1943–44 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1943–44 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 35th season. The Canadiens finished 1st in the league and defeated the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1944 Stanley Cup Finals 4 games to 1 to win the fifth Stanley Cup in club history.
==Off-season==
At the Habs' training camp in 1943, Canadiens manager Tommy Gorman settled on Bill Durnan as his goalie. Durnan stated that he was happy as an amateur and happy with less money if it meant avoiding the stress of the professional game. On opening night, Durnan was not yet signed. Ten minutes before the first faceoff, he spoke with Gorman and reached a deal. Durnan signed the contract and played in the game. The result was a 2-2 draw with the Boston Bruins. The rookie netminder was a few months shy of his 27th birthday. http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196402&type=Player&page=bio&list=#photo
==Regular Season==
Bill Durnan would join the club as its new goaltender and he won the Vezina Trophy in his rookie season. http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2006/05/bill-durnan.html
In the previous 12 seasons (since they had last won the Stanley Cup in 1930-31), the Canadiens had not won a single playoff series.
Starting with this season, the Canadiens started an amazing era for the team. In 36 seasons, they won 18 Cups and made it to another 6 Finals up until the 1978–79 Montreal Canadiens season.
Some of Durnan's teammates included the Punch Line of Elmer Lach, Maurice Richard and Toe Blake. Durnan was a key element that took Montreal back to the Stanley Cup after 13 years of frustration. Durnan led the league in games played, wins and goals-against average in the regular season. 
On Dec. 20, 1943, coach Dick Irvin went home to Regina to spend some time with his family. While he was gone team captain Toe Blake replaced him. Ironically, Blake would replace Irvin permanently as coach 12 years later.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results	Regular Season Results 	Regular Season Results
No. 	R 	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
1 	T 	October 30, 1943 	2–2 	Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	0–0–1
2 	W 	November 2, 1943 	2–1 	New York Rangers (1943–44) 	1–0–1
3 	W 	November 4, 1943 	5–3 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)	2–0–1
4 	W 	November 7, 1943 	5–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44) 	3–0–1
5 	W 	November 13, 1943 	4–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	4–0–1
6 	W 	November 14, 1943 	2–0 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	5–0–1
7 	T 	November 16, 1943 	2–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	5–0–2
8 	W 	November 18, 1943 	5–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44) 	6–0–2
9 	W 	November 20, 1943 	7–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)	7–0–2
10 	W 	November 21, 1943 	13–4 	Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	8–0–2
11 	W 	November 27, 1943 	6–3 	New York Rangers (1943–44) 	9–0–2
12 	T 	November 28, 1943 	2–2 	@ New York Rangers (1943–44) 	9–0–3
13 	W 	December 2, 1943 	6–2 	Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44) 	10–0–3
14 	W 	December 4, 1943 	8–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	11–0–3
15 	L 	December 5, 1943 	4–5 	@ Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	11–1–3
16 	L 	December 11, 1943 	2–4 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)	11–2–3
17 	W 	December 12, 1943 	5–1 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	12–2–3
18 	W 	December 19, 1943 	3–1 	Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	13–2–3
19 	W 	December 25, 1943 	5–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44) 	14–2–3
20 	W 	December 30, 1943 	8–3 	Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	15–2–3
21 	W 	January 1, 1944 	4–0 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)	16–2–3
22 	W 	January 2, 1944 	5–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	17–2–3
23 	W 	January 4, 1944 	6–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44) 	18–2–3
24 	W 	January 8, 1944 	8–2 	New York Rangers (1943–44) 	19–2–3
25 	W 	January 9, 1944 	6–5 	@ New York Rangers (1943–44) 	20–2–3
26 	L 	January 11, 1944 	0–5 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)	20–3–3
27 	T 	January 13, 1944 	2–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	20–3–4
28 	T 	January 16, 1944 	1–1 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)	20–3–5
29 	W 	January 22, 1944 	6–2 	Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	21–3–5
30 	W 	January 23, 1944 	4–1 	@ Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	22–3–5
31 	T 	January 27, 1944 	2–2 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44) 	22–3–6
32 	W 	January 30, 1944 	5–3 	@ New York Rangers (1943–44) 	23–3–6
33 	W 	February 5, 1944 	6–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44) 	24–3–6
34 	L 	February 8, 1944 	0–3 	@ Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	24–4–6
35 	W 	February 12, 1944 	3–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)	25–4–6
36 	T 	February 13, 1944 	2–2 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)	25–4–7
37 	W 	February 17, 1944 	3–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	26–4–7
38 	W 	February 19, 1944 	5–2 	New York Rangers (1943–44) 	27–4–7
39 	W 	February 20, 1944 	7–2 	@ New York Rangers (1943–44) 	28–4–7
40 	W 	February 24, 1944 	3–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44) 	29–4–7
41 	W 	February 26, 1944 	10–2 	Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	30–4–7
42 	W 	February 27, 1944 	5–1 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	31–4–7
43 	W 	March 4, 1944 	5–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44)	32–4–7
44 	W 	March 5, 1944 	8–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1943–44) 	33–4–7
45 	W 	March 9, 1944 	3–2 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44)	34–4–7
46 	W 	March 11, 1944 	4–3 	Detroit Red Wings (1943–44) 	35–4–7
47 	L 	March 12, 1944 	5–6 	@ Boston Bruins (1943–44) 	35–5–7
48 	W 	March 16, 1944 	3–2 	Chicago Black Hawks (1943–44) 	36–5–7
49 	W 	March 18, 1944 	11–2 	New York Rangers (1943–44) 	37–5–7
50 	W 	March 19, 1944 	6–1 	@ New York Rangers (1943–44) 	38–5–7
==Playoffs==
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Durnan allowed only 1.53 goals per game as the Canadiens skated to the title. At season’s end, Durnan was awarded the Vezina Trophy, the first rookie to win the award, and was selected to the league's First All-Star Team. 
