1956: Montreal's Improbable Drive For Five Begins

The year is 1956. The usual 1950s Stanley Cup clash of the titans resumes, as the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings meet in the finals for the third consecutive year and 4th time in 5 years.

Detroit has had the upper hand, winning 3 of the previous 4 championships. But the Red Wings dynasty is about usurped by what many historians insist is the greatest team in the history of hockey.

The evidence is convincing. Montreal would knock off Detroit in 5 games in 1956, then go on an unmatched 5 year reign as Stanley Cup champion.

The core of those teams were all in place in 1956: Jean Beliveau. Boom Boom Geoffrion. Doug Harvey. Tom Johnson. Dickie Moore. Bert Olmstead. Jacques Plante. Henri Richard. Maurice "Rocket" Richard.