Game 411
Canadiens 5, Maple Leafs 1
Thursday, March 3, 1960
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Montréal Canadiens, barely wounded by a lethargic first period, recovered vigorously in the next 40 minutes to record a 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a pallid National Hockey League game here tonight.
And although tonight’s win clinched first place, as usual for the Canadiens, it didn’t provoke any celebration among the 14,715 fans. There was no flag raising at centre ice, no dancing in the pews, as the Habitants won their third successive pennant.
The Leafs, who didn’t appear too energetic in this game, made their big bid for a win in the first period when they scored their goal. And the charitable Canadiens tolerated a 1-0 deficit for 20 minutes, but they scored four times in the second period, and once more in the third.
Don Marshall, an unobtrusive fellow who seldom throws an elbow in anger, was the Canadiens’ most capable player in this game. He scored one goal, assisted on another and set up numerous other plays that should have resulted in goals, but Leaf goalie Johnny Bower had other ideas. Bernie Geoffrion, the venerable Maurice Richard, Ab McDonald and Dickie Moore were their other scorers.
Billy Harris scored the only goal for the Leafs late in the first period, and they never did get a realistic scoring opportunity after that – partly because of the Leafs’ own apathetic play, and partly because of the Canadiens’ authoritative checking. The Canadiens outshot the Leafs 41-17, and in the second period the Leafs had only two shots on goal.
This was the Canadiens’ sixth successive win over the Leafs in Montréal, and their ninth in 12 meetings throughout the season.
The Canadiens struggled along with Jean Béliveau tonight, despite his willingness to play, and the Leafs were without their staunch defenceman Allan Stanley.
Harris opened the scoring late in the first period with his 13th goal of the year, deflecting in Ron Stewart’s shot from the right point. Canadien Doug Harvey had barely stepped on the ice after sitting out a holding penalty when the goal was scored.
Marshall tied the score in the second period to start a typical siege by the Canadiens, when they scored three goals in under three minutes. Marshall tucked in a back pass from Bill Hicke to ignite the rally after Hicke recovered his own rebound.
Then Geoffrion whirled around the Leafs defence 44 seconds later, drew out Bower and flipped the puck in the net to send the Canadiens ahead to stay. Maurice Richard made it 3-1, cutting sharply in front of the net to pick up Moore’s pass. He whipped the puck past Bower.
Late in the period, McDonald scored a classic goal, completing a passing play with Marshall and Hicke. McDonald took Marshall’s pass about 10 feet in front of the zigging-zagging Bower and rapped the puck past him.
Then, in the third period, Moore scored his 21st goal of the season, a 40-footer that Bower seemed to stop at the outside of his goal crease. But the puck snaked loose and squirmed into the net in slow motion.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, March 4, 1960
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 04:47 – James, slashing
MTL PEN – 13:00 – Talbot, hooking
MTL PEN – 14:55 – Harvey, holding
TOR GOAL – 16:57 – Harris (Armstrong, Duff)
MTL PEN – 17:41 – M. Richard, high sticking
TOR PEN – 17:41 – Olmstead, high sticking
MTL PEN – 19:36 – Geoffrion, slashing
TOR PEN – 19:36 – Edmundson, slashing
2nd Period
TOR PEN – 01:42 – Brewer, holding
MTL GOAL – 08:50 – Marshall (Hicke, McDonald)
MTL GOAL – 09:34 – Geoffrion (Backstrom, Bonin)
TOR PEN – 10:49 – team, too many men on the ice
MTL PP GOAL – 11:30 – M. Richard (Moore, H. Richard)
MTL PEN – 13:02 – Harvey, holding
MTL GOAL – 16:57 – McDonald (Marshall, Hicke)
TOR PEN – 17:54 – Brewer, holding
MTL PEN – 18:50 – H. Richard, holding
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 02:46 – Moore (M. Richard, H. Richard)
TOR PEN – 10:22 – Ehman, hooking
MTL PEN – 16:47 – Moore, tripping
TOR PEN – 18:36 – Mahovlich, holding
TOR PEN – 19:36 – James, elbowing
MTL PEN – 19:36 – Bonin, high sticking
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Plante (W, 16-17)
TOR – Bower (L, 36-41)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 7+16+18 = 41
TOR – 6+2+9 = 17
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Jacques Plante. Defence: Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Albert Langlois, Jean-Guy Talbot, Bob Turner. Forwards: Ralph Backstrom, Marcel Bonin, Bernie Geoffrion, Phil Goyette, Bill Hicke, Don Marshall, Ab McDonald, Dickie Moore, André Pronovost, Claude Provost, Henri Richard, Maurice Richard (C).
TOR – Goaltenders: Johnny Bower. Defence: Bobby Baun, Carl Brewer, Red Kelly, Tim Horton. Forwards: George Armstrong (C), Dick Duff, Garry Edmundson, Gerry Ehman, Billy Harris, Gerry James, Frank Mahovlich, Bert Olmstead, Bob Pulford, Larry Regan, Ron Stewart, Johnny Wilson.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 37-13-11 (.697)
TOR – 30-24-8 (.548)
ATTENDANCE
14,715
Two Solitudes 