"Once the property of the Boston Bruins, later came back to beat them in the playoffs."
We don't think of Daniel Bouchard as in Ken Dryden or Bernie Parent's class, but he was a very good, sometimes great goalie. One of the times Daniel was great was in the 1982 postseason when he upset the Boston Bruins.
Dryden and Parent could relate. Kenny Dryden was drafted in the third round of the 1964 amature draft by Boston. The name Dryden was not unknown in hockey. His older brother Dave was, at the time, playing in the Galt Hornets of the Ontario Hockey Association. The elden Dryden had even gotten into an NHL game with the New York Rangers as goalie Gump Worsley had been hurt.
Ken, though, hadn't played any NHL hockey by the time the 60s ended. And it seemed unlikely to change. By 1968/69, his new team, the Montreal Canadians had three hall-of-famers: Worsley, Rogie Vachon and some kid named Tony Esposito.
Was there any room for Ken? There hadn't been in Boston as they had both Gerry Cheevers and Bernie Parent in 1965/66. Would there be any openings? Well, Esposito exposed in the 1969 Intra-League Draft, where Chicago grabbed him. Ironically, that move spelled the end of Dave Dryden's time with the Blackhawks.
Vachon had helped Montreal win in 1967/68, and 1968/69. The team had actually made five straight finals (Gump Worsley had helped them win in 1964/65 and 1965/66). You'd think Vachon would have been the goalie for all of the 1970s in Montreal, right? Wrong. Worsley was sold to Minnesota for cash in February of 1970, and the Canadians went with Vachon and Phil Myre that season. The team finished with 92 points, but because it was only good enough for fifth place in the Eastern Division, Montreal was out of the playoff race.
So Vachon and Myre were very good the next year, but management wasn't satisfied.
Enter Ken Dryden.
Dryden was called up, won all six of his regular season games (Includin g a March 20th game where Kenny not only beat Buffalo, but faced his older brother). There was the daunting task of beating the Boston Bruins, of course. Boston had scored a then-record 399 goals and had Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. The Bruins won the first game and had it all going their way in game 2, up 5-1 late in the second, but Henri Richard stole a pass intended for Bobby Orr, and Montreal came charging back!
So...Montreal won the game 7-5. After splitting the next two contest, Boston seemed to catch fire. They'd tied the series with a 5-2 in game four, then made Dryden look very human in a 7-3 win in the fifth game.
Dryden allowed three goals in game six at home, which his team needed to win, but Boston allowed eight. The Habs ended the night with 43 shots an goal and Gerry Cheevers looked a little normal.
Montreal needed game seven, if they were to advance, but it was in Boston. The Bruins scored first via a Ken Hodge goal, but then Dryden and some of the Hab veteran's took over. Boston ended up with 48 SOG, but Kenny stopped all but two. And before the home team could score a second goal, the visitors got four straight! Montreal ended up with four goals on 34 SOG of their own!
The Habs were a long way from the Stanley Cup even with this upset. The upstart Minnesota North Stars took 'em to six games. Minny had beaten St. Louis the round before via Gump Worsley's exploits. That was the first time that the Blues had lost prior to the finals since joining the league in 1967/68. Plus, the expansion teams hadn't beaten an original six team once in the playoffs. They'd been swept every time prior to this. Worsley, however, wasn't the reason the Minny / Montreal series was close. Worlsey had played one game vs. the Habs in the '71 playoffs, losing. Cesar Maniago had been the big star in net for the North Stars.
So, Montreal then got by Chicago in seven, as goalies Tony Esposito and Ken Dryden were brilliant.
Coincidentally, both goalies of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals, not Gerry Cheevers (Who'd signed with the World Hockey Association) would be named to Team Canada in the fall of 1972 to face the USSR in an eight-game summit series. Canada won that 4-3-1 as both netminders were good when they needed to be.
Montreal edged Chicago in six games in the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals, but then Dryden held out an entire year, not happy with his contract in Montreal. The Stanley Cup Finals that spring saw Bernie Parent beat his old team, the Boston Bruins, in six games.
Parent had been on Boston in 1965/66 and 1966/67. But the Bruins were not good either year, despite the arrival of Bobby Orr in 1966. A trade with Chicago after 1967 brought the team Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. However, Bernie Parent was lost in the expansion draft.
At the time, Boston did not miss Bernie. They had Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston, who'd been with the Bruins since 1962/63. But Parent, who'd been a pedestrian 12-20-3 and 4-12-2 in his two seasons with the Bruins, seemed to take that next step as a member of the Flyers in 1967/68. The expansion team did well. Parent was only 15-17-5, but posted a 2.49 goals-against average and four shutouts. He'd been seventh in the league in save percentage with Boston in 1965/66 (.898). With Philly in 1967/68, Bernie was fourth (.926). In the postseason that year, Parent topped all goalies with a .963 S% and 1.36 GAA. Parent continued to be so-so in the regular season as far as wins-losses goes, but he'd contribute in other ways for the Flyers. In in 1968/69 Bernie was 17-23-16. The next year, 13-29-20. However, both years Parent led the league in ties, and posted save percentage's of .925 and .921.
