Sports Illustrated - Boston vs. Montreal 1979, Too Many Men | Sports Illustrated

In an epic series between hockey rivals Montreal and Boston, a late penalty call in Game 7 lead to the biggest momentum shift in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
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Sports Illustrated - Boston vs. Montreal 1979, Too Many Men
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Sports Illustrated - Boston vs. Montreal 1979, Too Many Men | Sports Illustrated
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[@September2004]

6:35 The way the goalie fell down in such a dramatic fashion gets me every time.

[@jftube3333]

Being a Bruins fan, Listening to this game on AM radio as a kid, I was totally devastated. As an older adult now, watching this clip & the memories of that series, Totally devastated! Loved 70's hockey. That Montreal team was a true dynasty..

[@richardwright8189]

Yes I was listening to Bob Wilson who had a hard time saying “ score”’when they won. Then bruins were a part of my growing up in Boston. I really wish I could be transported back to 70s New England

[@gregthomas5245]

I was 7 years old watching this game with my family. When Middleton scored late in the third period, I bet my mom a quarter that the Canadiens would win. I had faith in the Canadiens, like millions across Canada.

[@nitemare507]

One thing that pisses me off more than anything about this series is this. Gilles Gilbert came into game 3 & played his guts out! He got 1st star of the game in 3 if the 4 games he played. He never gets the credit he deserves!

[@heliumtrophy]

His face in that picture of the winning goal - utter heartbreak in realising it was all for nothing.

[@barrykennedy946]

Well I remember that series like it was yesterday I was 11 years at the time

[@mrdave4714]

The greatest rivalry in all of sports...period.

[@flemingcourt]

One of the greats but there are plenty more rivalries and I dare say Celtic-Rangers or Barca-Real would eclipse anything that hockey has.

[@humankirk9196]

​@@flemingcourt Habs and Bruins have played eachother 1100 times, including 34 playoff series, over the last 100 years, making it almost 2x as many games than El Classico and the Old Firm *combined*. There isn't any of the hooliganism, it's all on the ice. Contrary to El Classico and the Old Firm, the Habs Bruins rivalry doesn't have a political dimension; it does however represent two very different ways of life and ways of seeing the world. And contrary to El Classico and the Old Firm, playoff hockey is the best rivalry format there is, and Habs-Bruins playoff series are always some of the best hockey you'll ever see, regardless of fan drama. It's two weeks of drama in both cities. You don't know what you're talking about.

[@nahpoli]

A Bruins fan my whole life and went through all those painful loses, the one thing I can say is I hated the Habs for breaking our hearts BUT especially in those great days from the late 60's to late 70's That was an organization filled with unbelievable talent and class, from Beliveau to Dryden, so happy I witnessed TRUE greatness.....

[@34Packardphaeton]

+nahpoli I must salute you, nahpoli, for your dignity and class.. in writing what you did right here. I was a Habs fan then.... and surely the Bruins had some dreadfully-painful close losses in the late 1970s.My previous favorite team, Chicago, also had at least one very painful loss: the first NHL finalist to lose a 7th game at home, vs. Habs, 5/18/1971.... and Chicago had a two-goal lead! My Dad & I were broken-hearted at end.In a close series is where superior coaching and superior upper management (who assemble the players over time) that can be the difference.. on occasion.

[@vermeer5]

I was a massive Montreal fan in the 1970s, and I will always remember this game. I would also like to say I always had tremendous respect for those Bruins teams of the '70s, and their fans, and also, thank you for your very classy remark.

[@nahpoli]

Greatness must always be recognized and appreciated and that is the truth. the Habs have bees the CLASS of the NHL for ever AND THATS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, I mean with the greats that played/coached there, what else can there be said!! Good luck this year but I do have to leave with....GO BRUINS!!

[@h2ofield]

Good to see thoughtful & smart hockey fans out there!

[@5inthehole]

34Packardphaeton -Your preaching to The Bruins choir! They were such great and talented teams, not forgetting maybe the greatest goaltender of all time-GOD I HATED THAT OCYTOPUSS He was that good.

[@brianjones7660]

you have to love these retrospectives where the principals sit down and admit how good the other teams were no matter the rivalry. Plus the inside info that comes out. Honest respect between old foes and its not phony. Refreshing to see the admiration for the opponents. Like the NBA guys talking Bird , Magic, Dr J, Wilt the GOAT, etc. Worth the time spent watching...

[@simonmarshall19]

This is one of the greatest hockey rivals I. NHL History

[@richardjoubert7452]

The 70s were a great time for hockey,you could feel the excitement and the great rivalrys,thats all gone now,to many new teams,and so many new players you dont know who is who,and the very next sesson,they are gone,

[@tchevrier]

marcotte may have been shadowing Lafleur all game, but I want to point out that Lafleur was in on all 4 regulation time goals.

[@Chrisman77]

Anyone else against him... He gets 6 points. That's how good he was

[@brettfavreify]

Remember my dad almost jumping out of his chair when Lafleur scored. Hated the Bruins then, but what a great team they were.

