1996–97 Montreal Canadiens season
NHL hockey team season
The 1996–97 Montreal Canadiens season was the club's 88th season and the first full season at the Molson Centre . The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs despite a sub-.500 season. The Canadiens were eliminated in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals (the first round) by the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 1.
Offseason
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(July 2010 )
Regular season
On Wednesday, October 16, 1996, the Canadiens scored three short-handed goals in a 4–2 win over the Calgary Flames.[ 1]
Pierre Turgeon was traded on October 29, 1996, to the St. Louis Blues . Veteran forward Vincent Damphousse was named the new captain.
The Canadiens finished the regular season 26th in both power-play goals allowed (71) and penalty-killing percentage (79.54%).[ 2]
Final standings
Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast
bold – Qualified for playoffs
Playoffs
In the first game of the series against New Jersey, on April 17, 1997, with the Devils up by two goals late in the game, Martin Brodeur fired the puck the length of the ice and into the Canadiens' empty net to ensure a 5-2 victory. It was only the second time in NHL history that a goaltender had scored in the playoffs, and the fifth time overall.[ 4]
Schedule and results
Regular season
1996–97 regular season[ 5]
October: 4–5–2 (home: 4–1–2; road: 0–4–0)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
1
T
October 5, 1996
3–3 OT
Ottawa Senators
0–0–1
Recap
2
T
October 7, 1996
6–6 OT
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
0–0–2
Recap
3
W
October 9, 1996
6–3
Los Angeles Kings
1–0–2
Recap
4
W
October 12, 1996
5–2
New York Rangers
2–0–2
Recap
5
L
October 15, 1996
2–3
@ New Jersey Devils
2–1–2
Recap
6
W
October 16, 1996
4–2
Calgary Flames
3–1–2
Recap
7
L
October 19, 1996
3–6
@ Ottawa Senators
3–2–2
Recap
8
L
October 24, 1996
3–6
@ Buffalo Sabres
3–3–2
Recap
9
W
October 26, 1996
6–5
Philadelphia Flyers
4–3–2
Recap
10
L
October 28, 1996
4–5 OT
Phoenix Coyotes
4–4–2
Recap
11
L
October 30, 1996
3–5
@ Detroit Red Wings
4–5–2
Recap
November: 6–7–2 (home: 3–2–0; road: 3–5–2)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
12
L
November 2, 1996
3–4 OT
@ San Jose Sharks
4–6–2
Recap
13
T
November 3, 1996
4–4 OT
@ Phoenix Coyotes
4–6–3
Recap
14
W
November 6, 1996
6–5
@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
5–6–3
Recap
15
L
November 7, 1996
1–4
@ Los Angeles Kings
5–7–3
Recap
16
L
November 9, 1996
2–5
@ Colorado Avalanche
5–8–3
Recap
17
W
November 11, 1996
3–2 OT
Edmonton Oilers
6–8–3
Recap
18
L
November 13, 1996
3–5
Florida Panthers
6–9–3
Recap
19
L
November 15, 1996
1–3
@ Washington Capitals
6–10–3
Recap
20
W
November 16, 1996
6–1
Vancouver Canucks
7–10–3
Recap
21
L
November 20, 1996
1–3
@ Hartford Whalers
7–11–3
Recap
22
W
November 21, 1996
6–2
@ Boston Bruins
8–11–3
Recap
23
W
November 23, 1996
4–3
@ Toronto Maple Leafs
9–11–3
Recap
24
W
November 25, 1996
4–2
Tampa Bay Lightning
10–11–3
Recap
25
T
November 27, 1996
2–2 OT
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
10–11–4
Recap
26
L
November 30, 1996
0–2
Washington Capitals
10–12–4
Recap
December: 3–6–3 (home: 1–5–0; road: 2–1–3)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
27
L
December 1, 1996
2–6
@ New York Rangers
10–13–4
Recap
28
L
December 4, 1996
3–4
Boston Bruins
10–14–4
Recap
29
W
December 6, 1996
3–1
@ Chicago Blackhawks
11–14–4
Recap
30
W
December 7, 1996
3–2
Chicago Blackhawks
12–14–4
Recap
31
L
December 11, 1996
2–3 OT
Buffalo Sabres
12–15–4
Recap
32
T
December 14, 1996
3–3 OT
@ New Jersey Devils
12–15–5
Recap
33
L
December 16, 1996
2–4
Tampa Bay Lightning
12–16–5
Recap
34
L
December 21, 1996
2–3 OT
New York Rangers
12–17–5
Recap
35
L
December 23, 1996
0–6
Ottawa Senators
12–18–5
Recap
36
T
December 26, 1996
3–3 OT
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
12–18–6
Recap
37
T
December 28, 1996
4–4 OT
@ Tampa Bay Lightning
12–18–7
Recap
38
W
December 29, 1996
2–1
@ Florida Panthers
13–18–7
Recap
January: 6–7–1 (home: 4–3–0; road: 2–4–1)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
39
W
January 1, 1997
6–4
@ Dallas Stars
14–18–7
Recap
40
T
January 2, 1997
2–2 OT
@ St. Louis Blues
