The Detroit Lions didn’t have a very good day Sunday in New England.
The Detroit Red Wings also endured a rough spell in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts back in the spring of 1957, and that, believe it or not, bodes well for the Lions.
After finishing first overall in the six-team NHL during the 70-game 1956-57 regular season, the Wings were matched up with the third-place Boston Bruins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
While on paper the Wings may have been favoured, in reality, the set figured to be much closer. Boston finished just eight points behind the Wings in the standings and won four of seven games in Detroit during regular-season play.
The Bruins made it five in Game 1 of the best-of-seven semifinal set, winning the opener at Olympia Stadium by a 3-1 count. Gordie Howe gave the Wings the lead early in the first period, but it was all Bruins after that. Jack Caffery, a two-goal scorer during the regular season, knotted the count and Doug Mohns potted the game winner early in the second period with Detroit’s Ted Lindsay in the penalty box. Real Chevrefils added an insurance goal in the final frame.
“This is the most unpredictable team I’ve ever seen,… Detroit GM Jack Adams grumbled to the Windsor Star after the game. “Those Bruins outhustled us and outskated us.
“We didn’t deserve to win.…
It was a determined Detroit team that showed up for Game 2, as seven different Wings scored in a 7-2 rout of the Bruins. “We took charge right from the start and never game the Bruins a chance to set the pattern of play,… Detroit coach Jimmy Skinner said. “It is the kind of play we’ll have to keep playing if we are to win the series.…
As the series switched to Boston, it was all Bruins to start Game 3. They carried a 3-1 lead in the third period before goals by Howe and Billy Dea knotted matters. It was left to Cal Gardner to fire a 20-footer past Detroit goalie Glenn Hall for the winner in a 4-3 Boston triumph.
“I won’t last if we have any more games like that,… Boston coach Milt Schmidt told the Boston American. “I’m shaking all over and I’d like to have five minutes to regain my composure.… Schmidt had little to sweat about during Game 4. Don Simmons blocked all 20 shots he faced and former Wings Chevrefils and Vic Stasiuk handled the scoring in a 2-0 Bruins triumph. Boston would head back to Detroit owning a 3-1 stranglehold on the series.
Both sides felt a second-period breakaway save on Howe by Simmons was the game’s key moment. “You don’t beat a guy like Howe very often,… Simmons told the Boston Herald. With their season on the brink, the Wings twice took the lead on goals by Alex Delvecchio and Lindsay, only to have the Bruins tie it each time with tallies from Buddy Boone and Mohns. Midway through the third period, Mohns tallied again and five minutes late, Gardner upped the Boston advantage to 4-2. A late goal by Metro Prystai pulled the Wings to within one, but there was no more scoring and the Bruins had vanquished the Wings in five games.
“This is the greatest thrill of my hockey career,… Schmidt proclaimed to the Boston Traveler. “It’s even better than winning the Stanley Cup, beating those Red Wings.…
So what does all this have to do with the Detroit Lions?
Glad you asked.
On Dec. 29, 1957 at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium, the Lions hammered the Cleveland Browns 59-14 to win the franchise’s most recent NFL title.
After that 1957 victory over the Wings, the Bruins lost in the next round to the Montreal Canadiens. The Wings and Bruins wouldn’t meet again in the playoffs until last spring’s opening round, a series Boston captured in five games. Then in the second round, the Bruins were vanquished by the Canadiens. Sensing a pattern here?
So even though they were hammered 34-9 Sunday by the New England Patriots, the 7-4 Lions remain playoff contenders and if omens are to be believed, positioned to win the Super Bowl. Oh, there was another Red Wings/Bruins connection to that 1957 NFL title game. Tommy O’Connell started at quarterback that day for Cleveland. His son Mike was an NHL defenseman who played six seasons with the Bruins (1980-81-1985-86) and five with the Red Wings (1985-86-1989-90).
It Happened In Hockeytown is a period look at historic moments in Red Wings history.
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