[@dantheman5745]

Wow, has it really been 40 years now??? I remember this like it was yesterday. We'd gotten in late and I rushed in to turn the TV on, and as the screen glowed, they were showing the score....Boston 3 Montreal 1, start of the 3rd period. I was crushed. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. I watched for a while and was so disappointed, I was just going to go to bed. But my mom talked me into staying up and watching. Montreal's rally to tie it was utterly furious. Then when Rick Middleton scored to make it 4-3, I was stunned. Seemed like it was all for naught. Then the penalty. When LaFleur scored, I was jumping around and yelling, losing my mind. At that point, I KNEW the Habs would win it. I was actually pretty calm in OT, waiting for the inevitable. I can only imagine what Bruins fans went through. Add to that, the Patriots getting robbed vs Oakland in the '76 playoffs and the Red Sox' plight, and it must've been a horrible time in Bean Town.

[@billny33]

I think Boston had one thing to turn to, in 74 and 76 the Celtics won 2 championships, including winning the famous 3OT Greatest Game Ever Played in game 5 of the 76 NBA Finals over the Suns. And the Bruins had led off the decade with 2 titles in 3 years. So they actually did get 4 championships that decade. Then the Patriots getting screwed on that call with the Raiders playoff game. The Celtics fell off somewhat, the Red Sox, while Carlton Fisk's game 6 HR was a memorable bright spot, they did lose the 75 World Series at home in 7 games, then had just had Bucky Dent happen to them (the culmination of blowing a 15 game lead to the Yankees) a year earlier, and then this happened. So yeah, I think a lot of crazy stuff for Boston, but not all of it bad.

[@34Packardphaeton]

The referee did not put the goal into the Boston net, late in this game. LaFleur did.

[@ethel1690cardew]

Bob Myers had a habit of making sure Montreal got the calls when they were needed and putting his whistle away when Montreal needed it. Tiger Williams and Larry Robinson the list is long as my arm where Bob Myers injected himself into a game

[@michellauzon4640]

@@ethel1690cardew Yes sure. Myers put himself the sixth player one ice.

[@michellauzon4640]

@Matt Pizzano This linesman must be D'Amico. Marcotte says at 4:39 that he was telling him "Get off, Get off". This was unacceptable, D'Amico shouldn't try to help one team.

[@flyawayhorses]

@@ethel1690cardew Boston had too many men on for about 20 seconds before the call; it was a good call, and inevitable. Fans of teams that lost to the Habs in those days like to make excuses, but the simple truth is that the Habs didn't need help to win.

[@Salvatore1268]

The refs had no choice

[@canuck_gamer3359]

I get that people talk about referees not wanting to be the deciding factor in a hockey game and for the most part that is absolutely true. But in hockey, perhaps the only call that you can't NOT make is too many men on the ice. I mean yeah, there are others like a high stick that cuts a guy or whatever. But too many men is a call that HAS to be made. I don't fault anyone but least of all the referee! It was a great game, great series and I only wish hockey was this good now!

[@pocobull]

Apparently Myers practically pleaded with D’Amico to not make the call. He asked him a couple of times “Are you absolutely sure?”

[@BudSchnelker]

In this case, especially. It wasn't like a bad change on the Bruins part, they actually had 6 skaters on the ice competing for the puck. No way to avoid making that call.

[@churnburn7423]

It happened. Ref couldnt let it go on. The fans were up, saw it...pointing. you have too many men during a change for 2 seconds...ok let it go. But this has to be called as they were all in on the play. And it was.

[@birderjohn3396]

0:57 "It's about two different lifestyles.'' Yeah, winning and losing.

[@erickoeman1]

That has to be one of the greatest goals ever. Dramatic and amazing at the same time. What a shot!

[@youngercga1968]

I was 11 years old at the time and remember the game vividly!

[@bobby-jackbrewer7395]

I was 16 at the time and remember thinking it was too good to be true when Middleton scored to make it 4-3 late in the 3rd period. At that age it was a like a death in the family when your favourite teams lost like that. I was a Dolphins fan in the 70s too and took it just as hard when they lost the sea of hands game

[@Lava1964]

I have written a book about the Boston Bruins 1978-79 season and, of course, the semifinal series. Its title is Too Many Men on the Ice: The 1978-79 Boston Bruins and the Most Famous Penalty in Hockey History. It can be purchased through Amazon or from the publisher McFarland. If you like this clip, you''ll enjoy my book.

[@00bikeboy]

Best series I've ever seen.

[@leroy5376]

That was hockey!!

[@robertsmith9186]

Don marcotte was a terrific reliable player that was great defensivly,very reliable not a single weakness and still managed to score 20 goals numerous times I think .honestly he deserves his # retired and maybe even hall of fame.

[@DonQwantsyou]

doesn't have the numbers to be in hall of fame but was one of the best defensive forwards of his day.

[@coletime3603]

As a Bruins fan this was the lowest point for me post Bobby Orr. The Habs of this era were just outstanding in every aspect of hockey. As Don Cherry put it years later, it was not the too many men that killed the Bruins, it was too much Lafleur, Gainey, Savard, Robinson, LaPointe, Shutt and Lemaire. He said it was a miracle they even got to 7 games against this squad and years later I had to agree. They could skate, pass, be physical when needed and always had someone step up at the right time. To this day I still have nightmares of Jaques Lemaire---I swear 90% of his playoff goals were against the Bruins. Great to see these two teams when I did.

