1951 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1951 Stanley Cup Finals was contested by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs won the series 4–1, with all five games going into overtime. It was the Toronto franchise's ninth Stanley Cup win and the last in a series of six wins starting in 1942. It was the first appearance in a string of ten consecutive appearances by the Canadiens.

1951 Stanley Cup Finals
12345Total
Toronto Maple Leafs3*2*2*3*3*4
Montreal Canadiens2*3*1*2*2*1
* – Denotes overtime period(s)
Location(s)Toronto: Maple Leaf Gardens (1, 2, 5)
Montreal: Montreal Forum (3, 4)
CoachesToronto: Joe Primeau
Montreal: Dick Irvin
CaptainsToronto: Ted Kennedy
Montreal: Emile Bouchard
DatesApril 11–21, 1951
Series-winning goalBill Barilko (2:53, OT)
Hall of FamersMaple Leafs:
Max Bentley (1966)
Turk Broda (1967)
Fernie Flaman (1990)
Ted Kennedy (1966)
Harry Watson (1994)
Canadiens:
Emile Bouchard (1966)
Bernie Geoffrion (1972)
Doug Harvey (1973)
Tom Johnson (1970)
Elmer Lach (1966)
Bert Olmstead (1985)
Maurice Richard (1961)
Coaches:
Dick Irvin (1958, player)
Joe Primeau (1963, player)
← 1950Stanley Cup Finals1952 →

Paths to the Finals

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Toronto defeated the Boston Bruins 4–1 to reach the Finals. Montreal defeated the defending champion Detroit Red Wings 4–2 to reach the Finals.

Game summaries

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Every game went into overtime in this series. Bill Barilko scored the Cup-winning overtime goal, his last goal in the NHL as he would die in a plane crash during the summer.[1]


April 11Montreal Canadiens2–3OTToronto Maple LeafsMaple Leaf GardensRecap 
Maurice Richard (5) - 15:27First period00:15 - Sid Smith (3)
15:42 - Tod Sloan (2)
Paul Masnick (1) - 4:02Second periodNo scoring
No scoringThird periodNo scoring
No scoringFirst overtime period5:51 - Sid Smith (4)
Gerry McNeilGoalie statsTurk Broda
April 14Montreal Canadiens3–2OTToronto Maple LeafsMaple Leaf GardensRecap 
Paul Masnick (2) - 3:44First periodNo scoring
Billy Reay (3) - 9:24Second period16:31 - pp - Sid Smith (5)
No scoringThird period8:16 - pp - Ted Kennedy (3)
Maurice Richard (6) - 2:55First overtime periodNo scoring
Gerry McNeilGoalie statsTurk Broda
April 17Toronto Maple Leafs2–1OTMontreal CanadiensMontreal ForumRecap 
No scoringFirst period2:18 - pp - Maurice Richard (7)
Sid Smith (6) - pp - 5:58Second periodNo scoring
No scoringThird periodNo scoring
Ted Kennedy (4) - 4:47First overtime periodNo scoring
Turk BrodaGoalie statsGerry McNeil
April 19Toronto Maple Leafs3–2OTMontreal CanadiensMontreal ForumRecap 
Sid Smith (7) - 00:38First period14:41 - Maurice Richard (8)
Howie Meeker (1) - 1:27Second periodNo scoring
No scoringThird period13:49 - Elmer Lach (2)
Harry Watson (1) - 5:15First overtime periodNo scoring
Turk BrodaGoalie statsGerry McNeil
April 21Montreal Canadiens2–3OTToronto Maple LeafsMaple Leaf GardensRecap 
No scoringFirst periodNo scoring
Maurice Richard (9) - 8:56Second period12:00 - Tod Sloan (3)
Paul Meger (1) - 4:47Third period19:28 - Tod Sloan (4)
No scoringFirst overtime period2:53 - Bill Barilko (3)
Gerry McNeilGoalie statsTurk Broda
Toronto won series 4–1


Stanley Cup engraving

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The 1951 Stanley Cup was presented to Maple Leafs captain Ted Kennedy by NHL President Clarence Campbell following the Maple Leafs 3–2 overtime win over the Canadiens in game five.

The following Maple Leafs players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup

1950–51 Toronto Maple Leafs

Players

Coaching and administrative staff

  • Conn Smythe (President/Manager/Owner), Clarence Hap Day (Asst. Manager)
  • George McGillach (Vice President), John Murdoch (Vice President)
  • Ed Bickle (Director/Owner), Jack Bickell (Director/Owner)
  • Tim Daly (Trainer), Ed Fitkin (Publicity Director)
  • Archie Campbell (Asst. Trainer), Tom Nayler (Asst. Trainer), George Walker (Chief Scout)
  • Joe Primeau (Coach), William MacBrien (Chairman/Owner)
  • Norman Delarue†, Robert Galloway†, Horance MacIntyre† (Team Doctors)

Stanley Cup engraving

  • † Included on the original ring in 1951. There was no room left for the 3 team doctors the way that the Toronto Maple Leafs 1951 members were engraved on the new ring during the 1957–58 season.
  • A played only 13 games, but name is on the cup. B played only 12 games, but name is on the cup. Both Hugh Bolton, Bob Hassard did not play in the playoff, or and did not qualify to be on the cup.
  • Joe Primeau was the 7th NHL rookie coach to win the Stanley Cup.
  • ** John McCormack played 46 regular season games, he was sent to the minors to play in the playoffs. McCormack was still included on the Stanley Cup.

Engraving mistakes

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Several mistakes happened in the engraving of the names:

  • Gus Mortson's last name was misspelled WORTSON with a "W" instead a "M".
  • Danny Lewicki's last name was misspelled LEWESKI, with a "S" instead of a "C".
  • Ted Kennedy's name was misspelled KENNEDYY with an extra "Y". His position as Captain was also left off the Stanley Cup.
  • William A. H. MacBrien's last name was misspelled as McBrien, missing an "A"
  • Elwin "Al" Rollins' first name was misspelled ELVIN with a "V" instead of a "W". The Rollins mistake was not corrected on the Replica Cup created in 1992–93. The other 4 mistakes were corrected on the Replica Cup.

Members of Toronto Maple Leafs that won 4 cups in 5 years 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951 dynasty

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Bill Barilko, Turk Broda, Ted Kennedy†, Joe Klukay, Howie Meeker, Gus Mortson, Jimmy Thomson, Harry Watson (8 players),

Ed Bickle†, John Bickell†, Conn Smythe†, John Mordoch†, William MacBrien†, Hap Day†, Tim Daly†, George Walker, Ed Finkin, Horance McIntre (10 non-players).

† also won the Stanley Cup in 1945.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Campigotto, Jesse (July 16, 2020). "The hockey card Gord Downie stole from". CBC Sports. CBC. Retrieved May 28, 2021.

References

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Preceded by Toronto Maple Leafs
Stanley Cup champions

1951
Succeeded by