1953–54 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1953–54 Montreal Canadiens season was the 45th season in franchise history. The team placed first second in the regular season to qualify for the playoffs. The Canadiens lost in 1954 Stanley Cup Finals to Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 3.
==Regular Season==
The December 20, 1953 game between the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens saw stick work between Ron Murphy and Bernie Geoffrion. Geoffrion wanted to fight and had dropped his stick but Murphy wouldn't let go of his. Geoffrion retrieved his stick and swung it at Murphy until he made contact with his head. Murphy was knocked unconscious, suffered a broken jaw and concussion and missed the reason of the season recovering from the attack. Geoffrion was suspended for all remaining games versus the Rangers for the season.
===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 	W 	October 8, 1953 	3–0 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	1–0–0
2 	W 	October 10, 1953 	4–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	2–0–0
3 	L 	October 11, 1953 	1–4 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	2–1–0
4 	W 	October 15, 1953 	6–1 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	3–1–0
5 	W 	October 17, 1953 	5–2 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	4–1–0
6 	L 	October 18, 1953 	0–4 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	4–2–0
7 	W 	October 22, 1953 	3–2 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	5–2–0
8 	W 	October 24, 1953 	1–0 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	6–2–0
9 	W 	October 25, 1953 	2–1 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	7–2–0
10 	W 	October 29, 1953 	3–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	8–2–0
11 	L 	October 31, 1953 	0–1 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	8–3–0
12 	L 	November 1, 1953 	1–5 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	8–4–0
13 	W 	November 5, 1953 	4–3 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	9–4–0
14 	W 	November 7, 1953 	5–2 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	10–4–0
15 	L 	November 8, 1953 	0–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	10–5–0
16 	L 	November 11, 1953 	1–4 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	10–6–0
17 	W 	November 12, 1953 	4–2 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	11–6–0
18 	L 	November 14, 1953 	2–3 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	11–7–0
19 	T 	November 15, 1953 	2–2 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	11–7–1
20 	W 	November 19, 1953 	1–0 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	12–7–1
21 	W 	November 21, 1953 	1–0 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	13–7–1
22 	T 	November 22, 1953 	2–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	13–7–2
23 	W 	November 26, 1953 	6–3 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	14–7–2
24 	L 	November 28, 1953 	1–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	14–8–2
25 	L 	November 29, 1953 	1–2 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	14–9–2
26 	W 	December 3, 1953 	5–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	15–9–2
27 	W 	December 5, 1953 	4–2 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	16–9–2
28 	W 	December 6, 1953 	7–2 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	17–9–2
29 	L 	December 9, 1953 	0–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	17–10–2
30 	W 	December 10, 1953 	5–3 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	18–10–2
31 	W 	December 12, 1953 	7–2 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	19–10–2
32 	L 	December 13, 1953 	3–4 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	19–11–2
33 	W 	December 19, 1953 	7–3 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	20–11–2
34 	L 	December 20, 1953 	1–3 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	20–12–2
35 	W 	December 26, 1953 	2–0 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	21–12–2
36 	T 	December 30, 1953 	2–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	21–12–3
37 	T 	December 31, 1953 	2–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	21–12–4
38 	T 	January 2, 1954 	1–1 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	21–12–5
39 	L 	January 3, 1954 	3–4 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	21–13–5
40 	W 	January 7, 1954 	7–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	22–13–5
41 	W 	January 9, 1954 	12–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	23–13–5
