Game 108
Maple Leafs 1, Canadiens 1
Saturday, March 5, 1932
Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
Thwarted of victory by referee Mallinson’s decision in the first period and a goal by the great Howie Morenz in the third period, the Maple Leafs were forced to share the points with Les Canadiens at Maple Leaf Gardens on Saturday night before a record crowd of 14,450 fans. The game ended in a one all tie after ten minutes of overtime.
Until within ten minutes of the end of the third period, the Leafs nursed a one goal lead obtained when Charlie Conacher drove the puck past George Hainsworth in the first minute of the second period. Conacher had been deprived of a goal in the first period when referee Mallinson overruled the goal judget at the north end of the rink and disallowed the score. It was the fifth time here this season that the same official has called back a goal on the Leafs.
According to the goal judge, the puck entered the net just inside the post and rebounded only a couple of feet in front of the cage. The goal judge was slow in flashing the light because, he said, the button stuck when he was pressing it. An argument ensued, but Mallinson was obdurate, and there the matter rested, although there were any number of fans and most of the Toronto players on the ice who saw the puck enter the net. It was a terrific drive by Conacher from close range, and it is doubtful whether Hainsworth even glimpsed the puck as it sped toward his cage. Mallinson’s contention that it hit the goalpost was hardly borne out by the short distance the rubber rebounded. Such shots from Conacher connecting with the goalpost invariably rebound many feet away.
The game was a thrilling one all the way, but the third period and the overtime session were not as fast nor as productive of as brilliant hockey as the first two periods. The checking was close for the most part, and the teams were inclined to play cautious hockey and wait for the breaks. There was little to choose between the two teams on the night’s play, and both missed a few wide open scoring chances.
There were only six penalties, of which the Leafs drew five. “Ace” Bailey incurred his third major in the second period when he took a few hearty punches at Aurèle Joliat. Bailey and Joliat have given evidence of mutual dislike on previous occasions. Joliat was given only a minor penalty, probably because Bailey gave him no chance to swing an answering blow, the Toronto player raining punches with the rapidity of machine gun fire.
Dividing the points does not help the Leafs’ chances of overtaking the Canadiens in the race to the wire for the section leadership. Although the Flying Frenchmen have played one more game than the Toronto team, they have the two points necessary to offset that, and they play five of their remaining six games at home. The Leafs have only two more home games in seven, the majority of them against strong teams, including the Canadiens and Maroons in Montréal.
Twice in the opening period, which was goalless, the Canadiens had a one man advantage when a Toronto player occupied the penalty box. Primeau drew the first rest in the first minute of play. He tripped Gagnon near the net. About midway through the session, Conacher bore in on the Canadiens’ net for an excellent scoring chance, and paved the way for the argument that resulted in a score being disallowed. Conacher drew a penalty shortly afterward, but the Canadiens could not take advantage of the fact. The Leafs maintained a strong defence whenever they were shorthanded. The only time the Canadiens were shorthanded, both Bailey and Jackson were in the penalty box with Joliat, so the locals didn’t have a chance all through the piece to catch the visitors at a disadvantage.
The second period had hardly started when Conacher nearly caught Hainsworth off guard with a shot from outside the blue line. The puck hit the goalkeeper’s pads and dropped at his feet just an inch or two outside the goal line. About 30 seconds later, Day passed to Conacher, who charged down left wing – his wrong side – and, cutting in on the net, backhanded a low shot that went into the cage off Hainsworth’s skate. It was at first thought that Harvey Jackson, who dashed in on the net from the opposite wing, had batted the puck in at the goalmouth, but such was not the case.
Finnigan had a great scoring chance some minutes later, when he speeded in from right wing with a clear opening on Hainsworth, but the goalkeeper saved. Finnigan fell in trying to get the rebound and crashed at high speed into the end of the rink. He was knocked out for a minute or two, and had to be helped off the ice. He returned to the game later, however. Jackson tripped Morenz wen the latter was bearing in on the Toronto net and drew a penalty, and while he was off, Bailey and Joliat mixed it, for the only other incidents of the second period.
