Game 051
Canadiens 3, St. Pats 0
Wednesday, February 28, 1923
Aréna Mont-Royal, Montréal, Québec
The Canadiens whitewashed the St. Patricks here tonight 3 to 0, and again jumped into second place in the league standing, the win keeping the local team in the running for playoff honours in the National Hockey League.
Despite rather heavy ice, the game was fast, especially in the first two periods. The final session developed into a frantic effort by the St. Patricks to enter the scoring columns, but without avail, the four and five man defence of the Canadiens preventing them from getting too close to Vézina in the Habitants’ net.
All the scoring was done in the first two periods, the Canadiens securing a 3 to 0 lead and in the final period were content more or less to allow the St. Patricks to carry the play against a stonewall defence. After frequent attempts, Billy Boucher opened the scoring in the first period. Sprague Cleghorn engineered the play that led to the tally, carrying the puck the length of the ice and driving it to Roach. The latter made a brilliant save, but could not clear the rebound, and Boucher batted it in.
Sprague continued his effective playing in the second period and gave the locals a safer margin when he followed in on his own shot and beat Roach, whom he did not allow time to get rid of the rubber. Berlinquette added the third from a scramble in front of Roach.
The St. Patricks had their full squad on hand, and the players fought keenly to the last, but to no avail.
The game was comparatively clean, the penalties inflicted being for minor trips and jabbing. There was none of the missile throwing that marked the last game played here – not the sign of a lemon being seen about the rink. Four thousand five hundred paid admission to witness the struggle, which was at times fast and at other times marked by exciting or humourous incidents.
Story originally published in The Globe, March 1, 1923
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 13:40 – Boucher (S. Cleghorn)
MTL PENS – O. Cleghorn, S. Cleghorn
TOR PEN – Adams
2nd Period
MTL GOAL – 05:20 – S. Cleghorn (Boucher)
MTL PP GOAL – 12:30 – Berlinquette (O. Cleghorn)
TOR PENS – Adams, Andrews
3rd Period
TOR PEN – Stuart
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Vézina (W + SO)
TOR – Roach (L)
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Georges Vézina. Defence: Sprague Cleghorn (C), Billy Coutu. Forwards: Billy Bell, Louis Berlinquette, Billy Boucher, Odie Cleghorn, Aurèle Joliat, Joe Malone, Didier Pitre.
TOR – Goaltenders: John Ross Roach. Defence: Harry Cameron, Billy Stuart. Forwards: Jack Adams, Lloyd Andrews, Babe Dye, Reg Noble, Ken Randall, Ganton Scott, Rod Smylie.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 11-9-2 (.545)
TOR – 11-10-1 (.523)
Two Solitudes 