The Montreal Canadiens wasted little time reminding the NHL why they were the league's powerhouse during the 1950s. On October 17, 1957, they welcomed the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Montreal Forum and handed their Original Six rivals a decisive 9-3 defeat. The night's biggest story belonged to brothers Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Henri "Pocket Rocket" Richard, who combined for an incredible 10 points while accounting for five of Montreal's nine goals.
Highlights
Maurice and Henri Richard combined for 10 points against Toronto.
Henri Richard recorded a hat trick and three assists for a six-point game.
Maurice Richard finished with two goals and two assists.
The Richard brothers scored five of Montreal's nine goals.
Dickie Moore and Doug Harvey each added three-point performances.
Claude Provost scored the game-winning goal in the second period.
Toronto fell to 0-3 before rebounding with a 7-0 win over Boston two nights later.
Henri Richard led the offensive explosion with one of the finest games of his career. The Pocket Rocket scored a hat trick and added three assists for a remarkable six-point performance. Two of those assists came on goals by his older brother Maurice, while another set up Jean-Guy Talbot. Maurice answered with two goals and two assists, helping set up Henri's first goal and a tally by Dickie Moore to finish with four points. After just five games of the 1957-58 season, both Richard brothers had already scored six goals.
The Canadiens received plenty of support throughout the lineup. Dickie Moore and Hall of Fame defenseman Doug Harvey each chipped in three-point nights, while Claude Provost scored what proved to be the game-winning goal midway through the second period. Provost beat Toronto goaltender Ed Chadwick at 10:25 of the middle frame, with assists from Phil Goyette and Harvey, giving Montreal a 4-3 lead before the Canadiens pulled away with five unanswered goals.
For Toronto, the loss dropped the club to 0-3 to begin the 1957-58 campaign. Fortunately for the Maple Leafs, the rough start didn't last much longer. Just two nights later, they welcomed the unbeaten Boston Bruins to Maple Leaf Gardens and responded in emphatic fashion with a stunning 7-0 victory. Ed Chadwick earned the shutout, while Brian Cullen and Billy Harris each recorded hat tricks to give Toronto its first win of the season in memorable style.
The October 17 showdown remains one of the greatest family performances in Montreal Canadiens history. Few sibling duos have ever dominated an NHL game the way Maurice and Henri Richard did, combining skill, scoring touch and playmaking brilliance to overwhelm one of hockey's fiercest rivals.
Henri Richard: La légende aux 11 Coupes Stanley
L’histoire autorisée du légendaire numéro 16 du Canadien de Montréal, racontée par son fils Denis Richard, retraçant sa carrière, ses 11 Coupes Stanley et les moments marquants de la vie du « Pocket Rocket ». :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
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