1929 Stanley Cup playoffs

Regular season

Ottawa continued in financial trouble and sold Punch Broadbent to the New York Americans. They continued to erode, and at one point, rumour had it that they would be sold to a Chicago group. Frank Ahearn, the Senators owner, denied this, but admitted that the team was for sale to the highest bidder.

The New York Americans, last place finishers in 1927–28, surprised everyone by occupying first place for much of the season in the Canadian Division. They were held up by the great play of defenceman Lionel Conacher and goaltender Roy Worters. However, the Montreal Canadiens dislodged the Americans and finished first. Boston, led by rookie Tiny Thompson in goal, led the American Division.

Bruins' player George Owen was the first NHL player to regularly wear headgear for protective purposes. Prior to this, the only time protective headgear was worn was to temporarily protect injuries. Fifty-one years later the NHL mandated the use of helmets. Craig MacTavish was the last NHL player to not wear a helmet, retiring in 1997.

The Chicago Black Hawks set records for goal scoring futility, scoring on average less than one goal per game (33), while giving up a league worst 85 goals against. In one stretch from February 7 through February 28, the Hawks were shut out in eight consecutive games. Forward Vic Ripley was the Hawks' leading goal scorer with only 11 goals and 2 assists for 13 points for the entire 44-game season.

The season produced a record 120 shutouts in the 220 games played. George Hainsworth, Canadiens goaltender, set an NHL record that remains unmatched through the 2015–16 season of 22 shutouts and a 0.92 goals against average. Seven other goaltenders hit double digits in shutouts.

Final standings

Canadian Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
Montreal Canadiens	44	22	7	15	71	43	59
New York Americans	44	19	13	12	53	53	50
Toronto Maple Leafs	44	21	18	5	85	69	47
Ottawa Senators	44	14	17	13	54	67	41
Montreal Maroons	44	15	20	9	67	65	39

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

American Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PTS
Boston Bruins	44	26	13	5	89	52	57
New York Rangers	44	21	13	10	72	65	52
Detroit Cougars	44	19	16	9	72	63	47
Pittsburgh Pirates	44	9	27	8	46	80	26
Chicago Black Hawks	44	7	29	8	33	85	22

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Note: Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold

Playoffs

The playoff format was revised to match the divisional first-place teams in a best-of-five semifinal. The divisional second-place teams and third-place teams played off in a two-game total-goals series to determine the participants for the other best-of-three semifinal. The semifinal winners then played off in a best-of-three series for the Cup.

Playoff bracket

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Stanley Cup Final

C1

Mtl Canadiens

0

A1

Boston

3

A1

Boston

2

A2

NY Rangers

0

C2

NY Americans

0G

A2

NY Rangers

1G

A2

NY Rangers

2

C3

Toronto

0

C3

Toronto

7G

A3

Detroit

2G

Quarterfinals

(A2) New York Rangers vs. (C2) New York Americans

March 19	New York Rangers		0–0		New York Americans	Madison Square Garden III	Recap
No scoring		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
John Ross Roach		Goalie stats			Roy Worters

March 21	New York Americans		0–1	2OT	New York Rangers	Madison Square Garden III	Recap
No scoring		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
No scoring		Second overtime period			19:50 – Butch Keeling (1)
Roy Worters		Goalie stats			John Ross Roach

New York Rangers won series on total goals 1–0

(C3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Detroit Cougars

March 19	Toronto Maple Leafs		3–1		Detroit Cougars	Olympia Stadium	Recap
Andy Blair (1) – 01:35 Art Smith (1) – 18:35		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			16:35 – George Hay (1)
Andy Blair (2) – 18:07		Third period			No scoring
Lorne Chabot		Goalie stats			Dolly Dolson

March 21	Detroit Cougars		1–4		Toronto Maple Leafs	Arena Gardens	Recap
No scoring		First period			06:45 – Hap Day (1) 08:30 – Eric Pettinger (1)
No scoring		Second period			18:00 – Red Horner (1)
Larry Aurie (1) – 18:50		Third period			19:59 – Ace Bailey (1)
Dolly Dolson		Goalie stats			Lorne Chabot

Toronto won the series on total goals 7–2

Semifinals

(C1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A1) Boston Bruins

March 19	Montreal Canadiens		0–1		Boston Bruins	Boston Madison Square Garden	Recap
No scoring		First period			04:00 – Cooney Weiland (1)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
George Hainsworth		Goalie stats			Tiny Thompson

March 21	Montreal Canadiens		0–1		Boston Bruins	Boston Madison Square Garden	Recap
No scoring		First period			06:13 – Cooney Weiland (2)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
George Hainsworth		Goalie stats			Tiny Thompson

March 23	Boston Bruins		3–2		Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Forum	Recap
No scoring		First period			09:27 – Albert Leduc (1) 09:36 – Aurele Joliat (1)
Bill Carson (1) – 09:36 Dutch Gainor (1) – 13:58 Eddie Shore (1) – 14:49		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
Tiny Thompson		Goalie stats			George Hainsworth

Boston won series 3–0

(A2) New York Rangers vs. (C3) Toronto Maple Leafs

March 24	Toronto Maple Leafs		0–1		New York Rangers	Madison Square Garden III	Recap
No scoring		First period			07:33 – Butch Keeling (2)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
Lorne Chabot		Goalie stats			John Ross Roach

March 26	New York Rangers		2–1	OT	Toronto Maple Leafs	Arena Gardens	Recap
Bun Cook (1) – 04:35		First period			03:05 – Andy Blair (3)
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
Frank Boucher (1) – 02:05		First overtime period			No scoring
John Ross Roach		Goalie stats			Lorne Chabot

New York won series 2–0

Stanley Cup Finals

The Bruins won their first Stanley Cup defeating the Rangers. In the process, Boston became one of the few Cup winners in history to not lose a single game in the playoffs, and the last team until 1952 to go undefeated in the playoffs.

March 28	New York Rangers		0–2		Boston Bruins	Boston Madison Square Garden	Recap
No scoring		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			02:00 – Dit Clapper (1) 10:00 – Dutch Gainor (2)
No scoring		Third period			No scoring
John Ross Roach		Goalie stats			Tiny Thompson

March 29	Boston Bruins		2–1		New York Rangers	Madison Square Garden III	Recap
No scoring		First period			No scoring
Harry Oliver (1) – 14:01		Second period			No scoring
Bill Carson (2) – 18:02		Third period			06:48 – Butch Keeling (3)
Tiny Thompson		Goalie stats			John Ross Roach

Boston won series 2–0