The 1951 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 (NHL), began with four teams on March 28, 1951. It concluded on April 21, with the Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 defeating the Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...

 to win the Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

.

Series

All dates in 1951

The second seed Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 eliminated the fourth seed Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...

 in five games, and the third seed Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...

 upset first overall Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 in six, setting up a Leafs – Canadiens Stanley Cup

Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 final series, won by the Leafs 4–1.

Semi-finals

Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 28	Boston Bruins	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	0
March 31	Boston Bruins	1	Toronto Maple Leafs	1	OT1
April 1	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	Boston Bruins	0
April 3	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	Boston Bruins	1
April 7	Boston Bruins	1	Toronto Maple Leafs	4
April 8	Toronto Maple Leafs	6	Boston Bruins	0

¹ Note: March 31st game called after one overtime due to curfew

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

Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
March 27	Montreal Canadiens	3	Detroit Red Wings	2	4 OT
March 29	Montreal Canadiens	1	Detroit Red Wings	0	3 OT
March 31	Detroit Red Wings	2	Montreal Canadiens	0
April 3	Detroit Red Wings	4	Montreal Canadiens	1
April 5	Montreal Canadiens	5	Detroit Red Wings	2
April 7	Detroit Red Wings	2	Montreal Canadiens	3

Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2

Finals

Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
April 11	Montreal Canadiens	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	OT-Smith
April 14	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	Montreal Canadiens	3	OT-M. Richard
April 17	Montreal Canadiens	1	Toronto Maple Leafs	2	OT-Kennedy
April 19	Montreal Canadiens	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	OT-Watson
April 21	Montreal Canadiens	2	Toronto Maple Leafs	3	OT-Barilko (2:53)

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

Playoff bracket

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts
Maurice Richard Maurice Richard Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...	Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...	11	9	4	13
Max Bentley Max Bentley Maxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League as part of a professional and senior career that spanned 20 years...	Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...	11	2	11	13
Sid Smith	Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...	11	7	3	10