1976-77 marked the second of four consecutive Stanley Cup championships for the Montreal Canadiens. Despite their being eleven total playoff series’ that year in the National Hockey League, O-Pee-Chee chose to honour just three on cardboard. The hockey card manufacturer skipped the preliminary round and quarter-finals and went directly to the semi-finals.
Hockey card #262 from the 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee set features the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders meeting in the semi-finals. The Habs won the series four games to two to advance to the Stanley Cup finals. Montreal got their by way of a 4-0 sweep over the St. Louis Blues in the quarter-finals, following a bye in the preliminaries. The Islanders went the long route, beating the Chicago Black Hawks 2-0 in the prelims before sweeping the Buffalo Sabres in the quarters.
On the front of card #262 is Peter Mahovlich of the Montreal Canadiens facing off against Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies of the New York Islanders. This card is considered a common and is valued at $.50.
Hockey card #263 features the other semi-final series between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. Boston knocked off the Flyers in six games. The Bruins had a bye in the preliminaries and beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 in the quarter-finals. Philadelphia took out the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games in the quarters.
Only Bruins are on the front of this card. Gary Doak wearing number 25 and Al Sims wearing number 23 are two Bruins defenseman heading up ice. This card is also considered a common.
Card #264, of course, features Montreal and Boston in the Stanley Cup finals. Montreal swept the series in four games. On the front of the card are (from left to right) Larry Robinson wearing 19, Ken Dryden wearing 29, Steve Shutt wearing 22, Bill Nyrop wearing 2 and Jim Roberts wearing 6.
