1977–78 Boston Bruins season

1977–78 Boston Bruins
Adams Division champions
Division	1st Adams
Conference	2nd Wales
1977–78 record	51–18–11
Home record	29–6–5
Road record	22–12–6
Goals for	333
Goals against	218
Team information
General manager	Harry Sinden
Coach	Don Cherry
Captain	Wayne Cashman
Alternate captains	None
Arena	Boston Garden
Team leaders
Goals	Peter McNab (41)
Assists	Terry O'Reilly (61)
Points	Terry O'Reilly (90)
Penalty minutes	Terry O'Reilly (211)
Wins	Ron Grahame (26)
Goals against average	Gilles Gilbert (2.53)
←  1976–77 1978–79  →

The 1977–78 Boston Bruins season was the Bruins' 54th season in the NHL. The Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight season only to be defeated again by their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. The season featured the memorable moment of John Wensink challenging the entire Minnesota North Stars bench to a fight during a December contest.

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round	#	Player	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team
1	16	Dwight Foster (RW)	Canada	Kitchener Rangers (OHA)
2	34	Dave Parro (G)	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
3	52	Mike Forbes (D)	Canada	St. Catharines Fincups (OMJHL)
4	70	Brian McGregor (RW)	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
5	88	Doug Butler (D)	Canada	Saint Louis University (CCHA)
6	106	Keith Johnson (D)	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WCHL)
7	122	Ralph Cox (RW)	United States	University of New Hampshire (ECAC)
8	138	Mario Claude (D)	Canada	Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL)

Regular season

The 1977–78 Bruins set an NHL record (unbroken as of 2023) by having 11 different skaters score 20 goals or more in a season. ^{[1] [2] [3]} The eleven skaters are:

• Peter McNab
• Terry O'Reilly
• Bobby Schmautz
• Stan Jonathan
• Jean Ratelle
• Rick Middleton
• Wayne Cashman
• Gregg Sheppard
• Brad Park
• Don Marcotte
• Bob Miller

Season standings

Adams Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Boston Bruins	80	51	18	11	333	218	113
Buffalo Sabres	80	44	19	17	288	215	105
Toronto Maple Leafs	80	41	29	10	271	237	92
Cleveland Barons	80	22	45	13	230	325	57

^[4] Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

Adams Division record vs. opponents

Vs. Wales Conference Vs. Campbell Conference Vs. Adams Division 1977–78 NHL records [5] Team BOS BUF CLE TOR Total Boston — 2–4 3–1–2 5–0–1 10–5–3 Buffalo 4–2 — 4–2 2–3–1 10–7–1 Cleveland 1–3–2 2–4 — 2–4 5–13–2 Toronto 0–5–1 3–2–1 4–2 — 7–9–2 Vs. Norris Division 1977–78 NHL records Team DET LAK MTL PIT WSH Total Boston 4–0–1 5–0 0–4–1 5–0 4–0–1 18–4–3 Buffalo 2–2–1 3–0–2 3–2 0–0–5 3–1–1 11–5–9 Cleveland 2–2–1 1–3–1 1–4 0–5 2–3 6–17–2 Toronto 2–1–2 2–3 0–4–1 2–3 4–0–1 10–11–4 Vs. Patrick Division 1977–78 NHL records Team ATL NYI NYR PHI Total Boston 2–1–1 1–3 4–1 1–2–1 8–7–2 Buffalo 2–1–1 3–2 2–1–1 3–0–1 10–4–3 Cleveland 1–2–1 1–1–2 1–3 0–4–1 3–10–4 Toronto 2–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 9–8–0 Vs. Smythe Division 1977–78 NHL records Team CHI COL MIN STL VAN Total Boston 3–1 3–0–1 3–1 4–0 2–0–2 15–2–3 Buffalo 2–1–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–0–3 13–3–4 Cleveland 1–3 1–1–2 3–0–1 1–2–1 2–1–1 8–7–5 Toronto 2–1–1 4–0 4–0 2–0–2 3–0–1 15–1–4