A trade to Toronto paired him up with his childhood idol Jacques Plante. Plante was more than just a teacher. Their first year together the 42-year old veteran posted a league-leading GAA of just 1.88 to top the league, went 24-11-4 and also led in S&, .944. Parent was just 7-7-3 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .916 S%, but benefited from playing with Plante. The pair were only together two years with the Leafs, but both times got them to the playoffs and gave New York and Boston all they could handle in tough, first round losses.
Bernie Parent was back in Philadelphia in 1972/73, but not with the Flyers. He'd joined his old pal Gerry Cheevers and singed with a World Hockey Association team, the Blazers. Bernie topped the next league in wins with 33. But he wanted back at the big stage. The WHA was throwing money all over the place, but Parent wanted back in the NHL. Turns out they hadn't kept their word on his contract. It is thought that Toronto owner Harold Ballard didn't want him back, so the Leafs traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers for Doug Favell, who'd been Parent's partner way back when Philly came to the big league. Bernie helped Philadelphia win the Stanley Cup the next two years. And in 1974, he helped beat the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Just like in 1971, Boston was facing a goalie who'd once been the property of their team. Just like in 1971, the Bruins won the first game at home.
But, a 2-0 lead in game two was overcome by Philly, just like they had in the opening contest. Bobby Clarke won the game at 12:10 of the first overtime.
So it was on to Philadelphia for game three, which the Flyers won, 4-1. So then, the crucial game four.
Boston was far from finished, and made it look easy in a 5-1 win in the fifth contest.
Philly needed game six at home, or else had to go back to Boston for a seventh and deciding game. But Bernie Parent took care of that, and posted a splendid 1-0 shutout of the Bruins! Bernie got the Conn Smythe award, just like Ken Dryden had in 1971!
Parent wasn't done, either. He helped Philadelphia beat the Buffalo Sabres in six games in 1975, ending that series with another shutout. And another Conn Smythe Award!
The two teams would meet again two seasons later, but this time it was only for the right to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. Philadelphia was looking for a three-peat, but Parent wasn't the goalie he'd once been. Toronto, his old team, had burned him in game six of the first round, as Daryl Sittler scored five goals! Bernie had played only eleven regular season games. While he'd looked quite strong in four of his first five games, the wheels seemed to come off the chariot. He'd been bothered by a sore neck before the season started, and hadn't joined the Flyers until late February. When the postseason rolled around, Parent had looked strong in beating Toronto twice in Philadelphia. But then the Leafs broke through against him. In winnings games three in four at Maple Leaf Gardens, tying the series 2-2. Parent won game five back home, only to see eight goals get by him in the sixth contest. Though Philly won game seven, 7-3, Parent was struggling.
And about to face the Boston Bruins again.
This time, it was a different Bruins team altogether than in 1974. Bobby Orr was hurt (He'd played just ten games in the regular season). Phil Esposito was traded. Newcomers included Brad Park and Jean Ratelle, who were both acquired in the trade that sent Esposito to the New York Rangers. The Bruins won the deal, as had they won the transaction to acquire Phil. Ratelle had 15 points in 13 games with New York. He added 90 points in just 67 games in Boston. Gerry Cheevers had returned. However, like Parent he'd not been himself in the postseason, and Gilles Gilbert (Who'd been in goal for all six games of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals) took over. He got a shutout in game seven vs. Los Angeles in the quarter-finals and then beat Parent and Philadelphia 4-2 in the first game of the Conference Finals.
Well, that was it for Bernie. Wayne Stephenson took over in Philadelphia's crease for game two, while Boston went back to Gerry Cheevers for some reason. The Flyers won game two in overtime, 2-1. Hey, just like in 1974! Philadelphia surprisingly never looked back. They won games three, four and five and were back in the finals.
Parent didn't play again. The Flyers ran into the Montreal Canadians. And every game was close. Game one, one goal differential. Same in game one. Same in game three. Philly led game four at home, 3-2, but Montreal scored three unanswered goals for a 5-3 win and a sweep!
Parent did played better in the coming years. In 1976/77, Bernie was 35-13-12, and Philadelphia was in first place four the fourth straight year, and over 100 points for that span. They overcame Toronto in six games in the quarter-finals, and probably figured they could get by Boston again. Instead, it was Cheevers and the Bruins who did what Montreal did the previous year to Philadelphia: They swept 'em! Though Montreal promptly did the same to Boston in 1977 that they had to Philly the year before (A sweep!) it seemed the Broad Street Bullies had taken a big step back. They'd have to wait until 1979/80 to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Parent was 29-6-13 in 1977/78 and posted a 2.22 goals against average. His save percentage was .912. Neither Wayne Stephenson or Rick St. Croix were anywhere in his league, so the position of #1 goals on the Flyers was still his as he passed his 33rd birthday in '78. Bernie was 29-6-13.
Philadelphia had slipped to second place in the Patrick Division despite 105 points. Parent and Philly swept Colorado 2-0 in the first round, then disposed of Buffalo in just five games in the second. They kept in close vs. Boston in the semi-finals. Parent stopped the Bruins' six-game playoff winning streak with a 3-1 win in the third contest, but dropped his next outing. Tied 3-3 after 40 minutes in the fifth contest, Boston scored twice in the third and added an empty-net goal to advance to the finals four the fifth time in the decade.
