1953–54 Detroit Red Wings season



The 1953–54 Detroit Red Wings season was the Red Wings' 28th season. The Red Wings finished 1st in the league and defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the 1954 Stanley Cup Finals 4 games to 3.

Regular Season
In October, 1953, Dave Gatherum was called up by the Detroit Red Wings to replace the injured Terry Sawchuk in goal. In his first game, Gatherum shut out the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 on October 11, 1953. He then held the Chicago Black Hawks scoreless until early in the third period of the 2-2 tie game on October 16. He ended up with a 2-0-1 record in three games but was never recalled to the NHL. His name was put on the Stanley Cup as the Wings won it in 1953-54. Gatherum held the record for longest shutout streak to start an NHL career (100.21 minutes) until the 2011–12 NHL season when it was surpassed by Matt Hackett.

Detroit Red Wings Prison Game
On February 2, 1954 the Red Wings played an exhibition game outdoors at the Marquette Branch Prison. Invited by the warden, they played a team of convicts called the "Marquette Prison Pirates." It was the first ever outdoor game played by the Detroit Red Wings. After the first period the Red Wings were winning 18–0, and the scores for the remainder of the match were not kept. To make things interesting, the Wings swapped a few players, trading goalie Terry Sawchuk, among others, and exchanged one set of defensemen. Ted Lindsay, skated on the opposite wing as Gordie Howe with an inmate as their centerman. Howe then skated the second half of the game with the prisoners, wearing a #16 Pirates jersey. Jack Adams presented a "trophy" (a bucket) at the end of the game.

Detroit Red Wings 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Ted Lindsay scored the series winning goal in overtime in Game 5.

Detroit Red Wings 4, Montreal Canadiens 3
Tony Leswick scored the Cup winning goal in overtime in Game 7.

Regular Season

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Playoffs

 * Scoring
 * Goaltending

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals

MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts

Awards and Records

 * Prince of Wales Trophy: Detroit Red Wings
 * Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Gordie Howe
 * James Norris Memorial Trophy: Red Kelly
 * Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Red Kelly
 * Ted Lindsay, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Gordie Howe, Right Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Red Kelly, Defence, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Terry Sawchuk, Goaltender, NHL Second Team All-Star

Video
Nearly 25 minutes of highlights featuring all goals and many penalties from all seven games of the 1954 Finals.