1978–79 NHL season

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The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. The 17 teams of the league played an 80-game season.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals four games to one for their fourth Cup in a row.

Regular season

Final standings

GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold

Prince of Wales Conference

Adams Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Boston Bruins 80 43 23 14 100 316 270 1222
Buffalo Sabres 80 36 28 16 88 280 263 1026
Toronto Maple Leafs 80 34 33 13 81 267 252 1440
Minnesota North Stars 80 28 40 12 68 257 289 1102
Norris Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Montreal Canadiens 80 52 17 11 115 337 204 803
Pittsburgh Penguins 80 36 31 13 85 281 279 1039
Los Angeles Kings 80 34 34 12 80 292 286 1134
Washington Capitals 80 24 41 15 63 273 338 1312
Detroit Red Wings 80 23 41 16 62 252 295 1359

Clarence Campbell Conference

Patrick Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
New York Islanders 80 51 15 14 116 358 214 1077
Philadelphia Flyers 80 40 25 15 95 281 248 1548
New York Rangers 80 40 29 11 91 316 292 1214
Atlanta Flames 80 41 31 8 90 327 280 1158
Smythe Division GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM
Chicago Black Hawks 80 29 36 15 73 244 277 1254
Vancouver Canucks 80 25 42 13 63 217 291 1134
St. Louis Blues 80 18 50 12 48 249 348 1055
Colorado Rockies 80 15 53 12 42 210 331 838

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Bryan Trottier New York Islanders 76 47 87 134 50
Marcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings 80 59 71 130 30
Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens 80 52 77 129 28
Mike Bossy New York Islanders 80 69 57 126 25
Bob MacMillan Atlanta Flames 79 37 71 108 14
Guy Chouinard Atlanta Flames 80 50 57 107 14
Denis Potvin New York Islanders 73 31 70 101 58
Bernie Federko St. Louis Blues 74 31 64 95 14
Dave Taylor Los Angeles Kings 78 43 48 91 124
Clark Gillies New York Islanders 75 35 56 91 68

Stanley Cup playoffs

All dates in 1979

Playoff bracket

  Preliminary Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                                     
        
  2  Montreal Canadiens 4  
    9  Toronto Maple Leafs 0  
6  Atlanta Flames 0
9  Toronto Maple Leafs 2  
  2  Montreal Canadiens 4  
  3  Boston Bruins 3  
        
        
  3  Boston Bruins 4
    8  Pittsburgh Penguins 0  
7  Buffalo Sabres 1
8  Pittsburgh Penguins 2  
  2  Montreal Canadiens 4
  5  New York Rangers 1
        
        
  1  New York Islanders 4
    11  Chicago Black Hawks 0  
      
        
  1  New York Islanders 2
  5  New York Rangers 4  
4  Philadelphia Flyers 2  
12  Vancouver Canucks 1  
  4  Philadelphia Flyers 1
    5  New York Rangers 4  
5  New York Rangers 2
10  Los Angeles Kings 0  

Preliminary round

Vancouver Canucks vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 10 Vancouver 3 Philadelphia 2
April 12 Philadelphia 6 Vancouver 4
April 14 Vancouver 2 Philadelphia 7

Philadelphia wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1

Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 10 Los Angeles 1 New York 7
April 12 New York 2 Los Angeles 1 (OT)

NY Rangers win best-of-three series 2 games to 0

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Atlanta Flames

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 10 Toronto 2 Atlanta 1
April 12 Atlanta 4 Toronto 7

Toronto wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 10 Pittsburgh 4 Buffalo 3
April 12 Buffalo 3 Pittsburgh 1
April 14 Pittsburgh 4 Buffalo 3 (OT)

Pittsburgh wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1

Quarterfinals

Chicago Black Hawks vs. New York Islanders

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 16 Chicago 2 New York 6
April 18 Chicago 0 New York 1 (OT)
April 20 New York 4 Chicago 0
April 22 New York 3 Chicago 1

NY Islanders win best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 16 Toronto 2 Montreal 5
April 18 Toronto 1 Montreal 5
April 21 Montreal 4 Toronto 3
April 22 Montreal 5 Toronto 4 (OT)

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Boston Bruins

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 16 Pittsburgh 2 Boston 6
April 18 Pittsburgh 3 Boston 4
April 21 Boston 2 Pittsburgh 1
April 22 Boston 4 Pittsburgh 1

Boston wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 16 New York 2 Philadelphia 3 (OT)
April 18 New York 7 Philadelphia 1
April 20 Philadelphia 1 New York 5
April 22 Philadelphia 0 New York 6
April 24 New York 8 Philadelphia 3

NY Rangers win best-of-seven series 4 games to 1

Semi-finals

New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 26 Rangers 4 Islanders 1
April 28 Rangers 3 Islanders 4 (OT)
May 1 Islanders 1 Rangers 3
May 3 Islanders 3 Rangers 2 (OT)
May 5 Rangers 4 Islanders 3
May 8 Islanders 1 Rangers 2

NY Rangers win best-of-seven series 4 games to 2

Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 26 Boston 2 Montreal 4
April 28 Boston 2 Montreal 5
May 1 Montreal 1 Boston 2
May 3 Montreal 3 Boston 4 (OT)
May 5 Boston 1 Montreal 5
May 8 Montreal 2 Boston 5
May 10 Boston 4 Montreal 5 (OT)

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3

Finals

New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens

As of 2008, it is the last time two Pre-war clubs met in the Finals.

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
May 13 New York 4 Montreal 1
May 15 New York 2 Montreal 6
May 17 Montreal 4 New York 1
May 19 Montreal 4 New York 3 (OT)
May 21 New York 1 Montreal 4

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1

NHL awards

Prince of Wales Trophy: Montreal Canadiens
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: New York Islanders
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Serge Savard, Montreal Canadiens
Calder Memorial Trophy: Bobby Smith, Minnesota North Stars
Conn Smythe Trophy: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
Frank J. Selke Trophy: Bob Gainey, Montreal Canadiens
Hart Memorial Trophy: Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
Jack Adams Award: Al Arbour, New York Islanders
James Norris Memorial Trophy: Denis Potvin, New York Islanders
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Bob MacMillan, Atlanta Flames
Lester B. Pearson Award: Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
NHL Plus/Minus Award: Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders
Vezina Trophy: Ken Dryden & Michel Larocque, Montreal Canadiens
Lester Patrick Trophy: Bobby Orr

All-Star teams

First Team   Position   Second Team
Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens G Glenn Resch, New York Islanders
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders D Borje Salming, Toronto Maple Leafs
Larry Robinson, Montreal Canadiens D Serge Savard, Montreal Canadiens
Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders C Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Kings
Guy Lafleur, Montreal Canadiens RW Mike Bossy, New York Islanders
Clark Gillies, New York Islanders LW Bill Barber, Philadelphia Flyers

References