Special Occasion Games

SPECIAL OCCASION GAMES
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens have met hundreds of times in the last century, with many games falling on special occasions, whether it be for national holidays, public celebrations, or league events. Starting with the rivalry’s first ever game on Boxing Day in 1917, games are given even more unique meaning when falling around the Christmas holidays, Remembrance Day or St. Patrick’s Day, despite their frequency lessening in recent years. And with the advent of the Hall Of Fame Game and Hockey Day In Canada, and many NHL seasons being kicked off between these teams, these games add yet another layer of intrigue and excitement to these already heated and emotionally charged contests.

jump to: NHL Season Opener · Halloween · Hockey Hall Of Fame Game · Remembrance Day · U.S. Thanksgiving · Festivus · Christmas Eve · Christmas Day · Boxing Day · New Year’s Eve · New Year’s Day · Chinese New Year · Groundhog Day · Valentine’s Day · Ash Wednesday · Hockey Day In Canada · Leap Day · St. Patrick’s Day · NHL Season Finisher · Victoria Day · U.S. Memorial Day

# Year Location Winner Score
NHL Season Opener (1917-present)
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 13-8
036. 1921 Toronto St. Pats 5-2
044. 1922 Toronto St. Pats 7-2
052. 1923 Toronto St. Pats 2-1
060. 1924 Montréal Canadiens 7-1
344. 1955 Montréal Canadiens 2-0
414. 1960 Montréal Canadiens 5-0
608. 1986 Toronto Maple Leafs 7-4
623. 1991 Montréal Canadiens 4-3
641. 1999 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-1
697. 2009 Toronto Canadiens 4-3 (OT)
703. 2010 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2
709. 2011 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0
715. 2013 Montréal Maple Leafs 2-1
720. 2013 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-3
725. 2014 Toronto Canadiens 4-3
729. 2015 Toronto Canadiens 3-1
741. 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 (OT)
748. 2021 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 (OT)
758. 2021 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1
762. 2022 Montréal Canadiens 4-3
766. 2023 Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 (SO)
Halloween – October 31
all-time series tied 2-2
288. 1951 Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0
374. 1957 Montréal Maple Leafs 3-1
443. 1962 Toronto Canadiens 4-3
698. 2009 Montréal Canadiens 5-4 (SO)
Hockey Hall Of Fame Game (1999-present)
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 2-1
657. 2002 Toronto Canadiens 5-2
677. 2006 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1
692. 2008 Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3
Remembrance Day – November 11
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 3-1
205. 1944 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1
317. 1953 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1
582. 1978 Montréal Canadiens 3-2
677. 2006 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1
U.S. Thanksgiving
all-time series tied 3-3
103. 1931 Montréal Canadiens 3-2
110. 1932 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0
136. 1936 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-2
238. 1947 Montréal Canadiens 2-0
251. 1948 Montréal Maple Leafs 2-0
264. 1949 Montréal Canadiens 5-3
Festivus – December 23
Canadiens lead all-time series 2-1
011. 1918 Toronto Canadiens 4-3
586. 1979 Montréal Canadiens 8-4
648. 2000 Montréal Maple Leafs 5-2
Christmas Eve – December 24
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 2-0
104. 1931 Montréal Maple Leafs 2-1 (OT)
308. 1952 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0
Christmas Day – December 25
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 4-0
028. 1920 Toronto St. Pats 5-4
123. 1934 Montréal Maple Leafs 6-2
240. 1947 Montréal Maple Leafs 3-0
378. 1957 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4
Boxing Day – December 26
Canadiens lead all-time series 8-4
001. 1917 Toronto Arenas 7-5
105. 1931 Toronto Canadiens 2-0 (OT)
130. 1935 Montréal Maple Leafs 2-0
218. 1945 Toronto Canadiens 4-2
227. 1946 Montréal Canadiens 4-1
293. 1951 Toronto Canadiens 3-2
364. 1956 Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0
525. 1968 Montréal Canadiens 4-2
