Game 203
Canadiens 8, Maple Leafs 3
Sunday, March 5, 1944
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Montréal Canadiens chalked up their second victory in as many nights against the Toronto Maple Leafs Sunday night with an 8-3 decision that dealt a heavy blow to the Leafs’ hopes of finishing higher than fourth in the National Hockey League.
A capacity crowd of more than 12,000 watched the league champions drive to their 22nd game without a defeat at home this season, and run their goal total to 202 so far – four better than the league record established by the Leafs last season.
Maurice Richard, the sparkplug of the Canadiens’ 5-2 win in Toronto, starred again for the winners with three goals and an assist. The Canadiens’ O’Connor-Heffernan-Majeau line served notice of a return to top form with three goals between them.
The Canucks skated their opponents into the ice in the first period, and were never in danger after that. They rapped home four goals unopposed in the opening frame, eased off in the second when the Leafs got all their goals, and then came back with a crowd pleasing display of playoff form for three goals in the third.
Ted Kennedy and Buddy Poile each figured in two of the Toronto goals. Poile got the first on a pass from Boothman, and set Kennedy up for the second. Babe Pratt bagged the third, with Kennedy in on the play.
Besides Richard’s three goals, Gerry Heffernan snared a couple for the winners, while the others went to Fern Majeau, Émile Bouchard and Toe Blake.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, March 6, 1944
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 01:31 – Richard (Blake, Lach)
MTL PEN – 03:45 – Chamberlain
MTL GOAL – 08:45 – Majeau (Heffernan, O’Connor)
TOR PEN – 10:46 – Watson
MTL GOAL – 14:19 – Heffernan (O’Connor)
MTL GOAL – 16:59 – Bouchard (Lach, Blake)
2nd Period
MTL PEN – 07:20 – Heffernan
TOR GOAL – 11:45 – Kennedy (Boothman)
TOR PEN – 15:18 – Pratt
TOR PEN – 16:03 – Hamilton
MTL PP2 GOAL – 16:42 – Richard (Blake, O’Connor)
MTL PEN – 17:22 – Lamoureux
TOR PP GOAL – 18:29 – Kennedy (Poile)
TOR GOAL – 19:35 – Pratt (Hamilton, Kennedy)
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 00:40 – Richard (Blake, Lach)
MTL GOAL – 09:35 – Heffernan (O’Connor, Majeau)
MTL GOAL – 09:53 – Blake (Richard, Lach)
MTL PEN – 10:43 – Lach
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Durnan (W)
TOR – Bibeault (L)
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Bill Durnan. Defence: Butch Bouchard, Mike McMahon. Forwards: Toe Blake (C), Murph Chamberlain, Bob Fillion, Gerry Heffernan, Elmer Lach, Leo Lamoureux, Fern Majeau, Buddy O’Connor, Maurice Richard, Phil Watson.
TOR – Goaltenders: Paul Bibeault. Defence: Reg Hamilton, Moe Morris, Babe Pratt. Forwards: Gus Bodnar, George Boothman, Lorne Carr, Bob Davidson (C), Jackie Hamilton, Ted Kennedy, Jack McLean, Tom O’Neill, Bud Poile.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 33-4-7 (.830)
TOR – 20-22-4 (.478)
Two Solitudes 