DETROIT, Mich. – Game seven. In professional sports, those two words bring with them the ultimate pressure to win, the highest of exultation with success and the lowest of depression with failure.
This year’s Stanley Cup Finals are through six games and still nothing has been decided. Tuesday’s victory by the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Detroit Red Wings evened the series at three games apiece, making a winner-skates-the-Cup contest at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Friday night necessary. It also kept alive the opportunity to achieve something that many would consider a statistical anomaly.
When coaches tell the media that they played the regular season to earn home ice for the ultimate game in the post-season, they aren’t kidding. Since the NHL went to the best-of-seven finals format in 1939, there have been 14 previous Game 7s in league history. In those contests, only two visiting teams have skated with the Stanley Cup held high above their heads following the final horn – Montreal in 1971 and Toronto in 1945.
Upon further inspection of the individual series, an even more uncommon stat shows up. Prior to this season, only three of the series that went full term featured zero wins by visiting teams. That’s right, the home team won every game of the series, including the Cup clincher.
The first time it happened was in 1955 and it involved the Montreal Canadiens and coincidentally enough the Detroit Red Wings. Montreal was playing at something of a disadvantage as star forward Rocket Richard had been suspended by commissioner Clarence Campbell for attacking a linesman during a game in March. The decision spawned riots in Montreal and also kept Richard from winning the scoring title.
Detroit held the home ice advantage and used every bit of it. They won Game 1 at the Olympia by a score of 4-2 and followed that with a 7-1 victory in Game 2 as “Terrible” Ted Lindsay scored four goals. The proud Canadiens got revenge, winning Game 3 by a score of 4-2 and followed two nights later with a 5-3 victory in Game 4 to even the series.
Game 5 back in Detroit belonged to the Red Wings as “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe registered a hat trick to spark a 5-1 win. Unfazed by the loss, Montreal stormed back with a solid 6-3 win back at the Forum, forcing a trip back to the U.S. for Game 7. In that final game, Alex Delvecchio opened the scoring in the second period before Howe notched his fifth of the series in the final minute of the stanza. Detroit went on to win the game 3-1 and paraded around the Olympia ice with the Cup.
Ten years later, home ice meant everything in the finals as Montreal faced off with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Forum was rocking in Game 1 as Yvan Cournoyer scored the key goal in the final period as the Canadiens escaped with a 3-2 victory. Game 2 was a bit easier for the ‘Habs as goalie Lorne “Gump” Worsley pitched a 2-0 shutout. When the teams headed back to the Windy City, the ‘Hawks took control, silencing the high-powered Montreal offense for a 3-1 victory in Game 3 and a 5-1 win in Game 4.
Game 5 was a mismatch from the get go as the loud and proud Canadiens’ fans watched their team put a 6-0 beating on the ‘Hawks. All Montreal had to do was roll the momentum over to Game 6 in Chicago and the Cup was theirs. With their backs against the wall, the Blackhawks played about as perfect a game on defense as any team could. Chicago would get third period goals from Moose Vasko and Doug Mohns to edge the Canadiens 2-1, sending the squads across the border one more time.
Before Game 7 began, Chicago star Bobby Hull noted that the game could very well hinge on the first few minutes of the game. Sure enough, Montreal legend Jean Beliveau scored 14 seconds into the contest to set the tone and Worsley registered his second whitewashing of the series as the Canadiens prevailed 4-0. It was Montreal’s 13th Stanley Cup and Beliveau was the first recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the playoffs.
The only other finals series that saw the home team win every game came in 2003. The match-up pitted the New Jersey Devils against the Anaheim Ducks. The first two games were at the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey and they both belonged to Devils’ goalie Martin Brodeur. He shut out the Ducks by the identical score of 3-0 in each game, stopping 16 shots in both contests. When the series shifted to California, Anaheim got back much of the mojo that had carried it through the Western Conference. Ruslan Salei’s goal at 6:59 of overtime in Game 3 closed the gap before Jean-Sebastien Giguere blanked the Devils in Game 4 as Steve Thomas solved Brodeur 39 ticks into extra time.
In Game 5 back east at the Meadowlands, New Jersey scored three unanswered goals to break a 3-3 tie to win by a count of 6-3 to move within one victory of the Cup heading west to the Arrowhead Pond. Anaheim had other ideas as Steve Rucchin score twice to lead the Ducks to a 5-2 win and forcing a deciding Game 7. Once again, Brodeur was on his game, stopping all 24 shots he faced to back up Jeff Friesen’s two goals as the Devils captured the Cup with a 3-0 victory.
How this Friday’s Game 7 will go is anyone’s guess. Detroit is a formidable foe when skating on its home ice in the Motor City. The ‘Wings have already won a Game 7 at home this year, taking down the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. Pittsburgh has itself already faced a winner-take-all game on the road this playoff season. The Penguins dispatched the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center to get to the Eastern Conference finals. Lest everyone think all of the history points to a Detroit win, that Montreal win in Game 7 of the 1971 Finals came in a series where the home team had won every game – until the last one.
Which ever way this Game 7 goes, it should be one for the history books so grab some snacks, sit back and enjoy.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
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