1923 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1923 Stanley Cup
playoffs was the second year in which the National Hockey League
(NHL) champions, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
(PCHA) champions, and the Western Canada Hockey League
(WCHL) champions all competed for the Stanley Cup. The playoffs began on March 16, 1924, and concluded on March 31 when the NHL champion Ottawa Senators
defeated the WCHL champion Edmonton Eskimos in the final series, two games to zero.
Throughout these playoffs, injuries had thinned Ottawa's line-up. But after seeing the gritty show put on by the undermanned Senators, Frank Patrick, the head coach of the PCHA champion Vancouver Maroons, called Ottawa the greatest team he had ever seen.
in the two-game total goal NHL championship series, 3 goals to 2, to win the NHL title. Cy Denneny
scored the series-clinching goal in Game 2 for the Canadiens.
The 1922–23 WCHL season ended with the 19–10–1 first place Eskimos defeating the 16–14 second place Regina Capitals
in the WCHL championship series. Edmonton clinched the WCHL title after Duke Keats
scored the series-winning overtime goal in Game 2.
Meanwhile, the Maroons finished the 1923–24 PCHA regular season
in first place with a 17–12–1 record, and then went on to defeat the 16–14 second place Victoria Cougars
in the PCHA championship series by a combined score of 5–3.
in Vancouver. The NHL and the PCHA champions played in the semifinal round, with the winner facing off against the WCHL champion in the Cup Final.
. Cy and George played for the Senators, while Corb and Frank skated for the Maroons. A third Boucher brother, Billy
, was to have replaced Ottawa's Jack Darragh
who was injured, but Frank Patrick, the PCHA president, disallowed Billy from joining the Senators.
Ottawa won the first game 1–0, with Punch Broadbent
's winning goal in the third period. Vancouver, led by two goals by Duncan and two by Frank Boucher, took the second game 4–1, which led to more injuries for the Senators. Benedict took a puck in the mouth, Gerard was injured due to a heavy check and Cy Denneny injured his elbow. The Senators again asked if Billy Boucher could join the team, but were again refused by Patrick. In the third game, the Senators lost Gerard to a dislocated shoulder, but won the game 3–2. King Clancy
took his place for the fourth game, and the Senators won it 5–1, to win the series. Broadbent ended up leading Ottawa with five goals in the series. After watching the gritty show by the undermanned Senators, Patrick called them the greatest team he had ever seen.
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...
playoffs was the second year in which the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) champions, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
(PCHA) champions, and the Western Canada Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
(WCHL) champions all competed for the Stanley Cup. The playoffs began on March 16, 1924, and concluded on March 31 when the NHL champion Ottawa Senators
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...
defeated the WCHL champion Edmonton Eskimos in the final series, two games to zero.
Throughout these playoffs, injuries had thinned Ottawa's line-up. But after seeing the gritty show put on by the undermanned Senators, Frank Patrick, the head coach of the PCHA champion Vancouver Maroons, called Ottawa the greatest team he had ever seen.
Background
Ottawa finished first overall in the 1922–23 NHL regular season standings with a 14–9–1 record. They then went on to defeat the 13–9–2 second place Montreal CanadiensMontreal 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 ...
in the two-game total goal NHL championship series, 3 goals to 2, to win the NHL title. 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...
scored the series-clinching goal in Game 2 for the Canadiens.
The 1922–23 WCHL season ended with the 19–10–1 first place Eskimos defeating the 16–14 second place Regina Capitals
Regina Capitals
The Regina Capitals were a professional ice hockey team originally based in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan in the Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921.-Franchise history:...
in the WCHL championship series. Edmonton clinched the WCHL title after Duke Keats
Duke Keats
Gordon Blanchard "Duke, Iron Duke" Keats was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association , Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Canada Hockey League and the Boston Bruins, Detroit Cougars and Chicago Black Hawks of the National...
scored the series-winning overtime goal in Game 2.
Meanwhile, the Maroons finished the 1923–24 PCHA regular season
1923–24 PCHA season
The 1923–24 PCHA season was the thirteenth and last season of the professional men's ice hockey Pacific Coast Hockey Association league. Season play ran from November 26, 1923 until February 25, 1924. Each team played 30 games, including eight games against Western Canada Hockey League teams...
in first place with a 17–12–1 record, and then went on to defeat the 16–14 second place Victoria Cougars
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
in the PCHA championship series by a combined score of 5–3.
Cup Playoffs summary
Both rounds of the 1923 Stanley Cup playoffs were played at Denman Street ArenaDenman 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...
in Vancouver. The NHL and the PCHA champions played in the semifinal round, with the winner facing off against the WCHL champion in the Cup Final.
Semi-final: Ottawa Senators defeat Vancouver Maroons, three games to one
The Ottawa-Vancouver best-of-five series marked the first time in Stanley Cup history that brothers faced each other. In fact, there were two sets of brothers: Cy and Corb Denneny, and George and Frank BoucherFrank Boucher
François-Xavier "Raffles" Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. Boucher played the forward position for the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League and the Vancouver Maroons in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association...
. Cy and George played for the Senators, while Corb and Frank skated for the Maroons. A third Boucher brother, Billy
Billy Boucher
William Martin Boucher was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he played in the National Hockey League for the Hamilton Tigers, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and New York Americans. He also played for the New Haven Eagles and Bronx Tigers of the...
, was to have replaced Ottawa's 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...
who was injured, but Frank Patrick, the PCHA president, disallowed Billy from joining the Senators.
Ottawa won the first game 1–0, with 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...
's winning goal in the third period. Vancouver, led by two goals by Duncan and two by Frank Boucher, took the second game 4–1, which led to more injuries for the Senators. Benedict took a puck in the mouth, Gerard was injured due to a heavy check and Cy Denneny injured his elbow. The Senators again asked if Billy Boucher could join the team, but were again refused by Patrick. In the third game, the Senators lost Gerard to a dislocated shoulder, but won the game 3–2. King Clancy
King Clancy
Francis Michael "King" Clancy was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, referee, coach and executive. Clancy played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was a member of three Stanley Cup championship teams and won All-Star honours...
took his place for the fourth game, and the Senators won it 5–1, to win the series. Broadbent ended up leading Ottawa with five goals in the series. After watching the gritty show by the undermanned Senators, Patrick called them the greatest team he had ever seen.
| Game-by-Game | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 16 | Ottawa Senators | 1–0 | Vancouver Maroons | 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... , Vancouver |
| 2 | March 19 | Vancouver Maroons | 4–1 | Ottawa Senators | |
| 3 | March 23 | Ottawa Senators | 3–2 | Vancouver Maroons | |
| 4 | March 26 | Ottawa Senators | 5–1 | Vancouver Maroons | |
| Senators win best-of-five series 3 games to 1 | |||||
Final: Ottawa Senators defeat Edmonton Eskimos, 2 games to 0
Ottawa swept Edmonton in the best-of-three final series, winning both games by one-goal margins. In the first game, Cy Denneny scored 2:08 into overtime to give the Senators a 2–1 win. Then Punch Broadbent scored the only goal in the second game to give Ottawa a 1–0 victory and the championship.| Game-by-Game | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 29 | 2:08, OT | Ottawa Senators | 2–1 | Edmonton Eskimos | 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... |
| 2 | March 31 | Ottawa Senators | 1–0 | Edmonton Eskimos | ||
| Senators win best-of-three series 2 games to 0 | ||||||