The 1974 Stanley Cup Final was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1973–74 season, and the culmination of the 1974 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers made their first Finals appearance and the Bruins returned to the Finals for the third time in five years, having won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972. The Flyers won the best-of-seven series, four games to two, becoming the first team from the 1967 Expansion to win the Stanley Cup, as well as the first non-Original Six Cup champion since the Montreal Maroons in 1935, and the first non-Original Six team to appear in the Final since they stopped being guaranteed a spot after Chicago switched divisions in 1970.
Paths to the Final Boston defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4–0 and the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 to advance to the final.
Philadelphia defeated the Atlanta Flames 4–0 and the New York Rangers 4–3 to make it to the final.
Game summaries In the previous 19 games against the Bruins in Boston, the Flyers had lost 17 and tied two. Boston had the best regular season record in the league finishing one point ahead of the Flyers. The Bruins also had home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final, and were made heavy favorites to win the series. A key confidence-building win late in the regular season saw the Flyers defeating the Bruins 5–3 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
Game one
In game one, the Flyers nearly scored late in the third period to break a 2–2 tie. Bobby Orr, having saved the Flyers' shot by blocking the open Boston net with his leg, then took the puck up the ice and scored on a slapshot past goaltender Bernie Parent with a little over a minute remaining in regulation time to propel the Bruins to a 3–2 win. Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st BOS Wayne Cashman (4) – pp Bobby Orr (11) and Carol Vadnais (10) 12:05 1–0 BOS BOS Gregg Sheppard (10) Dave Forbes (2) and Dallas Smith (6) 13:01 2–0 BOS 2nd PHI Orest Kindrachuk (4) Jimmy Watson (3) and Don Saleski (5) 07:47 2–1 BOS 3rd PHI Bobby Clarke (3) Jimmy Watson (4) and Simon Nolet (1) 05:32 2–2 BOS Bobby Orr (2) Ken Hodge (7) and Wayne Cashman (8) 19:38 3–2 BOS Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BOS Al Sims Elbowing 01:07 2:00 PHI Andre Dupont Holding 03:24 2:00 PHI Bill Barber Interference 10:52 2:00 BOS Dallas Smith Tripping 15:09 2:00 BOS Ken Hodge Roughing 17:51 2:00 PHI Andre Dupont Roughing 17:51 2:00 PHI Ed Van Impe Hooking 18:28 2:00 2nd PHI Tom Bladon Holding 04:45 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman High-sticking 06:46 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Fighting – major 06:46 5:00 PHI Ed Van Impe High-sticking 06:46 2:00 PHI Ed Van Impe Fighting – major 06:46 5:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Game misconduct 06:46 10:00 BOS Gregg Sheppard Slashing 10:20 2:00 PHI Bobby Clarke Slashing 10:20 2:00 PHI Andre Dupont Hooking 16:31 2:00 3rd BOS Carol Vadnais Hooking 11:07 2:00 PHI Bobby Clarke Slashing 11:07 2:00 PHI Andre Dupont Misconduct 19:38 10:00 Shots by period Team 1 2 3 Total 9 12 7 28 11 12 8 31
Game two
Game two saw the Bruins on the verge of a 2–0 series lead when Flyers defenseman Andre Dupont scored with Parent pulled with less than a minute remaining for an extra attacker to tie the score at 2–2, and Bobby Clarke scored the 3–2 game winner in overtime. It was the first time the Flyers had beaten the Bruins in Boston Garden since the first ever meeting between the two franchises. Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st BOS Wayne Cashman (5) Phil Esposito (11) and Carol Vadnais (11) 14:24 1–0 BOS BOS Phil Esposito (8) Ken Hodge (8) and Wayne Cashman (8) 17:22 2–0 BOS 2nd PHI Bobby Clarke (4) Bill Flett (4) and Dave Schultz (3) 01:08 2–1 BOS 3rd PHI Andre Dupont (3) Rick MacLeish (7) and Bobby Clarke (9) 19:08 2–2 OT PHI Bobby Clarke (5) Bill Flett (5) and Dave Schultz (4) 12:01 3–2 PHI Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BOS Andre Savard Tripping 04:06 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Elbowing 07:43 2:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Fighting – major 12:21 5:00 PHI Tom Bladon Interference 12:21 2:00 PHI Dave Schultz (served by Simon Nolet) Elbowing 12:21 2:00 PHI Dave Schultz Fighting – major 12:21 5:00 2nd PHI Bernie Parent (served by Gary Dornhoefer) Interference 10:49 2:00 BOS Andre Savard Elbowing 14:42 2:00 BOS Andre Savard Roughing 14:42 2:00 PHI Orest Kindrachuk Elbowing 14:42 2:00 PHI Orest Kindrachuk Roughing 14:42 2:00 BOS Dallas Smith Holding 18:13 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Game misconduct 20:00 10:00 BOS Gilles Gilbert Roughing 20:00 2:00 PHI Orest Kindrachuk Roughing 20:00 2:00 3rd BOS Andre Savard Roughing 06:03 2:00 PHI Don Saleski Roughing 06:03 2:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Holding 10:30 2:00 BOS Phil Esposito Tripping 10:46 2:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Holding 14:01 2:00 OT None Shots by period Team 1 2 3 OT Total 12 5 7 6 30 10 14 8 7 39
Game three
In game three, the Flyers, led by Bernie Parent's play in goal, defeated Boston by a score of 4–1. Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st BOS Johnny Bucyk (8) Gregg Sheppard (6) and Bobby Orr (12) 01:03 1–0 BOS PHI Tom Bladon (4) – pp Bobby Clarke (10) and Rick MacLeish (8) 10:27 1–1 PHI Terry Crisp (2) Unassisted 15:43 2–1 PHI 2nd None 3rd PHI Orest Kindrachuk (5) Don Saleski (6) and Bill Barber (6) 07:53 3–1 PHI PHI Ross Lonsberry (4) Rick MacLeish (9) 14:19 4–1 PHI Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BOS Carol Vadnais Elbowing 03:52 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Elbowing 05:25 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Tripping 07:33 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Interference 09:17 2:00 PHI Andre Dupont Interference 09:36 2:00 BOS Bobby Schmautz Interference 10:03 2:00 PHI Ed Van Impe Tripping 13:19 2:00 PHI Don Saleski Holding 16:34 2:00 2nd BOS Bobby Orr High-sticking 02:24 2:00 PHI Bobby Clarke High-sticking 02:24 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Interference 02:57 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Hooking 03:43 2:00 PHI Rick MacLeish Hooking 08:50 2:00 BOS Ken Hodge Holding 09:35 2:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Holding 18:49 2:00 3rd None Shots by period Team 1 2 3 Total 11 6 8 25 7 12 8 27
Game four
Bernie Parent would play well again in game four, stopping 28 shots to help Philadelphia win the game 4–2, and take a 3–1 series lead. Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st PHI Rick MacLeish (12) – pp Tom Bladon (6) 04:40 1–0 PHI PHI Dave Schultz (2) Don Saleski (7) and Ed Van Impe (1) 05:30 2–0 PHI BOS Phil Esposito (9) – pp Johnny Bucyk (8) and Ken Hodge (9) 07:12 2–1 PHI BOS Andre Savard (3) Bobby Orr (13) and Carol Vadnais (12) 11:24 2–2 2nd None 3rd PHI Bill Barber (3) Ross Lonsberry (9) and Jimmy Watson (2) 14:25 3–2 PHI PHI Andre Dupont (4) Bobby Clarke (11) and Terry Crisp (2) 16:40 4–2 PHI Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BOS Andre Savard Fighting – major 02:43 5:00 PHI Orest Kindrachuk Fighting – major 02:43 5:00 BOS Rich Leduc Holding 03:21 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Holding 06:09 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman High-sticking 06:17 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Fighting – major 06:17 5:00 PHI Jimmy Watson High-sticking 06:17 2:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Fighting – major 06:17 5:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Fighting – major 07:56 5:00 PHI Dave Schultz Fighting – major 07:56 2:00 BOS Phil Esposito Slashing 09:43 2:00 BOS Dallas Smith High-sticking 09:43 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Elbowing 09:43 2:00 PHI Don Saleski Roughing 09:43 2:00 BOS Carol Vadnais Cross-checking 13:03 2:00 PHI Bill Flett Slashing 13:03 2:00 BOS Rich Leduc Holding 13:16 2:00 PHI Bobby Clarke Slashing 13:16 2:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Charging 16:10 2:00 BOS Andre Savard Roughing 19:15 2:00 PHI Dave Schultz Roughing 19:15 2:00 2nd PHI Rick MacLeish Holding 06:19 2:00 BOS Bobby Schmautz Roughing 11:48 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Roughing 11:48 2:00 BOS Phil Esposito Roughing 19:26 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Roughing 19:26 2:00 3rd BOS Don Marcotte Roughing 06:16 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Roughing 06:16 2:00 Shots by period Team 1 2 3 Total 11 8 11 30 9 9 13 31