Parent had one last season, as his career would come to premature end in 1979. Ken Dryden would also retire that year, but on his own accord. Montreal had made it four Stanley Cups in a row that season, and Ken was just 31. However, Kenny was no average hockey goalie. No. He was a lawyer, author and later even a politician. His recent book, "Scotty" about his great coach Scotty Bowman, is a "Must read" for all hockey fans.
Parent was having a fairly good season in 1978/79. Wayne Stephenson was still trying to push Bernie Parent aside in the Flyers' goalie depth chart. It seemed like all the goalies from the early 70s were suddenly old. Dryden was on his way out. Ed Giacomin had already retired. Jacques Plante had gone to the World Hockey League and quit after 1974/75. Gerry Cheevers was nearing 40. Tony Esposito was still good, but his team, the Chicago Blackhawks, weren't.
In Parent's case, the Flyers had a newcomer who'd be very good, very soon. Peeters had won his first NHL game on December 17th of 1978, then struggled, going 0-2-1 in his next four appearances on the Flyers. Rick St. Croix didn't get into a Flyers game until March as he was destined for a solid backup role with the team, nothing more. So the season started with Bernie and Wayne Stephenson batting for that #1 spot. It had been fourteen years since he made his NHL debut back in 1965/66. Through February 14th, he had four shutouts and sixteen wins in 35 games. But then, on February 17th, in a game against the Rangers, a stick made it's way through one of his masks' holes (For his eyes) and gouged his eyes. Just like that, his brilliant career was over, as doctors were unable to repair enough of Bernie's vision and allow him to continue in the Flyers' net.
Philly sure missed him. The Flyers got rookie Robbie Moore to played in five late-season games, and he went 3-0-1 and got two shutouts. But he couldn't get Philadelphia to the conference finals. They made it back to the finals the next year as Pete Peeters nearly won 30 games. Could Parent have made a difference? It took the New York Islanders six games to beat the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup, but the finalist had enjoyed a 35-game unbeaten streak, setting a North American pro sports record. It's sad to think Bernie Parent, the best goalie in Flyers history, missed out on this return to glory.
Daniel Bouchard was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the 1970 amateur draft. He was only so-so with Hershey of the AHL in 1970/71 (12-16-2), but then improved on the Boston Braves (AHL) the next season: 27-13-7, 2.51 GAA. You'd think he'd have been called up.
But not with Gerry Cheevers and Ed Johnston in the way. Oddly enough, I think Bouchard was better than Johnston. Eddie had been 125-53-24 for the Bruins from 1967/68 to 1972/73, but had never truly been anything exceptional: Just sixteen shutouts, a 2.91 GAA and .900 S%.
Bouchard, traded to Atlanta in 1972, went 9-15-10 as a rookie with the Flames, and posted a 3.09 GAA and .907 S%. Not bad.
The coming years were telling. Daniel jumped above .500 in 1973/74 while Ken Dryden sat out and Bernie Parent helped the Flyers beat the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals. Bouchard did not have another losing season until 1984/85, long after Johnston, Parent and Dryden had hung up the pads for good. The Bruins backup in 1973/74 was not Ed Johnston (Ross Brooks, a 35-year old first-year man, was). He'd gone to Toronto that year, helping the Leafs make the playoffs. The Bruins swept 'em, however. From there, Johnston moved on to St. Louis and played his last season in Chicago behind Tony Esposito's and Mike Veisor in 1977/78.
By then Dan Bouchard was a legit star goalie. He was 25-12-19 that year, then lead the league the next season with 32 wins. He was still on the Atlanta Flames. The team would move to Calgary two seasons later. But in 1980/81, Bouchard actually got traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Though he won 27 games in 1981/82, Dan's goals-against average was up to 3.87.
The Boston Bruins must have noted that and the Quebec Nordiques mediocre 33-31-16 record. But there was Peter Stasny and his 139 points. And Real Cloutier's 97. Michel Goulet was a distant fourth on the team in scoring...So this team had depth.
Enough to upset the mighty Montreal Canadians, who were struggling to find playoff success since Ken Dryden's retirement three years earlier. However, it was no cakewalk. Indeed, the best-of-five first round match was the first, "Battle Of Quebec," which sadly is lacking in today's NHL (The Nords abandoned Quebec in 1995, moving to Colorado to become the "Avalanche" and added two Stanley Cups to the franchise). All three wins by Quebec were one goal. And in game five they needed overtime to end it. Rick Wamsley had been great for the Habs, but couldn't quite be clutch a-la-Ken Dryden.
Bouchard, however, was great went it mattered despite a pedestrian 3-2, 3.20 GAA and .901 S%. But, it had been enough. The Boston Bruins were next and were looking to recapture their glory years from the 1970s. However, an elder goalie that had once been their property spoiled those thoughts.
