Game 380
Canadiens 5, Maple Leafs 2
Thursday, January 16, 1958
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Montréal Canadiens, fully recovered from a shocking experience in Chicago last weekend where they lost 7-1, scored a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a decorous National Hockey League game here last night.
In demonstrating that they don’t intend to yield an inch of their lengthy lead, the Canadiens overwhelmed the Leafs with class and puck control. The Leafs, as in previous games, had the industry and the drive, but they lacked the Canadiens’ craftsmanship.
And, in case anybody doesn’t believe that history repeats itself, Dickie Moore and Henri Richard, as usual, were the chief principals in the Toronto loss. Moore scored two goals, Henri scored one and helped out on Moore’s two. André Pronovost and Bernie Geoffrion were the other Montréal scorers. George Armstrong and Barry Cullen scored for the Leafs.
For Moore, an All Star left winger playing right wing, the goals were his 22nd and 23rd of the season. And his second one was the 100th of his NHL career.
And Moore, who devours Leafs like ice cream, has scored eight of his goals on the Leafs. Richard has scored an identical number on Ed Chadwick, who might be considering an appeal to the players association, charging unfair labour practices, monopoly, etc.
Jean Béliveau, who has been out of action for the past 13 games with torn rib cartilages, returned to the Canadiens for this game, and 13,942 fans were convinced that his presence didn’t hurt the champions. Béliveau didn’t collect any points, but his playmaking skill seemed just as accomplished as before his departure.
In case the Leafs had any doubts about trading Armstrong, they probably revised such heretical notions after his performance in this game. He was a consistent threat for the Leafs, skated strongly and checked hard. Bobby Pulford, Brian Cullen and Rudy Migay also gave it a strong effort.
Geoffrion’s 24th goal of the season sent the Canadiens ahead near the halfway mark of the first period. It came while Leaf Billy Harris was sitting out a hooking penalty. Geoffrion boomed in a shot from the right point. Chadwick’s view was obstructed by two of his own players.
Armstrong tied it five minutes later, cuffing in a 40-footer from right wing. But Pronovost gave the Canadiens the lead again shortly before the end of the period. He picked up a trailer pass from Claude Provost and drilled in a 25-foot shot from directly in front of the Leaf net. Don Marshall had set up the play by carrying the puck into the Leafs zone.
The only goal of the second period was by Moore. Henri Richard stopped a clearing pass at the Leafs blueline, flipped the puck to Moore on right wing, and he gave the pass his customary finishing flair. About 15 feet from the net, he tossed the puck past Chadwick into the far side of the cage.
Barry Cullen gave the Leafs a momentary lift in the third, when he beat goalie Jacques Plante on Marc Réaume’s rebound. He lifted the puck over the fallen Plante into the net.
Moore erased that tally with his second goal three minutes later. He hammered a 35-foot slap shot past Chadwick after Henri had mailed him a perfect pass. Then Henri wound up the scoring with fewer than two minutes left, slapping in Marcel Bonin’s pass from the corner.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, January 17, 1958
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 04:16 – Morrison, holding
MTL PEN – 07:57 – Saint-Laurent, tripping
TOR PEN – 10:06 – Harris, hooking
MTL PP GOAL – 11:37 – Geoffrion (Harvey, Olmstead)
MTL PEN – 13:00 – Talbot, tripping
TOR GOAL – 16:18 – Armstrong (Horton, Masnick)
MTL GOAL – 19:30 – Pronovost (Marshall, Provost)
2nd Period
MTL PEN – 07:26 – Olmstead, holding
TOR PEN – 10:00 – Masnick, tripping
MTL GOAL – 15:00 – Moore (Richard, Bonin)
3rd Period
TOR GOAL – 04:53 – Ba. Cullen (Réaume, Br. Cullen)
MTL GOAL – 07:54 – Moore (Richard, Bonin)
MTL PEN – 10:04 – Johnson, tripping
MTL GOAL – 18:22 – Richard (Bonin, Moore)
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Plante (W, 31-33)
TOR – Chadwick (L, 33-38)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 14+13+11 = 38
TOR – 11+5+17 = 33
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Jacques Plante. Defence: Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Dollard Saint-Laurent, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bob Turner. Forwards: Jean Béliveau, Marcel Bonin, Floyd Curry, Bernie Geoffrion, Phil Goyette, Don Marshall, Dickie Moore, Bert Olmstead, André Pronovost, Claude Provost, Henri Richard.
TOR – Goaltenders: Ed Chadwick. Defence: Bobby Baun, Tim Horton, Jim Morrison, Marc Réaume. Forwards: Gary Aldcorn, George Armstrong (C), Barry Cullen, Brian Cullen, Dick Duff, Billy Harris, Paul Masnick, Frank Mahovlich, Rudy Migay, Bob Pulford, Ron Stewart.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 28-9-5 (.726)
TOR – 14-19-9 (.440)
ATTENDANCE
13,942
Two Solitudes 