1972–73 Montreal Canadiens season explained

Team:	Montreal Canadiens
League:	NHL
Season:	1972–73
Year:	1972
Divisionrank:	1st
Record:	52–10–13
Goalsfor:	329
Goalsagainst:	184
Goalsleader:	Jacques Lemaire (44)
Assistsleader:	Frank Mahovlich (55)
Pointsleader:	Jacques Lemaire (95)
Pimleader:	Guy Lapointe (117)
Winsleader:	Ken Dryden (38)
Gaaleader:	Ken Dryden (2.24)
Divisionwin:	yes
Stanleycup:	yes

The 1972–73 Montreal Canadiens season, the club's 64th season, led to the Canadiens winning their 18th Stanley Cup in club history.

Regular season

Rookie goalie Wayne Thomas left his mark in Canadiens history by becoming only the second goaltender in over 50 seasons to record a shutout (3–0) in his NHL debut against Vancouver on January 14, 1973.^[1]

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Regular season schedule
No.	R	Date	Score	Opponent	Record
1	W	October 7, 1972	3–0	Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)	1–0–0
2	T	October 11, 1972	2–2	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	1–0–1
3	W	October 12, 1972	3–0	Atlanta Flames (1972–73)	2–0–1
4	W	October 14, 1972	6–1	New York Rangers (1972–73)	3–0–1
5	T	October 18, 1972	4–4	@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)	3–0–2
6	W	October 21, 1972	5–3	Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	4–0–2
7	T	October 22, 1972	1–1	@ New York Rangers (1972–73)	4–0–3
8	W	October 24, 1972	4–3	@ New York Islanders (1972–73)	5–0–3
9	W	October 26, 1972	7–0	St. Louis Blues (1972–73)	6–0–3
10	T	October 28, 1972	3–3	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)	6–0–4
11	W	October 29, 1972	2–1	@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	7–0–4
12	W	November 1, 1972	7–1	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)	8–0–4
13	W	November 2, 1972	6–1	@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73)	9–0–4
14	L	November 4, 1972	2–4	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	9–1–4
15	W	November 8, 1972	5–2	Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	10–1–4
16	W	November 11, 1972	5–2	Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)	11–1–4
17	W	November 12, 1972	5–3	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)	12–1–4
18	W	November 14, 1972	7–2	@ New York Islanders (1972–73)	13–1–4
19	W	November 16, 1972	6–5	Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)	14–1–4
20	L	November 18, 1972	3–5	Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)	14–2–4
21	T	November 22, 1972	3–3	@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)	14–2–5
22	W	November 24, 1972	9–1	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	15–2–5
23	L	November 26, 1972	2–3	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)	15–3–5
24	T	November 29, 1972	3–3	Boston Bruins (1972–73)	15–3–6
25	T	December 2, 1972	4–4	Atlanta Flames (1972–73)	15–3–7
26	L	December 3, 1972	2–5	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)	15–4–7
27	W	December 6, 1972	6–3	Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)	16–4–7
28	W	December 9, 1972	2–1	California Golden Seals (1972–73)	17–4–7
29	L	December 10, 1972	2–4	@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)	17–5–7
30	T	December 13, 1972	2–2	@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)	17–5–8
31	W	December 15, 1972	4–2	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	18–5–8
32	W	December 16, 1972	3–1	@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)	19–5–8
33	W	December 20, 1972	4–2	New York Islanders (1972–73)	20–5–8
34	W	December 23, 1972	6–3	Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)	21–5–8
35	W	December 26, 1972	4–1	@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)	22–5–8
36	L	December 27, 1972	2–3	@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)	22–6–8
37	T	December 30, 1972	1–1	Atlanta Flames (1972–73)	22–6–9
38	W	January 3, 1973	8–4	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	23–6–9
39	W	January 6, 1973	5–0	California Golden Seals (1972–73)	24–6–9
40	T	January 8, 1973	3–3	Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)	24–6–10
41	W	January 10, 1973	6–0	@ Minnesota North Stars (1972–73)	25–6–10
42	T	January 12, 1973	3–3	@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)	25–6–11
43	W	January 14, 1973	3–0	@ Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	26–6–11
44	W	January 17, 1973	6–4	Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)	27–6–11
45	W	January 18, 1973	5–2	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)	28–6–11
46	W	January 20, 1973	6–3	Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)	29–6–11
47	W	January 21, 1973	3–2	@ Atlanta Flames (1972–73)	30–6–11
48	W	January 24, 1973	6–1	New York Islanders (1972–73)	31–6–11
49	W	January 27, 1973	4–2	Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	32–6–11
50	L	January 28, 1973	2–4	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	32–7–11
51	T	February 1, 1973	3–3	@ St. Louis Blues (1972–73)	32–7–12
52	W	February 3, 1973	7–1	@ Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)	33–7–12
53	W	February 4, 1973	6–1	@ California Golden Seals (1972–73)	34–7–12
54	W	February 7, 1973	5–2	Pittsburgh Penguins (1972–73)	35–7–12
55	W	February 10, 1973	2–1	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)	36–7–12
56	T	February 11, 1973	2–2	@ New York Rangers (1972–73)	36–7–13
57	W	February 14, 1973	6–3	New York Rangers (1972–73)	37–7–13
58	L	February 17, 1973	6–7	Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)	37–8–13
59	W	February 18, 1973	2–1	@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	38–8–13
60	W	February 21, 1973	4–2	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)	39–8–13
61	T	February 22, 1973	3–3	@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	39–8–14
62	W	February 24, 1973	7–3	Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	40–8–14
63	W	February 28, 1973	5–2	Los Angeles Kings (1972–73)	41–8–14
64	W	March 3, 1973	5–1	Boston Bruins (1972–73)	42–8–14
65	W	March 4, 1973	4–2	@ Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)	43–8–14
66	W	March 6, 1973	3–2	@ New York Islanders (1972–73)	44–8–14
67	W	March 7, 1973	4–1	Toronto Maple Leafs (1972–73)	45–8–14
68	W	March 10, 1973	2–0	Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	46–8–14
69	L	March 11, 1973	3–5	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)	46–9–14
70	W	March 14, 1973	5–3	@ Detroit Red Wings (1972–73)	47–9–14
71	T	March 17, 1973	3–3	Buffalo Sabres (1972–73)	47–9–15
72	T	March 18, 1973	4–4	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1972–73)	47–9–16
73	W	March 21, 1973	3–2	Vancouver Canucks (1972–73)	48–9–16
74	W	March 24, 1973	11–4	St. Louis Blues (1972–73)	49–9–16
75	L	March 25, 1973	5–6	@ Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)	49–10–16
76	W	March 28, 1973	4–3	Chicago Black Hawks (1972–73)	50–10–16
77	W	March 31, 1973	5–1	New York Rangers (1972–73)	51–10–16
78	W	April 1, 1973	5–3	@ Boston Bruins (1972–73)	52–10–16