As had been the case eleven years earlier, Boston took game one. When they beat Quebec 8-4 in the second contest, it appeared to be a sweep. But the Bruins had a bit of a question mark in goal of their own. Mike Moffat had been just 2-0 in the regular season, but gotten the Bruins by the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 in the first round. After beating Quebec in the second contest of their Adams' Divison matchup, Moffat was 5-1 in the postseason.
Game three at home in Quebec was a must for the Nordiques, and they won it, 4-3. Four one-goal wins in the postseason. Then they won the next two games to go up 3-2 in the series. Quebec had turned to John Garrett after game two. A win by Garrett in game six and the Nordiques would be in the Wales Conference Finals for the first time.
It didn't happen. The home town Quebec fans showed up to the Colisse to see 'em advance. Garrett couldn't get it done as Boston won it 6-5 in OT. Game seven was in Boston.
Well, Bernie Parent hadn't ever faced Boston in game seven on the road. Ken Dryden had. And won. Amazingly enough, Quebec went into Boston and went back to Daniel Bouchard! How'd he do?
Bouchard turned aside 28 of 29 shots on goal, with only a Peter McNabb second period goal beating him. The underdog Nords beat the Bruins 2-1 in that seventh and deciding game! It was on to the semis!
Unfortunately, the new power in the NHL, by name the New York Islanders, were waiting for them there and gunning for a third straight Stanley Cup. It became apparent early on that this was going to be a cakewalk for the Isles. I shouldn't have actually said that. Quebec stayed close in game one, trailing only 2-1 before New York pulled away. In the second contest, it was 2-2, but then the Islanders scored three straight.
It seemed to be the story of the series as the Nordiques were right in there...But they couldn't quite get that one goal that would have made a difference.
Back home for game three at the Colisee, Quebec kept it close. They led 1-0 and 2-1. The Nords then trailed 3-2 and 4-3, but rallied to force overtime. Alas, Wayne Merrick scored at 16:52 of the first extra frame, putting New York in the drivers seat with a 3-0 series lead. Game four was close, too. Down 3-0 in the last stanza, Quebec got two goals by Dave Pichette and Michele Goulet in just 37 seconds to pull to within a goal of Long Islander. But it was Duane Sutter to scored with Daniel Bouchard on the bench in favour of the extra attacker that ended the series.
Bouchard carried on. After a disappointing season in 1982/83, he bounced back with a 28-18-8 1983/84. However, Quebec was struggling. Boston got their revenge in the spring of 1983, beating Quebec 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Bouchard posted a fine .909 S% and 2.74 GAA in the postseason despite a 1-3 record. But it was the new guy on the Bruins, Pete Peeters, who was 3-1 with a .925 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average that was too much to overcome for Daniel Bouchard and company.
The Bruins, with 50 wins and no need for Bouchard, went all the way to the Wales Conference Finals, pushing the eventual champion the New York Islanders to six games. The Nords did better the next year as Bouchard helped them to 42 wins in the regular season and 94 points. Quebec swept Buffalo in the first round then lost to their provincial rivals from Montreal in six games. Bouchard, 33, was 5-4 with a 2.77 GAA in the playoffs to go along with a .888 S%. In doing so, Daniel improved his playoff record to 13-28 and a 3.32 goals-against average. That might not seem like much, but he'd started out 0-10 with a 3.64 GAA. Bouchard have proved he could perform in the clutch. Alas, Dan would lose his last two postseason games. After finishing up his career with Winnipeg in 1985/86, Bouchard had 286 wins and 27 shutouts to his name.
And Daniel actually stacks up well against some of Boston's goaltenders of 1972-1986. The lifetime records of which:
References
Diamond, Dan. Total NHL: The Ultimate Source on the National Hockey League. D. Diamond and Associates, 2003. Print.
-----Total Stanley Cup: All the Games, All the Records, All the Stats: the Official Encyclopedia of the Stanley Cup. Total Sports, 2000.
Dryden, Ken. The Game. Macmillan, 1983. Print.
-----. Scotty: A Hockey Life Like No Other. McClelland Stewart Inc., 2019. Print.
Irvin, Dick. The Habs: An Oral History of the Montreal Canadiens, 1940-1980. McClelland & Stewart, 1992. Print.
NHL.com. “Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, The National Hockey League, www.nhl.com/. Web. 08 Jun. 2020.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. https://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 08 Jun. 2020.
“NHL Top 10 Rivalries.” Warner Home Video, 2011. DVD.
YouTube, Google, www.youtube.com/. 08 Jun. 2020. Web.
We don't think of Daniel Bouchard as in Ken Dryden or Bernie Parent's class, but he was a very good, sometimes great goalie. One of the times Daniel was great was in the 1982 postseason when he upset the Boston Bruins.
Dryden and Parent could relate. Kenny Dryden was drafted in the third round of the 1964 amature draft by Boston. The name Dryden was not unknown in hockey. His older brother Dave was, at the time, playing in the Galt Hornets of the Ontario Hockey Association. The elden Dryden had even gotten into an NHL game with the New York Rangers as goalie Gump Worsley had been hurt.
Ken, though, hadn't played any NHL hockey by the time the 60s ended. And it seemed unlikely to change. By 1968/69, his new team, the Montreal Canadians had three hall-of-famers: Worsley, Rogie Vachon and some kid named Tony Esposito.
