Game 113
Canadiens 2, Maple Leafs 0
Tuesday, February 7, 1933
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The veterans of Les Canadiens, some of them fighting for their jobs, led the Flying Frenchmen to a 2-0 victory over the champion Toronto Maple Leafs in a National Hockey League game here tonight, before a near capacity crowd of 11,500.
The revamped Habitants played a fighting game, showed the teamwork that has been lacking for so long, and held the hardworking Leafs to a fairly even game. The champions outshot the Canucks by a wide margin, but the veteran George Hainsworth, playing perhaps his finest game of the season, turned them all back.
The Canadiens scored once in the initial period and once in the last. The first tally was the fruit of a three man offensive. Johnny Gagnon passed to Joliat, who circled the net and passed out to Gerald Carson, who was unmarked. The Canadiens’ defenceman took a careful shot and send the rubber flying high into the net.
The second goal was a spectacular solo effort by Aurèle Joliat. The Leafs were pressing for a tie, and had five men up the ice. Joliat picked up a loose puck, broke rapidly, and outsped the pursuing Leafs. He shot from well out, a low drive finding the corner of the net.
The game was fast and rugged, and the defence was sound without slowing up the pace. Of nine penalties, seven were drawn by Toronto players.
Dandurand’s new men, Bob Trapp, defence, Art Alexandre and Dizzy Hart, forwards, were used considerably, playing a fair game, but their work was seldom notable. It remained for the veterans of the team to hold Connie Smythe’s team, which had beaten the Habitants three successive times.
Lalonde mixed his lines considerably, but kept Morenz, Gagnon and Joliat together pretty well. They played a fighting game and were responsible for both goals. Gerald Carson, mentioned as one of those who may be dropped, played a sparkling game.
Hal Cotton, the hard working Toronto winger, and King Clancy were to the front throughout the game. The erstwhile “Kid line” was not so effective. Horner did good defensive work.
The champion’s defeat did not imperil their wide lead in the league standing, while the victory put the Habitants within a point of the fourth place Ottawa Senators.
The long standing partnership of Howie Morenz and Joliat with Gagnon on wing was resumed at the start of the game. The play opened at a fast clip, both teams getting a few long shots that were not dangerous.
Lines were changed after four minutes. Gerald Carson streaked up the ice for a shot at Chabot. “Gizzy” Hart was on the ice and spent most of his time trailing “Chuck” Conacher.
Doraty headed a dangerous drive in which Hainsworth lost his stick while clearing. Giroux, Alexandre and Harrington came on for the Habitants. There was some fast playing, but Day and Levinsky kept them in check.
The Canadiens went into the lead halfway through the period. The Habitants swept in on Chabot four abreast. Joliat took a pass from Gagnon, circled the net, and fed the puck to Gerald Carson, who was unmarked ten feet in front of the goal. The Canadiens’ defenceman advanced a few paces and rifled the rubber high into the net.
Horner was chased for tripping Sylvio Mantha, and the Canucks pressed their advantage. The play slowed down somewhat when Horner came back. Alternate rushes resulted in few exciting plays until Charlie Conacher was chased for cross checking, and Lalonde pressed four men into the offensive. The Leaf defence held off the attack and managed to get in one or two rushes.
Thoms rocked Hainsworth with a sizzling drive from the left wing. Morenz was given a minor, and the Leafs battled up the Habitants within their own blue line. Hal Cotton all but scored when he had only Hainsworth to beat.
Morenz was still in the penalty box when the second period started, and the Maple Leafs did most of the pressing until he came back. Heavy body checks appeared to be slowing up the play somewhat. Morenz got the puck at his own blue line, streaked up the ice, and gave Chabot a hard shot, which the goalkeeper chested out. Morenz missed the rebound. Day went along the left boards and shook Hainsworth with a high drive. Hainsworth blocked a tricky backhander from Primeau. The Leafs were finding the close backchecking difficult to get by, and much of the play was around centre ice.
Clancy squeezed past Leduc and Trapp, and had only the Habitant goalkeeper to beat. Hainsworth dived and smothered the shot. The Canadiens were pressing hard when Gracie was given a minor for tripping. Clancy and Horner caught the Canucks with four men up the ice, and Horner all but scored on the play. The game was becoming rough, the Leafs were playing furiously, and despite their man shortage kept the play well up the ice.
The buzz of the crowd never ceased as the game assumed a dizzy speed. With Toronto playing for goals and the Habitants fighting desperately and working smoothly as a unit, there were few dull moments.
Leduc was chased for tripping and, with only two minutes of the period left, Irvin sent five men into Habitants territory. The Canadiens fired the puck up the ice and fell back for a couple of minutes’ careful defence play. They held off until the bell.
Long passing rushes were the order at the opening of the final frame. Levinsky was sent to the bench for tripping Morenz, the penalty being protested vociferously. Chabot kicked out a shot from Joliat, another from Gagnon, and still another from Morenz.
Hart broke through twice, but his shots were weak. The pace continued fast, with tight defences breaking up plays before they reached the goal. Hainsworth smothered a stiff drive from Conacher. For a few moments, the Leafs had the Habitants bottled up within their own blue line. Irvin’s men were too eager, however, and had five men up the ice. Aurèle Joliat picked up a loose puck, broke rapidly, and was a few feet in front of the pursuing Leafs. With only Chabot to beat, he gauged his shot carefully and aimed a low drive into the net from 15 feet out to make the score 2-0. The tally was unassisted.
The Leafs’ attack was gaining momentum when it was interrupted by a tripping penalty to Doraty. The Canadiens pressed their advantage and Morenz, Hart and Larochelle kept the Leafs’ defence busy until Doraty returned.
With three minutes to go, Irvin sent four men on the offensive, and the Canadiens fell back to purely defensive play, shooting the puck up the ice whenever they could. Howie Morenz was tearing down the ice when Horner tripped him. Clancy followed Horner for holding, but only 40 seconds of play were left. The Leafs held off until the bell.
Story originally published in The Globe, February 8, 1933
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 02:00 – Horner
TOR PEN – 07:15 – Conacher
MTL GOAL – 10:00 – Carson (Gagnon, Joliat)
MTL PEN – 13:00 – Morenz
2nd Period
TOR PEN – 02:00 – Doraty
TOR PEN – 03:00 – Gracie
MTL PEN – 16:00 – Leduc
3rd Period
TOR PEN – 01:00 – Levinsky
TOR PEN – 06:00 – Doraty
MTL GOAL – 10:12 – Joliat
TOR PEN – 12:00 – Horner
TOR PEN – 16:45 – Clancy
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Hainsworth (W + SO, 29-29)
TOR – Chabot (L, 17-19)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 8+5+6 = 19
TOR – 11+13+5 = 29
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: George Hainsworth (C). Defence: Gerry Carson, Albert Leduc, Georges Mantha, Sylvio Mantha. Forwards: Art Alexandre, Johnny Gagnon, Art Giroux, Hago Harrington, Gizzy Hart, Aurèle Joliat, Wildor Larochelle, Pit Lépine, Howie Morenz.
TOR – Goaltenders: Lorne Chabot. Defence: King Clancy, Hap Day (C), Red Horner, Alex Levinsky. Forwards: Ace Bailey, Charlie Conacher, Baldy Cotton, Ken Doraty, Bob Gracie, Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau, Bill Thoms.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 10-18-3 (.371)
TOR – 16-11-5 (.578)
ATTENDANCE
11,500
Two Solitudes 