On February 22, 1979, the Pittsburgh Penguins visited the Montreal Forum and ran headfirst into the powerhouse Canadiens near the end of their 1970s dynasty. Montreal dominated from start to finish, rolling to a 12-0 victory in a game that showcased just how deep that championship roster really was.
Highlights
Montreal defeated Pittsburgh 12-0 on February 22, 1979.
All 17 Canadiens skaters recorded at least one point.
Guy Lafleur scored the game-winning goal just 2:05 into the game.
Guy Lapointe led Montreal with four assists.
Yvon Lambert, Doug Risebrough and Mario Tremblay each had two goals and one assist.
Montreal scored 12 times on 37 shots.
Michel Larocque stopped 25 shots for the shutout.
The Canadiens went on to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup.
Guy Lafleur got things started just 2:05 into the opening period, beating Denis Herron for what technically stood as the game-winning goal. Interestingly, despite Montreal scoring another 11 times, Lafleur did not record another point. On most nights, keeping Lafleur to a single point would have been considered a major accomplishment. On this night, it meant absolutely nothing.
The Canadiens dressed 17 skaters and every one of them recorded at least one point. Guy Lapointe led the way with four assists, while Yvon Lambert, Doug Risebrough and Mario Tremblay each scored twice and added an assist. Réjean Houle also finished with three points, all assists. It was a remarkably balanced attack in which virtually everyone got involved.
Perhaps even more surprising was that Montreal didn't need an overwhelming number of shots to reach a dozen goals. Herron faced 24 shots over the first two periods and surrendered seven goals. Greg Millen took over for the third and allowed another five goals on just 13 shots. In total, the Canadiens scored 12 times on 37 shots.
At the other end, Michel "Bunny" Larocque quietly took care of business. He stopped all 25 Pittsburgh shots to record the shutout, making him the only Montreal player who dressed that night without a point. It was Larocque's second of three shutouts during the 1978-79 season. His first came with a 14-save performance against the Atlanta Flames, while his third would also require 25 saves against the New York Rangers.
For a Canadiens team headed toward its fourth consecutive Stanley Cup championship, the 12-0 demolition of Pittsburgh was a striking display of roster depth. Lafleur scored the winner, every Montreal skater found the scoresheet, and Larocque was the lone Hab without a point but came away with the shutout.
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