1903 CAHL season

The 1903 Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) season was the fifth season of the league. Teams played an eight game schedule. Ottawa and Montreal Victorias tied for the league championship with records of six wins and two losses. Ottawa defeated the Victorias in a two-game playoff to win the season and their first Stanley Cup championship, the first of "Silver Seven" era.

1903 CAHL season
LeagueCanadian Amateur Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationJanuary 3, 1903 – February 28, 1903
Number of teams5
1903
ChampionsOttawa Hockey Club
Top scorerRussell Bowie (22 goals)

League business

Executive

  • Harry Trihey, Shamrocks (President)
  • P. M. Butler, Ottawa (1st Vice-President)
  • A. D. Scott, Quebec ( 2nd Vice-President)
  • Fred McRobie, Montreal (Secretary-Treasurer)

It was decided that league champions would not play for the Stanley Cup until after the season. If a challenge was ordered by the Cup trustees, Montreal would default the Cup. A challenge was ordered by the trustees and Montreal eventually agreed to play Winnipeg in January during regular season play.

This season saw the loss of several players to hockey leagues in the U.S., including Charlie Liffiton, Hod Stuart, Bruce Stuart, Eddie Hogan and George McCarron.

Season

Highlights

This season saw several impressive rookies including Frank McGee and Art Moore for Ottawa.

The season would be a two team race between Montreal Victorias and Ottawa, splitting their matches between each other. The season ended in a tie, which necessitated a playoff, won by Ottawa to win their first Stanley Cup. At the other end of the standing, Shamrocks did not win any games.

Final standing

Team Games Played Wins Losses Ties Goals For Goals Against
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
6
2
0
47
26
Montreal Victorias
8
6
2
0
48
33
Montreal Hockey Club
7
4
3
0
34
19
Quebec Hockey Club
7
3
4
0
30
46
Montreal Shamrocks
8
0
8
0
21
56

Playoffs

Ottawa HC and Montreal Victorias played a two-game total-goals series.

March 7
Ottawa HC 1 at Victorias 1
John "Bouse" HuttonGArchie Lockerby
Harvey Pulford, CaptPBilly Strachan
Arthur MooreCPGeorge Fairbank
Harry WestwickRORussell Bowie, Capt
Frank McGeeCBert Strachan1
Billy GilmourRWCharles Allan
Suddy Gilmour1LWBlair Russell
Dave GilmourC-Sub
Referee – Harry Trihey
March 10
Victorias 0 at Ottawa HC 8
Archie LockerbyGJohn "Bouse" Hutton
Billy StrachanPHarvey Pulford, Capt
George FairbankCPArthur Moore
Bert StrachanROFrank McGee3
Russell Bowie, CaptCDave Gilmour2
Blair RussellLWBilly Gilmour1
Charles AllanRWSuddy Gilmour2
Referee – Percy Quinn

Stanley Cup challenges

Winnipeg vs. Montreal

Another Montreal HC vs. Winnipeg Victorias best-of-three challenge series was held in early 1903. In game one, defending champion Montreal defeated Winnipeg, 8–1. Game two was the first Stanley Cup challenge match to be replayed. Both teams skated to a 2–2 tie before the game had to be suspended at 27:00 of overtime because of a midnight curfew. It was then decided to discard the result and replay the game two days later. In the rescheduled contest, the Victorias won, 4–2, to even the series. However, Montreal won the decisive game three, 4–1, to retain the Cup.

Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Location
January 29, 1903Montreal HC8–1Winnipeg VictoriasMontreal Arena
January 31, 1903Suspended at 27:00 of overtime due to curfew and the 2–2 tie was discarded
February 2, 1903Winnipeg Victorias4–2Montreal HC
February 4, 1903Montreal HC4–1Winnipeg Victorias
Montreal wins best-of-three series 2 games to 1


Jan 29, 1903
Winnipeg Victorias 1 at Montreal Hockey Club 8
Fred OlsenGBilly Nicholson
Rod FlettPBilly Bellingham
Magus FlettCPDickie Boon, Capt.
Billy KeanROArchie Hooper4
Fred Cadham, Capt.1CJack Marshall3
Tony Gingras1RWJimmy Gardner
Fred ScanlonLWTommy Phillips
Referee – Percy Quinn
  • Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
  • Spares - Montreal - Cecil Blachford - RW, Tom Hodge - D, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW


Jan 31, 1903 stopped at 27 minutes overtime due to Sabboth Law
Winnipeg Victorias 2 at Montreal Hockey Club 2
Fred OlsenGBilly Nicholson
Rod FlettPTom Hodge
Magus FlettCPDickie Boon, Capt.
Billy KeanROArchie Hooper1
Fred Cadham, Capt.1CJack Marshall
Tony Gingras1RWCecil Blachford
Fred ScanlonLWTommy Phillips1
Referee – Percy Quinn
  • Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
  • Spares - Montreal - Billy Bellingham - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW


Feb 2, 1903
Winnipeg Victorias 4 at Montreal Hockey Club 2
Fred OlsenGBilly Nicholson
Rod FlettPTom Hodge
Magus FlettCPDickie Boon, Capt.
Billy Kean3ROArchie Hooper
Fred Cadham, Capt.CJack Marshall2
Tony Gingras1RWCecil Blachford
Fred ScanlonLWTommy Phillips
Referee – Percy Quinn
  • Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
  • Spares - Montreal - Billy Bellingham - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW


Feb 4, 1903
Winnipeg Victorias 1 at Montreal Hockey Club 4
Fred OlsenGBilly Nicholson
Rod FlettPBilly Bellingham
Magus FlettCPDickie Boon, Capt.
Billy Kean1ROArchie Hooper
Fred Cadham, Capt.CJack Marshall2
Tony GingrasRWGeorge Smith
Fred ScanlonLWTommy Phillips2
Referee – Percy Quinn
  • Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
  • Spares - Montreal - Cecil Blachford - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Tom Hodge - D, Charles Liffton - RW,

Rat Portage vs. Ottawa HC

Ottawa defeated the Rat Portage Thistles 6–2, 4–2 (10–4) in a two-game, total goals series in Ottawa, March 12–14, 1903.

As the new CAHL and Cup champions, the Ottawas accepted a challenge from the Rat Portage Thistles of the Manitoba & Northwestern Hockey Association (MNWHA). Entering the best-of-three challenge series, the Thistles were younger and quicker than Ottawa; only one player on the Thistles was over the age of 20. Any chance that those factors could have helped the team was negated by soft ice conditions. Ottawa swept the series with scores of 6–2 and 4–2.

Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Location
March 12, 1903Ottawa HC6–2Rat Portage ThistlesDey's Arena
March 14, 1903Ottawa HC4–2Rat Portage Thistles
Ottawa HC wins best-of-three series two games to none
March 12
Rat Portage 2 at Ottawa HC 6
Fred DulmageGJohn "Bouse" Hutton
Mat BrownPHarvey Pulford, Capt
Tom Hooper, CaptCPArthur Moore
Si GriffisRODave Gilmour1
Billy McGimsie2CFrank McGee2
Bill MartinLWBilly Gilmour3
Roxy BeaudroRWSuddy Gilmour
Referee- Harry Trihey
March 14
Rat Portage 2 at Ottawa HC 4
Fred DulmageGJohn "Bouse" Hutton
Mat BrownPHarvey Pulford, Capt
Tom Hooper, CaptCPDave Gilmour1
Si GriffisROFrank McGee2
Billy McGimsie1CPercy Sims1
Bill MartinRWBilly Gilmour
Roxy Beaudro1LWSuddy Gilmour
Referee- Chauncy Kirby

For their win, the Ottawa players would each receive a silver nugget. From that point on the team would also be known as the Silver Seven.

Schedule and results

Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Jan. 3Victorias4Ottawa3
3Shamrocks0Montreal10
10Ottawa6Shamrocks1
10Victorias11Quebec5
17Montreal1Ottawa7
17Quebec5Shamrocks3
21Montreal5Victorias2
24Ottawa6Quebec8
24Victorias12Shamrocks7
31†QuebecMontreal
Feb. 4Shamrocks2Ottawa5
7Montreal9Quebec3
7Ottawa7Victorias6
11Victorias7Shamrocks3
14Quebec3Ottawa10
14Montreal6Shamrocks1
21Ottawa3Montreal1
21Shamrocks4Quebec5
25Montreal2Victorias3
28Quebec1Victorias3

[1]

† Postponed and not played.

Player statistics

Goaltending averages

Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average

Name Club GP GA SO GAA
Archie Lockerby Victorias362.0
Billy Nicholson Montreal71912.7
Bouse Hutton Ottawa82623.3
Jim Nichol Victorias5275.4
Paddy Moran Quebec7466.6
Patrick O'Reilly Shamrocks8567.0

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored

Name Club GP G
Russell Bowie Victorias722
Frank McGee Ottawa614
Herb Jordan Quebec712
Billy Gilmour Ottawa710
Archie Hooper Montreal69
Jack Marshall Montreal78
Blair Russel Victorias87
Dave Gilmour Ottawa47
Suddy Gilmour Ottawa77
Harry Bright Shamrocks87

Stanley Cup engravings

Players

  Forwards
  Defencemen
  • Billy Bellingham (point)
  • Dickie Boon (cover point-captain)
  • Tom Hodge (point-cover point)

Coaching and administrative staff

  • Charles Chitty (President), Clarence McKerrow (manager), Desse Browne (coach)
  • Harry Dewitt (Hon. Secretary/Treasurer), Frank Bickerdike (director),
  • George James (director), Paul Lefebvre (trainer)

Players

  Forwards
  Defencemen

Coaching and administrative staff

  • Percy M. Butler (President), Robert T. "Bob" Shillington (manager)
  • Alf Smith (coach), A.P Mutchmor (treasurer)†
  • Martin Rosenthal (Secretary), Halder Kirby (club doctor), Llewellyn Bates (Vice President),
  • W.H. Hutton†, Chauncy Kirby, Jack Smith, Charles Sparks (directors),
  • Mac McGilton (Ass't Trainer), Pete Green (trainer)
  • Alf Smith did not play for Ottawa in 1903. However he was playing-coach for Ottawa Silver Sevens next 3 Stanley Cup winning seasons.

† Two executives first name remain unknown

References

Notes

  1. Coleman 1966, p. 79.

Bibliography

  • Coleman, Charles L. (1966), The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1, 1893–1926 inc.
  • Podnieks, Andrew (2004), Lord Stanley's Cup, Triumph Books, ISBN 1-55168-261-3

See also

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