Editing Maurice Richard (section)

===All-time scoring leader===
[[File:Henry and richard.jpg|thumb|upright|A bloodied Richard shakes hands with Boston's goaltender [[Jim Henry (ice hockey)|Jim Henry]] after the Canadiens' 1952 Stanley Cup semi-finals win.|alt=Richard, with blood on his face, shakes hands with goaltender Jim Henry, who is hunched forward in a slight bow]]
Richard missed over 20 games of the [[1951–52 NHL season|1951–52 season]] due to injury,<ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=194}}</ref> but overcame another ailment in the playoffs.<ref name="Carrier196">{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=196}}</ref> In the seventh and deciding game of the semi-final against Boston, Richard was checked by [[Leo Labine]] and briefly knocked unconscious after he fell and struck his head on [[Bill Quackenbush]]'s knee.<ref name="Carrier196" /> Though dazed, Richard returned to the game late in the third period after a large cut above his eye was stitched up. Canadiens coach [[Dick Irvin]] sent Richard back onto the ice in the final minutes of the contest, despite knowing Richard had suffered a [[concussion]]. Richard scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory that sent Montreal to the [[1952 Stanley Cup Finals]].<ref name="Foran75">{{harvnb|Foran|2011|p=75}}</ref> Following the game, a bloodied and still disoriented Richard was photographed shaking the hand of Boston goaltender [[Jim Henry (ice hockey)|Jim Henry]], who was also showing symptoms of injuries from the series and who appeared to be bowing to Richard following the Montreal player's "unconscious goal".<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/rocket/rokt512e.shtml |title=The bloody meeting |publisher=Canadian Museum of History |access-date=March 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407102629/http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/rocket/rokt512e.shtml |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The photograph by Roger St.&nbsp;Jean is among the most famous images of Richard and one of the most iconic images in the league's history.<ref name="Foran75" /> In the final, Montreal lost to Detroit in four straight games.<ref>{{citation |last=Degeer |first=Vern |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1zErAAAAIBAJ&pg=7088%2C2334394 |title=Detroit sets record in capturing Stanley Cup |date=April 16, 1952 |access-date=March 20, 2014 |page=18}}</ref>

The [[1952–53 NHL season|1952–53 season]] began with Richard in close pursuit of [[Nels Stewart]]'s all-time NHL record of 324 goals.<ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=200}}</ref> Richard tied the record in Toronto on October 29, 1952, by scoring two goals against the Maple Leafs; his achievement earned a rousing ovation from Montreal's [[Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry|rival]] fans.<ref>{{citation |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OoEtAAAAIBAJ&pg=7122%2C4642720 |title=Rocket ties N.H.L. goal record but Leafs win 7–5 |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=October 30, 1952 |access-date=March 26, 2014 |page=19}}</ref> He failed to score in his following three games as frenzied fans followed each contest in anticipation of the record-breaking marker.<ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=202}}</ref> In his fourth try, a November 8 game against Chicago, Richard scored his 325th goal at the 10:01 mark of the second period. According to the ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', the ovation Richard received from his fans "shook the rafters" of the [[Montreal Forum]].<ref>{{citation |last=Carroll |first=Dink |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dYMtAAAAIBAJ&pg=7335%2C1446729 |title=Rafters shake as Rocket bags record goal |work=The Gazette|location=Montreal |date=November 10, 1952 |access-date=March 26, 2014 |page=20}}</ref> He finished the season with team-leading totals of 61 points and 28 goals&nbsp;– becoming the first player in NHL history to score at least 20 goals in his first ten full seasons.<ref>{{harvnb|Lavigne|2013|p=300}}</ref> Aided by Richard's 7 goals in 12 playoff games, the Canadiens defeated Boston in the [[1953 Stanley Cup Finals]] to capture Montreal's first Stanley Cup championship since 1946.<ref name="NHLStats" /><ref>{{harvnb|Carrier|2001|p=209}}</ref>

Richard led the league in goals for the fourth time in his career with 37 in [[1953–54 NHL season|1953–54]], then for a fifth time in [[1954–55 NHL season|1954–55]] with 38 (shared with [[Bernie Geoffrion]]).<ref name="Cameron158" /> He scored his 400th career goal on December 18, 1954, against Chicago.<ref>{{citation |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19541219&id=WKshAAAAIBAJ&pg=6834,2245905 |title=Maurice Richard scores 400th goal |work=Reading Eagle |date=December 19, 1954 |access-date=March 26, 2014 |page=38}}</ref>