1963 Stanley Cup Final
Maple Leafs won second straight Cup, four games to one.
The 1963 Stanley Cup Final wrapped up the NHL’s 1962–63 season, pitting the defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings. Toronto took the best-of-seven series four games to one, earning their second consecutive NHL championship and the 11th Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Toronto reached the final by beating the Montreal Canadiens 4–1, while Detroit eliminated the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2. The Maple Leafs had finished first in the regular season and were favored by oddsmakers at 13–5.
Johnny Bower held the Red Wings to just 10 goals over five games. Five different Leafs—Dick Duff, Bob Nevin, Ron Stewart, Red Kelly, and Dave Keon—each scored multiple goals.
In Game 1, Duff scored twice in the first 68 seconds, the fastest two goals to start a game in Stanley Cup history. Toronto won 4–2 despite a second-period letdown, which prompted coach Punch Imlach to schedule a morning practice the next day. Game 2 was another 4–2 win for the Leafs, followed by another Imlach-mandated workout.
The series moved to Detroit for Game 3, where the Red Wings stayed in a Toledo, Ohio hotel. Rookie centre Alex Faulkner scored two goals, including the winner, giving Detroit a 3–2 victory. It was his third game-winning goal, all scored on Sundays. Faulkner was from Newfoundland, and broadcaster Howie Meeker declared there would be “dancing in the streets tonight.”
Toronto felt they lost Game 3 due to overconfidence and came out determined in Game 4. The game was tied 2–2 until Dave Keon scored with ten minutes left, and Red Kelly added another for a 4–2 final. As the Leafs left the ice, fans pelted them with paper cups, programs, and food containers.
Game 5 returned to Toronto. Detroit kept it close: after Keon scored short-handed, Marcel Pronovost tied it for the Red Wings. With seven minutes left, Dave Keon scored the series winner—a goal that would seal the championship. Keon added another short-handed goal to seal a 3–1 win.
The Leafs celebrated by throwing Imlach, Harold Ballard, and Stafford Smythe into the showers fully clothed. The team held a victory parade along Bay Street and a reception at Toronto City Hall. As of 2019, this is the only one of the last seven big-four championship series involving a Toronto team (all won by Toronto) that did not last exactly six games.
- Series winner
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Series loser
- Detroit Red Wings
- Games played
- 5
- Winning margin
- 4–1
- Fastest two goals to start a game
- Dick Duff scored twice in first 68 seconds of Game 1
- Goalie for toronto
- Johnny Bower limited Wings to 10 goals in five games
- Series mvp (unofficial)
- Dave Keon scored two short-handed goals in Game 5, including the series winner
Lore & Background
The Maple Leafs, who finished first in the regular season, were installed as 13–5 favourites by oddsmakers. They defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–1 to reach the finals, while Detroit beat the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2. Johnny Bower limited the Red Wings to 10 goals over five games, and five different Leafs—Duff, Nevin, Stewart, Kelly, and Keon—had multiple-goal games.
Reader's Guide
The 1963 Stanley Cup Final marked the Toronto Maple Leafs' second consecutive championship, a feat that solidified their dominance in the early 1960s. The series is notable for Dick Duff's record-setting two goals in the first 68 seconds of Game 1, the fastest such start in Stanley Cup history. Toronto's victory was clinched in Game 5 on an unintentional deflection by Eddie Shack, followed by a short-handed goal from Dave Keon. The series also featured the only one of the last seven big-four championship series involving a Toronto team (as of 2019) that did not last exactly six games. The engraving of the Stanley Cup that year contained errors, including misspelling the team name as 'TORONTO MAPLE LEAES' and omitting several staff members. These details, along with the team's morning-after practices ordered by coach Punch Imlach, contribute to the series' historical texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 1963 Stanley Cup Final and what was the series score?
The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings four games to one in the best-of-seven matchup. That victory gave Toronto their second consecutive championship and their 11th Stanley Cup overall.
How many games did the 1963 Stanley Cup Final last?
The series wrapped up after five games, with Toronto taking four of them. Johnny Bower was a dominant force between the pipes, holding Detroit to a mere 10 goals across the entire five-game stretch.
What stood out in Game 1 of the 1963 Stanley Cup Final?
Dick Duff scored twice within the first 68 seconds of the opening game, marking the fastest two-goal start to a Cup Final game. It gave the series an explosive tone right from the opening faceoff.
How did both teams reach the 1963 Stanley Cup Final?
Detroit knocked out the Chicago Black Hawks four games to two, while Toronto swept past the Montreal Canadiens four games to one. The Maple Leafs entered the final as heavy 13-to-5 favorites after finishing atop the regular-season standings.
Why is the 1963 Stanley Cup Final remembered in Red Wings lore?
For Detroit fans, it stands out as a brief and painful five-game elimination at the hands of the defending champions. Bower's shutout-level goaltending and Toronto's overall dominance made it one of the more one-sided Cup Finals of that era.
More in Detroit Red Wings games 1-24
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