42 	L 	January 10, 1954 	1–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	23–14–5
43 	W 	January 16, 1954 	2–1 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	24–14–5
44 	L 	January 17, 1954 	2–3 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	24–15–5
45 	L 	January 21, 1954 	0–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	24–16–5
46 	W 	January 23, 1954 	5–1 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	25–16–5
47 	L 	January 24, 1954 	3–8 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	25–17–5
48 	W 	January 27, 1954 	2–0 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	26–17–5
49 	L 	January 30, 1954 	1–2 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	26–18–5
50 	L 	February 4, 1954 	2–4 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	26–19–5
51 	W 	February 6, 1954 	4–3 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	27–19–5
52 	W 	February 7, 1954 	4–1 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	28–19–5
53 	T 	February 11, 1954 	2–2 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	28–19–6
54 	T 	February 13, 1954 	2–2 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	28–19–7
55 	L 	February 14, 1954 	1–4 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	28–20–7
56 	W 	February 18, 1954 	4–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	29–20–7
57 	W 	February 20, 1954 	2–0 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	30–20–7
58 	L 	February 22, 1954 	0–3 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	30–21–7
59 	T 	February 25, 1954 	0–0 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	30–21–8
60 	W 	February 27, 1954 	5–0 	New York Rangers (1953–54) 	31–21–8
61 	L 	February 28, 1954 	0–2 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	31–22–8
62 	T 	March 4, 1954 	1–1 	@ Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	31–22–9
63 	T 	March 6, 1954 	3–3 	Boston Bruins (1953–54) 	31–22–10
64 	T 	March 7, 1954 	2–2 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	31–22–11
65 	L 	March 11, 1954 	0–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54) 	31–23–11
66 	W 	March 13, 1954 	4–0 	Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54) 	32–23–11
67 	W 	March 14, 1954 	6–0 	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1953–54)	33–23–11
68 	L 	March 17, 1954 	1–3 	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1953–54)	33–24–11
69 	W 	March 20, 1954 	6–1 	Detroit Red Wings (1953–54) 	34–24–11
70 	W 	March 21, 1954 	3–1 	@ New York Rangers (1953–54) 	35–24–11
==Playoffs==
===Montreal Canadiens 4, Boston Bruins 0===
The teams met the previous year in the 1953 Stanley Cup Finals where Montreal prevailed 4 games to 1. The Canadiens won in convincing fashion, never trailing in a game and despite Maurice Richard not registering a point in the series. Jacques Plante was brilliant, allowing only 4 goals in 4 games and posting 2 shutouts. At the end of the playoffs, after managing the Bruins since their first season in 1924-25, Art Ross announced his retirement and was replaced by Lynn Patrick.
Game 1 at the Montreal Forum saw the Canadiens pepper Bruins goalie Jim Henry with 43 shots. After Canadiens Lorne Davis opened the scoring at 4:25 in the second period it appeared Boston had tied it up when a Doug Mohns shot eluded Plante and skittered towards the open net. Doug Harvey batted it out and the goal judge declared the puck hadn't crossed the line. The Bruins couldn't solve Plante and Bernie Geoffrion scored in the third period for a 2-0 Montreal win.
Game 2 in Montreal saw the Canadiens dominate from the opening faceoff as Dickie Moore scored 10 seconds into the game. Montreal scored three more in the first period then Moore potted his second for a 5-0 lead. After Jean Béliveau scored his first career playoff goal early in the second, the game got chippy. Fleming Mackell scored Boston's only goal of the game at 13:02 and then several fights broke out. The fighting continued in the third period as 94 minutes in penalties were called in the game. Paul Meger and Beliveau added goals for a 8-1 Canadiens romp and 2-0 series lead.
Game 3 at the Boston Garden was the closest game of the series. After a scoreless first period, Butch Bouchard and Cal Gardner traded goals in the first minute of the second period. Geoffrion and Bouchard made it 3-1 going into the third period. The Bruins fought back hard and goals by Doug Mohns and Milt Schmidt (the last of his career) tied it up with four minutes left. Dickie Moore scored with 1:30 left to win it 4-3 for Montreal.
Game 4 in Boston saw Montreal sweep the series on goals by Floyd Curry and Dickie Moore's 4th of the series.