Was there any room for Ken? There hadn't been in Boston as they had both Gerry Cheevers and Bernie Parent in 1965/66. Would there be any openings? Well, Esposito exposed in the 1969 Intra-League Draft, where Chicago grabbed him. Ironically, that move spelled the end of Dave Dryden's time with the Blackhawks.
Vachon had helped Montreal win in 1967/68, and 1968/69. The team had actually made five straight finals (Gump Worsley had helped them win in 1964/65 and 1965/66). You'd think Vachon would have been the goalie for all of the 1970s in Montreal, right? Wrong. Worsley was sold to Minnesota for cash in February of 1970, and the Canadians went with Vachon and Phil Myre that season. The team finished with 92 points, but because it was only good enough for fifth place in the Eastern Division, Montreal was out of the playoff race.
So Vachon and Myre were very good the next year, but management wasn't satisfied.
Enter Ken Dryden.
Dryden was called up, won all six of his regular season games (Includin g a March 20th game where Kenny not only beat Buffalo, but faced his older brother). There was the daunting task of beating the Boston Bruins, of course. Boston had scored a then-record 399 goals and had Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. The Bruins won the first game and had it all going their way in game 2, up 5-1 late in the second, but Henri Richard stole a pass intended for Bobby Orr, and Montreal came charging back!
So...Montreal won the game 7-5. After splitting the next two contest, Boston seemed to catch fire. They'd tied the series with a 5-2 in game four, then made Dryden look very human in a 7-3 win in the fifth game.
Dryden allowed three goals in game six at home, which his team needed to win, but Boston allowed eight. The Habs ended the night with 43 shots an goal and Gerry Cheevers looked a little normal.
Montreal needed game seven, if they were to advance, but it was in Boston. The Bruins scored first via a Ken Hodge goal, but then Dryden and some of the Hab veteran's took over. Boston ended up with 48 SOG, but Kenny stopped all but two. And before the home team could score a second goal, the visitors got four straight! Montreal ended up with four goals on 34 SOG of their own!
The Habs were a long way from the Stanley Cup even with this upset. The upstart Minnesota North Stars took 'em to six games. Minny had beaten St. Louis the round before via Gump Worsley's exploits. That was the first time that the Blues had lost prior to the finals since joining the league in 1967/68. Plus, the expansion teams hadn't beaten an original six team once in the playoffs. They'd been swept every time prior to this. Worsley, however, wasn't the reason the Minny / Montreal series was close. Worlsey had played one game vs. the Habs in the '71 playoffs, losing. Cesar Maniago had been the big star in net for the North Stars.
So, Montreal then got by Chicago in seven, as goalies Tony Esposito and Ken Dryden were brilliant.
Coincidentally, both goalies of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals, not Gerry Cheevers (Who'd signed with the World Hockey Association) would be named to Team Canada in the fall of 1972 to face the USSR in an eight-game summit series. Canada won that 4-3-1 as both netminders were good when they needed to be.
Montreal edged Chicago in six games in the 1973 Stanley Cup Finals, but then Dryden held out an entire year, not happy with his contract in Montreal. The Stanley Cup Finals that spring saw Bernie Parent beat his old team, the Boston Bruins, in six games.
Parent had been on Boston in 1965/66 and 1966/67. But the Bruins were not good either year, despite the arrival of Bobby Orr in 1966. A trade with Chicago after 1967 brought the team Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. However, Bernie Parent was lost in the expansion draft.
At the time, Boston did not miss Bernie. They had Gerry Cheevers and Eddie Johnston, who'd been with the Bruins since 1962/63. But Parent, who'd been a pedestrian 12-20-3 and 4-12-2 in his two seasons with the Bruins, seemed to take that next step as a member of the Flyers in 1967/68. The expansion team did well. Parent was only 15-17-5, but posted a 2.49 goals-against average and four shutouts. He'd been seventh in the league in save percentage with Boston in 1965/66 (.898). With Philly in 1967/68, Bernie was fourth (.926). In the postseason that year, Parent topped all goalies with a .963 S% and 1.36 GAA. Parent continued to be so-so in the regular season as far as wins-losses goes, but he'd contribute in other ways for the Flyers. In in 1968/69 Bernie was 17-23-16. The next year, 13-29-20. However, both years Parent led the league in ties, and posted save percentage's of .925 and .921.
A trade to Toronto paired him up with his childhood idol Jacques Plante. Plante was more than just a teacher. Their first year together the 42-year old veteran posted a league-leading GAA of just 1.88 to top the league, went 24-11-4 and also led in S&, .944. Parent was just 7-7-3 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .916 S%, but benefited from playing with Plante. The pair were only together two years with the Leafs, but both times got them to the playoffs and gave New York and Boston all they could handle in tough, first round losses.