[@34Packardphaeton]

Lemaire scored a goal from center ice in Chicago, on 5/18/71, the 7th game of the finals.. when Chicago was up, 3 - 2. Henri Richard scored the tying and winning goals for the Habs to win, on the road, 3 - 2.

[@Darkside-to6bs]

grew up in the 70's idolized Lafleur and the Canadians, very sad to watch such a great organization fall to mediocrity

[@dashcan8479]

So True. A Shadow of themselves.

[@maxvincecarter15]

We're fucking back

[@daveyboy_]

@MisterRicky007 Its ALL about cash . Sure they put on a good show with all the pomp of a circus. And so u feel like you're part of something bigger so like a sucker who doesn't know any better you'll give David Molson $12 for a beer and $4 for a hot dog cause maybe - just maybe the home team just might win a game anx you'll get to put your arms around your brethren and sing OLE OLE OLE . And isnt that a great change from your humdrum life ?

[@glennhankins6927]

@@maxvincecarter15 32nd place in the NHL this year out of 32 teams.....Go Habs Go.....worse than the Kraken !

[@thomastuohy5637]

You think they're mediocre?

[@MrRp25]

Still get goosebumps🇨🇦

[@matthewcarey3148]

Old time hockey. Great stuff.

[@luigicampi]

I vividly remember listening to that game! Great video! Thanks SI!

[@jorgejohnson451]

Gilbert reacted as if he’d been shot. The Habs also crushed the Black Hawks in ‘71 with an even greater blast from about the center ice line by Jacques Lemaire. Tony Esposito was nearsighted and apparently didn’t pick up the puck.

[@34Packardphaeton]

.. some claim that Tony lost sight of the puck.. with the spectators dressed in clothing for fairly-warm weather: it was mid-May.

[@jorgejohnson451]

34Packardphaeton I’ve never heard that excuse and it sounds improbable given the trajectory of the puck.

[@34Packardphaeton]

@@jorgejohnson451 ... He picked the worst time to miss a super-long shot.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

I didn't know the Habs had won two times the Cup on Boston ice before. And then this happened. They must have hated the Habs like crazy.

[@ZZSmithReal]

I felt so bad for the Bruins. LOLOLOLOLOL Nobody ever accused Stan Jonathan of being a genius.

[@thegamersgalaxy2855]

The 1979 Cup is the one the Islanders blew! They were easily the best team in the league that year, (points wise 1st) and choked to the Rangers. The Islanders would have beaten Montreal in 1979, and most likely won their first of FIVE straight SC Championships. That's what I remember most about the 1979 NHL Playoffs.

[@Asmodeus1967]

When Grapes is gone, his tombstone will read: "YOU PEOPLE HAD TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE!"

[@DethOfDrgnz]

This is my favourite Montreal Canadiens game. Boston was playing better and on effort deserved the win, but sloppiness cost them, hockey is a fast paced game and momentum can change fast and the Bruins got beat, and it was epic for and MOntreal fan. Now with the salary cap in the nhl and better drafting teams are much more closely matched, Habs and Bruins are now much more even and not lopsided like in the 70s and earlier.

[@34Packardphaeton]

Sports Illustrated has always been Bruin fans... including ALL OTHER NHL teams.

[@nibsvkh]

As much as the Gold medal games of both the women and men's teams were thrilling and memorable this game 7 is #1 in my lifetime of watching sports.

[@34Packardphaeton]

.. My favorite is from April 8, 1971.... in which the Bruins had a 5 - 1 lead, late in the 2nd period... only to surrender six straight goals.. to lose, 7 - 5.

[@44heggster]

Steve Shutt said it best! RESPECT!

[@riobabic8960]

Shutt and Bossy were the best pure snipers ever !

[@quentin3330]

This would be the end of the Habs dynasty. Dryden retired, Yvan Cournoyer retired, Scotty Bowman left for Buffalo. ..Islanders would be the next dynasty.

[@michellauzon4640]

You forgot Lemaire.

[@34Packardphaeton]

Montreal's ownership and upper management made the extremely bad move in picking Irving Grundman as the GM to replace the brilliant Sam Pollock.... and THAT was the initial cause of the dynasty end. Scotty Bowman wanted the Habs GM job, and should have been given it . . . .

[@gooddognigel9992]

The only problem with this video: too many minor players speaking. Let the central figure speak - Danny Gallivan!

[@robmacmillan7655]

I watch this game and even today when I do I still think the bruins are going to pull it off. As a kid this game shattered my heart

[@robertharkins5737]

The penalty on Jean Ratelle after he got punched in the face was the penalty that always bothered me more.

[@DonQwantsyou]

the ratman was pure class

[@dantheman5745]

As much as I "hated" the Bruins, like Steve Shutt, I felt bad for them after this. Especially good guys like Marcotte. Sports can be so brutal. I know there isn't much solace to be taken when you're on the wrong end of the score, but this was one of the all-time great games ever played.

[@atesta734]

Still to this day i am sick of what happened,i was a 7th grader that was a diehard bruin fan..that went through all those losing finals in the 70s 74,77,78...

[@Panegyric123]

I got to hand it to Don Cherry. Lesser men would have been crushed by that call and have lived out their lives in obscurity. He made it the launching pad for his second career.

