1933 MHL Playoffs: Abbott Cup Final

(E1) Boston Harpers (38-22-2) vs (W2) Chicago Lumberjacks (36-26)

This Abbott Cup Final pitted the defending champs against an upstart team looking for a title of their own. The Boston Harpers were going to be tough to beat, but the Chicago Wildcats were on a hot streak, and definitely felt like they could pull off the upset. As the first ever best-of-7 Abbott Cup final, it was going to be a battle to the end.

Game 1 at Boston’s Storrow Arena was a spectacle as always. The fans were loud and proud, and looking forward to seeing another victory (or so they hoped). The first period was absolutely chaotic. The two teams combined for an Abbott Cup record 27 shots in the opening frame. Even more insane was the play of goalies, who nearly stopped all of them. Despite chance after chance after chance for basically the entire period, the only goal was a sweet shot from the slot by Chicago’s Kent Trudel. Despite the Harpers mustering 17 shots, none could beat Ted Harvey.

In the second, it was less chaotic but still very intense. Boston got more chances, and even hit a couple of posts. Despite this wide range of chances, and now outshooting Chicago by double-digits, Ted Harvey said no to all of them. On the other end, David Gagnon was doing well stopping everything going his way. So while the middle frame was exciting overall, the same scoreline remained from the start to the end, and the Wildcats still had that important one-goal lead.

In the third, Chicago got a good flurry of chances early, and past the 5-minute mark, Dan Vanderbeken fired a shot home, making it a 2-goal lead. Ironically, that seemed to be a wake-up call for Boston, who finally beat Harvey just 42 seconds later, off a scramble in front that bounced off of David Covington, who ran into Harvey as the puck went in. It was a little controversial, but the goal ultimately stood, and it was back to a 1-goal lead. However, the remainder of the game was quite boring, as Chicago opted to shut it down. Boston had a few more chances, but had nothing going on them. The clock expired, and despite being outshot 35-23, Chicago took Game 1, 2-1.

Game 1: Chicago 2, Boston 1 (Chicago leads series 1-0)

Game 2 had an amazing atmosphere. The home Boston crowd knew that this was must-win barring a miracle, so they showed up loud and feisty. There was heckling toward Chicago from the get-go, and they were INTO it.

Unfortunately, despite the atmosphere, the first period was quite boring. There were very few chances between the two, though one of them did go in. A slick pass from David Covington found John Wilson, who sniped a shot past Harvey. this was just under 5 minutes into the game, and that would easily be the most exciting thing to happen in the opening frame. Despite this, the crowd was still acting like a Boston crowd would, and all that mattered to them was that they were winning. Through 20, Boston was leading.

in the second, the pace ramped up. The two teams found their offensive rhythms, and got shots off against the two goalies. However, they stood strong, like they had pretty much all series. The home crowd thought their lead was expanded to two around halfway through, but a shot by Covington was just stopped by Harvey’s pad on the goal line. They would hit the post soon after. The home crowd was anxious to celebrate, but they unfortunately didn’t get to do any of that in the middle frame. Chicago pushed for a while too, but couldn’t capitalize. Just like in Game 1, it was 1-0 after 40.

The third period had barely started when the game finally had its second goal. Boston took a penalty off the opening faceoff, and then had a defensive breakdown which resulted in an easy goal from Henry Baumgartner. The game was now tied, and it was looking like it could go either way. Chances were traded, the home crowd got out of seats a few times just to sit back down, and applauded when David Gagnon saved the Wildcats. It came down to the final minute, when a beautiful pass from Boston’s John Wilson found Ivan Davison, who easily directed the puck past Harvey. With 56 seconds to go, Boston was on top. The home crowd was ecstatic as time ran out. The series was now tied at 1.

Game 2: Boston 2, Chicago 1 (Series tied 1-1)

The series shifted to Chicago’s Lovely Arena for Games 3 and 4. The old but charming arena was packed as always, and the home crowd could not wait to see their team. It was a rowdy atmosphere, but in a different way than Boston’s.

The first period was action packed play-wise. Each team had great looks like they had in games 1 and 2, but also like games 1 and 2, the goalies did their job well. Each team had an opportunity on the power play to start off, and they got some really good looks. However, in a series that only had 6 goals through 2 games, the scorelessness prevailed. There were 20 combined shots in the opening frame, but neither team had a breakthrough. It was looking like the series was going to be a goalie battle.

The second period was a little slower than the first, but there was finally some scoring. A Chicago turnover in their own zone led to a pretty Harpers passing play, finished by Pierre Belanger, a depth forward who had not seen much action in the playoffs. The building was quieter, but the game was far from over. After the two teams traded more chances, Chicago tied it late. Henry Baumgartner used his quick skating to deke around Gagnon and deposit the puck into an empty net, reigniting the crowd. The scoreline held at 1-1 after 40 minutes. 

The final frame was quite tight. The first few minutes were pretty defensive, as neither team wanted to risk anything going wrong. However, just before the 12-minute mark, things went wrong for Boston. Chicago got a chance in front, and a net-front scramble ensued, with Gagnon out of position. After a few seconds, Trevor Alrick shot the loose puck home, giving the home team their first lead of the game. Just 90 seconds later, an offensive zone turnover by Boston gave Chicago a 2-on-1, which Michel Bergeron did not mess up, beating Gagnon and making it a 2-goal lead. Boston would get their act together defensively, and pushed hard to get something back. With 2 minutes to play, Belanger scored his second of the game off a rebound. That wouldn’t be enough though, and Chicago took game 3, 3-2.

Game 3: Chicago 3, Boston 2 (Chicago leads series 2-1)

Game 4 was probably the loudest Lovely Arena had ever been. The home crowd knew their team was in a great position, but nothing was guaranteed. Either the Wildcats would leave the game a win away from the Abbott Cup, or tied with only 1 more home game in the series.