Bernie Parent was back in Philadelphia in 1972/73, but not with the Flyers. He'd joined his old pal Gerry Cheevers and singed with a World Hockey Association team, the Blazers. Bernie topped the next league in wins with 33. But he wanted back at the big stage. The WHA was throwing money all over the place, but Parent wanted back in the NHL. Turns out they hadn't kept their word on his contract. It is thought that Toronto owner Harold Ballard didn't want him back, so the Leafs traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers for Doug Favell, who'd been Parent's partner way back when Philly came to the big league. Bernie helped Philadelphia win the Stanley Cup the next two years. And in 1974, he helped beat the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Just like in 1971, Boston was facing a goalie who'd once been the property of their team. Just like in 1971, the Bruins won the first game at home.
But, a 2-0 lead in game two was overcome by Philly, just like they had in the opening contest. Bobby Clarke won the game at 12:10 of the first overtime.
So it was on to Philadelphia for game three, which the Flyers won, 4-1. So then, the crucial game four.
Boston was far from finished, and made it look easy in a 5-1 win in the fifth contest.
Philly needed game six at home, or else had to go back to Boston for a seventh and deciding game. But Bernie Parent took care of that, and posted a splendid 1-0 shutout of the Bruins! Bernie got the Conn Smythe award, just like Ken Dryden had in 1971!
Parent wasn't done, either. He helped Philadelphia beat the Buffalo Sabres in six games in 1975, ending that series with another shutout. And another Conn Smythe Award!
The two teams would meet again two seasons later, but this time it was only for the right to go to the Stanley Cup Finals. Philadelphia was looking for a three-peat, but Parent wasn't the goalie he'd once been. Toronto, his old team, had burned him in game six of the first round, as Daryl Sittler scored five goals! Bernie had played only eleven regular season games. While he'd looked quite strong in four of his first five games, the wheels seemed to come off the chariot. He'd been bothered by a sore neck before the season started, and hadn't joined the Flyers until late February. When the postseason rolled around, Parent had looked strong in beating Toronto twice in Philadelphia. But then the Leafs broke through against him. In winnings games three in four at Maple Leaf Gardens, tying the series 2-2. Parent won game five back home, only to see eight goals get by him in the sixth contest. Though Philly won game seven, 7-3, Parent was struggling.
And about to face the Boston Bruins again.
This time, it was a different Bruins team altogether than in 1974. Bobby Orr was hurt (He'd played just ten games in the regular season). Phil Esposito was traded. Newcomers included Brad Park and Jean Ratelle, who were both acquired in the trade that sent Esposito to the New York Rangers. The Bruins won the deal, as had they won the transaction to acquire Phil. Ratelle had 15 points in 13 games with New York. He added 90 points in just 67 games in Boston. Gerry Cheevers had returned. However, like Parent he'd not been himself in the postseason, and Gilles Gilbert (Who'd been in goal for all six games of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals) took over. He got a shutout in game seven vs. Los Angeles in the quarter-finals and then beat Parent and Philadelphia 4-2 in the first game of the Conference Finals.
Well, that was it for Bernie. Wayne Stephenson took over in Philadelphia's crease for game two, while Boston went back to Gerry Cheevers for some reason. The Flyers won game two in overtime, 2-1. Hey, just like in 1974! Philadelphia surprisingly never looked back. They won games three, four and five and were back in the finals.
Parent didn't play again. The Flyers ran into the Montreal Canadians. And every game was close. Game one, one goal differential. Same in game one. Same in game three. Philly led game four at home, 3-2, but Montreal scored three unanswered goals for a 5-3 win and a sweep!
Parent did played better in the coming years. In 1976/77, Bernie was 35-13-12, and Philadelphia was in first place four the fourth straight year, and over 100 points for that span. They overcame Toronto in six games in the quarter-finals, and probably figured they could get by Boston again. Instead, it was Cheevers and the Bruins who did what Montreal did the previous year to Philadelphia: They swept 'em! Though Montreal promptly did the same to Boston in 1977 that they had to Philly the year before (A sweep!) it seemed the Broad Street Bullies had taken a big step back. They'd have to wait until 1979/80 to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Parent was 29-6-13 in 1977/78 and posted a 2.22 goals against average. His save percentage was .912. Neither Wayne Stephenson or Rick St. Croix were anywhere in his league, so the position of #1 goals on the Flyers was still his as he passed his 33rd birthday in '78. Bernie was 29-6-13.
Philadelphia had slipped to second place in the Patrick Division despite 105 points. Parent and Philly swept Colorado 2-0 in the first round, then disposed of Buffalo in just five games in the second. They kept in close vs. Boston in the semi-finals. Parent stopped the Bruins' six-game playoff winning streak with a 3-1 win in the third contest, but dropped his next outing. Tied 3-3 after 40 minutes in the fifth contest, Boston scored twice in the third and added an empty-net goal to advance to the finals four the fifth time in the decade.
Parent had one last season, as his career would come to premature end in 1979. Ken Dryden would also retire that year, but on his own accord. Montreal had made it four Stanley Cups in a row that season, and Ken was just 31. However, Kenny was no average hockey goalie. No. He was a lawyer, author and later even a politician. His recent book, "Scotty" about his great coach Scotty Bowman, is a "Must read" for all hockey fans.