[@churnburn7423]

true. and he's still around just as sharp and fiery as ever doing a great entertaining podcast. He has great stories and had never lost his passion for life, hockey, and is a proud Canadian patriot.

[@danielshays7161]

Bowman’s Habs were like the classic NY Yankees. If you let them off the hook they always finished you.

[@jamesd2128]

After all the series against the Habs, my Bruins were finally going to beat those brilliant f..kers, and beat them at the goddamn Forum no less..... and then, ugh!!! I never got over this loss, never could root for the Bruins with quite the same vigour . Makes me sick to my stomach 41 years later.

[@34Packardphaeton]

.. FWIW... Bruins fans thought they they would finally beat Montreal in 1971, too. Can you imagine being defending Cup champs, finishing 24 points ahead of Montreal in the regular season, Bruins winning the first playoff game at home, 3 - 1, having a four-goal lead in the second game the very next evening, late into the second period...... and giving up six (6) straight goals in the last 26 minutes... to lose, 7 - 5 ? ? The greatest PLAYOFF collapse in history.... at home, no less.

[@bobythi2308]

Respect nuff said !!!

[@PlazmaKore7019]

When hockey was hockey 😊

[@taffy93]

i still remember watching this game . classic. GO HABS GO!!!

[@davidwand8046]

After that game I did not watch hockey for the next year.

[@RickSeraf]

From 4:34 to 4:39, you see the 6 Bruins on the ice.

[@rewing84]

agreed

[@ckendall67]

- Yep, and the referees probably would've let the extra skater on the ice slide if it'd only been 1 or 2 seconds but because it was 5-6 seconds when the Bruins had 6 skaters, the referee had no choice but to make the call. That's on the coach anyway, he's suppose to avoid making any mistakes such as this even during line changes, even during the late stages of a crucial Game 7.

[@34Packardphaeton]

... As I heard it, the infraction of too many men on the ice was going on for so long that the referee HAD to call it..... It was Don Cherry's fault: he was Boston's coach, right?

[@michaelcarlson7575]

The only person in the Forum who didn't see it was Danny Gallivan, doing the play by play call.

[@John572d4]

Would have liked to see this same series with Bourque added to the mix, he was 18, but of course not drafted yet.

[@galkanftw]

I feel the 93 cup run was the most amazing in Habs history,that run literally defied logic.Typical of most Habs teams that was truly a team effort as was this game over the Bruins,many players did a lot of good things on the ice.

[@Chrisman77]

2011 came close to replicating the importance of this series

[@Steelerssuck81]

Sharks vs Vegas is like hold my beer

[@davidthompson62]

As a Bruins fan I use to call the too many men penalty bull but unfortunately for “B’s” fans, it was a legit call.

[@StuMarston]

08:04 Look at this celebration.

[@BBQFanNo1]

RE:TheNorgate...i guess you didn't hear the part in this video when the NHL Linesman told the Bruins Player to "GET OFF THE ICE" The Bruins were given a minor penalty for having 7 players on the ice.

[@sergedechantigny3756]

that's how i want to remember Crazy Sherry

[@galkanftw]

There was something in that game that went overshadowed by that penalty and Montreal's comeback. The hidden gem in that game was Scotty Bowmen.During the game he was sticking his big D men in front of the Bruins net and it was causing the Bruins fits.Later in the game into the overtime Bowmen played some fresh legs,at one time he had Chartraw and Engblom together on D with the game on the line,that is a big move by Scotty because Larry was looking tired late often trying to just bank it off the boards.Then he had Houle come out for the first time and he actually double shifted.So then Bowmen comes out with the Tremblay line,so his top players were off the ice for a time while Boston was playing their best. The other important part of the game was Lafleur produced.Guy had to produce because he does a lot of floating,he doesn't work hard ever and doesn't do much checking,so he MUST produce and he did.

[@flyawayhorses]

Lafleur never floated. He was just so smooth and picked his moments so well, and was so explosive, that when he didn't have the puck he could look ordinary. But he was always on the move, prowling for an opening. I saw him against the Leafs...never floated for a moment.

[@davidberglund8879]

Does Don Cherry bear (no pun intended) the responsibility for that infamous penalty? I say absolutely.

[@jmulchino]

David Berglund As a huge Habs fan, I hated the Bruins - I wouldn’t have admitted then, but they were an awesome team. I feared the equally strong team, my Habs would go down in defeat. But we had one secret weapon: Don Cherry.

[@John572d4]

This is possible, but to know for sure you would have literally had to have been a fly on the bench the whole game observing every gesture, cue, and word he made. We know that some 30 years later Jonathan shot an innocent man in a hunting incident so he might have been feeling some guilt/remorse from the unresolved element of it, following into that mistake. The focus is on why he went on.

[@baloneybrain55]

There's a headline for an article about the WHA playoffs in this video. Winnipeg won the final championship of the WHA.

[@fasteddie9867]

The Rangers would have beaten the Bruins in the Finals that year. Still hurting from that loss from the Habs.

[@5inthehole]

I’m going to let all you hockey fans on a little secret with those 70’s Bruins vs Montreal series. There was a guy who was a bigger killer of Boston’s dreams than Lafleur in all those 70’s series. Anyone know which Canadian which I speak? P.S-he is in the above video. No help from Boston fans please!!

