Game 372
Canadiens 9, Maple Leafs 3
Thursday, October 17, 1957
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Henri Richard scored three goals and his venerable brother Maurice fired two, as the Montréal Canadiens overpowered the Toronto Maple Leafs 9-3 here tonight.
This was the Canadiens’ fifth game without a loss, and the third consecutive loss of the young schedule for the Leafs. The Canadiens have won three and tied two of their five games.
The Leafs, who decided to scrap defensive hockey this term and go all-out with a relaxed offensive, were certainly relaxed. Any more relaxation on their part, and the Canadiens would likely have scored a dozen goals.
The Richard brothers and Dickie Moore, a line which used the Leafs for target practice throughout most of last season, did most of the heavy firing again tonight. They set up seven of the Montréal goals. Moore scored once, with the others going to Claude Provost, Jean-Guy Talbot and Dollard Saint-Laurent.
Tod Sloan scored twice for the outclassed Leafs, and Dick Duff scored his first goal of the season in the third period.
Maurice Richard’s two goals were the 498th and 499th of a fantastic career. He scored his second goal of the game early in the third period, and a tense crowd of 13,838 sat back expectantly awaiting is 500th. Maurice tried mightily to reward the crowd. He blazed one shot inches wide off the post, but that was as close as he would come.
Henri Richard also collected three assists to move out in front in the individual scoring race with 12 points, six goals and six assists. Brother Maurice, who set up Henri’s first two goals, is in second place with 11 points, on six goals and five assists.
The Richards-Moore line has been winging along at an incredible pace in the Canadiens’ last three games, accounting for 20 points, 13 of them goals. It has registered 16 of the 26 goals scored by the Canadiens so far.
The Leafs tried to keep pace with the Canadiens early in the game, and they were down only 3-2 at the end of the first period. But the Canadiens skated away from them in the second frame with three goals, then they outscored the Leafs 3-1 in the final period.
It was a nerve-wracking ordeal for Ed Chadwick, the Leaf goalkeeper. He looked at fault on three of the goals that beat him but, because of the merciless barrage thrown at him by the Canadiens, it is a tribute to his courage that he didn’t bolt for the protection of the dressing room.
The Leafs’ checking was feeble, futile at times. They permitted the Canadiens to skate without fear of reprisal, and the Stanley Cup champions exulted in every freedom-loving minute. If the Leafs had a forlorn idea they could match the Canadiens’ offensive power, this was quite an eloquent lesson for them.
George Armstrong did a great deal of puck lugging for the Leafs in the third period. He tried to rally them, but the Canadiens’ weren’t buying.
To make it more embarrassing for the Leafs, this was the first game in which they had all their troops. And the Canadiens were without their regular goalkeeper, Jacques Plante, and Bernie Geoffrion, one of their leading scorers.
But the Canadiens had the Richards, and that was more than enough. The 36 year old Maurice looked so exuberant that he might decide to stay in the league for another 16 years.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, October 18, 1957
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 04:35 – H. Richard (M. Richard, Saint-Laurent)
MTL GOAL – 05:23 – Moore (M. Richard, Harvey)
TOR GOAL – 11:38 – Sloan (Harris)
MTL GOAL – 17:35 – H. Richard (Moore, Harvey)
MTL PEN – 18:28 – Johnson, holding
TOR PP GOAL – 18:42 – Sloan (Réaume, Armstrong)
2nd Period
TOR PEN – 04:54 – Armstrong, interference
MTL GOAL – 10:25 – Provost (Goyette, Harvey)
MTL PEN – 11:03 – Provost, roughing
TOR PEN – 11:03 – Mahovlich, roughing
MTL GOAL – 15:02 – Saint-Laurent (Béliveau, Smrke)
MTL GOAL – 16:05 – M. Richard (H. Richard)
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 01:48 – M. Richard (H. Richard, Talbot)
TOR GOAL – 03:53 – Duff (Armstrong, Baun)
MTL GOAL – 12:17 – Talbot (H. Richard, Johnson)
MTL GOAL – 19:06 – H. Richard (Marshall, Moore)
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Hodge (W, 29-32)
TOR – Chadwick (L, 28-37)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 9+11+17 = 37
TOR – 11+7+14 = 32
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Charlie Hodge. Defence: Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Dollard Saint-Laurent, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bob Turner. Forwards: Jean Béliveau, Marcel Bonin, Floyd Curry, Phil Goyette, Don Marshall, Dickie Moore, Bert Olmstead, André Pronovost, Claude Provost, Henri Richard, Maurice Richard (C), Stan Smrke.
TOR – Goaltenders: Ed Chadwick. Defence: Bobby Baun, Tim Horton, Al MacNeil, Jim Morrison, Marc Réaume. Forwards: George Armstrong (C), Barry Cullen, Brian Cullen, Dick Duff, Billy Harris, Frank Mahovlich, Rudy Migay, Bob Pulford, Tod Sloan, Sid Smith, Ron Stewart.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 3-0-2 (.800)
TOR – 0-3-0 (.000)
ATTENDANCE
13,838
Two Solitudes 