Boston almost struck first early on with a shot that got through Harvey, but the defense dealt with it before it trickled over the line. The first half of the opening frame was fairly tame with few chances, but Chicago came alive in the final 10 minutes. First, Dan Vanderbeken opened the scoring on a shot that Gagnon should have saved. He would make up for it with a good save soon after, but even then, Alexander Walters made it 2-0 with 3 minutes to play. To make matters worse for Boston, Jack Roy took a major penalty for a dangerous hit. On the ensuing man advantage, Trevor Alrick scored his third goal of the postseason, and in the final minute, Michel Bergeron scored his fourth to make it 4-0. The home crowd was absolutely electric, and barring a miracle, Boston was down 3-1 in the series.

Boston hoped to get the second period started on the right foot, but they still had the last couple minutes of a major penalty to kill. Unfortunately for them, Chicago kept rolling, as Vanderbeken’s second of the game came 84 seconds into the middle frame. up 5-0 now, it was looking like the game was pretty much over. Michael Colquhoun would have a great chance to get the Harpers on the board, but Harvey stood tall and made a great save. Chicago had more shots in the second, and they would add another to their total in the final minutes, as rookie Pascal Owe finished a beautiful pass from Baumgartner. Chicago was up 6-0 through 40 minutes.

The final frame had the most chances of the three, with Chicago being able to loosen up defensively, and Boston pushing hard for even just one goal. Despite the action, Neither team got anything new on the scoresheet. From the 5-minute mark, the home crowd got up on their feet and cheered, knowing that a comeback was impossible. Time ran out, and Chicago celebrated, now just a game away from that coveted Abbott Cup.

Game 4: Chicago 6, Boston 0 (Chicago leads series 3-1)

Game 5 was back in Boston, and the home crowd were not in the best mood. It was do or die for the hosts, and the fans hoped they wouldn’t be watching Chicago lift the trophy at the end of the night.

Boston certainly started off on the right foot, containing Chicago’s offense and getting good chances of their own. However, Ted Harvey was rocking a 0.952 SV% in the Finals, and continued to gobble up their shots. At the halfway point, Boston took a penalty, and Trevor Alrick capitalized, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. That was the lone blemish for the Harpers defense, which continued to suppress chances for the remainder of the frame. However, they still couldn’t beat Harvey, and Chicago lead 1-0 through 20.

In the middle frame, Chicago got an odd-man rush early, and capitalized through Henry Baumgartner, who potted his 6th goal in 8 playoff games. Now up 2-0, they were getting closer and closer to winning it all. The rest of the period was fairly even. The main story was Boston continuing to test Ted Harvey to no avail. The Harpers outshot Chicago 17-11 through 40 minutes, but the Wildcats held on to that 2-0 lead, with one more period to get through.

In the final frame, Boston looked frustrated and already defeated. It showed in their play, as their defense became more loose, and Chicago got more chances. They almost made it 3-0 a couple of times, but Gagnon, who had struggled in game 4, did well to keep it to a 2-goal deficit. Boston still couldn’t get anything past Harvey, and time started to tick down. At a certain point, they started playing like they had accepted the result. They didn’t (or couldn’t) push hard, and eventually the clock hit 0. The Chicago Wildcats, after back-to-back shutouts, were Abbott Cup champions for the first time. 

Many of the Harper fans left right after the game, not bearing to see another team lift the Abbott Cup in their arena. There was some heckling as James Burris handed the trophy off to the Wildcats, but also a good amount of respectful applause. Soon after, the Wildcats paraded off the ice and to the dressing room, where at least one beer was consumed.

Game 5: Chicago 2, Boston 0 (Chicago wins series 4-1)

1933 MHL Offseason: Off the Ice

Two teams to play in new Arenas for 1933-34

With the MHL finally starting to pick up the pace in popularity, teams are needing bigger arenas to attract larger crowds and get as much revenue as possible in a dire financial time.

First, the new Abbott Cup champion Chicago Wildcats announced that they would be moving out of Lovely Arena to a brand new, larger stadium in downtown Chicago, Adrianson Arena. Lovely Arena had a ton of history and charm, but it was starting to show signs of wear and tear, as it was built before the turn of the century. Adrianson Arena is just a perfect scenario for them, and should be a great home for the team for some time.

Second, the Philadelphia Minutemen will temporarily be moving to the Philadelphia Dome for 1933-34, as their old home, the Philadelphia Coliseum is demolished for construction of a brand-new, state-of-the-art arena to open for the 1934-35 season. The Philly Dome is on the small side, but for one season the MHL approved its use. It is the world’s first dome-shaped arena, but acts just like any other stadium, without anything fancy.

1932-33 Hackatt Trophy Winner unveiled

The second winner of the Hackatt Trophy as league MVP was announced soon after the Abbott Cup Final. To nobody’s surprise, it was the league leader in goals and points, Toronto’s Claude Brown. His 69 points set a league record, and his 45 goals in 62 games were good for 5th all-time for a single season. 

While the league rules to increase scoring have played a part in that, he still scored 17 more goals and 27 more points than his previous career high. The 25-year-old still had many more good years ahead of him.



6 teams make branding changes over the offseason.

Six MHL teams decided to make changes to their branding in the offseason, from new logos to barely noticeable tweaks.

First, the Boston Harpers slightly modified their uniforms, adding a script saying “Harpers” above their crest on both sets.  No other aesthetic changes were made, the jerseys remain exactly the same otherwise.

Next, The Brooklyn Kings also modified their jersey logo, changing from the European football-style layout to the regular big crest one. The jersey, like Boston, remains unchanged apart from that.

In Chicago, the Wildcats modified their home jersey fresh off of an Abbott Cup. In a bit of a mishmash between their original and recent designs, the new jersey features a blue yoke and 4 blue stripes on both the arm and hem. The away jersey remains the same.

In Detroit, for seemingly no reason whatsoever, the Guardians fattened the deer in their logo. it’s hardly noticeable in general, but quite apparent comparing the two side-by-side. It seems like something only Hank Stratford would do.