[@patrickmallon9728]

Jacques Lemaire #25

[@5inthehole]

Patrick Mallon You got it, he was the parental Bruins killer. A true money player... is his number in the rafters in Montreal? If not, it should be! Great player.

[@michellauzon4640]

I agree totally. Lemaire was such a smart and talented player. No wonder he had success later as a coach.

[@5inthehole]

Michel Lauzon -Even though I hated his guts back then, I use to love to watch him play. He was the prototypical “intelligent player”, always well positioned while always knowing where Beliveau/Lafleur was on the ice. He broke this boys heart more than once...one of my favorite Canadian players of all time who never gets the credit he deserves. How you think Lafleur scored all them goals? Look at Lafleur goal totals after Lemaire retired. He had more goals than anyone in the 78-79 playoff season, which was his last. He retired at 33 yrs old.

[@michellauzon4640]

Yes Lafleur missed Lemaire a lot. Also, he was on a dangerous slope and maybe his physical shape was dropping slightly. But about Lemaire, did you see the goal he scored at the final game of the 71 Stanley Cup? It was not a fluke. Lemaire knew to Esposito (who played with Montreal as a rookie) had problems with long shots. Montreal was trailing 2-0 in second period of the seventh game. Lemaire knew that he had to try something, so he went with that long and very hard shot and revived Montreal hopes. Not long after, he stole the puck in the corner and made a perfect pass to Richard to tight the game.

[@MikeDiCiero]

9 Bruins fans didn't like this video lol lol Muahahahahaha !

[@knarftheriault]

Guy Stepped Into That One!

[@34Packardphaeton]

From a historical point-of-view, it's debatable as to which was more painful for Bruin fans: was it this 7th game, overtime loss in the '79 semi-finals.... OR, was it the loss in '71, when the Bruins were defending SC champs (and did win again in '72)? To realize that the Bruins were up by one game and a four-goal lead, late into the second period of the second game..... The Bruins "should" have won two in a row then... which generally is too much for any opponent to overcome in a short series (having to win 4 of no more than 5) to repeat. The Bruins WERE heavy favorites in '71. Were the Bruins favored in '79... or "even money"? I don't know; but it's a fair question.

[@DonQwantsyou]

IMO as a B's fan this was worse because the '71 team was so talented and they were just outskated by the C's. Here the B's deserved to win but were undone by bad luck and the biased refs in Montreal.

[@daveyboy_]

Yeah Mtl. Has got Boston's # in the playoffs

[@briancusack4386]

34Packardphaeton: Great question! I have often wondered that. Both are painful, but I wonder which defeat would get more votes among Boston fans. The Bruins deserved to win in '79. I feel worse for that team. If they don't have too many men on the ice, I think they close out the Habs, and beat the Rangers in five games for the SC. The '71 team were heavy favorites, and I think they took the Habs too lightly. How did they blow a 5-1 lead in game two? Had they hung on to win that game (like they should have), I think they win the series, and ultimately beat Chicago in the SCF. Bottom line: The Bruins should have won more than two Cups in the 70's. They should have won at least three - if not four.

[@notoriouseagle1074]

Philadelphia game 7 2010 by far.

[@Slipknot5301]

@@DonQwantsyou "biased refs" lmfao shut the fuck up

[@amosburke511]

Happy 40th anniversary, Don Cherry!

[@OnePost909]

Whose epitaphs will be: (1) "I prefer tight constricting stuff around my neck, and if you think that says something kinky about me, fuck you. FUCK YOU." (2) "It's really all about me. RIGHT?"

[@bubbagump1204]

I remember it like it was yesterday. How fitting that the biggest blowhard in Canadian hockey watched as his team took a too many men penalty.

[@conjandysecurity]

How do you expect the Bruins to win when their goalie has a Canadians goalie stick?

[@galkanftw]

Very late in the third there was a very obvious interference play by Ratelle on Lafleur,i knew they wouldn't cal lit but still when refs don't make those calls it gives the cheat team a huge advantage.The last 3 shifts of that game 7 you could see MTL was using fresher legs.

[@Bruins-vq5ey]

Lambert kicked in

[@djn3131]

NY Islanders had most points in league that season. But were upset by the Rangers in the Semi-Finals. They never had the chance to face Montreal in the finals. Islanders were on there way up and after this season, this group of Montreal Canadians never went to the finals. Islanders vs. Canadian Series would have been interesting

[@Dan89151]

The Islanders and Canadiens did meet in the playoffs in 1977 when the Habs had the best team ever in history and the Islanders were just beginning to assemble their dynasty team. The Islanders gave them all they could handle and it was an exciting series. Yes too bad these two teams never met again in the playoffs.

[@daveyboy_]

See how the Forum fans at 4:40 saw it b4 the ref ? They aint called the best fans in hockey for nutthin'.

[@russelljdj]

The too many men penalty hurt, BUT it was the phony call on Dick Redmond that was the real killer.

[@rewing84]

i dont recall that one

[@rcoveyduc]

I hate the excuse, "Refs don't like to decide games". Only in hockey does that get pulled. A penalty is a penalty. To not call a legitimate penalty is to have as great, or greater an affect, than to call.