558. 1973 Toronto Maple Leafs 9-2
613. 1987 Toronto Canadiens 4-2
637. 1998 Toronto Canadiens 2-1
700. 2009 Toronto Canadiens 3-2 (OT)
New Year’s Eve – December 31
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 2-1
020. 1919 Toronto St. Pats 5-1
037. 1921 Montréal Canadiens 5-3
391. 1958 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0
New Year’s Day – January 1
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 5-0
147. 1938 Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4
241. 1948 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1
253. 1949 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3
546. 1972 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2
606. 1986 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2
Chinese New Year
Canadiens lead all-time series 5-2-1
016. 1919 Montréal Canadiens 10-0
312. 1953 Toronto tie 2-2
424. 1961 Toronto Canadiens 3-1
518. 1968 Montréal Canadiens 3-0
559. 1974 Montréal Canadiens 4-3
619. 1990 Toronto Canadiens 5-3
627. 1993 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0
688. 2008 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-2
Groundhog Day – February 2
all-time series tied 1-1
006. 1918 Montréal Canadiens 11-2
080. 1928 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-3
Valentine’s Day – February 14
Canadiens lead all-time series 3-2-1
244. 1948 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2
298. 1952 Montréal Canadiens 3-1
312. 1953 Toronto tie 2-2
368. 1957 Montréal Maple Leafs 2-1
519. 1968 Toronto Canadiens 4-2
726. 2015 Montréal Canadiens 2-1 (SO)
Ash Wednesday
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 6-5-2
025. 1920 Montréal St. Pats 8-2
033. 1921 Montréal St. Pats 5-3
065. 1925 Montréal St. Pats 3-1
258. 1949 Toronto Canadiens 2-0
284. 1951 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1
369. 1957 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1
395. 1959 Toronto Canadiens 5-2
424. 1961 Toronto Canadiens 3-1
466. 1964 Montréal Canadiens 4-0
526. 1969 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1
534. 1970 Montréal tie 3-3
555. 1973 Montréal Canadiens 4-1
563. 1975 Toronto tie 2-2
Hockey Day In Canada (2000-present)
Canadiens lead all-time series 7-5
644. 2000 Montréal Canadiens 2-1
649. 2001 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1
665. 2004 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4
706. 2011 Montréal Canadiens 3-0
712. 2012 Toronto Canadiens 5-0
716. 2013 Montréal Maple Leafs 6-0
722. 2014 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3
726. 2015 Montréal Canadiens 2-1 (SO)
742. 2019 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-3 (OT)
747. 2020 Montréal Canadiens 2-1 (OT)
750. 2021 Toronto Canadiens 2-1
763. 2023 Montréal Canadiens 3-2 (OT)
Leap Day – February 29
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 1-0
356. 1956 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1
St. Patrick’s Day – March 17
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 4-3
083. 1928 Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3
259. 1949 Montréal Canadiens 3-1
329. 1955 Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1
413. 1960 Montréal Maple Leafs 6-2
601. 1984 Montréal Canadiens 6-1
681. 2007 Montréal Canadiens 3-2 (SO)
739. 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0
NHL Season Finisher (1917-present)
Canadiens lead all-time series 10-6
027. 1920 Toronto St. Pats 11-4
035. 1921 Toronto St. Pats 6-4
043. 1922 Toronto Canadiens 8-7
077. 1927 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1
109. 1932 Montréal Canadiens 4-2
183. 1942 Montréal Canadiens 7-3
640. 1999 Montréal Canadiens 3-2
682. 2007 Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5
690. 2008 Montréal Canadiens 3-1
702. 2010 Montréal Maple Leafs 4-3 (OT)
708. 2011 Toronto Canadiens 4-1
714. 2012 Montréal Canadiens 4-1
719. 2013 Toronto Canadiens 4-1
728. 2015 Toronto Canadiens 4-3 (SO)
740. 2018 Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2
744. 2019 Montréal Canadiens 6-5 (SO)
Victoria Day
Maple Leafs lead all-time series 1-0
P74. 2021 Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1
U.S. Memorial Day
Canadiens lead all-time series 1-0
P78. 2021 Toronto Canadiens 3-1