^[2]

Playoffs

The Canadiens met the Buffalo Sabres making their playoff debut in the first round, defeating the Sabres four games to two. In the second round, the Canadiens defeated the Philadelphia Flyers who had beaten the Minnesota North Stars, winning the series four games to one to advance to the finals against the Chicago Black Hawks.

Finals

Chicago Black Hawks vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date	Visitors	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 29	Chicago	3	Montreal	8
May 1	Chicago	1	Montreal	4
May 3	Montreal	4	Chicago	7
May 6	Montreal	4	Chicago	0
May 8	Chicago	8	Montreal	7
May 10	Montreal	6	Chicago	4

Montreal wins the series 4–2.

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
	C	77	44	51	95	16	59	9	0	5
	LW	78	38	55	93	51	42	8	2	5
	RW	67	40	39	79	18	50	6	0	4
	C	61	21	38	59	49	21	3	4	3
	RW	69	28	27	55	51	16	9	0	7
	D	76	19	35	54	117	51	3	0	2
	LW	76	25	25	50	48	18	3	0	4
	W	72	13	35	48	36	24	3	0	1
	LW	65	21	25	46	22	35	1	1	7
	C	71	8	35	43	21	34	0	0	2
	D	74	7	32	39	58	70	2	1	0
	RW	73	11	23	34	30	29	0	0	0
	D/RW	77	14	18	32	28	33	0	1	3
	LW	52	18	9	27	16	14	0	0	3
	D	69	2	22	24	55	39	0	0	2
	D	57	7	16	23	34	78	2	0	0
	LW	50	8	8	16	24	5	1	0	2
	D	41	0	7	7	69	11	0	0	0
	D	36	2	4	6	20	3	0	0	1
	G	54	0	4	4	2	0	0	0	0
	RW	19	1	1	2	2	−1	1	0	0
	C	5	1	1	2	0	0	1	0	0
	C/LW	2	1	1	2	0	2	0	0	1
	D	25	0	2	2	2	4	0	0	0
	G	10	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	0
	LW	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	G	17	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
	3165	54	33	7	13	119	2.26	6
	932	17	11	2	3	40	2.58	0
	583	10	8	1	0	23	2.37	1
Team:	4680	78	52	10	16	182	2.33	7

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
	RW	17	15	10	25	2	3	0	3
	LW	17	9	14	23	6	1	0	0
	C	17	7	13	20	2	3	0	1
	D	17	6	7	13	20	2	0	1
	C	17	4	9	13	22	2	1	0
	LW	14	6	6	12	6	2	0	2
	D	17	3	8	11	22	0	0	0
	C	17	6	4	10	14	0	0	2
	W	17	3	6	9	0	0	0	0
	RW	17	3	5	8	9	2	0	1
	LW	17	3	5	8	6	0	0	0
	RW	17	3	4	7	6	0	0	0
	LW	16	2	4	6	6	0	0	1
	D	11	1	4	5	9	0	0	1
	D	17	1	3	4	13	0	0	0
	D	10	1	3	4	2	0	0	0
	D	13	0	3	3	10	0	0	0
	D/RW	17	0	2	2	22	0	0	0
	G	17	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
	LW	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
	1039	17	12	5	50	2.89	1
Team:	1039	17	12	5	50	2.89	1

^[3]

Awards and records

• Prince of Wales Trophy.
• Guy Lapointe, runner up, Norris Trophy.^[4]
• Yvan Cournoyer won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Draft picks

Montreal's draft picks at the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

Round		Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	4			Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL)
1	6			Ottawa 67's (OMJHL)
1	8			Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL)
1	14			Guelph CMC's (SOJHL)
3	46			Hamilton Red Wings (OMJHL)
4	62			Cornell University (ECAC)
5	66			University of Notre Dame (WCHA)
6	94	D'Arcy Ryan		Yale University (ECAC)
7	110			Sorel Eperviers (QMJHL)
8	126	Graham Parsons		Red Deer Rustlers (AJHL)
9	142			University of Notre Dame (WCHA)
10	151	Fred Riggall		Dartmouth College (ECAC)
11	152	Ron LeBlanc		Universite de Moncton (CIAU)

See also

• 1972–73 NHL season
• List of Stanley Cup champions

References

• Canadiens on Hockey Database
• Canadiens on NHL Reference

Notes and References

1. Web site: Wayne Thomas 1972-74 .
2. Web site: 1972–73 Montreal Canadiens Games. Hockey-reference.com . 2009-07-13 .
3. Web site: hockey-reference.com . 2009-05-28 . 1972-73 Montreal Canadiens Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com.
4. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, .