[@blueforrester8459]

I agree wholeheartedly. only in hockey does this philosophy prevail. if it's the super bowl, with 1 minute to play and the offensive team is driving down the field to tie the game, if someone is so much is a toe offside it's called and it's the players fault. this is also why there is so much fighting and violence in hockey. the refs won't call everything and as a result vigilante justice prevails. it's a culture that has to change for hockey to be taken seriously as football, basketball and baseball

[@34Packardphaeton]

Old-time pro basketball players will tell you that in THEIR game, the 'refs' would let a marginal one 'go'.... and all the pro basketball players knew it!

[@nitemare507]

I'm a Bruins fan & my heart just broke for Gilbert! I mean he got 1st star in 3 of his 4 starts & 3rd star in his other one. The guy played his guts out & not to blame Gerry for games 1 & 2, but I wonder if he may have been a difference in those games & maybe the Canadiens would've been the ones chasing, but that's what if's. I wanted to take your point to another. I hate when fans put the refs as the reason their teams lost. It's a poor ass excuse to blame anyone, but your own team. Penalties happen, good ones, bad one, outrageous totally pull your hair out ones. Every team in the league gets these calls that either go one way, or the other. When shit calls happen against you? KILL THE PENALTY! When shit calls happen for you? SCORE ON THE FUCKING POWERPLAY! That's the game & blaming the refs is just childish!

[@steveell4523]

What the hell? Are you people robots? Not everything gets called. The refs used to have control of the game. If a team was up 5-1 going into the third period, they would start calling penalties on the team that was ahead so the team losing would get a goal or two so they wouldn't start getting chippy.

[@5inthehole]

rcoveyduc -You don’t understand that which you speak because it was a different game back then. The players policed themselves to a point back then, so a ref could give a little latitude when it came near the end of the game concerning penalties. If one team held at the end of the game, so did the other. It made for some fantastic hockey, not the over-reffed crap you see now a days!

[@brianjones7660]

was the 6th man ever identified? Or did they just keep it to themselves as a team...?🤔

[@greatwhite8412]

💝💝💝

[@m.c.9991]

A Don Cherry monumental mistake

[@barryallen3020]

The Montreal Canadiens like the city of Montreal were great. Before all the separatism garbage, all the nationalists who think French is in peril( how come it didn't disappear from 1759 to 1976 before repressive language legislation existed they can't answer that) the Montreal Canadiens were an example of how French and English got along and became friends. We had the best general manager in hockey Sam Pollock who stole Lafleur in the draft. We had a great coach in Scotty Bowman. The team in 1979 was littered with Hall of Famers including the Big 3 on defense. La Fleur had that lightning quick release that all great goal scorers have and that's how that goal was scored. The Montreal Forum where Howie morenz funeral was conducted at centre ice had ghosts. Real ghosts that have been seen by many players and it was the ghost as much as the referees that got the Canadiens to have a chance to try it. Believe it or not

[@34Packardphaeton]

I wonder if the long-term question should be, "Who was responsible for this error?" I do not know how a case could be made.. that it was anyone other than Don Cherry.... who, admittedly, was a fine coach. His record was better than Harry Sinden's, IMO. It was Cherry's unfortunate luck for this mental breakdown to happen when it did... seemingly at the worst possible time. Why did Stan Jonathan go out onto the ice? Did Coach Cherry send him out there? Why didn't Marcotte get off the ice? Didn't he notice the change? Maybe Marcotte was just plain unlucky.Once in a grand while, luck does play a part. Think about Bobby Hull hitting the crossbar when Chicago had a two-goal lead, in the '71 seventh game of the finals against the Habs.Maybe 3/4" of an inch lower... and it would have become 3 - 0 BlackHawks. Mystery.

[@DonQwantsyou]

in an interview Cherry admitted it was his error. the problem was they had Donnie Marcotte shadowing La Fleur all night like a fly on shit and he didn't get him off on time during a line change and sent Brad Park out before Marcotte got off which caused the too many men. It was called by the linesman D'Amico, the ref missed it.

[@nitemare507]

The question should simply be. What does it matter who was responsible in 2018? Cherry was the captain & he took responsibility as he should've. Doesn't matter who jumped on.

[@robertlamkin5648]

Marcotte was told to shadow Lafleur, even off of the ice. I am thinking he was too dialed in to notice. The only other thing I wonder about, as far as Marcotte is concerned, is how long Lafleur left the ice? Was it mere seconds? If so, I can understand his mistake. As far as Jonathan is concerned, he was just following the line. Who would have thought Lafleur would double shift? So, in the scheme of things, Marcotte and Jonathan can be absolved for not noticing the details in that moment. I place the blame on Cherry for not noticing while standing on the bench.

[@34Packardphaeton]

@@robertlamkin5648 ... I agree.. that the blame should be placed on Cherry.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

Never seen something like this like too many men for such a long time, nobody was even realising it. I'm a Habs fan but In many ways it makes me sad for the Bruins and their fans that this happened, they finally would beat the Habs and they would have won the Cup for sure.

[@jamesd2128]

Tell me about it, whoever won this series was going to squash the Rangers like bugs.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

@@jamesd2128 That must be why these series were so damn epic, it was a mix of true hate and the fact that both teams were powerhouses and knew that whomever won had the chance to win the cup so the stakes were high as Hell. You could not lose! lol

[@navyguyinva]

Visiting teams don’t win game sevens in the Montreal Forum or Yankee Stadium. Period.

