Sunday afternoon, the Bruins will take advantage of the Canadian’s visit to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of their founding. Over the course of this century, the two teams have developed what is possibly the greatest rivalry in professional sports. On 34 occasions, the Habs and the Bruins have crossed swords in the playoffs. Nine of these confrontations required a seventh game to be held (including six of the last nine). These are two professional sports records. Question of participating in the party, The Journal presents 10 notable moments from the last 50 years of this rivalry.
May 10, 1979: the most famous punishment
Archive photo, the Journal
Game 7 of the 1979 semi-final is one of the most historic matches in the history of both teams. The Bruins are on the verge of eliminating the Canadian when they receive a penalty for having too many players on the ice. There is then a little more than two and a half minutes left in the third period. Guy Lafleur took advantage of the resulting massive attack to level the score. In overtime, Yvon Lambert plays the hero and propels the Canadian to the grand final.
Eleven days later, the Canadian won his 22e Stanley Cup, his fourth in a row and his eighth in 12 years. Six times out of these eight titles, the Habs have knocked the Bruins out of their way, including twice in the final. In their camp, the curse continues.
“The Bruins always chalked it up to bad luck. Yes, some years they had better teams than us. But we were probably more disciplined than them on and off the ice. It started from our leadership and our coach Scotty Bowman. One day we acquired Don Awrey [en 1974]. He had played 10 years for the Bruins. I asked him why their great teams, with Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the others, had not won the Stanley Cup more often. He replied to me that since he played with us, he realized that our level of commitment and intensity in training was higher than what they gave in their matches. »
– Serge Savard, membre du «Big Three»
Photo d’archives
*October 4, 1984: the beginning of the end for Lafleur
JMTL
During a scuffle at the end of a preseason game at the Boston Garden, Larry Robinson lost consciousness after falling heavily on the ice. He was diagnosed with a concussion. In the following days, general manager Serge Savard demanded that all his players wear helmets. Robinson agrees. But for Guy Lafleur, this is out of the question. A shouting match ensues between Lafleur and Jacques Lemaire, between whom it is already not crazy love, in the coaches’ office. Jean Perron, then Lemaire’s deputy, witnessed the scene.
“Lafleur was keen on his idea and Lemaire wanted to make him change. It stirred. Guy kept shouting: “I have the Grandpa cause! No one is going to force me to wear a helmet!” That’s when I realized it wouldn’t work for long. I thought these two guys were friends. But when I saw this confrontation, and the others that followed… Phew! Besides, Guy retired a month and a half later. »
– Jean Perron, former CH coach
Photo d’archives
*This was also Jean Hamel’s last match. Contrary to popular belief, it was not his altercation with Louis Sleigher during the Battle of Good Friday that ended his career. The defender had to retire after receiving a shot from Ken Linseman near the right eye.
November 20, 1986: general brawl in the corridors
Photo provided by Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Chris Nilan’s short fuse was already lit when the linesmen escorted him off the ice at the Boston Garden after a brawl involving every player on the ice. A path which, at the time, involved going through the Bruins bench. The Canadian striker has not finished crossing the gate before Ken Linseman insults him. The fight breaks out again. The Canadian bench empties and the group movement carries several players from both teams into the adjacent corridor. Under the stands, the blows continue to rain.
“When we saw that Chris was battling Linseman, we all went through the ice. The first thing [dont] What we realized was that we were at the bottom of the stairs, on skates. It was fighting. We wanted to protect Chris! I was looking for Louis Sleigher, who was in a suit and tie. He had given someone a cheap shot in the hallway. The Boston police were there. She was trying to separate us. We started wondering if we weren’t going to be taken to the station after the match. Besides, we didn’t even know if we were suspended, punished, if we could still play. »
– Sergio Mometto, former CH player
Photo d’archives
April 26, 1988: the end of a long domination
Archive photo, the Journal
The Bruins manage to eliminate the Canadian for the first time since 1943. A 45-year domination which saw the Habs win 18 consecutive confrontations. At this time, the two great rivals face each other for the fifth spring in a row. Jean Perron’s troupe swept three of the four previous series. We still expect a victory for the Canadian, leader of the Prince of Wales Association. In addition, the Montreal team counts in its ranks Stéphane Richer, its first 50-goal scorer in almost a decade. She won the first match before losing in the next four.
“In the second match, Michael Thelvén broke Stéphane Richer’s thumb and wrist with an ax blow. Stéphane was then in extraordinary momentum. We were already without Mats Näslund and Bob Gainey, who we had lost in the previous series against the Hartford Whalers. We were banged up. At that moment, we felt like the Bruins had us on the ropes. It wasn’t a pretty sight. When you have to call Steven Fletcher, who has no business there, to put things in perspective, it’s because things are going badly. »
– Jean Perron, Former CH coach
Photo d’archives
April 1994: Patrick Roy’s appendix
Archive photo, the Journal
Another spring, another confrontation between the Canadiens and the Bruins. Led by Patrick Roy at the top of his game, the Habs, reigning Stanley Cup champion, begin the defense of their title. The two teams, separated by a single point in the regular season standings, divide the honor of the first two matches in Boston. On their return to Montreal, a tile falls on the team’s head. Victim of appendicitis, Roy must forfeit the third match and possibly the rest of the series. With Ron Tugnutt in front of the net, the Canadian lost 6 to 3. For Roy, there was no question of staying on the sidelines any longer.
“I didn’t expect to see him again for a few weeks. At one point, Gaëtan Lefebvre, the trainer at the time, came to see me. He told me: “There, we have to find a way so that Patrick can try out his equipment without anyone knowing.” I replied: “Let’s see! Are you serious?” We brought Patrick into a corner of the Forum. We had him try out the equipment we had made and sent him out onto the ice to test it. There was no one in the building. I have known guys who had a strong desire to win. Let’s just say he was pretty much one of the top guys. »
– Pierre Gervais, former CH equipment manager
Photo d’archives
