Game 370
Canadiens 8, Maple Leafs 4
Thursday, March 14, 1957
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ final mathematical hope of reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs flickered out here tonight, when they were overwhelmed by the Montréal Canadiens 8-4 in a National Hockey League game.
Now, with five remaining games, the Leafs trail the fourth place New York Rangers by 10 points. But even if the Leafs win all five, and this is debatable, it won’t do them any good, because they would still be behind the Rangers by one in the win column.
It was only the fourth time in 27 years that the Leafs have missed the playoffs.
A capacity crowd of 14,356, here to observe “Floyd Curry Night” in tribute to the veteran Montréal winger, saw the Canadiens, inspired by the line of Jean Béliveau, Bernie Geoffrion and Don Marshall, completely outclass the Leafs, except for the first 12 or so minutes of the first period.
As a result of the win, the Canadiens moved back into second place, two points ahead of the Boston Bruins. But the Habs still trail the leading Detroit Red Wings by five points as a result of the Wings’ win in Detroit tonight.
Geoffrion, rapidly acquiring his true form after an injury infested season, scored two Montréal goals. Béliveau, Maurice Richard, Doug Harvey, André Pronovost, Marshall and Henri Richard scored the others.
Toronto scorers were Tod Sloan, George Armstrong, Tim Horton and Sid Smith. Armstrong and Duff were the only offensive threats for the Leafs.
The eight goals hammered past Ed Chadwick were tops on him for a single game this season, but he was in no way responsible. He deserved honourable mention for not boarding up his net and retiring for the night. The Canadiens outshot the Leafs 38-22.
This was prize night for Curry and Béliveau. Curry carried off diversified loot, which included a 1957 Oldsmobile, a refrigerator, a year’s supply of sardines and a pizza pie. Upon the completion of the ceremonies, incidentally, the Leafs had to push the car off the ice, in order that the game might be resumed.
Béliveau didn’t figure in the loot collecting, but he did score one goal and pick up three assists. That helped him in his objective to win his second consecutive individual scoring title.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, March 15, 1957
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 00:29 – MacNeil, hooking
MTL PP GOAL – 01:08 – Béliveau (M. Richard, Moore)
TOR GOAL – 02:39 – Sloan (Armstrong)
MTL PEN – 03:01 – Pronovost, holding
MTL GOAL – 08:41 – Geoffrion (Harvey, Béliveau)
MTL PEN – 09:11 – Talbot, hooking
TOR PP GOAL – 10:29 – Armstrong
MTL GOAL – 11:43 – M. Richard (Moore, H. Richard)
MTL GOAL – 19:47 – Geoffrion (Béliveau, Harvey)
2nd Period
MTL PEN – 08:30 – Béliveau, tripping
MTL GOAL – 11:57 – Marshall (Saint-Laurent, Béliveau)
TOR PEN – 16:46 – Baun, tripping
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 11:18 – Harvey (Moore, H. Richard)
MTL GOAL – 13:37 – Pronovost (Goyette)
TOR GOAL – 15:47 – Horton (Pulford, MacNeil)
TOR GOAL – 17:39 – Smith (Kennedy, Baun)
MTL GOAL – 18:07 – H. Richard (Saint-Laurent)
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Plante (W, 18-22)
TOR – Chadwick (L, 30-38)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 9+16+13 = 38
TOR – 8+6+8 = 22
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Jacques Plante. Defence: Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Dollard Saint-Laurent, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bob Turner. Forwards: Jean Béliveau, Floyd Curry, Bernie Geoffrion, Phil Goyette, Don Marshall, Dickie Moore, André Pronovost, Claude Provost, Henri Richard, Maurice Richard (C).
TOR – Goaltenders: Ed Chadwick. Defence: Bobby Baun, Tim Horton, Al MacNeil, Jim Morrison, Marc Réaume, Jimmy Thomson. Forwards: George Armstrong, Barry Cullen, Brian Cullen, Dick Duff, Gerry James, Ted Kennedy (C), Rudy Migay, Bob Pulford, Tod Sloan, Sid Smith, Ron Stewart.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 33-22-11 (.583)
TOR – 19-31-15 (.408)
ATTENDANCE
14,356
Two Solitudes 