 	26–21–17	69
65	March 4 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4-6 	Buffalo Sabres 	26–22–17	69
66	March 6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–7 	St. Louis Blues 	26–23–17	69
67	March 10 	Montreal Canadiens 	5–1 	Chicago Black Hawks 	26-24–17	69
68	March 13 	Chicago Black Hawks 	4–1 	Minnesota North Stars 	27–24–17	71
69	March 14 	New York Islanders 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	27–25–17	71
70	March 16 	Chicago Black Hawks 	6–3 	Kansas City Scouts 	28–25–17	73
71	March 17 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	5–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	29–25–17	75
72	March 20 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–4 	New York Islanders 	29–26-17	75
73	March 21 	Detroit Red Wings 	6–0 	Chicago Black Hawks 	29–27–17	75
74	March 24 	Atlanta Flames 	7–2 	Chicago Black Hawks 	29–28–17	75
75	March 25 	Chicago Black Hawks 	2–4 	Boston Bruins 	29–29–17	75
76	March 27 	New York Rangers 	6–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	29–30–17	75
77	March 28 	Minnesota North Stars 	3–5 	Chicago Black Hawks 	30–30–17	77
78	March 31 	Kansas City Scouts 	3–6 	Chicago Black Hawks 	31-30–17	79
79	April 3 	Chicago Black Hawks 	3–3 	St. Louis Blues 	31–30–18	80
80	April 4 	St. Louis Blues 	2–7 	Chicago Black Hawks 	32-30–18	82
==Playoffs==
Since the Hawks won their division, they were given a bye in the NHL preliminary series, and would face the powerful Montreal Canadiens in the NHL quarter-finals. The Canadiens had a record breaking season in 1975-76, as they set NHL records with 58 wins and 127 points as they finished in first place in the Norris Division. The series opened with two games at the Montreal Forum, and the Canadiens quickly took control of the series, shutting out Chicago 4-0 in the series opener, and then winning 3-1 in the second game. The series shifted to Chicago Stadium for the next two games, but Montreal proved to be too good for the Hawks, as the Canadiens took the third game by a 2-1 score, then swept the Hawks out of the playoffs with a 4-1 victory in the fourth game.
===Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 0===
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	April 11	Chicago Black Hawks	0–4 	Montreal Canadiens 	0-1
2	April 13	Chicago Black Hawks	1–3 	Montreal Canadiens 	0-2
3	April 15	Montreal Canadiens 	2–1 	Chicago Black Hawks	0-3
4	April 18	Montreal Canadiens 	4–1 	Chicago Black Hawks	0-4
==Player Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Pit Martin 	80	32	39	71 	44
Dennis Hull 	80	29	39	68 	28
Ivan Boldirev	78	28	34	62 	33
Dale Tallon 	80	15	47	62 	101
Cliff Koroll 	80	25	33	58 	29
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000351976.html
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T 	GA 	SO	GAA
Tony Esposito 	68	4003	30	23	13	198	4 	2.97
Gilles Villemure	15	797 	2 	7 	5 	57 	0 	4.29
==Playoff Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Dick Redmond	4 	0	2	2 	4
Darcy Rota 	4 	1	0	1 	2
Pit Martin 	4 	1	0	1 	4
Cliff Koroll	4 	1	0	1 	0
Phil Russell	4 	0	1	1 	17
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA
Tony Esposito	4 	240	0	4	13	0 	3.25
==Draft Picks==
Chicago's draft picks at the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft at the NHL Office in Montreal, Quebec.
Round	# 	Player 	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 	7 	Greg Vaydik 	 	Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL)
2 	25 	Danny Arndt 	 	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
3 	43 	Mike O'Connell	 	Kingston Canadians (OHA)
4 	61 	Pierre Giroux 	 	Hull Festivals (QMJHL)
5 	79 	Bob Hoffmeyer 	 	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
6 	97 	Tom Ulseth 	 	University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
7 	115	Ted Bulley 	 	Hull Festivals (QMJHL)
8 	141	Paul Jensen 	 	Michigan Tech (NCAA)
==Awards and Records==
*Lester Patrick Trophy: Stan Mikita Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009-10, p.424, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55468-621-6
==Video==
Over ten minutes of the Canadiens-Black Hawks 1976 Quarter-finals Game 4.
1976-Last time Chicago and Montreal met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
==References==
==Sources==
*Hockey-Reference
*Rauzulu's Street
*Goalies Archive
*HockeyDB
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Chicago Blackhawks seasons
Category:1975 in hockey
Category:1976 in hockey