Game 277
Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 1
Saturday, November 25, 1950
Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario
A combination of accurate targetry and sound netminding proved too much for the Montréal Canadiens, as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated them 4-1 Saturday night. And that, despite the fact the Habs outshot the Leafs 30-25.
For goalie Al Rollins, who won the support of 14,267 fans with his clever netminding, the win was sweet revenge. For coach Dick Irvin, the defeat was excuse for verbal indigestion. Earlier this season, Irvin said the Leafs were afraid to put Rollins in the net against the Canadiens. The Montréal mentor must have been surprised to see Turk Broda’s understudy on duty Saturday, and probably regretted ever mentioning the matter by game’s end.
Rollins did a good chore of turning aside the best efforts of the great “Rocket” Richard and his buddies, but he shared the spotlight with Tod Sloan. The ex-St. Michael’s College star scored two of the Leafs’ goals, the first completing one of the most spectacular rushes of the season.
The young player, who gained the necessary weight to become a big league star by giving up smoking, took a centre ice pass from Bentley and stickhandled past Billy Reay, Vern Kaiser, Glen Harmon and Hal Laycoe. Sloan cut in sharply, swept across the Montréal net and fired after goalie Gerry McNeil had made his move.
Tod’s second goal came 65 seconds later, finishing off an attack by the Leafs’ vaunted power play combination.
Harry Watson and Johnny McCormack scored the other Toronto goals, with Kaiser scoring for Montréal and temporarily tying the game 1-1. Little Howie Meeker actually scored his first goal of the season, but the puck arrived in the net a split second too late, the game ending blue light automatically cutting out the goal indicating red light.
It was a good hockey game from start to finish. Both teams showed a desire to exchange hard body knocks, and sticks were constantly at the ready. Ray Timgren must have been fed ugly pills by coach Primeau as he gave the most rugged performance of his pro career.
Timgren clashed with Elmer Lach in the third period, and it took a couple of officials to keep him away from the tough Montréal playmaker. The kid was really aroused.
In the same period, Richard tripped Gus Mortson, cutting his face and the Leaf rearguard started throwing fists. They joined Lach and Timgren on the sidelines. Mortson spent his penance getting his face stitched.
Story originally published in The Globe & Mail, November 27, 1950
BOXSCORE
1st Period
TOR PEN – 01:18 – Mortson, holding
MTL PEN – 04:44 – Kaiser, slashing
MTL PEN – 08:16 – Harvey, boarding
2nd Period
TOR PEN – 00:30 – Klukay, high sticking
TOR GOAL – 05:43 – Gardner (Watson, Barilko)
TOR PEN – 07:10 – Mortson, slashing
MTL PP GOAL – 08:39 – Kaiser (MacPherson, Harvey)
MTL PEN – 10:33 – MacKay, interference
MTL PEN – 20:00 – Richard, high sticking
TOR PEN – 20:00 – MacKell, high sticking
3rd Period
MTL PEN – 01:03 – Lach, roughing
TOR PEN – 01:03 – Timgren, roughing
TOR PEN – 02:25 – Mortson, roughing
MTL PEN – 02:25 – Richard, roughing / tripping double minor
TOR PP GOAL – 05:08 – Sloan (Bentley)
TOR PP GOAL – 06:13 – Sloan (Kennedy, Smith)
TOR PEN – 06:46 – Barilko, tripping
TOR PEN – 10:05 – Sloan, hooking
TOR GOAL – 15:18 – McCormack (Smith, Sloan)
MTL PEN – 18:33 – Lach, hooking
GOALTENDERS
TOR – Rollins (W, 29-30)
MTL – McNeil (L, 21-25)
ROSTERS
TOR – Goaltenders: Al Rollins. Defence: Bill Barilko, Hugh Bolton, Bill Juzda, Gus Mortson, Jimmy Thomson. Forwards: Max Bentley, Cal Gardner, Ted Kennedy (C), Joe Klukay, Danny Lewicki, Fleming MacKell, John McCormack, Howie Meeker, Tod Sloan, Sid Smith, Ray Timgren, Harry Watson.
MTL – Goaltenders: Gerry McNeil. Defence: Butch Bouchard (C), Glen Harmon, Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Hal Laycoe, Bud MacPherson. Forwards: Floyd Curry, Norm Dussault, Léo Gravelle, Bert Hirschfeld, Vern Kaiser, Elmer Lach, Calum MacKay, Kenny Mosdell, Billy Reay, Maurice Richard.
TEAM RECORDS
TOR – 13-4-3 (.725)
MTL – 7-9-4 (.450)
ATTENDANCE
14,207
Two Solitudes 