George Armstrong gave the Toronto Maple Leafs a dramatic start to the 1961 Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring in double overtime to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 at Maple Leaf Gardens. It would be Toronto’s only victory of the postseason. The Leafs had finished second overall in 1960-61, 24 points ahead of fourth-place Detroit, but that regular-season advantage meant little once the semifinal series began.
Highlights
Toronto finished 24 points ahead of Detroit in the 1960-61 standings.
Alex Delvecchio opened Game 1’s scoring just 14 seconds into play.
Ron Stewart’s late third-period goal forced overtime.
George Armstrong scored at 4:51 of double overtime for a 3-2 Toronto win.
Dick Duff and Allan Stanley assisted on the winner.
Cesare Maniago made 37 saves in his NHL playoff debut.
Detroit won the next four games, outscoring Toronto 13-5.
Both Toronto and first-place Montreal were eliminated in the semifinals.
Toronto never led during regulation in Game 1. Alex Delvecchio beat Cesare Maniago just 14 seconds after the opening faceoff, with Gordie Howe assisting. Bob Nevin pulled the Maple Leafs even with the second period’s only goal, but Howie Young restored Detroit’s lead early in the third. Ron Stewart kept Toronto alive, making it 2-2 with just over five and a half minutes remaining.
The Red Wings survived a dangerous stretch in the first overtime after Young received a slashing minor at 12:09. Toronto couldn’t capitalize on the power play, and the teams needed a second extra period to settle things. At 4:51, Armstrong finally beat Terry Sawchuk, with Dick Duff and Allan Stanley assisting on the winner.
Making his NHL playoff debut, Maniago stopped 37 of 39 shots to earn the victory. For Armstrong, the overtime winner would stand as his only goal of the playoffs. It was a memorable opening night for both players, but Toronto would have little to celebrate over the remainder of the series.
Detroit won the next four games, outscoring Toronto 13-5 along the way. Sawchuk’s contributions included a 29-save shutout in Game 3 as the Red Wings finished off the Leafs in five. The other semifinal also produced an upset, with the third-place Chicago Blackhawks eliminating the first-place Montreal Canadiens in six games. The NHL’s top two regular-season teams were out, leaving Chicago and Detroit to contest the Stanley Cup final.
NHL Playoff Hat Tricks Of The 1960s
Relive the NHL playoff hat tricks of the 1960s with the stories, stars, and memorable performances behind some of the decade’s biggest postseason scoring nights.
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