1944 Stanley Cup Final
Canadiens swept Black Hawks for first Cup since 1941.
The 1944 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series. The Montreal Canadiens swept the Chicago Black Hawks, claiming their first championship since 1931, though they had also won in 1941 against the Boston Bruins.
Both teams reached the Final by winning their semifinal series 4–1. Chicago eliminated the defending champion Detroit Red Wings, while Montreal defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who had previously appeared in the 1941 Final without scoring, made his mark with five goals in this series, including a hat trick in game two. The Punch Line—Richard, Elmer Lach, and Toe Blake—combined for ten of Montreal’s 16 series goals. Blake scored the Cup-winning goal in overtime of game four. No penalty shot was awarded in the series.
NHL President Red Dutton presented the Cup to captain Toe Blake after Montreal’s 5–4 overtime victory in game four.
Several engraving details are notable. Trainer Ernie Cook and Hector Dubois were included in team photos but not originally engraved. Cook was added to the 1944 Cup ring during a 1957–58 redesign, but Dubois was not; Dubois later appeared on six other Cup-winning teams (1953, 1956–60). Tommy Gorman became the only manager to win four Stanley Cups with four different teams (Ottawa Senators, Chicago Black Hawks, Montreal Maroons, and Montreal Canadiens); he retired after a fifth Cup in 1946.
Spelling errors also occurred. Bill Durnan’s name was engraved as “BILL DURMAN” (the first “N” replaced by an “M”), corrected when the Replica Cup was made in 1992–93. Gerry Heffernan’s name appears three different ways across the Cup’s rings: “GERALD HEFFERNAN” on the original 1944 ring, “JERRY HEFFERNAN” on the 1957–58 redesign, and “GERRY HEFFERNAN” on the 1992–93 replica.
- Series result
- Montreal Canadiens won 4–0
- Winning team
- Montreal Canadiens
- Losing team
- Chicago Black Hawks
- Canadiens' previous cup
- 1941
- Black hawks' path
- Defeated Detroit Red Wings 4–1
- Canadiens' path
- Defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4–1
Lore & Background
Maurice 'Rocket' Richard, who had made his Stanley Cup Final debut in 1941 without scoring, erupted with a five-goal performance in the series, including a hat trick in game two. The Punch Line of Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake scored ten of the Canadiens' 16 goals. Blake scored the Cup winner in overtime. No penalty shot was awarded in the series. The 1944 Stanley Cup was presented to Canadiens captain Toe Blake by NHL President Red Dutton following the Canadiens' 5–4 overtime win over the Black Hawks in game four.
Reader's Guide
The 1944 Stanley Cup Final marked the first championship for the Montreal Canadiens in thirteen years, achieved via a sweep of the Chicago Black Hawks. The series featured Maurice Richard's explosive debut, including a five-goal performance and a hat trick in game two. The Punch Line accounted for ten of Montreal's sixteen goals. Bill Durnan's penalty-shot save in overtime of game four was a historic first in Finals play. The series also saw Tommy Gorman become the only manager to win four Stanley Cups with four different teams. Engraving errors on the Cup—including Bill Durnan's name misspelled as BILL DURMAN and Gerald Heffernan's name appearing in three different forms across three Cup rings—highlight the human element in hockey's most storied trophy. The Canadiens' victory set the stage for a dynasty that would win multiple Cups in the following years.
The Illegal Stick That Changed Everything
The most consequential moment of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final came not from a spectacular goal or a heroic save, but from a measurement of a hockey stick. Late in the third period of Game 2, with Los Angeles leading 2–1 and holding a 1–0 series advantage, Canadiens head coach Jacques Demers requested that the curve of Kings defenceman Marty McSorley's stick be checked. The stick was ruled illegal, and McSorley received a two-minute minor penalty. Facing the prospect of trailing 2–0 heading to Los Angeles, Demers pulled goaltender Patrick Roy, creating a six-on-four advantage. Eric Desjardins scored from the point to force overtime, then added his third goal of the game just 51 seconds into the extra period to give Montreal the win. From that moment forward, the Kings never won another postseason game for the rest of the 20th century. The Canadiens went on to take the next three games and claim their 24th championship.
A Playoff Landscape Shaped by Upsets
Both teams navigated a postseason reshaped by stunning upsets that cleared their paths. In the Campbell Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks were swept by their rival St. Louis Blues in the Norris Division Semifinals, while the Pittsburgh Penguins, the league's top regular-season team and two-time defending champions, were eliminated by the New York Islanders in the Patrick Division Finals. In the East, the Boston Bruins, who had knocked Montreal out of the playoffs three consecutive years, were themselves swept by the Buffalo Sabres. For Los Angeles, the absence of the Edmonton Oilers—who had eliminated them in 1990, 1991, and 1992—from the postseason entirely removed a major obstacle. The Kings, without home ice advantage in any round and facing Canadian opponents in every series, dispatched Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto to reach their first-ever Stanley Cup Final. Montreal overcame an early two-game deficit against Quebec, then swept Buffalo and dominated New York, tying the record for consecutive playoff victories.
A Century of Firsts and Lasts
The 1993 Final carried a weight of historical firsts and last few. It marked the centennial of the Stanley Cup's first awarding in 1893, and it was the first championship series to begin in June. For Los Angeles, it was the franchise's first appearance in the Final in its 26-year history and the first time a west coast U.S. team had reached the championship round since 1920. For Montreal, it represented their 34th trip to the Final and their first since 1989. The Canadiens' roster was composed entirely of North American-born players, making them the last championship team to hold that distinction. Their victory also stands as the most recent Stanley Cup won by a Canadian-based franchise and the last time a Canadian team outside Toronto captured a title in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues. It was also the final Stanley Cup Final played at the Montreal Forum and the last in which Wayne Gretzky competed.
Two Franchises, Two Very Different Aftermaths
The aftermath of the 1993 Final drew a sharp line between the two franchises' subsequent trajectories. The Kings, who had entered the series with a 1–0 lead and a 2–1 game lead in Game 2, never won another postseason contest for the remainder of the 20th century. They lost the final three games of that series, then failed to qualify for the playoffs in five of the next seven seasons, and were swept in the first round the other two times. Their next playoff victory did not arrive until 2001, against the Detroit Red Wings. The franchise would not return to the Stanley Cup Final until 2012, when they defeated the New Jersey Devils to claim their first championship. Montreal, meanwhile, did not appear in another Final until 2021, when they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 1993 title thus remains the most recent championship in the Canadiens' storied history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the 1944 Stanley Cup Final?
The Canadiens dominated the Black Hawks across all four games, winning the best-of-seven series 4-0 to lift the Cup.
How did Montreal reach the 1944 Stanley Cup Final?
The Canadiens dispatched the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-1 semifinal series to earn their spot in the championship round.
What was Rocket Richard's contribution in the 1944 Stanley Cup Final?
Richard scored five goals over the series, including a hat trick in game two, a far more impactful showing than his scoreless 1941 Final appearance.
When did the Canadiens last win the Cup before 1944?
Their previous title came in 1941 against the Boston Bruins, making the 1944 sweep their first championship in three years.
Who did the Black Hawks beat to reach the 1944 Final?
Chicago knocked off the defending champion Detroit Red Wings in a 4-1 semifinal before being swept by Montreal in the Cup Final.
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