Game 089
Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 1
Tuesday, March 12, 1929
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Canadiens finally defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs when they outscored the Queen City Blue Shirts, 2 to 1, in the latter team’s last scheduled appearance of the season here tonight.
It was the first victory of the season for the Canadiens over the Leafs, the Toronto team having won three and tied two of the other five scheduled encounters.
Two goals in the first four minutes of the second period, both by Pit Lépine, the Canuck centre, gave the locals the jump on their adversaries. Although the Leafs got back into the battle nine minutes later on Blair’s goal, they could not get the tying counter, their best efforts crashing against the unbeatable goaltending display uncorked by Hainsworth. It was a fast and open battle all the way.
Benny Grant, the Leaf substitute goalkeeper, replaced Chabot to start the second period, but it was through no fault of the youthful player that the Canadiens got their two goals, both coming as a result of clean cut efforts and shots from close in.
The Canadiens were first to threaten, and pounded three hard shots off Chabot’s pads before the Leafs went into action. Big Art Duncan then staged a lone attack on the Canuck net, and beat everybody but Hainsworth. Bailey picked up a loose puck at the Canuck defence, but a splendid save by Hainsworth robbed the Leaf right winger of a goal.
Manager Connie Smythe of the Leafs then sent on an entire new team, with the exception of the goaler. Horner got a penalty for upsetting Morenz, and the Canucks rushed to the attack. They rained a deluge of shots on the Leaf net, but could not score. Day was penalized, and the Leafs were two men short. Morenz drew a minor, and the pressure on the Leaf net eased off. The teams battled on even terms until back at strength.
Joliat almost beat Chabot with a tricky drive from ten feet out. Cotton almost retaliated with a solo dash, which beat both lines of the Canadien defence, but Hainsworth blocked his final drive on goal. Lépine drew a minor, but was back on before the Leafs did anything. Just before the bell, Bailey and Morenz drew successive penalties for minor offences.
Benny Grant, the ex-Owen Sound junior, was in the Leaf net to start the second period. Bailey and Morenz both returned from the penalty bench shortly after play began.
The Canadiens went right to the offensive from the opening whistle, and before the period was five minutes old, had rushed in two goals. Lépine got both of them, scoring the first on a pass from Gagné, and the second when he banged Burke’s rebound past Grant. The Leafs then tightened up and, led by Day, began to worry Hainsworth. The latter was in top form, however, and with the aid of a strong defence, held the Leafs at bay.
Mondou crosschecked Horne and drew the first penalty of the period. The Leafs attacked determinedly, but the Canucks held on until Mondou returned to play.
Just as Mondou stepped on the ice, however, Andy Blair put the Leafs back into the fight when he flipped one into the net. Horner, Cox, Georges Mantha and Cotton all drew minors before the end of the period, and the last two were still in the box at the bell.
Cox got right through to start the period, but was tripped by S. Mantha, who drew a penalty. The Leafs were then five men to the Canadiens’ four. They rushed to the attack, but a succession of perfect saves by Hainsworth kept his team’s lead intact. G. Mantha and Cotton came back to play, while Leduc went off for spilling Cox. The Leafs were then six to four, but continued good work by Hainsworth held the Leafs in check.
A minute later, the teams were back to equal and full strength, but Art Duncan went off for hooking Lépine. He came back on, however, before the Canadiens did any damage.
The Leafs began forcing in the last five minutes, but the Canadiens were equal to the task of holding out the onrushing Blue Shirts until the final bell.
Story originally published in The Globe, March 13, 1929
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL PENS – Morenz (2), Lépine
TOR PENS – Bailey, Day, Horner
2nd Period
MTL GOAL – 02:05 – Lépine (Gagné)
MTL GOAL – 04:00 – Lépine (Burke)
TOR GOAL – 12:55 – Blair (Duncan)
MTL PENS – G. Mantha, Mondou
TOR PENS – Cotton (2), Cox, Horner
3rd Period
MTL PENS – Leduc, S. Mantha
TOR PEN – Duncan
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Hainsworth (W)
TOR – Chabot, Grant (L)
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: George Hainsworth. Defence: Marty Burke, Herb Gardiner, Albert Leduc, Georges Mantha, Sylvio Mantha (C). Forwards: Art Gagné, Aurèle Joliat, Pit Lépine, Armand Mondou, Howie Morenz, George Patterson.
TOR – Goaltenders: Lorne Chabot, Benny Grant. Defence: Hap Day (C), Art Duncan, Red Horner, Art Smith. Forwards: Ace Bailey, Andy Blair, Baldy Cotton, Danny Cox, George Horne, Eric Pettinger.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 20-7-15 (.655)
TOR – 20-17-5 (.536)
Two Solitudes 