[@34Packardphaeton]

.. In 1955, the Brooklyn Dodgers won their only world championship.. IN Yankee Stadium...... Johnny Podres pitched a 2 - 0 shutout in that 7th game.

[@John572d4]

I remember in ‘88 when Neely scored in the Forum you knew that it was finally going to end, 33 years ago this month.

[@spacerazer]

To Brian C of SI. What about the too many men on the field by the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the end of the 2009 Grey Cup CFL Championship game that allowed the Montreal Alouettes to get another field goal attempt and won.

[@SL-jo4om]

''What about'' is a classic. Especially in the Trump era.

[@5inthehole]

I still don’t understand why Rick Middleton’s jersey isn’t retired in Boston. He was the player who gave Boston the 4-3 lead, coming around the back of the net and bouncing it past Dryden. If The Bruins won, you think his jersey would still not be retired? He only scored 400+ goals for The B’s!!

[@Lava1964]

It has been now!

[@5inthehole]

Lava1964 -about time, wasn’t it?

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

What the hell are u wearing cherry!!

[@85passthru]

DEATH TAXES AND HABS GOT EVERY CALL IN MONTREAL...

[@dantheman5745]

What, so Boston is allowed to defend their lead with extra players? Did you hear Marcotte or Cherry complain about the call? Yeah, me neither.

[@lennartdundys2657]

Cherry has said on numerous occasions that the ref had no choice... he had to make the call

[@85passthru]

@@dantheman5745 WAAAAA...

[@85passthru]

@@lennartdundys2657 OK OK IM TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER CALLS...YOU OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE SEEN 70S HABS GAMES?? SOME WERE OFFICIATED WORSE THAN PRO WRESTLING.

[@lennartdundys2657]

@@85passthru I remember those years well... I go back to the days of Belliveau, Ferguson, Gump Worsely... etc... the officiating was no better or worse then - than it is now. Complaints about refing is nothing more than sour grapes

[@daveywaite25]

This is the first time the Cup was won in the semi final. The winner of this series would go on to face the slow, fat, lazy Rangers, a team who had no chance against either Boston or Montreal. Either team would demolish the Rangers, and that's exactly what happened.

[@pastorfergus]

+daveywaite25 Actually, no it wasn't the first time the Cup was won in the Semi Finals. In 1968-70, the winner of the East Division played the winner of the much weaker West Division in the Finals. In all 3 cases, the East team won 4-0. (Actually, in 1969, the Canadiens beat the Bruins in a great Semi Final series that was regarded as the real Cup Finals.)

[@chuckacker3024]

only time could beat the 70's habs,.. no one else

[@MARILYN19481]

YES! Boston Bruins would have won the Stanley Cup. This game was for the Stanley Cup.

[@AndrewMocella]

+MARILYN19481 no, it wasn't. It was the Stanley Cup Semi-Final. Montreal went on to beat the Rangers in the Cup Final

[@daveywaite25]

Actually, you are right, it WAS for the Cup. Even though it was the semis, the winner would have to face the slow, fat lazy Rangers, who had no business being in the final. Either Montreal or Boston would shred the Rangers, and that is exactly what happened.

[@quentin3330]

Yes but Bruins would probably have beaten the Rangers too.You never know. . we can't say for sure but Rangers overachieved just getting to the Cup.

[@dantheman5745]

The Rangers gave everything to upset the Islanders in the other semi. After Montreal regrouped from a lethargic Game 1, they crushed the Rangers in 5. Boston was every bit Montreal's match in 1979. The Rangers weren't. Boston would've been heavily favored to also crush the Rangers. And, IMO, they would've done exactly that.

[@John572d4]

The Canadiens asked for an extra day off before the Finals started citing exhaustion.

[@jerrychase8544]

As the players themselves said, the "bench error" of too many men on the ice was so clear, so incontrovertible, so obvious.... that it had to be called. Sports Illustrated has always been pro-Bruins. To describe this game as the "too many men on the ice" game is to detract from a great game and a great series. It's an attempt to cheapen the Hab victory. [At the time, I was a Chicago fan.]To me, the better series between these two teams was in April, 1971. The Bruins were defending champs and heavy favorites to win again. They were leading by four goals half-way through game two, having already won game one. The Habs don't give up, the Bruins played poor defense, and surrendered six straight goals. This game on 4/8/71, in Boston, was the biggest Stanley Cup upset... EVER.

[@knarftheriault]

I say that the 1971 cup was Montreal's greatest. Underdogs. Rookie goalie with 6 NHL games experience. Jean Beliveau ending a glorious career with a cup. Frank Mahovlich joining the team that spring to revive his career. All that against perhaps the best offensive team the league had seen to that point. But as one moment, a single goal, as the most dramatic instant in the Habs' storied franchise, Lafleur's goal stands out. You felt it was going to happen. You knew who was going to do it. It was just a matter of when and how.

[@34Packardphaeton]

+frank theriault While LeFleur was greater than I realized, hardly anyone appreciated Lemaire's genuine greatness. Notice who passed the puck perfectly to LeFleur... who, admittedly, made a difficult shot count.

[@knarftheriault]

34Packardphaeton Lemaire was one of the most underrated players in the league. Great, hard shot, wonderful playmaker and scorer, and a terrific defensive forward.