Parent was having a fairly good season in 1978/79. Wayne Stephenson was still trying to push Bernie Parent aside in the Flyers' goalie depth chart. It seemed like all the goalies from the early 70s were suddenly old. Dryden was on his way out. Ed Giacomin had already retired. Jacques Plante had gone to the World Hockey League and quit after 1974/75. Gerry Cheevers was nearing 40. Tony Esposito was still good, but his team, the Chicago Blackhawks, weren't.
In Parent's case, the Flyers had a newcomer who'd be very good, very soon. Peeters had won his first NHL game on December 17th of 1978, then struggled, going 0-2-1 in his next four appearances on the Flyers. Rick St. Croix didn't get into a Flyers game until March as he was destined for a solid backup role with the team, nothing more. So the season started with Bernie and Wayne Stephenson batting for that #1 spot. It had been fourteen years since he made his NHL debut back in 1965/66. Through February 14th, he had four shutouts and sixteen wins in 35 games. But then, on February 17th, in a game against the Rangers, a stick made it's way through one of his masks' holes (For his eyes) and gouged his eyes. Just like that, his brilliant career was over, as doctors were unable to repair enough of Bernie's vision and allow him to continue in the Flyers' net.
Philly sure missed him. The Flyers got rookie Robbie Moore to played in five late-season games, and he went 3-0-1 and got two shutouts. But he couldn't get Philadelphia to the conference finals. They made it back to the finals the next year as Pete Peeters nearly won 30 games. Could Parent have made a difference? It took the New York Islanders six games to beat the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup, but the finalist had enjoyed a 35-game unbeaten streak, setting a North American pro sports record. It's sad to think Bernie Parent, the best goalie in Flyers history, missed out on this return to glory.
Daniel Bouchard was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the 1970 amateur draft. He was only so-so with Hershey of the AHL in 1970/71 (12-16-2), but then improved on the Boston Braves (AHL) the next season: 27-13-7, 2.51 GAA. You'd think he'd have been called up.
But not with Gerry Cheevers and Ed Johnston in the way. Oddly enough, I think Bouchard was better than Johnston. Eddie had been 125-53-24 for the Bruins from 1967/68 to 1972/73, but had never truly been anything exceptional: Just sixteen shutouts, a 2.91 GAA and .900 S%.
Bouchard, traded to Atlanta in 1972, went 9-15-10 as a rookie with the Flames, and posted a 3.09 GAA and .907 S%. Not bad.
The coming years were telling. Daniel jumped above .500 in 1973/74 while Ken Dryden sat out and Bernie Parent helped the Flyers beat the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals. Bouchard did not have another losing season until 1984/85, long after Johnston, Parent and Dryden had hung up the pads for good. The Bruins backup in 1973/74 was not Ed Johnston (Ross Brooks, a 35-year old first-year man, was). He'd gone to Toronto that year, helping the Leafs make the playoffs. The Bruins swept 'em, however. From there, Johnston moved on to St. Louis and played his last season in Chicago behind Tony Esposito's and Mike Veisor in 1977/78.
By then Dan Bouchard was a legit star goalie. He was 25-12-19 that year, then lead the league the next season with 32 wins. He was still on the Atlanta Flames. The team would move to Calgary two seasons later. But in 1980/81, Bouchard actually got traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Though he won 27 games in 1981/82, Dan's goals-against average was up to 3.87.
The Boston Bruins must have noted that and the Quebec Nordiques mediocre 33-31-16 record. But there was Peter Stasny and his 139 points. And Real Cloutier's 97. Michel Goulet was a distant fourth on the team in scoring...So this team had depth.
Enough to upset the mighty Montreal Canadians, who were struggling to find playoff success since Ken Dryden's retirement three years earlier. However, it was no cakewalk. Indeed, the best-of-five first round match was the first, "Battle Of Quebec," which sadly is lacking in today's NHL (The Nords abandoned Quebec in 1995, moving to Colorado to become the "Avalanche" and added two Stanley Cups to the franchise). All three wins by Quebec were one goal. And in game five they needed overtime to end it. Rick Wamsley had been great for the Habs, but couldn't quite be clutch a-la-Ken Dryden.
Bouchard, however, was great went it mattered despite a pedestrian 3-2, 3.20 GAA and .901 S%. But, it had been enough. The Boston Bruins were next and were looking to recapture their glory years from the 1970s. However, an elder goalie that had once been their property spoiled those thoughts.
As had been the case eleven years earlier, Boston took game one. When they beat Quebec 8-4 in the second contest, it appeared to be a sweep. But the Bruins had a bit of a question mark in goal of their own. Mike Moffat had been just 2-0 in the regular season, but gotten the Bruins by the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 in the first round. After beating Quebec in the second contest of their Adams' Divison matchup, Moffat was 5-1 in the postseason.
Game three at home in Quebec was a must for the Nordiques, and they won it, 4-3. Four one-goal wins in the postseason. Then they won the next two games to go up 3-2 in the series. Quebec had turned to John Garrett after game two. A win by Garrett in game six and the Nordiques would be in the Wales Conference Finals for the first time.
It didn't happen. The home town Quebec fans showed up to the Colisse to see 'em advance. Garrett couldn't get it done as Boston won it 6-5 in OT. Game seven was in Boston.
