Game 185
Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 2
Thursday, December 3, 1942
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Montréal Canadiens broke their losing streak tonight when they turned back the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 in a rugged National Hockey League fixture here.
The Leafs put up a game struggle, but the Canadiens were exhibiting a better defence than they had shown in some time, and Toronto couldn’t break it.
Toe Blake was fined $25 in the closing minute of play after he had been given a minor penalty for interference and a ten minute misconduct penalty for disputing the decision. Officials said he was fined $25 in addition to the misconduct penalty, for disputing the penalty for interference. Tossing the puck over his head, Blake left the ice with forty seconds to go, but the Leafs failed to take advantage of the extra man.
Lorne Carr gave the Leafs a one goal lead after the game had reached the midway mark in the first period. Carr rode into position in front of Paul Bibeault during a scramble and was given passes by Bill Taylor and Gaye Stewart.
The Canadiens forced the Leafs to adopt defensive tactics in the second frame, and after thirteen minutes of play Terry Reardon tied the score, with Toe Blake and Butch Bouchard assisting.
Bouchard had carried the puck into the Toronto defence area and then passed the puck to Blake. Blake feinted a shot, which drew Turk Broda from the nets, and then passed it to Reardon. Reardon sunk the puck into an open goal.
Joe Benoit lifted the Canucks into a one goal lead two minutes later, after he had raced the length of the ice and beat Broda with a hard shot from close range. Just before the second period closed, Gaye Stewart made a solo rush that caught Bibeault unprepared. An easy shot from the left side of the rink tied the score again.
In the closing frame, the Habitants continued the pressure, and Leo Lamoureux drove a long shot from the blue line that Broda couldn’t see. A maze of players were crowding around the goal, and the puck trickled through their legs. Ray Getliffe and Buddy O’Connor shot the passes to Lamoureux.
Terry Reardon slipped in the final counter while Jack McLean was cooling off in the penalty box. The goal came after Buddy O’Connor had brought the puck into the Toronto zone. O’Connor passed it to Joe Benoit, who took a quick shot at the goal. Reardon was skating past the right corner and tipped the puck into the net.
The official attendance was 7,642.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, December 4, 1942
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR GOAL – 12:31 – Carr (Taylor, Stewart)
MTL PENS – Lamoureux (2), Blake, Getliffe, Portland
TOR PENS – Hill, McDonald, McLean, Thomson
2nd Period
MTL GOAL – 13:46 – Reardon (Blake, Bouchard)
MTL GOAL – 15:05 – Benoit
TOR GOAL – 19:59 – Stewart
3rd Period
MTL GOAL – 01:38 – Lamoureux (O’Connor, Getliffe)
MTL PP GOAL – 07:30 – Reardon (Benoit, O’Connor)
MTL PENS – Blake (minor + game misconduct), Getliffe
TOR PENS – Copp, McLean
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Bibeault (W)
TOR – Broda (L)
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Paul Bibeault. Defence: Butch Bouchard, Charlie Phillips, Jack Portland. Forwards: Joe Benoit, Toe Blake (C), Gordie Drillon, Ray Getliffe, Dutch Hiller, Elmer Lach, Leo Lamoureux, Buddy O’Connor, Terry Reardon, Maurice Richard.
TOR – Goaltenders: Turk Broda. Defence: Bobby Copp, Reg Hamilton, Bucko McDonald, Rhys Thomson. Forwards: Syl Apps (C), Lorne Carr, Bob Davidson, Mel Hill, Jack McLean, Bud Poile, Sweeney Schriner, Gaye Stewart, Billy Taylor.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 4-7-2 (.385)
TOR – 6-6-0 (.500)
ATTENDANCE
7,642
Two Solitudes 