Ken Dryden’s 1970-71 playoff heroics made him an instant legend. Six regular-season games, 20 playoff starts, and a Stanley Cup run that earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy before he won the Calder as rookie of the year.
But one milestone escaped him during that magical spring: his first NHL shutout. That moment finally arrived early in the 1971-72 season.
Montreal travelled west to face the Vancouver Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum, just five games into the new campaign. The Canucks, still only in their second year, were a respectable 3-4-0 and held the Canadiens scoreless until the dying minutes of the first period. At 18:01, Marc Tardif broke through with the eventual game-winner on Dunc Wilson, assisted by Henri Richard.
Tardif struck again early in the second, his second of the night and fourth of the season, with J.C. Tremblay and Rejean Houle picking up helpers. From there, Frank Mahovlich took over the scoring, completing a natural hat trick that included a shorthanded tally set up by his brother, Pete.
While the offense rolled, Dryden did his part by turning aside all 28 Vancouver shots in a commanding 6-0 victory. Rosaire Paiement and Dale Tallon each fired four shots for the Canucks, but nothing found its way through.
The shutout was the first of eight for Dryden that season and the first of 46 in his Hall of Fame career. Remarkably, three of his eight blanks in 1971-72 came against Vancouver. Montreal swept all five matchups with the Canucks that year, outscoring them by a staggering 32-8 margin.
NHL Hockey Trivia: Ken Dryden
1. In which season did Ken Dryden famously win the Conn Smythe Trophy before winning the Calder Trophy?
2. Ken Dryden spent his entire NHL career with which team?
3. How many Vezina Trophies did Ken Dryden win during his NHL career?
4. Ken Dryden retired surprisingly early. How old was he when he played his final NHL game?
5. Which team did Dryden face in his first career postseason start — a series that helped launch him to the Conn Smythe?
