1953 Stanley Cup Final

1953 Stanley Cup Final
12345Total
Montreal Canadiens41371*4
Boston Bruins24030*1
* – Denotes overtime period(s)
Location(s)Montreal: Montreal Forum (1, 2, 5)Boston: Boston Garden (3, 4)
CoachesMontreal: Dick IrvinBoston: Lynn Patrick
CaptainsMontreal: Emile BouchardBoston: 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)

The 1953 Stanley Cup Final 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 championDetroit 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 2–4Montreal CanadiensMontreal ForumRecap 
Bob Armstrong (1) - pp - 2:08 First period13:42 - Dickie Moore (2)
No scoringSecond period2:37 - Ken Mosdell (2)16:05 - Floyd Curry (2)
Johnny Peirson (3) - pp - 10:11 Third period11:12 - Maurice Richard (4)
Jim HenryGoalie statsJacques Plante
April 11 Boston Bruins4–1Montreal Canadiens Montreal ForumRecap 
Leo Labine (2) - 3:53Ed Sandford (7) - 18:13 First periodNo scoring
Ed Sandford (8) - 7:26 Second period1:36 - Bert Olmstead (2)
Milt Schmidt (4) - 15:43 Third periodNo scoring
Jim Henry, Gord HenryGoalie statsGerry McNeil
April 12 Montreal Canadiens3–0Boston Bruins Boston GardenRecap 
Tom Johnson (2) - 11:53 First periodNo scoring
Paul Masnick (1) - 6:30 Second periodNo scoring
Ken Mosdell (3) - pp - 11:27 Third periodNo scoring
Gerry McNeilGoalie statsGord Henry
April 14 Montreal Canadiens7–3Boston Bruins Boston GardenRecap 
Lorne Davis (1) - 3:23Maurice Richard (5) - 10:58Dickie Moore (3) - 16:40 First period18:22 - Dave Creighton (4)
Bernie Geoffrion (6) - pp - 18:56 Second periodNo scoring
Maurice Richard (6) - 5:33Calum MacKay (1) - en - 17:59Maurice Richard (7) - 18:27 Third period7:23 - Milt Schmidt (5)16:25 - Jack McIntyre (4)
Gerry McNeilGoalie statsGord Henry
April 16 Boston Bruins 0–1OTMontreal CanadiensMontreal ForumRecap 
No scoringFirst periodNo scoring
No scoringSecond periodNo scoring
No scoringThird periodNo scoring
No scoringFirst overtime period1:22 - Elmer Lach (1)
Jim HenryGoalie statsGerry McNeil
Montreal won series 4–1

Stanley Cup engraving

The 1953 Stanley Cup was presented to Canadiens captain Emile Bouchard by NHL PresidentClarence 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

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