In Montreal, the Greys, despite only changing their primary logo one season before, decided that wasn’t good, and unveiled a brand new M, with the team name situated below. In a corresponding move, their away jersey changes from grey and black stripes to solely grey. The only black on the jersey now is in the logo and numbers. Both moves were puzzling to the public, but the team did what it wanted to.

Lastly, the Toronto Lakers moved from white socks with a singular blue stripe to blue socks with a barberpole pattern of white stripes. Nothing major for them, and the socks are now more coherent between their home and away jerseys.

Section30 wrote:

I really like the new logo for the Greys, it definitely fits the era.

All the other changes around the league are also improvements in my book, for some reason I'm really liking the Harpers text above the Harp logo.

Glad you like them! I also really like the text for Boston, it works well.

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1933 MHL Offseason: On the Ice

Notable Retirements:

Frank Clercius - G (TOR 1920-23, BRK 1923-32)
Frank Clercius was the first superstar goalie of the MHL, and at times was considered the best individual talent in the entire league. Known for his play in big games, he had a career 0.939 SV% in his 32 postseason games. He won two Abbott Cups, including the inaugural one in 1920-21. Overall, he went 291-184-16 in his career, and will certainly be a hall-of-famer whenever one opens.

Jim Wright - D (MTG 1920-25, BRK 1925-26, NYB 1926-32)
Wright was one of those players who never had the spotlight, but was always a dependable and solid player. He was a bruiser, and was constantly near the top of the league in penalty minutes and fights. He won 1 Abbott Cup with the Blue Birds in 1927, and had a respectable 213 points in 527 games overall.

Sylvain Ermengille - W (BNG 1920-21, BRK 1922-23, TOR 1923-31)
If the Hackatt Trophy existed prior to 1932, Ermengille would have been a multiple-time winner. He was the league points leader 3 times and joint goals leader once. For a while he was the MHL’s all-time points leader, but has been overtaken the past couple of seasons. His career is still one of the best the league has seen so far, with 251 goals and 140 assists in 559 career games. Like Clercius, the 3-time champion will no-doubt be a hall-of-famer at some point in the future.

Tom Robert - C (CLE 1920-21, OTT 1921-26, NAS 1926-32)
Robert was initially seen as one of the league’s brightest stars after his inaugural season with Cleveland, but didn’t quite reach his ceiling over the rest of his career. That being said, he was a premier two-way forward, and was a key part in helping two struggling franchises try and reach their full potential. He finishes with 309 points in 568 career games.

Michel Brittain - W (CLE 1920-21, BUF 1921-22, BOS 1922-27, SYR 1927, QUE 1928-32)
Brittain was a bit of a journeyman. After two uninspiring seasons with two uninspiring teams to start his career, he found a home in Boston, where he was one of their first star forwards. In the late stages of his career he joined the expansion Quebecois, where just like in Boston, he was one of their first scoring threats. Despite playing in 483 career games, he only had 6 postseason appearances.

Transactions:

Boston

Outs: 
Ernest Haslem - W (FA)
Douglas Larocque - W (FA)
James Cash - D (FA)

Ins:
James Davis - G (DET)

Re-Signings:
Jack Roy - C
Jeff Apps - W
Ivan Davison - W

Boston kept their roster pretty intact. The release of Ernest Haslem was a bit of a shock, as the 23-year-old had 32 points in 58 games in 1932-33. Their one signing was backup goalie James Davis, so that David Gagnon doesn’t have the shoulder the full load. Davis has below-average stats, but was in Detroit until now, so those can improve on a playoff team. Roy, Apps and Davison are all key offensive pieces, and will remain in Boston for the foreseeable future.

Brooklyn

Outs:
Isaiah Ryan - W (Released)
Frank Clercius - G (Retired)

Ins:
None

Re-Signings:
Matthew Tabor - W
John Mair - C
Laurence Antoine - C
Walter MacMillan - W

Brooklyn made massive waves on the free agent stage, by signing no new players. They only had 2 players leave as well, with longtime forward Isaiah Ryan being released and future hall-of-famer Frank Clercius retiring from the sport. The Kings’ biggest move was re-signing #1C Laurence Antoine to an extremely cheap deal, keeping him around for a few more years. John Mair, Matthew Tabor and Walter MacMillan give the Kings some good forward depth.

Chicago

Outs:
Falconer King - W (Released)

Ins:
Patrick Quinn - C (Rookie)
Bruno Munnis - W (Rookie)
Cliff Cunningham - D (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
John Martin - W

Chicago’s lone out was Falconer King, a longtime player who the org felt didn’t meet the skill and pace of the MHL anymore. Vying to take his place and a roster spot in general are 3 rookies. Irish-born Patrick Quinn is the best of the 3, with a rare combination of size and speed. Quinn should be a lock for the roster. Bruno Munnis and Cliff Cunningham both will grow as they get older, but may not get a final spot this year. Lastly, veteran John Martin will look to keep a depth scoring role.

Detroit

Outs:
Dan Covington - W (Released)
Stephen Phillips - W (Released)
James Davis - G (BOS)

Ins:
Sal Solazzi - C (Rookie)
Ted Black - W (MTG)

Re-Signings:
Arthur Haley - W
Clarence Labelle - D
Guy Topolinski - G

Detroit let go of 2 veterans, one of which was with the team from its first game. Stephen Phillips played 200 games for the Guardians, but will now look for a new home. G James Davis leaves the goalie turntable for a more stable role in Boston. Their new signings of Sal Solazzi and Ted Black aren’t stars at the moment, but both have tons of potential and could easily see first-line roles in the future. All 3 of the re-signings have key offensive roles, and will be the ones Detroit count on the most.