Game five
Game five in Boston was a sloppy affair marred by many fights and penalties as Boston easily won to extend the series to a game six in Philadelphia. Scoring summary Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score 1st BOS Gregg Sheppard (11) – sh Bobby Orr (14) 08:14 1–0 BOS 2nd PHI Bill Clement (1) Bill Flett (6) and Ed Van Impe (2) 06:04 1–1 BOS Bobby Orr (3) Gregg Sheppard (7) and Johnny Bucyk (9) 12:06 2–1 BOS BOS Bobby Orr (4) Gregg Sheppard (7) and Dallas Smith (9) 16:55 3–1 BOS 3rd BOS Ken Hodge (6) – pp Gregg Sheppard (8) and Johnny Bucyk (10) 00:39 4–1 BOS BOS Don Marcotte (4) Andre Savard (2) and Terry O'Reilly (5) 18:59 5–1 BOS Penalty summary Period Team Player Penalty Time PIM 1st BOS Carol Vadnais Fighting – major 00:24 5:00 PHI Dave Schultz Fighting – major 00:24 5:00 BOS Bobby Schmautz Cross-checking 00:45 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Holding 01:11 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman High-sticking 01:37 2:00 PHI Ed Van Impe Roughing 01:37 5:00 PHI Andre Dupont Elbowing 02:28 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Tripping 04:00 2:00 BOS Bobby Orr High-sticking 06:01 2:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Kneeing 07:58 2:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Fighting – major 07:58 5:00 PHI Andre Dupont Fighting – major 07:58 5:00 BOS Andre Savard Fighting – major 11:15 5:00 PHI Jimmy Watson Fighting – major 11:15 5:00 PHI Andre Dupont Holding 15:47 2:00 PHI Ross Lonsberry Hooking 18:21 2:00 2nd BOS Wayne Cashman Roughing 03:52 2:00 PHI Bill Flett Roughing 03:52 2:00 BOS Phil Esposito Roughing 05:00 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Roughing 05:00 2:00 BOS Phil Esposito High-sticking 13:40 2:00 PHI Jimmy Watson High-sticking 13:40 2:00 PHI Joe Watson Holding 14:25 2:00 BOS Wayne Cashman Fighting – major 17:48 5:00 PHI Dave Schultz Fighting – major 17:48 5:00 PHI Andre Dupont Butt-ending 19:16 2:00 3rd BOS Wayne Cashman Spearing 04:30 2:00 BOS Carol Vadnais High-sticking 04:37 2:00 PHI Bobby Clarke High-sticking 04:37 2:00 BOS Darryl Edestrand High-sticking 06:47 2:00 PHI Terry Crisp High-sticking 06:47 2:00 BOS Dallas Smith Slashing 07:02 2:00 BOS Terry O'Reilly Hooking 10:37 2:00 BOS Bobby Schmautz Roughing 13:58 2:00 BOS Bobby Schmautz Game misconduct 13:58 10:00 BOS Carol Vadnais Roughing 13:58 2:00 PHI Dave Schultz Roughing 13:58 2:00 PHI Dave Schultz Misconduct 13:58 10:00 PHI Bobby Clarke Cross-checking 14:47 2:00 BOS Rich Leduc Fighting – major 18:47 2:00 BOS Carol Vadnais Fighting – major 18:47 2:00 PHI Tom Bladon Fighting – major 18:47 2:00 PHI Bruce Cowick Fighting – major 18:47 2:00 Shots by period Team 1 2 3 Total 8 9 10 27 17 9 12 38
Game six
On May 19, before a national audience watching the game on NBC and a raucous Philadelphia crowd, Parent posted an epic 30-save shutout against the Bruins as the Flyers won the game 1–0 on a lone goal by former Bruin draft pick Rick MacLeish, the series four games to two, and the Stanley Cup. Parent made a spectacular kick save to stop a tremendous slapshot from Ken Hodge with less than three minutes left to play. The blast was the Bruins' final shot of the series. Parent was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The Flyers were the first of the 1967 expansion teams in the NHL to win the championship.
Coincidentally, the Flyers were the first team to clinch the Stanley Cup at home since the Bruins did so four years earlier on Orr's famous overtime goal vs. the St. Louis Blues in game four.