Game 083
Maple Leafs 5, Canadiens 3
Saturday, March 17, 1928
Arena Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
Several thousand fans witnessed an excellent performance by the Toronto Leafs at the Arena Hockey Shop Saturday night. The Leafs provided about as pleasing a bit of entertainment as has been enjoyed in any pro game here this season. They handed the Flying Frenchmen the short end of a 5 to 3 score, in a game that was replete with speed and good hockey, and enough thrills to send the fans away singing its praises.
The Leafs have not enjoyed what may be called a successful season, but they have achieved something no other team in the circuit has been able to do. They have twice beaten the Canadiens by the largest number of goals scored on Hainsworth in any one game this season, Until Saturday’s contest, Toronto’s 4 to 3 victory over the Canadiens in Montréal the night Day was hurt stood as the largest number, but the Leafs went one better Saturday night. They scored three of their goals in the first period, and it is doubtful whether the Flying Frenchmen have been scored on as often in 20 minutes for some seasons.
Of course, it will be said that the Canadiens were not extending themselves, and that a victory more or less at this stage of the race doesn’t mean anything. But to those who saw the game and the frantic efforts of the Canadiens to score, this contention will not be impressive. Cecil Hart’s team tried hard, and appeared to be just as keen on winning as the Leafs. But the men of Smythe were performing in a fashion that was a revelation to local fans, and they played with a spirit and an energy that matched their opponents in the matter of speed and ability, and gave them something to spare.
When Mantha carried the puck through the whole Toronto team in the first five minutes’ play and batted into the net right at the goal post, it looked as if the Canadiens were out to pile up a lead on the locals. Mantha’s effort was a good one, but it only spurred the Leafs on to provide the equalizer.
Gerry Lowrey started the Leafs on the path to victory six minutes later, when Carson’s pass from behind the goal hit Gerry’s stick and caromed into the net. The locals went to the front a little over a minute later, when Art Duncan’s speedy shot from outside the defence wiggled into the goal under Hainsworth’s arm.
The usual coolness and indifference of the Canadien net guardian underwent a rapid change over this incident, and as the Leafs kept peppering him with shot after shot, he was anything but nonchalant. A three man attack by the Leafs, with Keeling, Bailey and Smith strung out in line across the ice, resulted in another goal two minutes later. Keeling passed to Bailey, and Bailey passed to Smith, and the latter went in on Hainsworth and netter the rubber.
The second period was fast and equally thrilling, but the only goal scored came from the stick of that artistic performer, Howie Morenz. In the first three minutes, he and Gagné attacked in tandem, and Morenz gathered in Gagné’s pass and fooled the agile Roach with a fast shot.
The Canadiens could not quite overhaul the Leafs, although Roach was given some busy moments, and was called upon to make some remarkable stops. It was not until 16 minutes of the final period had expired that “Sailor” Herbert, who had come close on several previous occasions, worked through the Canadiens’ defence with Art Smith, and took a pass that gave him an excellent opening to easily defeat Hainsworth.
The Canadiens showed a little indignation over this tally, and Morenz got it back in nine seconds, when he sailed u the ice and tricked his way in close to Roach to score. But the Leafs showed some speed in the matter of scoring also, and 24 seconds later, Herbert waltzed down alone and split the defence to go in on Hainsworth for the final tally of the night. It was a dazzling few minutes of hockey that the teams uncorked in this last period, and the fans were hardly through cheering one goal before they started in to cheer the next.
Art Duncan and Art Smith gave an impressive performance on the local defence, while Herbert, Lowrey, Bailey and Carson were working hard on the front line. Keeling was also up to his usual dash, but he was not able to get any goals. Beattie Ramsay was not used often, but he held his end up well.
Story originally published in The Globe, March 19, 1928
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 05:45 – Morenz (Mantha)
TOR GOAL – 13:00 – Lowrey (Carson)
TOR GOAL – 14:30 – Duncan
TOR GOAL – 16:30 – Smith (Keeling, Bailey)
TOR PEN – Duncan
2nd Period
MTL GOAL – 02:50 – Morenz (Gagné)
TOR PENS – Duncan, Herbert
MTL PEN – Langlois
3rd Period
TOR GOAL – 16:00 – Herbert (Smith, Lowrey)
MTL GOAL – 16:30 – Morenz
TOR GOAL – 17:30 – Herbert (Lowrey)
TOR PEN – Duncan
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Roach (W)
MTL – Hainsworth (L)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: John Ross Roach. Defence: Art Duncan, Beattie Ramsay, Art Smith. Forwards: Ace Bailey, Bill Carson, Jimmy Herbert, Butch Keeling, Gerry Lowrey, Eddie Rodden.
MTL – Goaltenders: George Hainsworth. Defence: Herb Gardiner, Albert Leduc, Sylvio Mantha (C). Forwards: Art Gagné, Leo Gaudreault, Gizzy Hart, Aurèle Joliat, Charlie Langlois, Pit Lépine, Howie Morenz, George Patterson.
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 17-17-8 (.500)
MTL – 24-11-7 (.655)
Two Solitudes 