London

Outs:
Thomas Pellé - W (PHI)
Ronald MacLeod - W (FA)
Paul Archibald - G (Released)

Ins:
Leonard Boyer - C (Rookie)
George Grant - C (PHI)
John Johnson - W (Rookie)
Alberto Esposito - G (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
Will Breton - C
Matthew Daubney - W
George Powell - D
Mark David - W

London released 3 players, one of which was scooped up by the lowly Minutemen. As for their new signings, they brought in 4 rookies, the best of which is G Alberto Esposito. Esposito is in line to duel with Lionel Gibson for the #1 role, an impressive feat for a rookie. London’s biggest win this offseason was signing Matthew Daubney to a relatively cheap contract. Daubney was the Locomotives’ secret weapon last season, and will look to build off of his breakout year.

Montreal Barons

Outs:
Normand Lussier - C (FA)

Ins:
None

Re-Signings:
Gilles Neuville - G
Georges Paquet - C

You would think a team like Montreal, coming off of a disappointing season, would want to shake things up. Apparently, they didn’t think that, as the team signed a grand total of 0 new players and rookies. Not one single player will be playing their first season for the Barons this year, barring any in-season moves. their re-signings aren’t superstars either, though Georges Paquet has the potential for an offensive breakout this year.

Montreal Greys

Outs:
Luc Knevel - W (Released)
Ted Black - W (DET)
William Bouchard - W (Released)
Michael Watson - W (Released)

Ins:
Donald MacMillan - C (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
James Urban - W
Richard Nichols - W
Norman Reid - D

The Montreal Greys cut some players loose this offseason, including Luc Knevel, who played 486 games for the team. Knevel sits second all-time for the Greys in goals and points. Their lone new signing was rookie Donald MacMillan, who impressed scouts with his skating speed. However, their biggest moves were the re-signings of James Urban and Richard Nichols, both of whom regularly play top-line minutes on the wings. Urban has led the league in goals multiple times, and his presence will continue to be welcomed.

Nassau

Outs:
Vincent Shaw - W (Released)

Ins:
Mark Hunter - C (Rookie)
Yves Gosselin - C (Rookie)
Joseph Adams - W (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
David Williams - C
Christophe Boudreau - D
Rodney Tebow - C

The Scouts’ rookie crop isn’t at the same level as some other teams, but there’s still good potential. The two-way forward Mark Hunter should get meaningful minutes right away, and Nassau would love for him to be known league-wide right away. The other two rookies are rawer and will likely be depth players. As for the re-signings, Williams and Tebow will likely play behind Hunter and have fewer minutes, both Christophe Boudreau should reprise his top-pairing role.

New York

Outs:
Victor Gosselin - C (Released)
Jean-Pierre Gauthier - W (FA)
Adrian Lang - D (Released)

Ins:
Frederic Martel - W (Rookie)
Norman Blake - D (Rookie)

Re-Signings
Len Charter - C
Ronald White - D
Richard Plourde - G
Bouse Rogers - W
Joseph Kimmins - C
Vincent Ryan - W
Hiram Dunn - C

New York was re-signing central for the MHL, with 7 players inking new deals for them. All of their top 3 centres now have new deals, including Hackatt Trophy nominee Len Charter. Bouse Rogers will look to be the team’s goalscoring threat, while Vincent Ryan and Richard Plourde will de depth players. Rookie Frederic Martel was a big get, as he has the potential to become one of the league’s premier skill players.

Philadelphia

Outs:
Robert Clement - C (FA)
George Grant - C (LDN)
Arthur Murray - W (Retired)
George Jack - W (Retired)
Charles Seymour - W (Retired)

Ins:
Harry Beauchamp - C (Rookie)
Thomas Pellé - W (LDN)
Bill Johnson - W (Rookie)
Paul Bretterser - W (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
None

The Philadelphia Minutemen’s inaugural season was so bad that 3 of its better players retired upon the season’s conclusion. Despite this, they did manage to get some decent talent. Thomas Pellé was a depth piece in London, getting little ice time, but now will be Philly’s #1 winger. Playmaking centre Harry Beauchamp will also get an opportunity right away. They had no re-signings to report, as all of their 1-year contracts were either released or retired.

Quebec

Outs:
David Houle - C (Released)
Nathan Mercer - C (Released)

Ins:
Matthew Young - C (Rookie)
Richard Ross - D (Rookie)
Nicholas Johnson - D (Rookie)
Daniel Gallimore - G (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
Lloyd Gardiner - C
Lionel Hanson - W
Bernard Simard - D
Edmund Haley - C
Francis Taylor - W

Quebec had a pretty middling offseason. None of their releases were super special, and none of their rookie signings appear to be generational talents. Where they shone is with their re-signings. Lloyd Gardiner is now set as their #2 centre for the foreseeable future, as is Lionel Hanson on the wing.  the other re-signings are all depth pieces, but depth is always good. 

Toronto

Outs:
None

Ins:
Ajax Sorensen - W (Rookie)
Seamus Daly - W (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
Gordon Dube - D
Benoit Cyr - C
Clifford Allison - D
Earl King - D

Toronto had no outs and two rookie signings, so there is going to be a battle for the final spots this fall. Neither Sorensen nor Daly are special talents, so there’s also the chance they’re the final cuts. As for the re-signings, Toronto locked up superstar defenseman Gordon Dube for 8 more years. the 25-year-old Yellowknife native is already regarded as one of the best in the league, and has a lucrative deal to go with it now.

Washington

Outs:
Anthony Forton - D (FA)

Ins:
Robert Crawford - C (Rookie)
Joseph Hicks - W (Rookie)
Wystan Zenn - W (Rookie)
Clifford Wayne - D (Rookie)

Re-Signings:
None

Washington, like Philadelphia, had no re-signings. Their efforts instead were focused on finding more young talent to bolster their strong inaugural roster. They ended up giving out the most expensive rookie deal of the offseason to winger Joseph Hicks. Hicks is seen as a one-trick pony with his amazing wristshot, and should be a top goalscorer in his prime. While Hicks is getting all the attention, Robert Crawford is flying under the radar, and could very well end up better than Hicks with his more well-rounded game.