Schedule and results

1977–78 regular season [6]
October Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 1 T October 13, 1977 2–2 Atlanta Flames (1977–78) 0–0–1 2 L October 15, 1977 1–3 @ New York Islanders (1977–78) 0–1–1 3 L October 16, 1977 0–2 Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) 0–2–1 4 W October 19, 1977 7–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) 1–2–1 5 W October 22, 1977 4–3 @ Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) 2–2–1 6 T October 23, 1977 3–3 @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) 2–2–2 7 T October 25, 1977 4–4 @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) 2–2–3 8 L October 26, 1977 0–3 @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) 2–3–3 9 W October 29, 1977 5–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) 3–3–3
November Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 10 L November 3, 1977 1–4 Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 3–4–3 11 L November 5, 1977 2–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) 3–5–3 12 W November 6, 1977 5–3 New York Islanders (1977–78) 4–5–3 13 W November 10, 1977 5–2 Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) 5–5–3 14 W November 12, 1977 6–3 @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) 6–5–3 15 W November 13, 1977 3–1 Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 7–5–3 16 T November 17, 1977 4–4 Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) 7–5–4 17 W November 19, 1977 3–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 8–5–4 18 W November 20, 1977 1–0 Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) 9–5–4 19 W November 23, 1977 2–0 @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 10–5–4 20 W November 24, 1977 6–0 Washington Capitals (1977–78) 11–5–4 21 W November 26, 1977 3–2 New York Rangers (1977–78) 12–5–4 22 W November 27, 1977 4–1 St. Louis Blues (1977–78) 13–5–4
December Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 23 W December 1, 1977 4–2 Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) 14–5–4 24 T December 3, 1977 4–4 @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 14–5–5 25 W December 4, 1977 3–1 Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 15–5–5 26 W December 8, 1977 6–4 Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) 16–5–5 27 W December 10, 1977 6–2 Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) 17–5–5 28 W December 11, 1977 8–2 @ New York Rangers (1977–78) 18–5–5 29 L December 15, 1977 4–6 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) 18–6–5 30 L December 17, 1977 1–4 @ New York Islanders (1977–78) 18–7–5 31 W December 18, 1977 2–1 Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 19–7–5 32 W December 21, 1977 6–3 Colorado Rockies (1977–78) 20–7–5 33 W December 23, 1977 6–1 Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) 21–7–5 34 W December 27, 1977 6–3 @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) 22–7–5 35 T December 28, 1977 5–5 @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 22–7–6 36 W December 31, 1977 7–0 @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) 23–7–6
January Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 37 W January 4, 1978 3–0 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) 24–7–6 38 W January 7, 1978 3–1 @ Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) 25–7–6 39 L January 8, 1978 3–5 @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 25–8–6 40 L January 10, 1978 2–3 New York Rangers (1977–78) 25–9–6 41 W January 12, 1978 6–1 Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) 26–9–6 42 L January 14, 1978 3–5 @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) 26–10–6 43 W January 19, 1978 4–1 Washington Capitals (1977–78) 27–10–6 44 W January 21, 1978 7–1 Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) 28–10–6 45 L January 22, 1978 2–3 Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 28–11–6 46 W January 26, 1978 4–3 Colorado Rockies (1977–78) 29–11–6 47 W January 27, 1978 5–2 @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) 30–11–6 48 W January 29, 1978 8–2 Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) 31–11–6
February Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 49 W February 1, 1978 5–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1977–78) 32–11–6 50 L February 2, 1978 1–3 @ Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 32–12–6 51 W February 4, 1978 8–1 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) 33–12–6 52 T February 5, 1978 3–3 Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 33–12–7 53 W February 9, 1978 5–3 @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) 34–12–7 54 W February 15, 1978 4–2 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 35–12–7 55 L February 18, 1978 2–4 @ Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) 35–13–7 56 W February 21, 1978 3–2 @ Colorado Rockies (1977–78) 36–13–7 57 W February 22, 1978 6–4 @ Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) 37–13–7 58 W February 25, 1978 4–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) 38–13–7 59 T February 28, 1978 4–4 Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) 38–13–8
March Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 60 W March 2, 1978 4–3 Atlanta Flames (1977–78) 39–13–8 61 W March 4, 1978 7–3 Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 40–13–8 62 W March 5, 1978 6–3 Vancouver Canucks (1977–78) 41–13–8 63 W March 7, 1978 7–2 St. Louis Blues (1977–78) 42–13–8 64 T March 9, 1978 2–2 @ Detroit Red Wings (1977–78) 42–13–9 65 L March 11, 1978 2–6 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1977–78) 42–14–9 66 W March 12, 1978 9–3 Los Angeles Kings (1977–78) 43–14–9 67 W March 16, 1978 7–2 Minnesota North Stars (1977–78) 44–14–9 68 W March 18, 1978 6–3 @ New York Rangers (1977–78) 45–14–9 69 W March 19, 1978 6–4 Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 46–14–9 70 W March 21, 1978 5–3 @ Cleveland Barons (1977–78) 47–14–9 71 W March 23, 1978 7–0 Chicago Black Hawks (1977–78) 48–14–9 72 L March 25, 1978 3–6 @ Atlanta Flames (1977–78) 48–15–9 73 T March 26, 1978 2–2 Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) 48–15–10 74 T March 28, 1978 4–4 @ Washington Capitals (1977–78) 48–15–11 75 W March 30, 1978 6–3 Pittsburgh Penguins (1977–78) 49–15–11
April Game Result Date Score Opponent Record 76 L April 1, 1978 1–7 @ Montreal Canadiens (1977–78) 49–16–11 77 W April 2, 1978 8–3 New York Rangers (1977–78) 50–16–11 78 L April 6, 1978 2–5 Buffalo Sabres (1977–78) 50–17–11 79 W April 8, 1978 3–1 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1977–78) 51–17–11 80 L April 9, 1978 2–5 New York Islanders (1977–78) 51–18–11
Legend:   Win (2 points)  Loss (0 points)  Tie (1 point)

