[VIDEO] April 22, 1975: Montreal Canadiens vs Vancouver Canucks, SCQF Game 5.

[Guest]

It isn't often you'll find a full game from the 1970s available for viewing, but today I present to everyone a game played exactly 39 years ago:

Game 5 of the 1975 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, Vancouver Canucks vs Montreal Canadiens.

This was the Canucks' first playoff series in franchise history after four years of missing the postseason. This game happens to be the final game of the series, a nail-biting overtime thriller with the Canadiens up 3-1 in the series.

Enjoy!

Here's a related article published two days later:

Habs got only 1 point in 5 season games: Fans expect Canadiens, Sabres matchup to make exciting semi-final
The Globe and Mail (1936-Current) [Toronto, Ont] 24 Apr 1975: 46.

...

The Canadiens made it to the semi-final Tuesday night by eliminating Vancouver Canucks in the fifth game of the quarter-final with a 5-4 overtime victory on a goal by Guy Lafleur.

...

While the Canadiens had not expected the spirited opposition they ran into against the Canucks, they fully anticipate a tough time getting beyond the Sabres in the best-of-seven series that opens in Buffalo Sunday and continues in that city Tuesday.

...

While Montreal coach Scotty Bowman had constantly advised his athletes to adopt a prudent approach to their series against the Canucks, it's unlikely he'll need the same exhortations for the Buffalo series. In five meetings this season, the Canadiens collected only one point against the Sabres... In the five games, the Sabres outscored the Canadiens 28-22.

...

The Canadiens, who generally had an excellent defensive performance against the Canucks, have in the past fallen into the game pattern set by the high-scoring Sabres, by attempting to match and better Buffalo's goal output. As a result, Montreal's usually strong defensive pattern has suffered.

"We played pretty well defensively against Vancouver, but they played a defensive game themselves," Bowman said. "Buffalo will be coming at us... They played Chicago, which is a defensive team, and they didn't have any trouble scoring goals at all," he added. "We're sure going to have to play a hell of a lot better." A number of the Montreal players said basically the same thing as their coach.

Defenceman Mike Robitaille, a former member of the Sabres before joining the Canucks this season, echoed the talk that circulated among fans, during the Vancouver series. Robitaille predicted the Sabres will win.

"It should be a great series, but Buffalo is awfully tough on that small rink and the bad ice they have there," Robitaille said. "I would have to go with Buffalo."

...

Works Cited

"Habs Got Only 1 Point in 5 Season Games." The Globe and Mail (1936-Current): 46. Apr 24 1975. ProQuest. Web. 20 Apr. 2014 .

[Honky Cat]

Pretty Cool...Thx Weatherwise.....(this is all the more reason we should stop dicking around with different jersey colors..!)..

[drummer4now]

Sand in the eyes..

[skeena1]

No post-whisltle bs. No whining. Respect between the players. Want.

[hlinkas wrister]

Dryden's upper body equipment looked smaller than most forwards nowadays. Great find and thanks for sharing !

[Heretic]

And no advertising.

"An enormous save!" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Gallivan

Edit:

Also, for you youngin's, see how we blew a 2 goal lead? Now you know why some of us old guys get so ticked when we see it today as we have been seeing it for a very long time.

[Dogbyte]

Thx,

Sure was interesting. Robataille, Bordeleau, Lever, Kearns, and Smith in net all stood out for me.

What a nice way to watch the game without all the extra crap we have nowadays. Just good hockey.

[Westcoasting]

The era before mandatory helmets and later on visors was when nobody high sticked anybody. You always knew where your blade was.

[Aladeen]

That a lot of sick flow out there on the ice!