Top 10 Free Agent Signings:


1933-34 MHL Preseason

The MHL had a major shock right before the season, as commissioner James Burris suffered a heart attack in early September and passed away the next day. Tributes for the league’s founder poured in from all teams, as they remembered the one who gave hockey its first professional league, and facilitated its growth. Burris was 67 years old.

The MHL had to scramble to find a new commissioner, and they found one. Richard Holland, the league’s treasurer and former president of the Nassau Scouts, was deemed to be the most fit to take on the role, and he accepted it soon after. As the season was soon to start, Holland announced he would move forward with all the changes Burris was to make before his passing.

The league was to keep the same regular season format, with a round-robin of 62 games. The playoffs however will expand to 6 teams, the top 3 in each division. The 2nd and 3rd placed teams will have a 1-game matchup, and the winner of that faces off against the 1st seed in a best-of-3. Like last season, the Abbott Cup will be a best-of-7.

Lastly, because of the high cost of ice and the overall financial situation due to the Great Depression, the MHL announced that it would no longer have overtimes if teams are tied after 60 minutes.



Who do you have winning it all this year?

1933-34 MHL Season: Second Half

The second half of the season was a good amount of movement in the standings. Some new teams made runs at spots, and those already in the playoffs shuffled their positions around as well. It was going to be an exciting finish.

Finishing first in the West are the Chicago Wildcats. Their second half was pretty similar to the first, with stretches of good, and stretches of bad. However, the good far outweighed the bad. Trevor Alrick in particular had a great second half, outpacing his first half totals. As well, Ted Harvey really shut the door in net, leapfrogging into the top 5 in two goaltending stats. However, their offense ended up being the true star, as they finished first in goals for. The Wildcats finished at 32-18-12.

In second place and hosting the Western Round 1 game are the Toronto Lakers. Toronto definitely found another gear in the second half, challenging Chicago for the #1 seed. They were the most physical team, leading the league in both hits and takeaways. Claude Brown, the reigning Hackatt Trophy winner, also enjoyed a good second half, finishing second in goals. G Trevor Walker, while not elite in net, did post his best season in the Toronto jersey, helping them to a record of 32-23-7.

Finishing in third and making their first ever playoff appearance were the London Locomotives, who knocked off Detroit at the last minute. London absolutely used ties to their advantage, but they also played good, solid hockey to close out the year. Rookie goalie Alberto Esposito showed great improvement as the season progressed, and even finished top 5 in save percentage, practically unheard of for a first-year player. London are 100% underdogs, but still in the playoffs. They finished at 25-24-13.

Finishing fourth and missing the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion are the Detroit Guardians. Their second half was just below 0.500, but based on the first half standings, that should have been enough to make it. However, they lost their two last games of the season, while London won theirs. They were leapfrogged by 1 point, and are still yet to make a postseason appearance. If Hank Stratford was still owner, it would’ve been ugly. The Guardians finished at 0.500, at 27-27-8.

Finishing fifth are the Washington Bats, right where they were expected to be. Their defense and goaltending were actually good enough to be top half of the league, but their offense was dreadful, averaging an awful 1.89 goals per game. With their games not having many goals scored, they finished joint-first in ties, with 16. G John Gilchrist was by far their best player, which an amazing 2.05 GAA and 0.915 SV%. If he wasn’t in net, the Bats would have been at the bottom of the league. They finished at 14-32-16.

Finishing at the bottom of the West and the MHL for the second straight year were the Philadelphia Minutemen. While their second half was the best they’ve played since joining the MHL, it still was far below the general quality of the league. They were the only team in the league to give up more than 3 goals per game, and their offense averaged just under 2 goals per 60 minutes. Despite this, they’ve shown solid growth from their dreadful inaugural season. Philadelphia finished at 17-37-8.

In the East, the Montreal Barons finished atop both the division and the league for the 2nd time in 3 years. Frank Pangos was a brick wall once again, helping the team give up under 2 goals a game. He was also first in GAA and SV% by a long shot, and has a good chance of winning the Hackatt Trophy for the second time. They actually scored the fewest goals of any playoff team, but when your backend is that good, it doesn’t really matter. The Barons finished at 31-15-16, beating out Chicago by 2 points.

Finishing second are the Montreal Greys, who had a pretty bad second half. They only won 10 of their last 29 games, ceding the #1 seed to their crosstown rival Barons. Despite the fallback, William Smith still managed to retain his league scoring title, finishing with 56 points. However, James Urban, who had the goalscoring lead at the half, struggled and fell to fifth at the end of the year. The defense and goaltending also fell. Overall, the Greys may have home ice advantage, but aren’t in the best form. They finished at 29-18-15.

Finishing third and making the playoffs after a 1-year absence are the Nassau Scouts. Like the Greys, they had a subpar second half, but held on to make the postseason. What may have saved their season was the play of Harold Henderson. He exploded for 22 goals in the final 31 games to take his first ever goalscoring title. Unfortunately, while Henderson was popping off, C Kenneth Paquette had his third major injury in 4 years, where he missed 17 games. Despite this, Nassau finished at 30-26-6, 5 points in the clear.

Finishing fourth were the Boston Harpers. It was a better second half, but not good enough to leapfrog the struggling Greys or Scouts. There really wasn’t much to write home about, they didn’t lead in any major categories, and didn’t have any crazy seasons. Jeff Apps finished finished 4th in goals with 29, but other than that it was just a really mediocre season for a team that was expecting better. Boston finished at 26-27-9, a far cry from their records in both 1931-32 and 1932-33.

Finishing fifth were the New York Blue Birds. Their second half was an absolute disaster, as they went from 1 point out of the playoffs to finishing below 0.500 and missing the postseason for the 7th straight year. Like Boston, there wasn’t much to talk about for them. Fans are starting to get impatient with management, craving postseason action once again. There are young players showing potential, so there’s a good chance this streak won’t last much longer. Nevertheless, the Birds awful season had them finish at 26-27-9.

