1920–21 Ottawa Senators season
Encyclopedia
The 1920–21 Ottawa Senators
season was the club's 36th season of play, fourth season in the NHL, and they were out to defend their 1920 Stanley Cup
championship. The club would win the NHL championship and defeat Vancouver in the Stanley Cup Final
to win the club's ninth Stanley Cup.
led the club offensively, scoring 34 goals, which was the 2nd highest total in the NHL, and his 39 points ranked him 3rd in the entire league. Denneny had a 6 goal game against the Hamilton Tigers on March 7.
Frank Nighbor
had another great season with 18 goals, and Buck Boucher
provided the team toughness, leading the club with 43 penalty minutes.
Clint Benedict
also had a great season, earning 14 wins and a league best GAA of 3.08.
The team started the season 8–2–0 and won the 1st half of the season and a spot in the O'Brien Cup
finals, but the Senators slumped to a 6–8–0 record in the second half leading to a playoff with the Toronto St. Patricks
in a 2 game most goals series.
On December 30, 1920, the Senators were ordered to give up Sprague Cleghorn
to Toronto, on the orders of the league. The league ruled that the Senators were over the total salary limit for players and Cleghorn was ordered to report to Toronto. The same day, the league ruled that Punch Broadbent
would have to go to Hamilton to complete a trade made before the season, but not completed. Both players refused to report to their new teams. Cleghorn eventually reported to Toronto, but returned to Ottawa in time to play in the playoffs. Broadbent resumed play for Ottawa in the second half of the season.
in a 2 game total-goals series. The Senators, led by the strong goaltending of Clint Benedict, would win the series by a 7–0 score and face the Vancouver Millionaires
in the 1921 Stanley Cup Finals
.
, British Columbia
at Denman Arena
, and a record breaking crowd of 11,000 people would see the Millionaires win the first game 2–1 to take an early series lead. The Senators would rebound, winning the next 2 before Vancouver would tie the series up at 2 with a win in game 4. Then, for the 2nd straight year, the Senators would win the 5th and deciding game, winning the 1921 Stanley Cup, and became the first team since the 1912 and 1913 Quebec Bulldogs
to win back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships.
All of the contests in the series, which went to the full five games, were decided by only one goal. The Millionaires won games one and four with victories of 2–1 and 3–2, respectively. The Senators were victorious in games two and three with 4–3 and 3–2 wins. Then in the fifth game, Jack Darragh
scored both of Ottawa's goals in the 2–1 victory to clinch the Cup.
Darragh led the Senators in scoring with five goals during the series, while goaltender Clint Benedict
only allowed just 12 goals in the five games, earning a 2.40 goals-against average.
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
season was the club's 36th season of play, fourth season in the NHL, and they were out to defend their 1920 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship. The club would win the NHL championship and defeat Vancouver in the Stanley Cup Final
1921 Stanley Cup Finals
-See also:* 1920–21 NHL season* 1920–21 PCHA season...
to win the club's ninth Stanley Cup.
Regular season
Cy DennenyCy Denneny
Cyril Joseph Denneny was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League and the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association. His brother Corbett Denneny also played in the NHL.-Early life:Cy Denneny was born...
led the club offensively, scoring 34 goals, which was the 2nd highest total in the NHL, and his 39 points ranked him 3rd in the entire league. Denneny had a 6 goal game against the Hamilton Tigers on March 7.
Frank Nighbor
Frank Nighbor
Julius Francis "Pembroke Peach" Nighbor was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and National Hockey Association and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA and Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific...
had another great season with 18 goals, and Buck Boucher
Buck Boucher
Georges "Buck" Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Buck was one of six brothers. His brothers Frank, Bobby and Billy all played in the NHL...
provided the team toughness, leading the club with 43 penalty minutes.
Clint Benedict
Clint Benedict
Clinton Stevenson "Praying Bennie" Benedict was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Maroons. He played on four Stanley Cup-winning squads. He was the first goaltender in the National Hockey League to wear a face mask...
also had a great season, earning 14 wins and a league best GAA of 3.08.
The team started the season 8–2–0 and won the 1st half of the season and a spot in the O'Brien Cup
O'Brien Trophy
The O'Brien Trophy, or O'Brien Cup, as labelled on the trophy itself, is a retired trophy that was awarded in the National Hockey Association and the National Hockey League ice hockey leagues of North America from 1910 to 1950. It was originally donated to the NHA by Canadian Senator M.J....
finals, but the Senators slumped to a 6–8–0 record in the second half leading to a playoff with the Toronto St. Patricks
Toronto St. Patricks
The Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when...
in a 2 game most goals series.
