Game 189
Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 4
Sunday, January 3, 1943
Forum de Montréal, Montréal, Québec
The Montréal Canadiens took a peg from under the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, when they battled the Queen City pucksters to a 4-4 draw before a capacity house, with the result that Toronto tied with Boston on top of the National Hockey League standings, while Montréal continued in a cellar deadlock with New York.
Toe Blake and Elmer Lach powered the Montréal drive, Blake getting two goals and two assists, while Lach counted four assists. Joe Benoit was given credit for the other two goals for the Canadiens.
Syl Apps shared in three of the Leafs goals, scoring once and assisting twice, while Babe Pratt took home one goal and two assists. Bucko McDonald and Lorne Carr were the other scorers for the Leafs.
The game was wild and woolly from start to finish, and the Habitants fought the entire route. After a scoreless first period, Syl Apps recorded the first counter for the Leafs early in the second frame. Two minutes later, the Canadiens returned to the attack, and Blake registered the puck inside the goal.
Then Pratt added a second for Toronto, and near the 15 minute mark, McDonald banged in his tally. When Hamilton was serving a penalty, Blake got his second goal, and Joe Benoit hammered home the tying counter.
Lorne Carr broke the deadlock after the midseason mark of the closing frame, and Toronto held the lead until one minute and nine seconds remained. Then the Canadiens pulled a surprise play and Joe Benoit tied the score a second time, driving the puck past a much-bewildered Broda.
Near the start of the game, Gordie Drillon shot the puck into the Toronto net, but referee Normie Lamport overruled the goal on the grounds that Buddy O’Connor had flicked it in with his hand. After a faceoff, Drillon again shot at the goal, and the puck bounced off the pole. The goal umpire flashed the light, and an argument developed over whether the goal was to be allowed.
Lamport overruled the goal judge and the play continued, with feelings running high. The game was rugged and checking was heavy, although casualties were few. Jack Portland and Babe Pratt received slight injuries, but were able to resume play after treatment. More than 8,000 attended.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, January 4, 1943
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 05:37 – Hill
TOR PEN – 07:39 – Pratt
MTL PEN – 11:25 – Bouchard
TOR PEN – 16:05 – Forsey
MTL PEN – 19:57 – Lamoureux, minor + game misconduct
2nd Period
TOR GOAL – 01:25 – Apps (Hill, Pratt)
MTL GOAL – 03:26 – Blake (Bouchard, Lach)
TOR GOAL – 05:17 – Pratt (Apps, Hill)
TOR PEN – 13:08 – McDonald
TOR GOAL – 15:25 – McDonald (Apps)
TOR PEN – 18:03 – Hamilton
MTL PP GOAL – 18:43 – Blake (Lach, Benoit)
MTL PP GOAL – 18:54 – Benoit (Blake, Lach)
3rd Period
TOR PEN – 04:11 – Forsey
MTL PEN – 06:19 – Harmon
TOR GOAL – 12:20 – Carr (Taylor, Pratt)
MTL GOAL – 18:51 – Benoit (Blake, Lach)
GOALTENDERS
MTL – Bibeault (T)
TOR – Broda (T)
ROSTERS
MTL – Goaltenders: Paul Bibeault. Defence: Butch Bouchard, Glen Harmon, Charlie Phillips, Jack Portland. Forwards: Joe Benoit, Toe Blake (C), Gordie Drillon, Ray Getliffe, Dutch Hiller, Elmer Lach, Leo Lamoureux, Buddy O’Connor, Charlie Sands.
TOR – Goaltenders: Turk Broda. Defence: Bobby Copp, Reg Hamilton, Bucko McDonald, Babe Pratt. Forwards: Syl Apps (C), George Boothman, Lorne Carr, Bob Davidson, Jack Forsey, Mel Hill, Bud Poile, Gaye Stewart, Billy Taylor.
TEAM RECORDS
MTL – 6-13-5 (.354)
TOR – 13-8-4 (.600)
Two Solitudes 