Belt game 1,821 · February 21, 1953
Montréal Canadiens take the belt
Montréal Canadiens beat New York Rangers 4–1 at home to start reign 728 of the NHL belt, the 120th for the franchise.
New York Rangers had held it since February 18, 1953, with 1 defense over 3 days.
Montréal Canadiens held it for 7 days and 2 defenses, then lost it to Detroit Red Wings on February 28, 1953.
728Reign number
120Team's reign
2Defenses
7Days held
Box score
Montréal Canadiens
| Player | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | SOG | HIT | SV | SA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernie Geoffrion | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Maurice Richard | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Billy Reay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Bert Olmstead | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Elmer Lach | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Paul Meger | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Butch Bouchard | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Dollard St. Laurent | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Floyd Curry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Dick Gamble | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Dickie Moore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| John McCormack | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Ken Mosdell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Doug Harvey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Tom Johnson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Bud MacPherson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Gerry McNeil | — | — | — | — | 0 | — | — | — | — |
New York Rangers
| Player | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | SOG | HIT | SV | SA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Mickoski | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Jack Stoddard | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Don Raleigh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Paul Ronty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Aldo Guidolin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Pete Babando | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Dean Prentice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Wally Hergesheimer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Eddie Kullman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Neil Strain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Harry Howell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Hy Buller | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Leo Reise | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Steve Kraftcheck | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Allan Stanley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
| Gump Worsley | — | — | — | — | 0 | — | — | — | — |
Box scores: the NHL's own game center.