Well, Bernie Parent hadn't ever faced Boston in game seven on the road. Ken Dryden had. And won. Amazingly enough, Quebec went into Boston and went back to Daniel Bouchard! How'd he do?
Bouchard turned aside 28 of 29 shots on goal, with only a Peter McNabb second period goal beating him. The underdog Nords beat the Bruins 2-1 in that seventh and deciding game! It was on to the semis!
Unfortunately, the new power in the NHL, by name the New York Islanders, were waiting for them there and gunning for a third straight Stanley Cup. It became apparent early on that this was going to be a cakewalk for the Isles. I shouldn't have actually said that. Quebec stayed close in game one, trailing only 2-1 before New York pulled away. In the second contest, it was 2-2, but then the Islanders scored three straight.
It seemed to be the story of the series as the Nordiques were right in there...But they couldn't quite get that one goal that would have made a difference.
Back home for game three at the Colisee, Quebec kept it close. They led 1-0 and 2-1. The Nords then trailed 3-2 and 4-3, but rallied to force overtime. Alas, Wayne Merrick scored at 16:52 of the first extra frame, putting New York in the drivers seat with a 3-0 series lead. Game four was close, too. Down 3-0 in the last stanza, Quebec got two goals by Dave Pichette and Michele Goulet in just 37 seconds to pull to within a goal of Long Islander. But it was Duane Sutter to scored with Daniel Bouchard on the bench in favour of the extra attacker that ended the series.
Bouchard carried on. After a disappointing season in 1982/83, he bounced back with a 28-18-8 1983/84. However, Quebec was struggling. Boston got their revenge in the spring of 1983, beating Quebec 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Bouchard posted a fine .909 S% and 2.74 GAA in the postseason despite a 1-3 record. But it was the new guy on the Bruins, Pete Peeters, who was 3-1 with a .925 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average that was too much to overcome for Daniel Bouchard and company.
The Bruins, with 50 wins and no need for Bouchard, went all the way to the Wales Conference Finals, pushing the eventual champion the New York Islanders to six games. The Nords did better the next year as Bouchard helped them to 42 wins in the regular season and 94 points. Quebec swept Buffalo in the first round then lost to their provincial rivals from Montreal in six games. Bouchard, 33, was 5-4 with a 2.77 GAA in the playoffs to go along with a .888 S%. In doing so, Daniel improved his playoff record to 13-28 and a 3.32 goals-against average. That might not seem like much, but he'd started out 0-10 with a 3.64 GAA. Bouchard have proved he could perform in the clutch. Alas, Dan would lose his last two postseason games. After finishing up his career with Winnipeg in 1985/86, Bouchard had 286 wins and 27 shutouts to his name.
And Daniel actually stacks up well against some of Boston's goaltenders of 1972-1986. The lifetime records of which:
| Goalie | GP | W | L | T | SO | GAA | S% |
| Bouchard | 656 | 286 | 233 | 113 | 27 | 3.27 | .890 |
| Cheevers | 418 | 227 | 104 | 76 | 26 | 2.89 | .901 |
| Parent | 608 | 271 | 198 | 119 | 54 | 2.55 | .915 |
| Johnston | 592 | 236 | 256 | 78 | 32 | 3.25 | .896 |
| Brooks | 54 | 37 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2.64 | .903 |
| Gilbert | 416 | 192 | 143 | 60 | 18 | 3.27 | .883 |
| Grahame | 114 | 50 | 43 | 15 | 5 | 3.80 | .866 |
| Pettie | 21 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3.68 | .855 |
| Vachon | 795 | 353 | 293 | 128 | 51 | 3.00 | .896 |
| Baron | 86 | 34 | 38 | 9 | 1 | 3.64 | .865 |
| Moffat | 18 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4.38 | .826 |
| Peeters | 489 | 246 | 156 | 51 | 21 | 3.09 | .886 |
| Keans | 210 | 96 | 64 | 26 | 4 | 3.51 | .874 |
| Riggin | 350 | 153 | 120 | 52 | 11 | 3.43 | .879 |
| Ranford | 647 | 240 | 279 | 76 | 15 | 3.41 | .888 |
References
Diamond, Dan. Total NHL: The Ultimate Source on the National Hockey League. D. Diamond and Associates, 2003. Print.
-----Total Stanley Cup: All the Games, All the Records, All the Stats: the Official Encyclopedia of the Stanley Cup. Total Sports, 2000.
Dryden, Ken. The Game. Macmillan, 1983. Print.
-----. Scotty: A Hockey Life Like No Other. McClelland Stewart Inc., 2019. Print.
Irvin, Dick. The Habs: An Oral History of the Montreal Canadiens, 1940-1980. McClelland & Stewart, 1992. Print.
NHL.com. “Official Site of the National Hockey League.” NHL.com, The National Hockey League, www.nhl.com/. Web. 08 Jun. 2020.
Sports Reference LLC. Hockey-Reference.com - Hockey Statistics and History. https://www.hockey-reference.com/. Web. 08 Jun. 2020.
“NHL Top 10 Rivalries.” Warner Home Video, 2011. DVD.
YouTube, Google, www.youtube.com/. 08 Jun. 2020. Web.
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