At the bottom of the division are Les Quebecois and the Brooklyn Kings. Quebec finished a disappointing season with a disappointing second half, moving up one spot but not doing much else. Despite the record, they only finished with a -5 goal differential, showing that they may have had a bit of bad luck. As for the Kings, they went from bad to worse, and while not as bad as the two second-year teams, it still wasn’t pretty. Their defense overall was nonexistent and it cost them. Quebec finished at 24-29-9, while the Kings sat at the bottom at 20-30-12.



Season Leaders:


Playoff Predictions:

W2 - Toronto Lakers vs W3 - London Locomotives
Previous Meeting: None
Result: N/A
Series Record: N/A

It’s London’s first time ever in the postseason, so it’s pretty obvious that this is a first-time matchup. Toronto has everything in their favour here.

Toronto won 3 of the 5 matchups, and drew 1 of the others. It’s their game to lose. The one thing that could go against them is the fact that London is on a hot streak, but even then, the Lakers are on a hotter streak in their last 10. The Locomotives will need something monumental to make the semifinals. That being said, this is 1 game, do or die, so magic could end up happening at the Toronto Garden.

My pick: The Lakers dominate play at home, defeating London 3-1.

E2 - Montreal Greys vs E3 - Nassau Scouts
Previous Meeting: 1930 Semifinal
Result: Montreal 2-0 Nassau
Series Record: Montreal 1-0 Nassau

In the East, these two teams have met each other in the postseason before, with Montreal defeating Nassau en route to their second straight Abbott Cup in 1930. Revenge will be on the Scouts’ minds all game.

The Greys won 2 of 5 matchups, while Nassau won 1. The other two were drawn. It seems close, but when Montreal won, they dominated. Nassau’s one win was a close-fought game. Both teams are very capable of winning this, but the edge has to go to the home Greys, with their potent offense and Nassau’s shaky defense. An upset is more likely in this game compared to the other, but it likely won’t happen.

My pick: Montreal exposes the Scouts’ defensive woes, as they win 6-1.

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1934 MHL Playoffs: First Round

(W2) Toronto Lakers (32-23-7) vs (W3) London Locomotives (25-24-13)

Toronto and London met in the Western edition of the first round of the expanded playoff format, a winner-take-all single game to decide who would match up against Chicago in the semifinals. Toronto had everything in their favour, but the Locomotives had nothing to lose, and were going to lay it all out there.

Despite the low odds, the visitors shocked the home crowd just 56 seconds into the game, when Lennie Triplett made a great move to the front of the net, and went around Trevor Walker to give London a 1-0 lead. 7 minutes later, London again shocked and silenced the building when Jeff Smith made an unbelievable move to fool Walker and go top shelf, drawing many gasps of amazement. Writer Frederick Winton called it “one of the most dazzling displays of skill I’ve ever seen”. Nobody expected London up after 20, and certainly not by multiple goals, or by looking as good as they had.

In the second, Toronto had more control of the puck. However, sloppy defensive play on the penalty kill led to London’s 3rd goal of the game, Where Jack Lilly once again made a nice move around Walker to deposit the puck. After that, a switch seemed to flip for the Lakers, since it was do-or-die. 28 seconds after London’s 3rd, Brent Colsavage beat Alberto Esposito on a sweet shot, getting Toronto on the board. The Lakers dominated the remainder of the frame, but couldn’t get anything more. London held their two-goal lead through 40 minutes.

In the third, it was pure domination for Toronto. They got a good look early, but Esposito made a nice save to keep it 3-1. Soon after, Toronto would get a power play, and Claude Brown got in front and shoveled a puck home, getting the home team within a goal, and the crowd was back into it. At the halfway point, Brown once again had the puck, and had space, and he sniped his second of the game past Esposito, tying it up. Pure domination in the second half of the game had Toronto right back in it, and they looked to end it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get that winning goal in regulation. With the teams tied at three, they headed to overtime.

In the extra frame, London started off hot. Simon Peters had a good chance to end it, but Trevor Walker, who was seldom tested in the last part of regulation, made a fine save. London had the pressure, but at the halfway point of the extra frame, they gave up the puck to rookie Seamus Daly. He managed to keep the puck himself, skate hard toward the opposing net, and get a breakaway. In all alone, he picked the bottom right corner, and shot the puck past Esposito, right where he wanted it. The Lakers had completed a comeback from 3-0 down, and in front of their home crowd, advanced to the Western semifinals for yet another date with the Chicago Wildcats.

(E2) Montreal Greys (29-18-15) vs (E3) Nassau Scouts (30-26-6)

The Eastern first round game was expected to be closer than Toronto-London, but it would be hard to top the craziness of that one. Nevertheless, both teams had a good chance of going home happy here, as either could take charge on any given night. The winner would face off against the league #1 seed Montreal Barons in the semifinals.

As predicted, the game started off very even. Both teams had looks, and both goalies were very sharp. Nassau’s Mike Whitlow in particular had multiple key saves to make sure it was scoreless. At the other league, league goalscoring leader Harold Henderson had a beautiful chance to take the lead, but his hot shot rang off the left post and out. Overall, it wasn’t the most exciting period of hockey, but had its moments. The Greys and Scouts ended the period the same way it started, scoreless.

In the second, there finally was some action. At the halfway point, Nassau’s Noble Dixon took a shot that Alan Clercius thought he saved. However, the puck ended up behind him, and Dixon came and potted it home, putting the visitors up 1-0. Kenneth Paquette had a chance to make it 2-0, but was denied. Eventually, with 3 minutes to play in the period, a defensive lapse by the scouts led to James Urban going in alone in Whitlow and making no mistake. The home crowd loved it, and it was all tied up heading into the final frame.

