Game 132
Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 0
Thursday, January 30, 1936
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The bid of the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the National Hockey League’s Canadian section was shattered by the brilliance of slim Wilf Cude tonight, as the Canadiens protected him faultlessly to give the Welshman his fifth shutout victory of the season – a 3-0 triumph that enabled the Habitants to keep pace with the New York Americans in the battle for third place.
Two stitches were required to close a cut on the back of his head.
The Leafs dominated the play throughout the final period, but Cude was at his best, and the Canadiens put on their best checking display seen here this season. Armand Mondou and McGill finally broke away from the Leafs power play, and Mondou scored the final goal from close in after taking McGill’s pass to beat the lone defender.
Conacher came back to his right wing position for the Leafs after a two week layoff with an injured back and played a great game. Cude robbed both Conacher and “Busher” Jackson several times when they got in close for hard shots.
A crowd of some 6,000 roared in acclaim as a tight locked Canadien defence stemmed a savage Toronto third period attack that never let up. The Canadiens built up a two goal lead in the second period, after a goalless first, and clinched the game when they broke away in the last five minutes for another marker.
A penalty to Charlie Conacher paved the way for the Canadiens’ first goal. He was hardly off when Shifty Pit Lépine seized a short shot past George Hainsworth, on a gang attack with Aurèle Joliat and Johnny Gagnon getting assists.
Joffre Desilets, the rookie right winger, made the play for the second goal when he fainted “Hap” Day out of position, and gave Jack McGill a perfect setup for a scoring shot just outside the goal crease with a forward pass.
Buzz Boll, the speedy Leaf left winger, was injured in the second period. He collided with Art Lesieur, the 205 pound Canadien defenceman, and was stunned when his head hit the ice.
Joliat started the game with a long shot Hainsworth turned to the corner. Finnigan got into the corner on Thoms’ pass, and his shot almost clicked as it struck Buswell. Boll got in a short one that almost took the feet from Cude after Thoms had set up the opening. Joliat made Hainsworth jump at the other end as he got in between Horner and Blair of a close-in shot just before the lines changed.
Haynes got away a dangerous shot that Goldsworthy just missed batting in. Then Kelly burned one into Cude’s pass at the other end. Metz split the defence neatly on another Leaf attack, and Cude made a beautiful save of Nick’s high shot. Clancy took the first penalty of the game for tripping Haynes, and the Canadiens ganged up. Boll ragged the puck successfully and got as far as the defence. Hainsworth had to save twice in rapid succession as Goldsworthy and Pusie fired hard ones at him before Clancy came back.
Hainsworth made a spectacular save from Desilets as the right winger got in close after taking Mondou’s pass to work in close. He tried to draw Hainsworth, but George beat him. McGill had hard luck when he got in close with Hainsworth on another raid. With Hainsworth lying on the ice far out of his nets, McGill went off balance and failed to get at the puck before Primeau cleared from the edge of the crease.
Markle came on with Thoms and Boll, and lifted a high shot that almost fooled Cude. Hainsworth robbed Joliat with another spectacular save, and blocked Lépine’s slap at the rebound. Cude turned back Conacher when the left winger got in after taking Primeau’s pass. Cude stopped the first shot, and Conacher’s slap at the rebound after it went high and dropped in front of the cage. The period ended as Conacher came back to charge through the defence without getting a shot away.
Gagnon got in for a low shot as the second period started, before he raced back to get away a wide backhander. Lépine lifted one from the left boards after he was blocked off by Blair. Cude had a narrow escape when Art Jackson stole the puck inside the Canadien zone, and fired while Cude was lying on the ice. The puck struck Cude’s upraised arm and went over. Metz was close in a minute later.
Hainsworth was brilliant when the Canadiens tore back, and Goldsworthy shot one to Haynes in front of the net. Hainsworth smothered the close-in. Conacher got a penalty on the next Canadien attack, and Lépine scored on the first gang attack on a play with Gagnon and Joliat. Conacher came back before any more damage was done.
The Leafs were back at full strength when Desilets made a beautiful play for another goal, when he drew Day over and passed forward to McGill. McGill raced in and beat Hainsworth with a high backhander that just touched the goalkeeper’s arm.
The Leafs turned on the heat for a few minutes and carried the puck into Canadiens’ zone, but could not get a shot away after some wild milling. Coancher got in close on the left wing and Cude saved brilliantly. Buzz Boll went down heavily and struck his head on the ice. He was carried into the dressing room stunned. It appeared accidental, as he collided with Lesieur.
Thoms got in nicely on Finnigan’s pass when play was resumed, and only spectacular work kept his shot out. Finnigan just failed to reach the rebound. Offside spoiled another Leaf attack and the bell rang with Clancy heading Desilets away from the puck.
Kelly, Metz and Art Jackson started for the Leafs in the third period. Action was slow for the first few minutes, with neither goalkeeper handling a shot while the starting lines were on. Clancy led the first real threat when he combined with Primeau to get in. Crowded to a corner, he passed to Primeau at the goalmouth, and Joe just failed to reach the puck with a yawning goal in front of him.
Busher Jackson had the toughest kind of luck when he took Conacher’s pass right in on Cude and his backhander went wide by inches. Primeau’s shot had Cude in trouble as Conacher swept in for the rebound. Cude cleared nicely to the corner. The Leafs were playing a four man attack to keep the puck mostly in the Canadiens’ end.
The Canadiens had to shoot the puck up the ice as Conacher, H. Jackson, Thoms and Primeau piled in. Cude made a beautiful save from Conacher. McGill and Haynes broke away with only one defenceman to beat, but Haynes’ shot was high and wide.
Metz and Art Jackson gave Cude shots, and then Mondou and McGill broke away to make it 3-0 for the Canadiens. Mondou took McGill’s pass to the right and beat Hainsworth from close in.
The Leafs were still trying their power play without success against a tight Canadiens’ defence when the final bell rang, as the Canadiens shot the puck down the ice.
Story originally published in The Globe, January 31, 1936
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – Clancy
2nd Period
MTL GOAL – 06:09 – Lépine (Joliat, Gagnon)
MTL GOAL – 09:37 – McGill (Desilets)
TOR PEN – Conacher
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 15:34 – Mondou (McGill)
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Cude (W + SO, 28-28)
TOR – Hainsworth (L, 25-28)
SHOTS ON GOAL
MTL – 13+9+6 = 28
TOR – 10+9+9 = 28
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Wilf Cude. Defence: Walter Buswell, Irv Frew, Art Lesieur, Georges Mantha, Jean Pusie. Forwards: Joffre Desilets, Polly Drouin, Johnny Gagnon, Leroy Goldsworthy, Paul Haynes, Aurèle Joliat, Pit Lépine, Jack McGill, Armand Mondou.
TOR – Goaltenders: George Hainsworth. Defence: King Clancy, Hap Day (C), Red Horner. Forwards: Andy Blair, Buzz Boll, Charlie Conacher, Frank Finnigan, Art Jackson, Busher Jackson, Pep Kelly, Jack Markle, Nick Metz, Joe Primeau, Bill Thoms.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 9-14-7 (.417)
TOR – 12-12-3 (.500)
Two Solitudes 