14–18–8
Recap
41
W
January 4, 1997
3–1
New York Islanders
15–18–8
Recap
42
W
January 6, 1997
5–4
Hartford Whalers
16–18–8
Recap
43
L
January 9, 1997
4–5
@ Boston Bruins
16–19–8
Recap
44
W
January 11, 1997
6–3
Boston Bruins
17–19–8
Recap
45
L
January 13, 1997
1–2
Dallas Stars
17–20–8
Recap
46
L
January 14, 1997
2–3
@ Philadelphia Flyers
17–21–8
Recap
47
W
January 20, 1997
4–1
Detroit Red Wings
18–21–8
Recap
48
L
January 22, 1997
1–6
@ Buffalo Sabres
18–22–8
Recap
49
L
January 25, 1997
1–8
St. Louis Blues
18–23–8
Recap
50
L
January 26, 1997
2–5
Pittsburgh Penguins
18–24–8
Recap
51
L
January 28, 1997
1–5
@ Florida Panthers
18–25–8
Recap
52
W
January 30, 1997
4–1
@ Tampa Bay Lightning
19–25–8
Recap
February: 4–5–3 (home: 2–3–2; road: 2–2–1)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
53
T
February 1, 1997
4–4 OT
New Jersey Devils
19–25–9
Recap
54
T
February 3, 1997
2–2 OT
Florida Panthers
19–25–10
Recap
55
L
February 5, 1997
3–6
Pittsburgh Penguins
19–26–10
Recap
56
L
February 6, 1997
5–9
@ Philadelphia Flyers
19–27–10
Recap
57
W
February 8, 1997
3–2 OT
Hartford Whalers
20–27–10
Recap
58
W
February 10, 1997
4–2
San Jose Sharks
21–27–10
Recap
59
T
February 12, 1997
2–2 OT
@ Buffalo Sabres
21–27–11
Recap
60
L
February 15, 1997
1–4
New Jersey Devils
21–28–11
Recap
61
W
February 17, 1997
4–1
@ New York Islanders
22–28–11
Recap
62
L
February 22, 1997
1–5
Toronto Maple Leafs
22–29–11
Recap
63
W
February 25, 1997
4–2
@ Vancouver Canucks
23–29–11
Recap
64
L
February 28, 1997
2–3
@ Calgary Flames
23–30–11
Recap
March: 5–4–3 (home: 2–2–2; road: 3–2–1)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
65
W
March 1, 1997
5–4
@ Edmonton Oilers
24–30–11
Recap
66
L
March 5, 1997
3–7
Colorado Avalanche
24–31–11
Recap
67
L
March 7, 1997
0–2
@ Hartford Whalers
24–32–11
Recap
68
T
March 8, 1997
3–3 OT
Buffalo Sabres
24–32–12
Recap
69
T
March 10, 1997
2–2 OT
@ Pittsburgh Penguins
24–32–13
Recap
70
W
March 13, 1997
3–0
@ Boston Bruins
25–32–13
Recap
71
T
March 15, 1997
2–2 OT
Ottawa Senators
25–32–14
Recap
72
W
March 19, 1997
5–4
@ New York Rangers
26–32–14
Recap
73
L
March 22, 1997
1–3
Washington Capitals
26–33–14
Recap
74
W
March 24, 1997
3–1
Boston Bruins
27–33–14
Recap
75
W
March 26, 1997
8–5
Pittsburgh Penguins
28–33–14
Recap
76
L
March 29, 1997
2–5
@ Ottawa Senators
28–34–14
Recap
April: 3–2–1 (home: 1–1–1; road: 2–1–0)
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Record
Recap
77
W
April 2, 1997
4–1
@ Hartford Whalers
29–34–14
Recap
78
L
April 5, 1997
1–4
Hartford Whalers
29–35–14
Recap
79
W
April 7, 1997
2–1
New York Islanders
30–35–14
Recap
80
W
April 9, 1997
3–1
@ New York Islanders
31–35–14
Recap
81
L
April 10, 1997
2–3
@ Washington Capitals
31–36–14
Recap
82
T
April 12, 1997
3–3 OT
Philadelphia Flyers
31–36–15
Recap
Legend :
Win (2 points)
Loss (0 points)
Tie (1 point)
Playoffs
1997 Stanley Cup playoffs[ 5]
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. (1) New Jersey Devils – Devils win 4–1
Game
Result
Date
Score
Opponent
Series
Recap
1
L
April 17, 1997
2–5
@ New Jersey Devils
Devils lead 1–0
Recap
2
L
April 19, 1997
1–4
@ New Jersey Devils
Devils lead 2–0
Recap
3
L
April 22, 1997
4–6
New Jersey Devils
Devils lead 3–0
Recap
4
W
April 24, 1997
4–3 3OT
New Jersey Devils
Devils lead 3–1
Recap
5
L
April 26, 1997
0–4
@ New Jersey Devils
Devils win 4–1
Recap
Legend :
Win
Loss
Player statistics
Scoring
Position abbreviations: C = Centre ; D = Defence ; G = Goaltender ; LW = Left Wing ; RW = Right Wing
† = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
Goaltending
‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Canadiens only.
Awards and records
Awards
Milestones
Transactions
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adding to it .
(July 2010 )
Draft picks
Montreal's picks at the 1996 NHL entry draft held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis , Missouri .[ 10]
See also
Notes
^ Corson wore number 29 in his first six games.
^ Wilkie wore number 27 through November 9.
References
1900s
1900–01 . 1901–02 . 1902–03 . 1903–04 . 1904–05 . 1905–06 . 1906–07 . 1907–08 . 1908–09 . 1909–10
1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
Franchise History Personnel Arenas Rivalries Affiliates Media Culture and lore
Northeast Atlantic Central Pacific See also