#	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record
1	March 23	Boston Bruins 	0-2 	Montreal Canadiens	0-1
2	March 25	Boston Bruins 	1-8 	Montreal Canadiens	0-2
3	March 28	Montreal Canadiens	4-3 	Boston Bruins 	3-0
4	March 30	Montreal Canadiens	2-0 	Boston Bruins 	4-0
===Detroit Red Wings 4, Montreal Canadiens 3===
==Player Stats==
===Regular Season===
;Scoring
Player	Pos 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	RW 	70	37	30	67 	112
 	RW 	54	29	25	54 	87
 	LW 	70	15	37	52 	85
 	C 	67	22	24	46 	64
 	D 	68	8 	29	37 	110
 	C 	44	13	21	34 	22
 	C 	50	5 	21	26 	57
 	C 	48	5 	20	25 	28
 	LW 	47	10	13	23 	54
 	RW 	70	13	8 	21 	22
 	D/LW	67	7 	14	21 	95
 	D 	70	7 	11	18 	85
 	C 	51	5 	10	15 	12
 	D 	53	3 	12	15 	43
 	LW 	44	4 	9 	13 	24
 	LW 	32	4 	8 	12 	18
 	D 	70	1 	10	11 	89
 	RW 	37	6 	4 	10 	2
 	LW 	13	1 	4 	5 	12
 	D 	41	0 	5 	5 	41
 	RW 	3 	0 	1 	1 	0
 	C 	2 	0 	0 	0 	2
 	C 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	C/RW	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	17	0 	0 	0 	0
 	G 	53	0 	0 	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN 	GP	W 	L 	T 	GA 	GAA 	SO
 	3180	53	28	19	6 	114	2.15	6
 	1020	17	7 	5 	5 	27 	1.59	5
Team: 	4200	70	35	24	11	141	2.01	11
===Playoffs===
;Scoring
Player	Pos 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
 	LW 	11	5	8	13 	8
 	RW 	11	6	5	11 	18
 	C 	10	2	8	10 	4
 	RW 	11	4	0	4 	4
 	C 	10	0	4	4 	4
 	RW 	11	3	0	3 	22
 	D 	11	2	1	3 	4
 	D 	11	1	2	3 	30
 	D 	10	1	2	3 	8
 	D/LW	11	0	3	3 	7
 	RW 	11	2	0	2 	8
 	D 	10	0	2	2 	12
 	C 	4 	0	2	2 	0
 	LW 	6 	1	0	1 	4
 	C 	11	1	0	1 	4
 	LW 	3 	0	1	1 	0
 	C 	7 	0	1	1 	0
 	LW 	11	0	1	1 	19
 	LW 	3 	0	0	0 	0
 	D 	3 	0	0	0 	4
 	G 	3 	0	0	0 	0
 	G 	8 	0	0	0 	0
;Goaltending
Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA 	SO
 	480	8 	5	3	15	1.88	2
 	190	3 	2	1	3 	0.95	1
Team: 	670	11	7	4	18	1.61	3
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==
*Ken Mosdell: Center, NHL First Team All-Star
*Doug Harvey: Defense, NHL First Team All-Star
*Maurice Richard, Right Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star
==Transactions==
==Gallery==
53-54MontrealExhGameAd2.jpg|Pre-season vs. Buffalo Bisons @ Montreal
53-54MontrealExhGameAd.jpg|Pre-season vs. Cleveland Barons @ Montreal
53-54NHLMontrealGameAd.jpg|Opening game
53-54NHLExhQuebecGameAd.jpg|Pre-season vs. Quebec Frontenacs @ Quebec City
==Video==
Nearly 25 minutes of highlights featuring all goals and many penalties from all seven games of the 1954 Finals.
1954 Stanley Cup Finals
Narrated highlights of all seven games of the 1954 Finals featuring nearly all goals.
1954 NHL STANLEY CUP WINNERS ARE THE DETROIT RED WINGS DEFEATING THE MONTREAL CANADIENS
==See Also==
* 1953–54 NHL season
==References==
*Canadiens on Hockey Database
*Canadiens on NHL Reference
Category:Montreal Canadiens seasons
Montreal Canadiens season, 1952–53
Montreal Canadiens season, 1953–54