1973: Montreal Wins, Again

The year is 1973. If you have followed my year-by-year Stanley Cup capsules, you know by now that in any given year there is a good chance the Montreal Canadiens are the Stanley Cup champions.

Yes, they did it again, their second of the decade with many more yet to come.

Montreal outgunned their opposition this time around. They set a record with 33 goals in the finals, thanks largely to a wild 8-7 game in game 5 of the 6 game series.

The Roadrunner, Yvan Cournoyer, led the way in the finals, scoring 6 goals and 12 points in 6 games, tying Gordie Howe's finals record and securing him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. Jacques Lemaire also comes in with 12 points, including 9 assists. The Mahovlich brothers also figure in prominently. Frank had 5 goals, 11 points, while Pete had 3 goals and 8 points.

The Habs high scoring opposition came courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks. Remember, 1973 is the first year of the World Hockey Association, and Chicago's greatest scorer, Bobby Hull, had jumped leagues to Winnipeg. His brother, Dennis Hull, steps it up and leads the Hawks with 24 points that spring. Stan Mikita and Whitey Stapleton also have strong playoffs.