The 1959–60

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

season was the club's 51st

season A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...

of play. The team had another outstanding season, placing first in the league and winning the Stanley Cup for the fifth consecutive season, and the 12th time in team history.

Regular season

On November 1, 1959, at 3:06 of the first period, Jacques Plante was hit in the face by a shot fired by Andy Bathgate. Plante came back in the game wearing a mask (the second goaltender in NHL history to wear a mask after Clint Benedict) starting a trend where all NHL goaltenders today wear a mask.

Jacques Plante

The use of the goalie mask was Plante's most enduring contribution to the game, however, occurred as a result of an incident on November 1, 1959. He was hit in the face by a shot from

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

player Andy Bathgate, needing to go to the dressing room for stitches. When he returned, he was wearing the crude home-made goalie mask that he had been using in practices. His coach,

Toe Blake Joseph Hector "Toe" Blake (August 21, 1912 – May 17, 1995) was a Canadian ice hockey Player (game), player and Coach (ice hockey), coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). Blake played in the NHL from 1935 to 1948 with the Montreal Maroons a ...

, was livid, but he had no other goalie to call upon, and Plante refused to return to the goal unless he kept the mask. Blake agreed on the condition that Plante discard the mask when the cut healed. Only Camille Henry beat him in that game, which the Canadiens won 3–1. In the ensuing days Plante refused to discard the mask, and as the Canadiens continued to win, Blake became less obstinate. The unbeaten streak stretched to 18 games. Plante did not wear the mask, at Blake's request, against Detroit on March 8, 1960. The Canadiens lost 3–0, and the mask returned for good the next night. Plante subsequently designed his own mask and masks for other goalies. Although Plante was not the first NHL goalie known to wear a facemask (

Montreal Maroons The Montreal Maroons (officially the Montreal Professional Hockey Club) were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They played in the NHL from 1924–25 NHL season, 1924 to 1937–38 NHL season, 1938, winning the Sta ...

goaltender Clint Benedict had done so thirty years before), Plante introduced the mask as everyday equipment, which continues to this day.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

, - , 1, , W, , October 8, 1959, , 4–1 , , align="left",

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

( 1959–60) , , 1–0–0 , - , 2, , T, , October 10, 1959, , 1–1 , , align="left",

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

( 1959–60) , , 1–0–1 , - , 3, , L, , October 11, 1959, , 4–8 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 1–1–1 , - , 4, , W, , October 15, 1959, , 4–2 , , align="left",

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

( 1959–60) , , 2–1–1 , - , 5, , L, , October 17, 1959, , 2–4 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 2–2–1 , - , 6, , W, , October 18, 1959, , 6–5 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 3–2–1 , - , 7, , W, , October 22, 1959, , 4–1 , , align="left",