On December 30, 1920, the Senators were ordered to give up Sprague Cleghorn
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn, , was a Canadian professional hockey player from Westmount who played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Toronto St. Patricks in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
to Toronto, on the orders of the league. The league ruled that the Senators were over the total salary limit for players and Cleghorn was ordered to report to Toronto. The same day, the league ruled that Punch Broadbent
Punch Broadbent
Harold Lawton "Punch" Broadbent was an ice hockey player for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons and the New York Americans, and generally regarded as one of the first true power forwards in National Hockey League history.-Personal life:Born in Ottawa, Ontario...
would have to go to Hamilton to complete a trade made before the season, but not completed. Both players refused to report to their new teams. Cleghorn eventually reported to Toronto, but returned to Ottawa in time to play in the playoffs. Broadbent resumed play for Ottawa in the second half of the season.
Game log
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record | Pts |
| 1 | December 22 | Toronto St. Pats | 3–6 | Ottawa Senators | 1–0–0 | 2 |
| 2 | December 27 | Hamilton Tigers | 1–3 | Ottawa Senators | 2–0–0 | 4 |
| 3 | December 29 | Ottawa Senators | 8–1 | Toronto St. Pats | 3–0–0 | 6 |
| 4 | January 3 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
2–8 | Ottawa Senators | 4–0–0 | 8 |
| 5 | January 6 | Ottawa Senators | 5–1 | Hamilton Tigers | 5–0–0 | 10 |
| 6 | January 8 | Ottawa Senators | 4–5 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
5–1–0 | 10 |
| 7 | January 12 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
0–2 | Ottawa Senators | 6–1–0 | 12 |
| 8 | January 15 | Ottawa Senators | 5–2 | Toronto St. Pats | 7–1–0 | 14 |
| 9 | January 19 | Hamilton Tigers | 3–4 | Ottawa Senators | 8–1–0 | 16 |
| 10 | January 22 | Toronto St. Pats | 5–4 | Ottawa Senators | 8–2–0 | 16 |
| 11 | January 26 | Ottawa Senators | 3–5 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
8–3–0 | 16 |
| 12 | January 29 | Ottawa Senators | 2–1 | Hamilton Tigers | 9–3–0 | 18 |
| 13 | February 2 | Toronto St. Pats | 3–4 | Ottawa Senators | 10–3–0 | 20 |
| 14 | February 5 | Ottawa Senators | 7–3 | Hamilton Tigers | 11–3–0 | 22 |
| 15 | February 9 | Hamilton Tigers | 4–7 | Ottawa Senators | 12–3–0 | 24 |
| 16 | February 12 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
3–1 | Ottawa Senators | 12–4–0 | 24 |
| 17 | February 16 | Ottawa Senators | 3–4 | Toronto St. Pats | 12–5–0 | 24 |
| 18 | February 19 | Ottawa Senators | 1–8 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
12–6–0 | 24 |
| 19 | February 23 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
3–1 | Ottawa Senators | 12–7–0 | 24 |
| 20 | February 26 | Ottawa Senators | 2–4 | Toronto St. Pats | 12–8–0 | 24 |
| 21 | February 28 | Ottawa Senators | 2–6 | Hamilton Tigers | 12–9–0 | 24 |
| 22 | March 2 | Toronto St. Pats | 3–2 | Ottawa Senators | 12–10–0 | 24 |
| 23 | March 5 | Ottawa Senators | 1–0 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
13–10–0 | 26 |
| 24 | March 7 | Hamilton Tigers | 5–12 | Ottawa Senators | 14–10–0 | 28 |
Playoffs
In the NHL Championship, the Senators faced the Toronto St. PatricksToronto St. Patricks
The Toronto St. Patricks professional men's ice hockey team started as an amateur ice hockey organization. In 1919, the club purchased the Toronto National Hockey League franchise from the NHL. The club renamed the franchise the Toronto St. Patricks club and operated the franchise until 1927, when...
in a 2 game total-goals series. The Senators, led by the strong goaltending of Clint Benedict, would win the series by a 7–0 score and face the Vancouver Millionaires
Vancouver Millionaires
The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926...
in the 1921 Stanley Cup Finals
1921 Stanley Cup Finals
-See also:* 1920–21 NHL season* 1920–21 PCHA season...
