Game 054
St. Pats 5, Canadiens 3
Saturday, January 12, 1924
Arena Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
The St. Patricks broke their losing streak, which had reached four games, at the Arena on Saturday evening, when they defeated the Canadiens of Montréal by 5 to 3. By this victory, the Toronto team went into second place in the “pro” league, and Hamilton and the Canadiens are in the cellar positions.
Although at times the game was not productive of very good hockey, there were flashes of stickhandling, combination rushes and checking that satisfied even the most critical fan. “Red” Stuart’s lone rushes were a feature of the game, and although he received a nasty cut on the forehead from Sprague Cleghorn’s stick late in the second period, he finished the individual star of the contest.
“Babe” Dye’s fake pass was not much in evidence, the Montréalers were watching him too closely. Dye, however, played a better checking game than in his previous appearances, and stopped many rushes before they were well underway. Corbeau used his body to good effect.
Jackson, who substituted at left wing, gave a nice exhibition of stickhandling, and only good work on the part of Vézina kept him off the scoring list. Roach, in goal for the Irish, stopped many wicked shots.
Joliat, at left wing for the visitors, was the most effective man on the team. He carried the puck well, and was one of the fastest men on the ice. Boucher played a good defensive game. He also gave Roach considerable trouble, with long shots from the defence.
Noble, Adams, Dye, Corbeau and Stuart were the scorers for the Irish, while S. Cleghorn, Morenz and Boucher were responsible for the Canadiens’ goals, which were on shots from outside the defence.
Referee Marsh was busy chasing players to the penalty box. Most of these were, however, minor offences. Sprague Cleghorn received a match penalty when he opened a cut on Stuart’s forehead. It looked very much like an accident. Boucher was given five minutes when he bounced Stuart into the boards. Noble, Mantha, Dye, Corbeau, Loughlin and Stuart were the recipients of minor penalties.
The Canadiens opened the scoring in one and a half minutes when S. Cleghorn, on a pass from Joliat, beat Roach. It was a hard one to handle. Morenz, a few seconds later, drilled one past Stuart that almost caught Roach off guard. He was lucky to save. Dye came back and got past the defence and, with only Vézina to beat, fell. He lost one of his best chances of the game. Joliat stopped many rushes at centre.
It was after 11 and a half minutes that Noble beat Vézina on a fast angle shot to tie the score. S. Cleghorn made it two visitors in the penalty box, and the locals began an attack on the three man defence, and after getting into a scoring position, Corbeau, on a pass out from a scramble in front of an open net, missed by inches.
Stuart played his best game in the second period, and drilled many fast ones at Vézina. He took the rebound of Dye’s shot, and the Canadien goaler was lucky to clear the shot. Joliat passed the Irish defence, and only a spectacular save by Roach kept the score down. It was after sixteen minutes of play that Boucher scored on the rebound of his own shot. Then the penalties came fast, Boucher, Mantha and Stuart going off the ice in succession.
The third period opened with three men in the penalty box, two being visitors. The locals scored twice in the first minute of play, when Adams and Dye each tallied. Adams’ shot was a hot one from outside the defence, while Dye scored from inside the defence. Stuart got in many nice shots in the next few minutes, but none got past Vézina. Nine minutes later, Corbeau scored on an angle shot. Roach made a nice save a few minutes later, when he was called upon to stop a shot from a mixup in front of the net. It was with only three minutes to go that Stuart got past the defence and beat Vézina. Morenz followed one minute later, when Roach did not clear Odie Cleghorn’s shot. Loughlin and Cleghorn indulged in an argument, and both were sent to the box.
Story originally published in The Globe, January 14, 1924
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 02:00 – S. Cleghorn (Joliat)
TOR PP GOAL – 13:15 – Noble (Corbeau)
2nd Period
MTL PP GOAL – 17:00 – Boucher
3rd Period
TOR PP GOAL – 00:30 – Adams
TOR PP GOAL – 01:00 – Dye
TOR SH GOAL – 11:05 – Corbeau (Dye)
TOR GOAL – 18:30 – Stuart
MTL GOAL – 19:00 – Morenz (O. Cleghorn)
Penalties
TOR – Corbeau (3), Noble (2), Stuart (2), Loughlin
MTL – S. Cleghorn (minor + 20 min. match penalty), Boucher (3 minors + major), Mantha
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Roach (W)
MTL – Vézina (L)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: John Ross Roach. Defence: Bert Corbeau, Wilf Loughlin, Billy Stuart. Forwards: Jack Adams, Lloyd Andrews, Babe Dye, Stan Jackson, Reg Noble.
MTL – Goaltenders: Georges Vézina. Defence: Sprague Cleghorn (C), Billy Coutu, Sylvio Mantha. Forwards: Billy Boucher, Odie Cleghorn, Aurèle Joliat, Joe Malone, Howie Morenz.
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 4-5-0 (.444)
MTL – 3-5-0 (.375)
Two Solitudes 