In the third, Urban would catch fire. 6 minutes in, he got in a slot position he liked, and ripped one past Whitlow to give the Greys the lead. he would get shot after shot, and with 6 minutes to play, he scored a goal almost identical to his second, completing a natural hattrick and putting Montreal up by multiple goals. less than a minute after that, Ken Lalonde made a nice move to make it 4-1. It may sound like the Greys dominated that period, but they were actually outshot by the Scouts. However, Nassau’s chance were fairly low-grade, and Alan Clercius had no issue.

Time ran out, and the Greys celebrated. Their 4-1 win meant they were about to face their crosstown rival Barons for a spot in the Abbott Cup Final.



Semifinals

(W1) Chicago Wildcats (32-18-12) vs (W2) Toronto Lakers (32-23-7)

The most common matchup in MHL postseason history occurred once more in 1934, with Chicago and Toronto facing off for the Western Abbott Cup Final spot. It could go either way, but what was guaranteed is that it would be a hotly contested series. These two teams do not like each other.

The first period was tight, but also chaotic. The first half of the period was filled with hits, penalties, and a couple of fights. Eventually, Chicago opened the scoring, thanks to Trevor Alrick. There weren’t any shots for the next few minutes, until Chicago’s Bruno Munnis ripped a shot past Trevor Walker, making it 2-0 with 6 minutes to play. The Wildcats would then score their third goal on their fifth shot of the game, with Henry Baumgartner beating Walker from the high slot. Through 20, the shots were only 5-1, but the hosts were up 3-0.

The second period was the opposite of the first. Lots more chances, but few goals. Chicago had a couple more powerplays, but got nothing going on either of them. Toronto had a great look for their first goal, but Ted Harvey just got a pad on it before Claude Brown could poke it home. Eventually, Bradford Russell would finish a beautiful 3-way passing play by the Lakers offense, and Toronto was on the board in the dying minutes. Going into the final frame, they still had work to do if they wanted to win.

Toronto had a powerplay to start the third, and they made quick use. Gregory Bekkering’s first of the playoffs put them within one. 3 minutes later, Claude Brown tied it up, shocking the home crowd. right at the halfway point, rookie Patrick Stone potted home a rebound, and Toronto had the lead. To make matters worse for Chicago, Bekkering scored his second of the game with just over 7 minutes to play. Toronto had scored 4 goals in 13 minutes to stun the Wildcats. Munnis got one back for Chicago on a power play, but Toronto responded soon after to restore the 2-goal cushion. Chicago wouldn’t go away though, as Dan Vanderbeken brought it back to a 1-goal game. However, the craziness ended there, and Toronto’s 5 third-period goals gave them a 6-5 game 1 win.

Game 2 was back in Toronto, where they had a chance to advance in front of their home fans. Meanwhile, Chicago had to recover or have their season ended. It wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t impossible.

Toronto opened the scoring early on, with Claude Brown scoring one in close, yet from a tight angle. They had the momentum, but a bad hit from Gordon Dube on Henry Baumgartner resulted in a major penalty, giving Chicago a 5-minute power play. On the man advantage, Trevor Alrick scored to the tie game, and 50 seconds later, a beautiful piece of skill from Dan Vanderbeken resulted in a goal to give the Wildcats the lead. Aside from that power play, the period was dominated by Toronto, yet they were down.

Chicago had another powerplay early in the second, and Alrick scored his second of the game to put the Cats up 3-1. This gave Chicago more momentum, and they took advantage. A weak shot from the point from Lawrence Tabor somehow found a way through Walker, and it was now 4-1. Ted Harvey made a couple of key saves to stop Toronto, but eventually a crazy bounce led to a good chance by Benoit Cyr, and his shot just squeaked through Harvey, making it a 2-goal deficit. Chicago led 4-2 through 40.

In the third, Chicago once again capitalized on a power play. Alrick scored again from in tight, completing the hattrick. At 5-2, it was going to be tough, but Toronto had come back just one game before. They put it all out there, Testing Harvey from wherever they could. He came up big, making many good stops to prevent them from getting back in it. Bradford Russell would score a late goal Harvey had no chance on, but with under 90 seconds to play, nothing was going to happen. Chicago held a late surge to take game 2, 5-3.
Game 3 was back in Chicago, and the Wildcats were hoping it wouldn’t be their last home game of the season. Toronto seemed down after failing to close out in Game 2, but it would still be a close battle.

In both games in the series so far, the team that scored first went on to lose. In Game 3, it was Toronto who struck first, and they hoped to stop that trend. Roger Long sniped one past Harvey on a man advantage, and Toronto was in control. Eventually though, Chicago gained some ground, got some chances of their own, and Harold Mitchell had a snipe of his own to tie the game. The remaining minutes were very tight and defensive, and the 1-1 scoreline held through 20 minutes.

To open the second, Chicago had an early power play. They capitalized on it, with Roy Parent scoring his first of the playoffs. Toronto got good chances against a shaky Harvey, but he managed to stand his ground, and keep Chicago in front. They would get another power play with 7 minutes to play, and like they had done many times before, they capitalized on the man advantage. 7 of their 13 goals so far in the series were with a man advantage. Up 3-1, they held on until the period ended.

The third period was fairly even, with chances back and forth. Chicago had a couple more power plays, but shockingly they didn’t score on those. Toronto had some chances of their own, but they couldn’t break through until there were 5 minutes to play. Seamus Daly took a very quick shot that surprised Harvey, and brought the Lakers to within 1. Unfortunately, Chicago would come back down the ice with 2 minutes to play, and Henry Baumgartner sniped on past the left ear of Walker, restoring the two-goal lead. Toronto couldn’t respond, time ran out, and Adrianson Arena erupted in cheers.

In a series filled with little tussles and powerplays, the Wildcats took advantage, scoring half of their goals on the man advantage. They now advance to their second consecutive Abbott Cup, and third overall.

