1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks season explained

League:NHL
Season:1958–59
Year:1958
Team:Chicago Black Hawks
Division:NHL
Divisionrank:3rd
Record:28–29–13
Homerecord:14–12–9
Roadrecord:14–17–4
Goalsfor:197
Goalsagainst:208
Goalsleader:Ed Litzenberger (33)
Assistsleader:Ed Litzenberger (44)
Pointsleader:Ed Litzenberger (77)
Pimleader:Ted Lindsay (184)
Winsleader:Glenn Hall (28)
Gaaleader:Glenn Hall (2.97)

The 1958–59 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 33rd season in the NHL, and the club was coming off of a fifth-place finish in 1957–58, as they finished the year 24–39–7, earning 55 points, which was their highest point total since last making the playoffs in 1952–53.

It was a quiet off-season for the Black Hawks, who made no major moves. The team named Ed Litzenberger the new team captain, as the spot was left vacant for the 1957–58 season.

Chicago would get off to a good start, going unbeaten in their first four games, before going on a six-game winless streak to drop them under .500. The Black Hawks would hover around the .500 mark all season long, and as a result, the team set a club record with 28 victories, and tied the club record by earning 69 points, as the Black Hawks qualified for the post-season for the first time since 1952–53. Chicago finished in third place, which was their highest finish in the standings since finishing third in the 1945–46 season.

Offensively, Chicago was led by Ed Litzenberger, who led the club with 33 goals and 77 points. His 77 points tied a club record originally set by Max Bentley in 1943–44. Tod Sloan finished with 27 goals and 62 points, while Ted Lindsay rebounded from a poor 1957–58 season by scoring 22 goals and 58 points, while leading the NHL with 181 penalty minutes. Bobby Hull had a solid season, scoring 18 goals and 50 points. On the blueline, Pierre Pilote led the way, scoring 7 goals and 37 points, while Moose Vasko chipped in with 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points.

In goal, Glenn Hall had all the playing time for the second straight season, as he won a club record 28 games and posted a 2.97 GAA, along with a shutout.

Chicago would face the Montreal Canadiens in the best of seven NHL semi-final. The Canadiens finished the year on top of the NHL standings with 91 points, and had won the Stanley Cup three years in a row. The series opened at the Montreal Forum, and the Canadiens took control of the series, winning the opening two games by scores of 4–2 and 5–1 to take the 2–0 series lead. The series moved to Chicago Stadium for the next two games, and the Black Hawks responded, winning their first playoff games since 1953, as they defeated Montreal 4–2 and 3–2 to even the series up at two games a piece. The series returned to Montreal for the fifth game, and the heavily favored Canadiens put the Black Hawks on the brink of elimination with a 4–2 win to take a 3–2 series lead. Montreal ended the series in the sixth game in Chicago, hanging on for a 5–4 victory to win the series.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