Chicago Black Hawks Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

( 1959–60) , , 4–2–1 , - , 8, , W, , October 24, 1959, , 5–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 5–2–1 , - , 9, , W, , October 25, 1959, , 2–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 6–2–1 , - , 10, , W, , October 27, 1959, , 2–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 7–2–1 , - , 11, , T, , October 28, 1959, , 1–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 7–2–2 , - , 12, , T, , October 31, 1959, , 2–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 7–2–3 , - , - , 13, , W, , November 1, 1959, , 3–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 8–2–3 , - , 14, , W, , November 5, 1959, , 8–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 9–2–3 , - , 15, , T, , November 7, 1959, , 2–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 9–2–4 , - , 16, , W, , November 12, 1959, , 3–0 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 10–2–4 , - , 17, , W, , November 14, 1959, , 8–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 11–2–4 , - , 18, , W, , November 15, 1959, , 4–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 12–2–4 , - , 19, , W, , November 21, 1959, , 4–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 13–2–4 , - , 20, , W, , November 22, 1959, , 3–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 14–2–4 , - , 21, , W, , November 26, 1959, , 4–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 15–2–4 , - , 22, , W, , November 28, 1959, , 1–0 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 16–2–4 , - , 23, , W, , November 29, 1959, , 4–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 17–2–4 , - , - , 24, , L, , December 2, 1959, , 0–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 17–3–4 , - , 25, , L, , December 3, 1959, , 4–7 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 17–4–4 , - , 26, , T, , December 5, 1959, , 2–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 17–4–5 , - , 27, , T, , December 6, 1959, , 4–4 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 17–4–6 , - , 28, , L, , December 12, 1959, , 2–3 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 17–5–6 , - , 29, , T, , December 13, 1959, , 4–4 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 17–5–7 , - , 30, , W, , December 17, 1959, , 8–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 18–5–7 , - , 31, , W, , December 19, 1959, , 5–3 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 19–5–7 , - , 32, , L, , December 20, 1959, , 5–6 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 19–6–7 , - , 33, , W, , December 26, 1959, , 9–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 20–6–7 , - , 34, , W, , December 27, 1959, , 3–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 21–6–7 , - , 35, , W, , December 30, 1959, , 3–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 22–6–7 , - , - , 36, , W, , January 2, 1960, , 6–5 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 23–6–7 , - , 37, , L, , January 3, 1960, , 3–8 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 23–7–7 , - , 38, , W, , January 9, 1960, , 2–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 24–7–7 , - , 39, , L, , January 10, 1960, , 0–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 24–8–7 , - , 40, , W, , January 14, 1960, , 3–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 25–8–7 , - , 41, , W, , January 16, 1960, , 8–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 26–8–7 , - , 42, , W, , January 17, 1960, , 3–1 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 27–8–7 , - , 43, , W, , January 21, 1960, , 11–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 28–8–7 , - , 44, , W, , January 23, 1960, , 4–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 29–8–7 , - , 45, , W, , January 24, 1960, , 3–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 30–8–7 , - , 46, , T, , January 27, 1960, , 2–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 30–8–8 , - , 47, , W, , January 28, 1960, , 4–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 31–8–8 , - , 48, , T, , January 30, 1960, , 2–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 31–8–9 , - , 49, , L, , January 31, 1960, , 5–6 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 31–9–9 , - , - , 50, , W, , February 4, 1960, , 4–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 32–9–9 , - , 51, , W, , February 6, 1960, , 5–3 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 33–9–9 , - , 52, , L, , February 7, 1960, , 1–4 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 33–10–9 , - , 53, , W, , February 10, 1960, , 4–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 34–10–9 , - , 54, , L, , February 13, 1960, , 6–7 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 34–11–9 , - , 55, , L, , February 14, 1960, , 0–2 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 34–12–9 , - , 56, , T, , February 18, 1960, , 3–3 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 34–12–10 , - , 57, , T, , February 20, 1960, , 3–3 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 34–12–11 , - , 58, , W, , February 21, 1960, , 6–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 35–12–11 , - , 59, , L, , February 24, 1960, , 1–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 35–13–11 , - , 60, , W, , February 27, 1960, , 3–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 36–13–11 , - , - , 61, , W, , March 3, 1960, , 5–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 37–13–11 , - , 62, , T, , March 5, 1960, , 2–2 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 37–13–12 , - , 63, , L, , March 6, 1960, , 2–4 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 37–14–12 , - , 64, , L, , March 8, 1960, , 0–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 37–15–12 , - , 65, , W, , March 9, 1960, , 9–4 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 38–15–12 , - , 66, , W, , March 12, 1960, , 5–0 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 39–15–12 , - , 67, , L, , March 13, 1960, , 2–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 39–16–12 , - , 68, , L, , March 17, 1960, , 2–6 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 39–17–12 , - , 69, , W, , March 19, 1960, , 5–1 , , align="left",

( 1959–60) , , 40–17–12 , - , 70, , L, , March 20, 1960, , 1–3 , , align="left", @

( 1959–60) , , 40–18–12 , - , - , ''Legend'':

Playoffs

The Canadiens placed first in the standings and met the

in the first round of the playoffs. The Canadiens swept the Hawks 4–0 to move on to the finals against Toronto.

Stanley Cup finals

Montreal swept the Maple Leafs, outscoring them 15–5, en route to being the first team since the 1952 Detroit Red Wings to go without a loss in the playoffs. After the series Rocket Richard retired. He went out with style, finishing with his 34th finals goal in game three. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens Montreal won the best-of-seven series 4 games to 0.

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Goaltending

Playoffs

Scoring

Goaltending

Awards and records

Transactions

Citations

References

Canadiens on Hockey Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:1959-60 Montreal Canadiens Season Stanley Cup championship seasons Montreal Canadiens seasons Mon Mon 1960 Stanley Cup 1950s in Montreal 1959 in Quebec 1960 in Quebec 1960s in Montreal

Regular season

Jacques Plante

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Playoffs

Stanley Cup finals

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Goaltending

Playoffs

Scoring

Goaltending

Awards and records

Transactions

See also

Citations

References