Game 180
Maple Leafs 7, Canadiens 3
Thursday, January 29, 1942
Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
What coach Dick Irvin of the Montréal Canadiens wanted the general public to believe was Hap Day’s “Mosquito Fleet” of the Toronto Leafs was good enough to torpedo Richard’s self styled “Battleship Flotilla” at Maple Leaf Gardens last night.
Pete Langelle, who steers the most tantalizing zig-zag course in National Hockey League seas, came bouncing out of the affray with three goals and one assist to major honours in the 7-3 victory of the homesters. The win fortified the third place position of the Leafs, and placed them only three points back of the joint leaders, the Rangers and Bruins.
After the Canadiens had matched goal for goal with the Leafs in the first period, the home talent dug up two scores in the second to take command. Once on top, they were home free, both in puck chasing and in the fisticuffing that was to follow.
The third period offered up six goals, two for the Canadiens and four for the Leafs, and the free-for-all that had been anticipated all evening – but which threatened to become a throwback to the advance publicity.
All was confusion when the brawling got nicely underway, with the score at 3-2 for the Leafs and rookie Bob Goldham in the penalty box. The big timepiece suspended over centre ice, like grandfather’s clock, stopped dead, never no more to go, while the boys were biffing and bashing. The athletes finished out the hockey business on secret stopwatch time.
Carr, Schriner, Stanowski and Kampman were defending territory in front of Broda against O’Connor, Morin, Heffernan, Ken Reardon and Terry Reardon when the battle that 10,295 customers apparently were on hand for, got going. Bingo Kampman and Terry Reardon started it, but referee Bill Chadwick decided their roles were so insignificant he forgot them promptly.
Brother Ken went to Terry’s rescue. Schriner and Carr elected roles as peacemakers, working with O’Connor and Morin. Schriner wound up winning the press table’s unanimous decision over perky young O’Connor, while Carr was credited with icing Morin with an airplane spin and a South African pretzel twist. Stanowski had trouble rejecting a single opponent. He clutched at several.
Out of the fuss, Schriner and O’Connor got majors, with minors to Carr, Stanowski, Morin and Ken Reardon. All but Stanowski joined Goldham in the cooler. Stanowski stepped on a glove during the melee, twisted an ankle and hobbled off to the dressing room for repairs instead of the penalty box.
Langelle speared two goals in half a minute while the Leafs were working with a manpower advantage to make it 5-2. Schriner waltzed in for his second goal of the night twenty seconds later. Goals by Chamberlain and McCreedy completed the sniping circus. Sands got an almost forgotten goal soon after the period opened. The other five were registered in a space of 2:47 seconds, stopwatch time. No wonder the time clock wasn’t working.
By and large, it was the most spirited all-Canadian hockey battle of theh year, and the count would have been much closer if the free-for-all hadn’t disturbed the Canadiens’ line of attack.
Bibeault, who had been playing well in recent weeks, didn’t look any too sharp on the first three Toronto goals. All came on plays that moved in on him from right wing. One was by Stanowski, his first goal of the season.
Bob Goldham, making his Toronto bow as a Leaf defenceman, turned in a fine performance. He may be the answer to Hap Day’s need for a puck carrying defenceman. He figured in two goals.
Stanowski is to have his ankle X-rayed this morning to determine the extent of his latest injury.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, January 30, 1942
BOXSCORE
1st Period
MTL GOAL – 08:30 – Quilty (K. Reardon, Getliffe)
TOR GOAL – 09:55 – Schriner (McDonald)
2nd Period
TOR GOAL – 04:46 – Langelle (Goldup, Kampman)
TOR GOAL – 08:14 – Stanowski
TOR PENS – Kampman, Metz
MTL PENS – Chamberlain, Getliffe
3rd Period
TOR GOAL – 00:17 – McCreedy (Langelle, Goldup)
TOR GOAL – 00:20 – Langelle (Goldup, Goldham)
TOR PP GOAL – 01:10 – Schriner (Taylor, McDonald)
MTL GOAL – 02:00 – Chamberlain (K. Reardon, Sands)
MTL GOAL – 02:19 – Sands (Quilty)
TOR GOAL – 11:11 – Langelle (Goldup, McDonald)
TOR PENS – Schriner (major), Carr, Goldham, Stanowski
MTL PENS – Morin (major), O’Connor, Quilty, K. Reardon
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Broda (W)
MTL – Bibeault (L)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: Turk Broda. Defence: Jack Church, Bob Goldham, Bingo Kampman, Bucko McDonald, Wally Stanowski. Forwards: Syl Apps (C), Lorne Carr, Gordie Drillon, Hank Goldup, Pete Langelle, John McCreedy, Don 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 – 18-10-2 (.633)
MTL – 8-21-2 (.290)
ATTENDANCE
10,295
Two Solitudes 