A penalty to Miller for tripping Morenz gave the Canadiens a chance early in the third period, but the Leafs protected their net well during Miller’s absence. The tying goal came at the 9:40 mark. The Leafs had launched a three man attack on the visitors’ cage, but Gagnon snared the puck at his own blue line, and broke away fast with Morenz flanking him on the opposite wing. Gagnon’s pass was perfect, and Morenz rounded the two man Toronto defence and rifled a shot that caught the far corner of the net.
The fast pace of the first two periods began to tell on the athletes in the final stages, and the latter part of the third period and overtime minutes were not particularly fast. The Canadiens were plainly content with a tie score, and their close checking gave the Leafs few opportunities for any concerted attacks. Bailey, Darragh and Cotton were the most dangerous attackers for the Leafs in the overtime, Darragh getting to the goalmouth twice for passes that were just out of his reach. Hainsworth also made a great stop on Clancy, who swung in from the wing and nearly pushed the puck into the net at the goalkeeper’s feet. The Canadiens were given little opportunity to score either, although the Toronto defence had to be constantly on the alert.
For the Leafs, the “Kid” forward line was the most dangerous until the overtime session. Jackson was closely watched at all times, and he had fewer opportunities than in any game he has played this season. Finnigan, Gracie and Blair worked together well, but could not pierce the strong visiting defence, Finnigan being the most effective of the trio. Bailey, Cotton and Darragh worked hard, and should have had a goal or two for their efforts, but they were outlucked on three or four occasions, and good work by Hainsworth stopped them at other times.
Horner, Clancy and Day alternated on the Toronto defence, with Levinsky appearing briefly on two or three occasion. Freddy Robertson was not used at all. Clancy gave another excellent display. He was hurt in the first period when bodychecking Leduc and limped to the bench, but he was back in the game again a little later, and was one of the hardest working players on the ice.
Horner and Day were also at their best. The Leaf defence players handed out bodychecks freely, and made it hazardous for the attacking forwards who tried to pass them. In the first two periods there were many spills at both ends of the ice as the result of telling bumps, but the attackers grew wary in the later stages, and did much of their puck carrying down the wings.
Morenz gave his usual dynamic display for the visitors. His goal was a pretty one, and Chabot had little or no chance on it. The Toronto goalkeeper made many fine stops, but it would have been a phenomenal one had he blocked Morenz’s drive on this occasion. On other occasions, Gagnon, Larochelle, Lépine and Joliat were unable to get the puck past the Leaf net guardian from close range. Lépine played a fine game, his hook checking being a decided thorn in the side of Leaf attacks whenever he was on the ice.
Gagnon and Larochelle were particularly dangerous on the attack, the latter giving one of his best displays here. Defensively the Canadiens were very sound, Burke and Sylvio Mantha being the strongest combination, with Leduc and Dunc Munro providing relief. The nonchalant Hainsworth was not worked as hard as he usually is here, but he was just as hard to beat.
Story originally published in The Globe, March 7, 1932
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PENS – Conacher, Jackson, Primeau
2nd Period
TOR GOAL – 00:37 – Conacher (Jackson, Day)
TOR PEN – Bailey (major)
MTL PEN – Joliat
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 09:40 – Morenz (Gagnon)
TOR PEN – Miller
Overtime
none
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Chabot (T, 46-47)
MTL – Hainsworth (T, 52-53)
SHOTS ON GOAL
TOR – 15+16+12+10 = 53
MTL – 11+16+11+9 = 47
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: Lorne Chabot. Defence: King Clancy, Hap Day (C), Red Horner, Alex Levinsky, Fred Robertson. Forwards: Ace Bailey, Andy Blair, Charlie Conacher, Baldy Cotton, Harold Darragh, Frank Finnigan, Bob Gracie, Busher Jackson, Earl Miller, Joe Primeau.
MTL – Goaltenders: George Hainsworth. Defence: Marty Burke, Albert Leduc, Art Lesieur, Georges Mantha, Sylvio Mantha (C), Dunc Munro. Forwards: Art Alexandre, Johnny Gagnon, Aurèle Joliat, Wildor Larochelle, Pit Lépine, Howie Morenz, Nick Wasnie.
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 19-15-7 (.549)
MTL – 20-15-7 (.560)
ATTENDANCE
14,450
Two Solitudes 