There were signs the Habs hold on dominance was slipping even in '79 when they needed a few major breaks to put away Boston then went down 1-0 to the Rangers, won game 2 coming back from down 2-0, won game 3 and then game 4 in OT. Not to mention they weren't even 1st overall that year. In 79-80 they replaced Bowman with Bernie Geoffrion and he just didn't work out so they replaced him with Claude Ruel then got hot over the final stretch. But even as they easily swept the Whalers in the
@journeythruthepast Preliminary round, it was injuries that began to pile up. When they turned a 2-0 series deficit against the North Stars into a game 7 showdown at the Forum, most felt they'd do fine but Gilles Meloche was on fire- an early example of a visiting French Canadian goalie wreaking havoc on the Habs (to be replicated much often in later years). Back then you just didn't win 3 visits to the Forum in a playoff series let alone in a decade! Near impossible, or so it was thought.
Herron and Laroque were good, but the Habs must have missed the recently-retired Dryden this playoff year.
I was from Boston. Meloche was my favorite opposing goalie. The Bruins would play the Seals and drop 40-50 shots on his head. He was used to it, and generally played great. Nice post, both for being long-form, and for showing how goalies once had to know more than just how to dress like Michelin Men and butterfly on every shot. (I guess it works, but it sure is boring.)
There were signs the Habs hold on dominance was slipping even in '79 when they needed a few major breaks to put away Boston then went down 1-0 to the Rangers, won game 2 coming back from down 2-0, won game 3 and then game 4 in OT. Not to mention they weren't even 1st overall that year. In 79-80 they replaced Bowman with Bernie Geoffrion and he just didn't work out so they replaced him with Claude Ruel then got hot over the final stretch. But even as they easily swept the Whalers in the
journeythruthepast 3 weeks ago
@journeythruthepast Preliminary round, it was injuries that began to pile up. When they turned a 2-0 series deficit against the North Stars into a game 7 showdown at the Forum, most felt they'd do fine but Gilles Meloche was on fire- an early example of a visiting French Canadian goalie wreaking havoc on the Habs (to be replicated much often in later years). Back then you just didn't win 3 visits to the Forum in a playoff series let alone in a decade! Near impossible, or so it was thought.
journeythruthepast 3 weeks ago
Herron and Laroque were good, but the Habs must have missed the recently-retired Dryden this playoff year.
I was from Boston. Meloche was my favorite opposing goalie. The Bruins would play the Seals and drop 40-50 shots on his head. He was used to it, and generally played great. Nice post, both for being long-form, and for showing how goalies once had to know more than just how to dress like Michelin Men and butterfly on every shot. (I guess it works, but it sure is boring.)
diddlytube 1 month ago