1953 Stanley Cup Finals

1953 Stanley Cup Finals
12345 Total
Montreal Canadiens 41371* 4
Boston Bruins 24030* 1
* indicates periods of overtime.
Location(s)Montreal: Montreal Forum (1, 2, 5)
Boston: Boston Garden (3, 4)
CoachesMontreal: Dick Irvin
Boston: Lynn Patrick
CaptainsMontreal: Emile Bouchard
Boston: Milt Schmidt
DatesApril 9–16, 1953
Series-winning goalElmer Lach (1:22, OT)
Hall of FamersCanadiens:
Emile Bouchard (1966)
Bernie Geoffrion (1972)
Doug Harvey (1973)
Tom Johnson (1970)
Elmer Lach (1966)
Dickie Moore (1974)
Bert Olmstead (1985)
Jacques Plante (1978)
Maurice Richard (1961)
Bruins:
Woody Dumart (1992)
Bill Quackenbush (1976)
Milt Schmidt (1961)
Coaches:
Dick Irvin (1958, player)
Lynn Patrick (1980, player)
← 1952 Stanley Cup Finals 1954 →

The 1953 Stanley Cup Finals was contested by the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins were appearing in the Final for the first time since 1946. The Canadiens, who were appearing in their third straight Finals series, won the series four games to one to clinch their seventh championship.

Paths to the Finals

Montreal defeated the Chicago Black Hawks 4–3 to reach the Finals. Boston defeated the defending champion Detroit Red Wings 4–2 to reach the Finals.

The series

Jacques Plante was pulled after the first two games in favour of Gerry McNeil. The move paid off as McNeil posted two shutouts in the last three games.


April 9 Boston Bruins 2–4 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Bob Armstrong (1) - pp - 2:08 First period 13:42 - Dickie Moore (2)
No scoring Second period 2:37 - Ken Mosdell (2)
16:05 - Floyd Curry (2)
Johnny Peirson (3) - pp - 10:11 Third period 11:12 - Maurice Richard (4)
Jim Henry Goalie stats Jacques Plante
April 11 Boston Bruins 4–1 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Leo Labine (2) - 3:53
Ed Sandford (7) - 18:13 		First period No scoring
Ed Sandford (8) - 7:26 Second period 1:36 - Bert Olmstead (2)
Milt Schmidt (4) - 15:43 Third period No scoring
Jim Henry, Gord Henry Goalie stats Gerry McNeil
April 12 Montreal Canadiens 3–0 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
Tom Johnson (2) - 11:53 First period No scoring
Paul Masnick (1) - 6:30 Second period No scoring
Ken Mosdell (3) - pp - 11:27 Third period No scoring
Gerry McNeil Goalie stats Gord Henry
April 14 Montreal Canadiens 7–3 Boston Bruins Boston Garden Recap  
Lorne Davis (1) - 3:23
Maurice Richard (5) - 10:58
Dickie Moore (3) - 16:40 		First period 18:22 - Dave Creighton (4)
Bernie Geoffrion (6) - pp - 18:56 Second period No scoring
Maurice Richard (6) - 5:33
Calum MacKay (1) - 17:59
Maurice Richard (7) - 18:27 		Third period 7:23 - Milt Schmidt (5)
16:25 - Jack McIntyre (4)
Gerry McNeil Goalie stats Gord Henry
April 16 Boston Bruins 0–1 OT Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period No scoring
No scoring First overtime period 1:22 - Elmer Lach (1)
Jim Henry Goalie stats Gerry McNeil
Montreal won series 4–1


Stanley Cup engraving

The 1953 Stanley Cup was presented to Canadiens captain Emile Bouchard by NHL President Clarence Campbell following the Canadiens 1–0 overtime win over the Bruins in game five.

The following Canadiens players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup

1952–53 Montreal Canadiens

Players

  Centres

Coaching and administrative staff

  • Donat Raymond (President/Owner), Dalton Coleman (Vice President/Owner)
  • William Northey (Vice Presidents/Owners), Frank Selke Sr. (Manager)
  • Dick Irvin Sr. (Coach), Hector Dubois (Trainer), Gaston Bettez (Asst. Trainer)
  • Camile DesRoches^, Frank Selke Jr.^ (Publicity Directors)
  • &- Doug Anderson played 2 games in the Semi-Finals, qualified to be on the Stanley Cup, but name was still left off
  • ^- on the team picture, but missing from the Stanley Cup.

Stanley Cup engraving

  • Eddie Maruz was misspelled EDDIE MARUZE, with an extra "E" on the Replica Cup created in 1992–93. His name was spelled correctly on the other two rings.
  • Mistake Gaston Bettez name was misspelled in 1953. Gettez was GOSTON BETTES on the original ring in 1953, G Bettes on the other two rings of 1953 Montreal.

See also

Notes

References

  • Diamond, Dan (2000). Total Stanley Cup. Toronto: Total Sports Canada. ISBN 978-1-892129-07-9.
  • Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont.: Fenn Pub. pp 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7
  • "All-Time NHL Results".
Preceded by Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup Champions
1953 		Succeeded by