Season summary

• December 1: Following a fight with Alex Pirus, John Wensink skates over to the Minnesota bench and challenges the entire team but no player responds.

Player statistics

Regular season

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG
Terry O'Reilly	RW	77	29	61	90	211	40	5	0	4
Jean Ratelle	C	80	25	59	84	10	49	3	0	5
Peter McNab	C	79	41	39	80	4	35	5	0	5
Brad Park	D	80	22	57	79	79	68	9	0	3
Wayne Cashman	LW	76	24	38	62	69	34	1	0	2
Rick Middleton	RW	79	25	35	60	8	40	2	0	6
Gregg Sheppard	C	54	23	36	59	24	19	5	1	7
Bobby Schmautz	RW	54	27	27	54	87	24	4	3	6
Don Marcotte	LW	77	20	34	54	16	32	4	2	0
Stan Jonathan	LW	68	27	25	52	116	34	0	0	2
Bob Miller	C	76	20	20	40	41	16	1	1	4
Mike Milbury	D	80	8	30	38	151	52	0	0	0
John Wensink	LW	80	16	20	36	181	23	1	0	3
Rick Smith	D	79	7	29	36	69	70	0	0	0
John Bucyk	LW	53	5	13	18	4	−2	5	0	0
Gary Doak	D	61	4	13	17	50	37	1	0	2
Al Sims	D	43	2	8	10	6	11	0	0	1
Matti Hagman	C	15	4	1	5	2	−1	3	0	1
Dennis O'Brien	D	16	2	3	5	29	6	0	0	0
Mike Forbes	D	32	0	4	4	15	−5	0	0	0
Dwight Foster	RW	14	2	1	3	6	1	0	0	0
Doug Halward	D	25	0	2	2	2	1	0	0	0
Gerry Cheevers	G	21	0	1	1	14	0	0	0	0
Gilles Gilbert	G	25	0	1	1	8	0	0	0	0
Ron Grahame	G	40	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Darryl Edestrand	D	1	0	0	0	0	−1	0	0	0
Steve Langdon	LW	2	0	0	0	0	−1	0	0	0
Clayton Pachal	C/LW	10	0	0	0	14	−1	0	0	0
Jim Pettie	G	1	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	0
Sean Shanahan	C/RW	6	0	0	0	7	−1	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	T	GA	GAA	SO
Ron Grahame	2328	40	26	6	7	107	2.76	3
Gilles Gilbert	1326	25	15	6	2	56	2.53	2
Gerry Cheevers	1086	21	10	5	2	48	2.65	1
Jim Pettie	60	1	0	1	0	6	6.00	0
Team:	4800	80	51	18	11	217	2.71	6

