Game 136
Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 2
Thursday, November 26, 1936
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Toronto Leafs came home this morning only half convinced that their jinx had been finally banished.
“We had to break a guy’s arm to get a win,” mused skipper Hap Day, as the long train rolled into the station. “If we have to break bones to get wins, the casualties will be frightful before next spring.”
However, the 4-2 win over the Canadiens was well deserved. The Leafs were on top of the enemy at all times. Fine net guarding by Wilf Cude saved the redshirts time after time.
The Leafs had half a dozen chances to take the lead through Apps and Jackson, but it wasn’t until late in the second period, with Gordon Drillon on the line with Boll and Thoms, that the Leafs scored and thus took the lead for the first time since the road trip began.
Drillon broke fast far down the wing and swung into centre as he neared the defence. This drew both to him, and he slipped the puck to the flying Boll. Buzzer’s shot was partially blocked by Cude, but the puck rocketed into the top of the net behind him.
Well into the third period, after numerous hard collisions, in one of which Broda pitched Lorrain over his head into his net, Nick Metz broke clear as Drillon had done and, making the same type of play to draw the enemy, laid the puck across the goal for Jimmy Fowler to whang it home.
The Canadiens ganged fiercely at this second reverse, and Broda made three quick and spectacular saves, once going right across his goal to deflect the flying puck.
Morenz secured and started one of his long spirals with Pep Kelly in pursuit. Morenz was forced toward his own goal, and as Kelly caught him, Howie shoved the puck across the goal and away from his tormentor. Morenz made a perfect pass to Metz, coming in fast, and Nick slammed it home amid loud groans and moans from the Habitants.
Red McGill and Paul Haynes teamed for the first Canadien goal a few seconds later with Horner on the sidelines.
The game was dying and the Leafs were throwing the puck far down the ice when Jack Shill, who had been roving around as though in a mild fog, suddenly snared a puck that came to him from a scrimmage, and walked it into the net as neatly as Conacher does in such circumstances.
As the game ended, Pit Lépine and Toe Blake broke together and fired the Canadiens’ second past Broda for the last gesture of the match.
Jimmy Fowler’s work was again an outstanding feature. He got his first goal as the best rookie to break in with the team or in the league this season.
Fowler has never faltered in his fine work since he first teamed with Horner. He hits hard but cleanly, and his rushes are gradually being better timed so that he has become an effective two way threat. Broda played his best game in goal to date. Apps is weak around the nets, but should improve.
Jack Howard strengthened the defence and almost got himself a goal in his first rush. Drillon fitted into the Thoms-Boll line splendidly, and the pass he laid across the goal to Apps stamped him as potentially great.
Clancy sat in an end box and rooted for the Leafs until his voice cracked. Then he organized two lusty lunged friends to carry on. Conacher, in his new capacity as vice captain, sat on the bench with the club strategists.
For the Canadiens, Georges Mantha and ancient Mr. Joliat were the most effective. The new men were not impressive. They skate fast and keep throwing the puck around, but without much sense of direction.
Story originally published in The Toronto Daily Star, November 27, 1936
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PENS – Boll (2), Davidson
MTL PENS – Haynes, Joliat
2nd Period
TOR GOAL – 18:44 – Boll (Drillon)
TOR PEN – Kelly
3rd Period
TOR GOAL – 05:45 – Fowler (Metz)
TOR GOAL – 10:53 – Metz
MTL GOAL – 12:12 – McGill (Haynes)
TOR GOAL – 17:37 – Shill
MTL GOAL – 18:32 – Lépine (Blake)
TOR PEN – Horner
MTL PEN – Siebert
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Broda (W)
MTL – Cude (L)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: Turk Broda. Defence: Hap Day (C), Jimmy Fowler, Red Horner, Jack Howard. Forwards: Syl Apps, Buzz Boll, Bob Davidson, Gordie Drillon, Frank Finnigan, Busher Jackson, Pep Kelly, Nick Metz, Jack Shill, Bill Thoms.
MTL – Goaltenders: Wilf Cude. Defence: Walter Buswell, Georges Mantha. Forwards: Toe Blake, Joffre Desilets, Johnny Gagnon, Paul Haynes, Roger Jenkins, Aurèle Joliat, Pit Lépine, Rod Lorrain, Jack McGill, Bill Miller, Howie Morenz, Babe Siebert (C).
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 2-5-1 (.313)
MTL – 4-3-1 (.563)
Two Solitudes 