1955 Stanley Cup Finals

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The 1955 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1954–55 season, and the culmination of the 1955 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Montreal Canadiens, appearing in their fifth of ten straight Finals, and the defending champion Detroit Red Wings, in the third Detroit-Montreal Finals series of the 1950s and the second consecutively. The Red Wings once again defeated the Canadiens in seven games for their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, fourth in six seasons, and seventh overall. The Red Wings would not win the Stanley Cup again until 1997.

1955 Stanley Cup Finals
1234567 Total
Detroit Red Wings 4723533 4
Montreal Canadiens 2145161 3
Location(s)Detroit: Olympia Stadium (1, 2, 5, 7)
Montreal: Montreal Forum (3, 4, 6)
CoachesDetroit: Jimmy Skinner
Montreal: Dick Irvin
CaptainsDetroit: Ted Lindsay
Montreal: Emile Bouchard
DatesApril 3–14, 1955
Series-winning goalGordie Howe (19:49, second)
Hall of FamersRed Wings:
Alex Delvecchio (1977)
Gordie Howe (1972)
Red Kelly (1969)
Ted Lindsay (1966)
Marcel Pronovost (1978)
Terry Sawchuk (1971)
Canadiens:
Jean Beliveau (1972)
Emile Bouchard (1966)
Bernie Geoffrion (1972)
Doug Harvey (1973)
Tom Johnson (1970)
Dickie Moore (1974)
Bert Olmstead (1985)
Jacques Plante (1978)
Maurice Richard (1961; did not play)
Coaches:
Dick Irvin (1958, player)
← 1954 Stanley Cup Finals 1956 →

Paths to the Finals

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Montreal defeated the Boston Bruins in five games to reach the Finals. Detroit defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in four games to reach the Finals.

Game summaries

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Prior to the playoffs, Montreal's Maurice Richard was suspended and would be missed by the Canadiens.[1]

In the second game, Ted Lindsay scored four goals to set an NHL record for most goals in one game in a Finals series.[2]

Gordie Howe set two NHL records, amassing 12 points in this round, and surpassing former Canadiens player (and soon-to-be-coach) Toe Blake's point mark for the playoffs with 20 points in 11 games.[3]

This was also the first Finals in which the home team won all seven games of the series, a feat that would be repeated only twice in the next 50 years, in 1965 (Montreal defeated the Chicago Black Hawks) and 2003 (the New Jersey Devils beat the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim).[4]


April 3 Montreal Canadiens 2–4 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
Floyd Curry (4) - 5:09 Second period 14:00 - pp - Alex Delvecchio (2)
Floyd Curry (5) - 8:57 Third period 13:05 - Vic Stasiuk (3)
17:07 - sh - Marty Pavelich (1)
19:42 - Ted Lindsay (3)
Jacques Plante Goalie stats Terry Sawchuck
April 5 Montreal Canadiens 1–7 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period 2:15 - sh - Marcel Pronovost (1)
9:57 - Ted Lindsay (4)
16:00 - Alex Delvecchio (3)
17:11 - Gordie Howe (5)
No scoring Second period 8:10 - Ted Lindsay (5)
15:48 - pp - Ted Lindsay (6)
19:37 - Ted Lindsay (7)
Ken Mosdell (2) - 12:32 Third period No scoring
Jacques Plante, Charlie Hodge Goalie stats Terry Sawchuck
April 7 Detroit Red Wings 2–4 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Red Kelly (1) - pp - 18:13 First period 8:30 - pp - Bernie Geoffrion (3)
8:42 - pp - Bernie Geoffrion (4)
Vic Stasiuk (4) - 16:16 Second period 14:23 - Bernie Geoffrion (5)
No scoring Third period 7:50 - Jack LeClair (4)
Terry Sawchuck Goalie stats Jacques Plante
April 9 Detroit Red Wings 3–5 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Dutch Reibel (4) - 12:38 First period 00:40 - Calum MacKay (2)
No scoring Second period 3:41 - Bernie Geoffrion (6)
8:25 - Jean Beliveau (4)
9:07 - Tom Johnson (2)
Dutch Reibel (5) - 3:40
Jim Hay (1) - 12:000
Third period 2:33 - Floyd Curry (6)
Terry Sawchuck Goalie stats Jacques Plante
April 10 Montreal Canadiens 1–5 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
Jean Beliveau (5) - pp - 8:01 First period 12:59 - Glen Skov (2)
18:59 - Gordie Howe (6)
No scoring Second period 12:29 - pp - Gordie Howe (7)
16:20 - pp - Gordie Howe (8)
No scoring Third period 2:09 - Vic Stasiuk (5)
Jacques Plante Goalie stats Terry Sawchuck
April 12 Detroit Red Wings 3–6 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Forum Recap  
Alex Delvecchio (4) - 13:36 First period 7:30 - Jean Beliveau (6)
Alex Delvecchio (5) - pp - 15:54 Second period 3:45 - pp - Jack LeClair (5)
5:21 - pp - Bernie Geoffrion (7)
18:18 - Bernie Geoffrion (8)
Red Kelly (2) - 16:23 Third period 00:19 - Floyd Curry (7)
18:55 - Calum MacKay (3)
Terry Sawchuck Goalie stats Jacques Plante
April 14 Montreal Canadiens 1–3 Detroit Red Wings Olympia Stadium Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period 7:12 - Alex Delvecchio (6)
19:49 - Gordie Howe (9)
Floyd Curry (8) - pp - 14:35 Third period 2:59 - Alex Delvecchio (7)
Jacques Plante Goalie stats Terry Sawchuck
Detroit won series 4–3


Stanley Cup engraving

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The 1955 Stanley Cup was presented to Red Wings captain Ted Lindsay by NHL President Clarence Campbell following the Red Wings' 3–1 win over the Canadiens in game seven.

The following Red Wings players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup:

1954–55 Detroit Red Wings

Players

Coaching and administrative staff

Stanley Cup engraving

  • Larry Hillman became the youngest player to be engraved on the Stanley Cup at 18 years, 2 months, 9 days. Gaye Stewart held the previous record in 1942 at 18 years, 9 months, and 21 days.
  • Wally Crossman (Asst. Trainer/Stick Boy) was left off the Stanley Cup, and team picture.
  • Marguerite Norris was first women to win back to back Stanley Cups in 1953–54, 1954–55.
  • Jimmy Skinner was the 8th NHL rookie coach to win the Stanley Cup.

Members of Detroit Red Wings Dynasty 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955

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Gordie Howe, Red Kelly, Ted Lindsay, Marty Pavelich, Marcel Pronovost, John Wilson (6 Players), Jack Adams, Carl Mattson, Fred Hubert Jr. (3 Non-players).

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Cole, Stephen (2004). The Best of Hockey Night in Canada. Toronto: McArthur & Company. pp. 38–40. ISBN 1-55278-408-8.
  2. ^ "Wings Top Canadiens Again; LINDSAY'S 4 GOALS MARK 7-1 TRIUMPH Detroit Takes 2-0 Lead in Games Over Montreal Six in Stanley Cup Finals". The New York Times. April 6, 1955. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "POINT OF FACT". Sports Illustrated. March 26, 1962. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  4. ^ "Devils Defeat Mighty Ducks to Win Stanley Cup". The New York Times. June 9, 2003. Retrieved June 17, 2024.

References

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Preceded by Detroit Red Wings
Stanley Cup Champions

1955
Succeeded by