Playoffs

Scoring

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG
Brad Park	D	15	9	11	20	14	4	0	0
Peter McNab	C	15	8	11	19	2	0	0	2
Bobby Schmautz	RW	15	7	8	15	11	2	0	1
Terry O'Reilly	RW	15	5	10	15	40	1	0	1
Gregg Sheppard	C	15	2	10	12	6	0	0	0
Wayne Cashman	LW	15	4	6	10	13	3	0	2
Jean Ratelle	C	15	3	7	10	0	0	0	0
Don Marcotte	LW	15	5	4	9	8	1	0	1
Mike Milbury	D	15	1	8	9	27	0	0	0
Rick Middleton	RW	15	5	2	7	0	0	0	2
Rick Smith	D	15	1	5	6	18	0	0	0
John Wensink	LW	15	2	2	4	54	0	0	0
Bob Miller	C	13	0	3	3	15	0	0	0
Gary Doak	D	12	1	0	1	4	0	0	1
Stan Jonathan	LW	15	0	1	1	36	0	0	0
Dennis O'Brien	D	14	0	1	1	28	0	0	0
Gerry Cheevers	G	12	0	0	0	6	0	0	0
Ron Grahame	G	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Al Sims	D	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltending

Player	MIN	GP	W	L	GA	GAA	SO
Gerry Cheevers	731	12	8	4	35	2.87	1
Ron Grahame	202	4	2	1	7	2.08	0
Team:	933	15	10	5	42	2.70	1

^[7]

Note:

Pos = Position; GPI = Games played in; G =  Goals; A =  Assists; Pts =  Points; PIM =  Penalty minutes; +/- =  Plus/minus; PPG =  Power-play goals; SHG =  Short-handed goals; GWG =  Game-winning goals

Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA =  Goals-against average; SO =  Shutouts; SA =  Shots  against; SV = Shots  saved; SV% =  Save percentage;

Playoffs

Stanley Cup finals

Date	Visitors	Score	Home	Score	Notes
May 13	Boston	1	Montreal	4
May 16	Boston	2	Montreal	3	OT
May 18	Montreal	0	Boston	4
May 21	Montreal	3	Boston	4	OT
May 23	Boston	1	Montreal	4
May 25	Montreal	4	Boston	1

Montreal wins the series 4–2.

Larry Robinson won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Awards and records

• Don Cherry, Runner-Up, Jack Adams Trophy ^[8]
• Brad Park, Defenceman, NHL First Team All-Star

References

• Bruins on Hockey Database

1. "1977-78 Bruins Are a Group to Remember".
2. "Bruins honor 11 20-goal scorers from 1977-78 season".
3. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p.174, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN   0-920445-98-5
4. Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Dan Diamond & Associates. p. 151. ISBN   9781894801225.
5. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
6. "1977-78 Boston Bruins Schedule". Hockey-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
7. "1977-78 Boston Bruins Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
8. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN   0-920445-98-5