Date Visitor Score Home Record Pts
1 October 8 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks 0–0–1 1
2 October 11 Chicago Black Hawks 3–1 1–0–1 3
3 October 12 2–5 Chicago Black Hawks 2–0–1 5
4 October 16 Chicago Black Hawks 7–2 3–0–1 7
5 October 18 3–1 Chicago Black Hawks 3–1–1 7
6 October 19 4–1 Chicago Black Hawks 3–2–1 7
7 October 23 Chicago Black Hawks 1–9 3–3–1 7
8 October 25 Chicago Black Hawks 2–6 3–4–1 7
9 October 28 5–5 Chicago Black Hawks 3–4–2 8
10 October 30 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 3–5–2 8
11 November 1 Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 4–5–2 10
12 November 4 2–4 Chicago Black Hawks 5–5–2 12
13 November 8 Chicago Black Hawks 4–3 6–5–2 14
14 November 11 8–4 Chicago Black Hawks 6–6–2 14
15 November 15 3–1 Chicago Black Hawks 6–7–2 14
16 November 16 2–3 Chicago Black Hawks 7–7–2 16
17 November 19 2–3 Chicago Black Hawks 8–7–2 18
18 November 22 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 8–8–2 18
19 November 23 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks 8–8–3 19
20 November 27 2–1 Chicago Black Hawks 8–9–3 19
21 November 29 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 9–9–3 21
22 November 30 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks 9–9–4 22
23 December 3 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 9–10–4 22
24 December 6 4–3 Chicago Black Hawks 9–11–4 22
25 December 7 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 9–11–5 23
26 December 10 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks 9–11–6 24
27 December 13 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 9–12–6 24
28 December 14 Chicago Black Hawks 3–3 9–12–7 25
29 December 17 2–5 Chicago Black Hawks 10–12–7 27
30 December 20 Chicago Black Hawks 1–4 10–13–7 27
31 December 21 2–4 Chicago Black Hawks 11–13–7 29
32 December 25 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 11–14–7 29
33 December 27 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 11–14–8 30
34 December 28 3–4 Chicago Black Hawks 12–14–8 32
35 December 31 Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 13–14–8 34
36 January 1 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks 13–14–9 35
37 January 3 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 14–14–9 37
38 January 4 3–5 Chicago Black Hawks 15–14–9 39
39 January 7 Chicago Black Hawks 4–0 16–14–9 41
40 January 8 Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 17–14–9 43
41 January 10 Chicago Black Hawks 0–1 17–15–9 43
42 January 11 4–3 Chicago Black Hawks 17–16–9 43
43 January 17 1–7 Chicago Black Hawks 18–16–9 45
44 January 18 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks 18–16–10 46
45 January 21 3–2 Chicago Black Hawks 18–17–10 46
46 January 24 Chicago Black Hawks 0–2 18–18–10 46
47 January 25 4–1 Chicago Black Hawks 18–19–10 46
48 January 28 Chicago Black Hawks 3–1 19–19–10 48
49 January 31 Chicago Black Hawks 3–3 19–19–11 49
50 February 1 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks 19–19–12 50
51 February 5 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 20–19–12 52
52 February 7 Chicago Black Hawks 6–3 21–19–12 54
53 February 8 2–7 Chicago Black Hawks 22–19–12 56
54 February 12 Chicago Black Hawks 4–5 22–20–12 56
55 February 14 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 22–21–12 56
56 February 15 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks 22–21–13 57
57 February 18 2–4 Chicago Black Hawks 23–21–13 59
58 February 21 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 23–22–13 59
59 February 22 1–5 Chicago Black Hawks 24–22–13 61
60 February 28 2–5 Chicago Black Hawks 25–22–13 63
61 March 1 1–3 Chicago Black Hawks 26–22–13 65
62 March 4 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 26–23–13 65
63 March 7 6–1 Chicago Black Hawks 26–24–13 65
64 March 8 2–1 Chicago Black Hawks 26–25–13 65
65 March 11 Chicago Black Hawks 5–3 27–25–13 67
66 March 14 Chicago Black Hawks 4–8 27–26–13 67
67 March 15 4–1 Chicago Black Hawks 27–27–13 67
68 March 17 Chicago Black Hawks 0–2 27–28–13 67
69 March 21 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 27–29–13 67
70 March 22 Chicago Black Hawks 4–1 28–29–13 69

Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 2

Date Visitor Score Home Record
1 March 24 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 0–1
2 March 26 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 0–2
3 March 28 2–4 Chicago Black Hawks 1–2
4 March 31 1–3 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2
5 April 2 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 2–3
6 April 4 5–4 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4

Season stats

Scoring leaders

PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
70 33 44 77 37
59 27 35 62 79
70 22 36 58 184
70 18 32 50 50
59 17 30 47 52

Goaltending

Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA
70 4200 28 29 13 208 1 2.97

Playoff stats

Scoring leaders

PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
6 3 5 8 8
6 3 5 8 0
6 2 4 6 13
6 2 2 4 8
6 2 1 3 4

Goaltending

Player GP TOI W L GA SO GAA
6 360 2 4 21 0 3.50

Sources