Stanley Cup (1967)

Lore & Background

To date, this is Toronto's last appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. The Maple Leafs currently have the longest-active championship drought in the NHL, and the tenth longest championship drought in North American sports. The 1967 series was also the last Stanley Cup Final in the Original Six era. This was also the last all-Canadian Final series until 1986, the last Stanley Cup Final to be played in Ontario until 2007, and the last championship series to feature a Toronto-based team until the Blue Jays made the 1992 World Series.

Reader's Guide

The average age of the Leafs' players was 31, the oldest lineup to win the Cup. Johnny Bower was 42 and Allan Stanley was 41. Toronto won the series in six games, with Dave Keon winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. Game one: Montreal won 6–2, with Henri Richard recording a hat trick and an assist, and Yvan Cournoyer scoring twice.

Game two: Johnny Bower started and provided a shutout win, stopping all 31 shots in a 3–0 victory. Game three: Bower made 61 saves in a 3–2 double-overtime win on Bob Pulford's goal. Game four: Johnny Bower was injured before game four; Terry Sawchuk replaced him. Montreal won 6–2, with Jean Beliveau and Ralph Backstrom both recording two goals.

Game five: Sawchuk made 37 saves in a 4–1 victory. Game six: Johnny Bower returned as back-up; Gump Worsley replaced Rogie Vachon for Montreal. Jim Pappin scored his seventh goal of the playoffs and Sawchuk stopped 40 shots. Captain George Armstrong scored the 3–1 empty-net insurance goal.