.
Ottawa Senators 7, Toronto St. Pats 0
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 10 | Toronto St. Pats | 0–5 | Ottawa Senators | 1–0 |
| 2 | March 14 | Ottawa Senators | 2–0 | Toronto St. Pats | 2–0 |
Ottawa Senators 3, Vancouver Millionaires 2
The series would take place in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
at Denman Arena
Denman Arena
Denman Arena was the main sports arena located in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. The arena was located on Denman Street in Vancouver's West End, at the northwest corner of West Georgia Street and Denman. It was built at a cost of $300,000 in 1911 and held 10,500 people, making it one of the...
, and a record breaking crowd of 11,000 people would see the Millionaires win the first game 2–1 to take an early series lead. The Senators would rebound, winning the next 2 before Vancouver would tie the series up at 2 with a win in game 4. Then, for the 2nd straight year, the Senators would win the 5th and deciding game, winning the 1921 Stanley Cup, and became the first team since the 1912 and 1913 Quebec Bulldogs
Quebec Bulldogs
The Quebec Bulldogs were a men's senior-level ice hockey team officially known as the Quebec Hockey Club, later as the Quebec Athletic Club. Their recorded play goes back as far as the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in 1889, although the Quebec Hockey Club is known to have played since 1880...
to win back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships.
All of the contests in the series, which went to the full five games, were decided by only one goal. The Millionaires won games one and four with victories of 2–1 and 3–2, respectively. The Senators were victorious in games two and three with 4–3 and 3–2 wins. Then in the fifth game, Jack Darragh
Jack Darragh
John Proctor "Jack" Darragh was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League and its predecessor the National Hockey Association.-Playing career:Darragh played his entire professional career with the Ottawa Senators...
scored both of Ottawa's goals in the 2–1 victory to clinch the Cup.
Darragh led the Senators in scoring with five goals during the series, while goaltender Clint Benedict
Clint Benedict
Clinton Stevenson "Praying Bennie" Benedict was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Maroons. He played on four Stanley Cup-winning squads. He was the first goaltender in the National Hockey League to wear a face mask...
only allowed just 12 goals in the five games, earning a 2.40 goals-against average.
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 21 | Ottawa Senators | 1–2 | Vancouver Millionaires Vancouver Millionaires The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926... |
0–1 |
| 2 | March 24 | Ottawa Senators | 4–3 | Vancouver Millionaires Vancouver Millionaires The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926... |
1–1 |
| 3 | March 28 | Ottawa Senators | 3–2 | Vancouver Millionaires Vancouver Millionaires The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926... |
2–1 |
| 4 | March 31 | Ottawa Senators | 2–3 | Vancouver Millionaires Vancouver Millionaires The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926... |
2–2 |
| 5 | April 4 | Ottawa Senators | 2–1 | Vancouver Millionaires Vancouver Millionaires The Vancouver Millionaires were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926... |
3–2 |
Scoring leaders
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cy Denneny Cy Denneny Cyril Joseph Denneny was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League and the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association. His brother Corbett Denneny also played in the NHL.-Early life:Cy Denneny was born... |
24 | 34 | 5 | 39 | 10 |
| Frank Nighbor Frank Nighbor Julius Francis "Pembroke Peach" Nighbor was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League and National Hockey Association and Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA and Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific... |
24 | 18 | 3 | 21 | 10 |
| Jack Darragh Jack Darragh John Proctor "Jack" Darragh was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators in the National Hockey League and its predecessor the National Hockey Association.-Playing career:Darragh played his entire professional career with the Ottawa Senators... |
24 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 20 |
| Buck Boucher Buck Boucher Georges "Buck" Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Maroons, and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Buck was one of six brothers. His brothers Frank, Bobby and Billy all played in the NHL... |
23 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 43 |
| Eddie Gerard Eddie Gerard Edward George Gerard was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada he played professionally for 10 seasons for the hometown Ottawa Senators and was member of several Stanley Cup-winning teams before retiring as a player in 1923... |
24 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 18 |
Goaltending
| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA |
| Clint Benedict Clint Benedict Clinton Stevenson "Praying Bennie" Benedict was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Maroons. He played on four Stanley Cup-winning squads. He was the first goaltender in the National Hockey League to wear a face mask... |
24 | 1462 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 75 | 2 | 3.08 |