[@fentonhardy8176]

The Bruins were a damn good team in 79' and they should have won it but one little call ended that, it is the worst moment in Bruins history.

[@daveyboy_]

frank theriault uep . He did all the work while Lafleur got all the adulation. Lemaire got him back in the end though !

[@semmcstevenson]

Shit goaltending. Blew it

[@vesivialvy]

Islanders would have been a big problem for Montreal that year , but they were still learning....in 1980 we should have had that matchup between Mtl-N.Y Isl , if Lafleur was not out of playoffs vs Hartford , then NHL's fans would have seen a fantastic final ...Islanders would have won this one , not by much , but enough to convince everybody !

[@darrynburant7197]

Pat Buttet broke his wrist

[@vesivialvy]

@@darrynburant7197 yep !

[@John572d4]

It did make it easier for the Islanders to establish their own dynasty when they knew the Canadiens’ had basically ended. A question might be that if they had lost to the Habitants in ‘79 would that have made it tougher to come back in ‘80 (to beat the Flyers), upon which if they lost in ‘80 we can speculate that they might have had three in a row instead of 4.

[@vesivialvy]

@@John572d4 it's a very deep understanding about how sports history can evolve in any direction from any events ! yes about the Islanders , but , Montréal were also lucky to win the cup in 79 (if not it's a 3 cup dynasty) ...i don't know if Montréal were still strong enough for the cup in 79 vs Islanders , possible , we will never have the answer to this , it's matter of speculations...the Isl forced a 6 games serie in 77 vs Mtl (the team of only 8 losses) and without Mike Bossy ! + the Isl played for .700 versus Mtl ( last 3 seasons) prior to the 79 playoffs , so Mtl would have struggle in this one , doesn't look good for a short serie ...in 80 , with Lafleur not injured , Mtl would have surely crushed the North Stars and reach the final of that year , but Islanders imho would have won ...in conclusion Montreal and the Islanders shared something in common in their 4 years cups dynasties: Mtl (game 7 vs Boston 1979) NY Isl (1982 vs Pittsburgh) a luck that Edmonton didn't had ves Calgary in game 7 (1986)

[@barrykennedy946]

Minnesota would not have beaten the Habs in 1980 if that tool Pat Boutette didn't take out Lafleur in the Hartford series that was a knee on knee incident btw!!

[@altfactor]

If Boston had won that game, they likely would have swept the New York Rangers in the Finals and Don Cherry might have remained the Bruins' coach through the entire decade of the 1980's.....and maybe two or three other Stanley Cup titles.

[@briancusack4386]

Yeah, I think Boston definitely would have won the Cup. Don Cherry has always said the Rangers were a "piece of cake". Had the Bruins won the SC in ''79, I think 'Grapes' would have remained behind the bench. It's too bad. In my humble opinion, Boston deserved to win the SC in '79.

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

In that case, I'm glad the Bruins lost. I have no stake in either team, but I grew up watching Grapes slowly lose his mind while simultaneously remaining the penultimate hockey analyst. I can't even picture what the NHL would be like without Don Cherry, The Coach's Corner, and perhaps most enjoyably, Rock'em Sock'em cassette tapes! :D

[@chuckacker3024]

instead they have the loud mouth know it all flapping his gills on dummy's corner,remember how he used to knock European player? except salming and sundinthey were wearing the right colors

[@mjoven1975]

When Boston loses, everyone else wins.

[@5inthehole]

What’s a matter? Bruins beat your favorite team up too much? Your not alone!, or are you a Cunucks fan? Hahaha!

[@OBESPRING1982]

Whatever the sport might be, I 100% AGREE!

[@djn3131]

Both teams would have lost to the President trophy winner that season NY Islanders, if not for there upset loss against the NY Rangers that season

[@darrynburant7197]

ya but they didnt

[@davidwatson6725]

There was no Presidents Trophy then.

[@TheNorgate]

If it where the Habs with too many men on the ice, the refs would have found a way to stop play and overlook it. You always had to be at least 2 goals better than the Canadiens to beat them at the Forum.

[@stevers17]

If... if ... if ... I guess you didn't hear the part where the linesman was telling the Bruin player to get off the ice.

[@johnbrowne3950]

This video should be banned and destroyed.

[@hendrixnut64]

Bruin Snowflake....lol

[@johnbrowne3950]

@@hendrixnut64 Yeah, so what?

[@darrynburant7197]

@@johnbrowne3950 boo hooi hate the Buirns then and still Burins Fans are the rudest people on the planet. No sorry, they are assholes all of them.

[@johnbrowne3950]

@@darrynburant7197 Said the person being rude.

[@34Packardphaeton]

LOL

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

The 80s Islanders would have destroyed the 70s Montreal teams . No problem😁😁😀😋

[@hannover5551]

They forgot to mention the high sticking penalty they called on Jean Ratelle when the score was 3-1. Jean Ratelle historically had very few penalties during his career. he was a Lady Bing winner. (Thats the player who receives the fewest penalties of anyone during the season. ) Bob Gainey who had a knack of lifting opposing players sticks,while lifting his own stick, and making it look like the sticks caught him in the head. Great move by Gainey. Not so great for the Bruins.