Dec. 3, 1964 - Jean Beliveau skated his best game of the season and sparked the Canadiens from a slow start tonight as they defeated Toronto, 4-2, at the Montreal Forum and tied the Leafs for second place in the NHL standings.
The big team captain scored his fifth goal of the season and helped set up the winner by Bobby Rousseau as the Habs ran up a 4-0 lead before the Leafs hit the score sheet. These tallies were sandwiched by markers from Dave Balon and Jim Roberts, whose shorthanded goal started a brawl in the third period.
Dave Keon finally beat goalie Charlie Hodge for Toronto’s first tally on a power play, getting his 100th NHL goal. Rookie Ron Ellis made it a closer game with his seventh of the season four minutes later.
Outshot 10-3 in a dull opening frame, the Canadiens came to life in the second with Balon scoring on a pass from Claude Provost in the third minute. Then Beliveau led the attack and made it 2-0 while Carl Brewer was sitting out a tripping penalty.
Rookie Yvan Cournoyer and John Ferguson started the play that forced Johnny Bower to make a big save and vacate his net as the puck came out to Beliveau.
“I looked up and saw the wide-open net in front of me,” said Jean. “I said to myself, ‘You better not miss this one.’”
His 40-foot shot landed right in the middle of the Toronto cage.
Toronto coach Punch Imlach was so disgusted with his forwards in the third frame that he put three defensemen up front for a power play — Tim Horton, Allan Stanley, and Bobby Baun, with Andy Bathgate and Bob Pulford on the points.
“That must have been the Toronto muscle brigade,” said Jim Roberts after the game.
After Roberts’ goal, Baun carried right in to hammer the Hab winger into the boards, and Terry Harper went after the Toronto defenseman. They were soon separated but made threatening gestures for several minutes before being banished with double minors and $25 misconducts.
“The puck was already in the net, but he carried right in to hit Roberts,” said Harper about the scrap that ended his fine play.
Beliveau, apparently recovered from the groin injury that hampered his play two weeks ago, was going strong all night and could have had a couple of tallies with a little luck around the goal mouth.
“This was by far Jean’s best skating effort of the season,” said Montreal coach Toe Blake.
The coach was happy with his team’s overall performance but didn’t like “the way we suddenly went dead” for a while in the third period.
Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
Comments