(E1) Montreal Barons (31-15-16) vs (E2) Montreal Greys (29-18-15)

Shockingly, this matchup was the first time these two crosstown rivals met in the postseason. They’ve never liked each other regardless, but following this, the rivalry had the chance to be pushed to a whole new level.

The series started with a bang. Just 37 seconds into Game 1, The Barons already had two big chances, one of which beat Alan Clercius. Thaddeus Morgan made the home supporters erupt in cheer with his goal, and it was looking good. 6 minutes later, Curtis Wiebe ripped a shot home, and the Barons were up 2-0. It was a perfect start for the home team, and the few Greys supporters in the crowd weren’t looking too happy. The remainder of the period was pretty stagnant, and neither team has any real looks. The same 2-0 lead held after 20.

In the second, there was more general action, but fewer goals. Don McMillan had a chance to get the Greys on the board with a breakaway, but Frank Pangos denied him. He hadn’t been tested much, but was reliable as always. However, the Greys would get a powerplay at the halfway point of the period, and off a scramble in front, Mathieu Lafleur would poke one home to get the visitors on the board. The away supporters were jovial, and there were some tussles in the crowd after the goal. Everything got back under control, and the two teams failed to score for the remaining 10 minutes. It was 2-1 through 40.

In the third, the Greys controlled the action for the first time. They tested Pangos several times, but he would not budge. The Greys had another powerplay with a chance to tie, but it was quite possibly the worst man advantage anybody at the arena had ever seen. not only could they not complete any passes, they gave the Barons multiple opportunities to make it a two-goal game again. Clercius came in clutch there, but you don’t want your goalie to be your best PP player. In the end, the Greys couldn’t get that tying goal, and time ran out. Montreal took the opening game 2-1.

For game 2, the two teams travelled around 600 metres from Stade Barons to Victoria Square Stadium. despite the short distance between the two, the crowd was much more in favour of the Greys here, being around an 80/20 split. 

The Greys controlled the action early, dazzling with smooth skating, but had no real grade A chances. At the halfway point of the period, the Greys would get on the board through their powerplay. Arthur Simpson took a shot that Pangos never saw, and the hosts took the lead. The Barons would get a power play of their own right after, but it was the Greys who would score there. A defensive breakdown led to a tap-in by Kenneth Lalonde, giving the Greys a multi-goal lead. In the dying minutes, Thaddeus Morgan would get one back on a quick rush, and the Barons were on the board. The hosts still led 2-1 through 20.

In the second, the Barons were the better team. They had good chances, but either missed or had them saved by Clercius. 9 minutes in, Cornelius Watman managed to tie the game by redirecting a James Bos shot past Clercius. Chances would continue, but none could be capitalized on by either team, with the goalies making some great saves. There easily could have been another goal or two with better finishing. However, the tie remained to the end of the period. 

The third period started well for the Greys, who got an early power play. James Urban would rip a shot past Pangos on the man advantage, and the Greys had their lead back. They would get more chances to expand, though Pangos did his best to prevent that. The Barons came back and hit a post. Near the halfway point of the period, Clercius went out of his way to hit Curtis Wiebe, knocking him to the ice. The Barons were furious, with multiple players coming off the bench to defend their teammate. Clercius would end up fighting Pangos, with it being a draw. The Greys would end up with a power play somehow, and Anthony Wilson converted there to make it 4-2. The Greys took game 2, and the stage was set for a tense, physical Game 3 finale.

Game 3 was back at Stade Barons, where their faithful were hoping for city-wide bragging rights. It wasn’t quite as homogenous of a crowd as game 1, but it was still an intimidating atmosphere for the visiting Greys. This game was going to be talked about for a long time, regardless of outcome.

The first period was all Barons, who used the crowd to their advantage. With every rush into the zone they were on their feet, and whenever the Greys had the puck they were hooting and hollering to throw the visitors off. 7 minutes in, the hosts drew first blood. the Greys sloppily tried to clear a puck, but it ended up going off of Curtis Wiebe and past Alan Clercius. the home crowd erupted, and even tying the game seemed like a monumental task. The Barons kept hammering away, but Clercius did well to prevent any more goals before the period ended. It was 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.

Early in the second, the hosts made it 2-0 off a nice play by Jean Fortin. He received the puck in front of Clercius, and then simply outwaited him and deposited the puck past the left pad. Up 2-0, the Barons focused more on defending the Greys, but the Greys weren’t really doing much to start with. Late in the period, the Barons got an odd-man rush, and Derrick Dorvilus, known more for his stay-at-home defense, sniped one to make it 3-0. The home crowd was as loud as could be, and the visitors looked rattled. Through 40, it wasn’t looking good for them.

Early in the third, the Greys found a potential glimmer of hope when James Urban scored through a maze of bodies, but any momentum they could have got was contained excellently by the Barons. Their counter-attacks were great, as they took multiple Greys rushes back the other way for quality chances of their own. Late in the period, the Greys had another defensive blip, causing Dim Meredith to walk in and score his first of the playoffs. This effectively sealed the deal, and the home crowd was electric. The first ever Battle of Montreal belonged to the Barons.

It was one of the most intense series the MHL had seen. Extremely physical, with some fights and tussles, and ultimately, a Barons victory. They head to their second Abbott Cup final, in search for their first title.



Abbott Cup Final Preview:

(E1) Montreal Barons vs (W1) Chicago Wildcats
Previous Meeting: None
Result: N/A
Series Record: N/A

For the third straight year, the defending champs are up against a team looking for their first title. Chicago is hoping to break the trend, as the previous two champs have both fallen the following year. It’s not gonna be easy though.

Chicago actually went unbeaten against the Barons in the regular season, winning 2 of the 5 meetings and drawing the other 3. It’s also a battle of the #1 offense vs the #1 defense, so one of those has to prevail. Frank Pangos will be the wild card here. Will he struggle under the brightest lights the MHL has to offer? Or will he embrace it and become a Montreal hero?

My Pick: The Barons end up too powerful for the Wildcats, as they sweep Chicago, 4-0.