Game 179
Maple Leafs 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
Thursday, January 15, 1942
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
Nick Metz potted an overtime goal after thirty one seconds of play to give the Toronto Leafs a 3-2 victory over the scrappy Montréal Canadiens here Thursday night. The win sent the Leafs into a second place tie with the rampaging New York Rangers.
The Leafs produced two goals in the second period, and appeared safely headed for victory, when the Canadiens came back with an unexpected display of sniping fireworks in the third period to tie the score and force the game into extra time.
Apps and McCreedy scored for the Leafs in the second period. In the third Benoit and Quilty got goals in less than seven minutes of play to tie the count at 2 to 2.
Nick Metz moved in to pick up a pass from Syl Apps for the winning goal after thirty one seconds of play in the overtime.
Bob Davidson, the sturdy left winger for the Leafs who worked with Langelle and McCreedy tonight, had to retire in the third period with a bad skate wound. Bob was cut for seven stitches.
The win was the third for the Leafs over the Canadiens in four meetings this winter. The Leafs had won two games on Toronto ice. They had been beaten 2-1 here in their only previous visit.
The Leafs and Canadiens played through a scoreless first period in which the feature was a major penalty shot effort by Bob Davidson. Davidson was tripped by Portland as he swung in on the Montréal cage for an open shot. Bibeault stopped it. With a clear passage, Bob tried it over again under the major penalty shot rule. Bibeault kicked out the Leasider’s play from close range. The Leafs fought off penalties to hold the Canadiens scoreless. Stanowski and Drillon were penalized, and the Montréalers were unable to take advantage.
Before the game, Gord Drillon received half a dozen telegraph messages from Toronto well wishers, offsetting the jeers of Saturday night’s game.
The Leafs collected two goals in the second period to solidify their bid for a second place partnership with the New York Rangers in the NHL. Syl Apps, back in competition for the first time in more than two weeks, potted the first in eleven seconds. Gord Drillon carried the puck in from right wing after getting a preliminary pass from Nick Metz. The goal was originally scored as a solo effort for Apps, but it was finally deliberated that Drillon had actually helped manufacture the play.
Johnny McCreedy got the second Toronto goal at 5:37, slapping home a backhand rebound of a shot fired by Bucko McDonald. Nick Metz swept inside a lazy Montréal defence for a third goal that was called offside. Apps started the play. Drillon dumped a pass that beat the Montréal defence, and Nick beat Bibeault from close range. The play was called offside, but Goupille was penalized for interference.
The Canadiens came back with an unexpected show of offensive power in the third period to wipe out the Toronto margin in less than seven minutes. Joe Benoit got the first one on a play with Jack Portland at 5:08. Johnny Quilty got the second one to tie up the game a minute later on a play with Sands and Getliffe.
The overtime was just thirty one seconds old when Nick Metz banged home a pass from Syl Apps to put the Leafs in front 3-2.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, January 16, 1942
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL PEN – 00:22 – Bouchard
MTL PEN – 03:43 – K. Reardon
TOR PEN – 03:43 – Stanowski
TOR PEN – 09:16 – Stanowski
MTL PEN – 09:43 – Portland
TOR PEN – 16:10 – Drillon
2nd Period
TOR GOAL – 00:11 – Apps (Drillon, N. Metz)
TOR GOAL – 05:37 – McCreedy (McDonald)
MTL PEN – 13:26 – K. Reardon
MTL PEN – 15:23 – Goupille
3rd Period
MTL PEN – 01:02 – Quilty
TOR PEN – 01:02 – Hamilton
MTL GOAL – 05:08 – Benoit (Portland, Blake)
MTL GOAL – 06:38 – Quilty (Sands, Getliffe)
Overtime
TOR GOAL – 00:31 – N. Metz (Apps)
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Broda (W)
MTL – Bibeault (L)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: Turk Broda. Defence: Jack Church, Reg Hamilton, Bucko McDonald, Wally Stanowski. Forwards: Syl Apps (C), Lorne Carr, Bob Davidson, Gordie Drillon, Pete Langelle, John McCreedy, Don Metz, Nick Metz, Sweeney Schriner, Billy Taylor.
MTL – Goaltenders: Paul Bibeault. Defence: Butch Bouchard, Red Goupille, Jack Portland, Ken Reardon. Forwards: Joe Benoit, Toe Blake (C), Murph Chamberlain, Ray Getliffe, Gerry Heffernan, Pete Morin, Buddy O’Connor, John Quilty, Terry Reardon, Charlie Sands.
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 16-8-1 (.660)
MTL – 7-18-1 (.288)
Two Solitudes 