===Montreal Canadiens 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 1===
Rocket Richard scored seven goals in the series, including all five for Montreal in game two. After giving up the first game at home to Toronto, Montreal took over, winning the next four, finishing the series with a 11–0 shellacking in game five.
Date 	Away 	Score	Home 	Score	Notes
March 21	Toronto 	3 	Montreal	1 	
March 23	Toronto 	1 	Montreal	5 	
March 25	Montreal	2 	Toronto 	2 	
March 28	Montreal	4 	Toronto 	1 	
March 30	Toronto 	0 	Montreal	11 	
Diamond(2008), p. 54
===Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 0===
Maurice 'Rocket' Richard made his Stanley Cup debut with a five goal performance in the series, including a hat-trick in Game two. The Punch Line of Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake scored 10 of the Canadiens 16 goals. Blake scored the Cup winner in overtime. In the same overtime, Bill Durnan stopped the first penalty shot awarded in the finals, awarded to Virgil Johnson.
Date 	Away 	Score	Home 	Score	Notes
April 4 	Chicago 	1 	Montreal	5 	
April 6 	Montreal	3 	Chicago 	1 	
April 9 	Montreal	3 	Chicago 	2 	
April 13	Chicago 	4 	Montreal	5 	OT
Diamond(2008), pp. 54–55
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–0.
==Player Stats==
===Regular Season===
;Scoring
Player	Pos 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	C 	48	24	48	72 	23
 	LW 	41	26	33	59 	10
 	RW 	46	32	22	54 	45
 	C 	44	12	42	54 	6
 	C/LW	44	28	25	53 	44
 	RW/C	44	17	32	49 	61
 	RW 	43	28	20	48 	12
 	LW 	47	15	32	47 	85
 	C/LW	44	20	18	38 	39
 	C/D 	44	8 	23	31 	32
 	LW 	41	7 	23	30 	14
 	D 	42	7 	17	24 	98
 	D 	43	5 	16	21 	36
 	D 	39	5 	14	19 	52
 	C 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C/RW	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	50	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN 	GP	W 	L	T	GA 	GAA 	SO
 	3000	50	38	5	7	109	2.18	2
Team: 	3000	50	38	5	7	109	2.18	2
===Playoffs===
;Scoring
Player	Pos 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	LW 	9 	7 	11	18 	2
 	RW 	9 	12	5 	17 	10
 	C 	9 	2 	11	13 	4
 	C/LW	9 	5 	4 	9 	16
 	LW 	9 	5 	3 	8 	12
 	RW/C	9 	3 	5 	8 	16
 	D 	9 	1 	3 	4 	4
 	D 	9 	1 	2 	3 	4
 	RW 	7 	1 	2 	3 	8
 	D 	8 	1 	2 	3 	16
 	C 	8 	1 	2 	3 	2
 	C/D 	9 	0 	3 	3 	8
 	C/LW	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	LW 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	9 	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA 	SO
 	549	9 	8	1	14	1.53	1
Team: 	549	9 	8	1	14	1.53	1
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes; PPG=Power-play goals; SHG=Short-handed goals; GWG=Game-winning goals 
MIN=Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; SO = Shutouts 
==Awards and Records==
*Prince of Wales Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
*Vezina Trophy: Bill Durnan
*Bill Durnan, Goalie, NHL First Team All-Star
*Dick Irvin, Coach, NHL First Team All-Star
*Emile "Butch" Bouchard, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star
*Elmer Lach, Centre, NHL Second Team All-Star
*Maurice Richard, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
==Transactions==
==Montreal Canadiens 1944 Stanley Cup Champions==
==Gallery==
44SCupMontreal.jpg|The Canadiens are awarded the Cup.
43-44NHLMontrealGameAd.jpg|Opening Games
43-44NHLMontrealSeasonTickets.jpg|Season Tickets
43-44NHLExhQuebecGameAd.jpg|Exhibition @ Quebec City
==See Also==
* 1943–44 NHL season
* List of Stanley Cup champions
==References==
*Canadiens on Hockey Database
*
Category:Stanley Cup championship seasons
Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons
Montreal Canadiens season, 1943–44
Montreal Canadiens season, 1943–44