1923–24 Montreal Canadiens season

The 1923–24 Montreal Canadiens season was the team's 15th season and seventh as a member of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Canadiens once again returned to the playoffs and won their second Stanley Cup, defeating the Calgary Tigers.

1923–24 Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup champions
League2nd NHL
1923–24 record13–11–0
Goals for59
Goals against48
Team information
General managerLeo Dandurand
CoachLeo Dandurand
CaptainSprague Cleghorn
ArenaMount Royal Arena
Team leaders
GoalsBill Boucher (16)
AssistsBill Boucher (6)
PointsBill Boucher (22)
Penalty minutesSprague Cleghorn (85)
WinsGeorges Vezina (13)
Goals against averageGeorges Vezina (2.0)

Regular season

This season was the rookie season of new star Howie Morenz. Placed on a line with Bill Boucher and Aurel Joliat, the Canadiens had an offensive line to terrorize the league. All three player were top 10 scorers, Boucher with 16, Joliat with 15 and Morenz with 13. The threesome scored 44 of Montreal's total of 59 goals in 24 games.

December was mild in Montreal and the situation forced the postponement of several games at the Mount Royal Arena. The Canadiens played their first three games on the road before opening at home on December 29, defeating Toronto 3–0.

The NHL held a mid-season meeting on January 26 to consider suspending Sprague Cleghorn. Ottawa claimed he was deliberately injuring opponents, citing a spearing incident against Cy Denneny. The league rejected the charges, and in a game against Ottawa shortly thereafter, Cleghorn charged Lionel Hitchman into the boards and earned a one-game suspension.

After the mild month of December, the winter was snowy. On February 20, the train from Ottawa carrying the Senators was snow-bound partway to Montreal. The Senators' Cy Denneny while out looking for food, fell down a well, but escaped without injury. The game took place the next day.

It was a defensive era in the NHL. The Canadiens scored only 59 goals in 24 games, giving up 48. Georges Vezina led the league in goals against average of 2.0 per game. All four team's starting goalies had GAA under 4. Bill Boucher led the Canadiens in offence, scoring 16 goals.

Final standings

National Hockey League
GP W L T Pts GF GA
Ottawa Senators241680327454
Montreal Canadiens2413110265948
Toronto St. Patricks2410140205985
Hamilton Tigers249150186368

[1] Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

1923-24 NHL Records
Team HAM MTL OTT TOR
Hamilton 2–62–64–4
Montreal 6–23–54–4
Ottawa 6–25–36–2
Toronto 4–44–42–6

Schedule and results

Regular season results
No. R Date Score Opponent Record
1LDecember 15, 19231–2@ Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)0–1–0
2WDecember 19, 19233–1@ Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)1–1–0
3LDecember 26, 19232–3@ Ottawa Senators (1923–24)1–2–0
4WDecember 29, 19233–0Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)2–2–0
5LJanuary 2, 19240–4@ Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)2–3–0
6WJanuary 5, 19245–1Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)3–3–0
7LJanuary 9, 19241–2@ Ottawa Senators (1923–24)3–4–0
8LJanuary 12, 19243–5@ Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)3–5–0
9WJanuary 16, 19242–1Ottawa Senators (1923–24)4–5–0
10LJanuary 19, 19240–2Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)4–6–0
11LJanuary 21, 19242–3Ottawa Senators (1923–24)4–7–0
12LJanuary 23, 19241–4@ Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)4–8–0
13LJanuary 26, 19241–2@ Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)4–9–0
14WJanuary 30, 19245–2Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)5–9–0
15WFebruary 2, 19241–0Ottawa Senators (1923–24)6–9–0
16LFebruary 6, 19240–4@ Ottawa Senators (1923–24)6–10–0
17WFebruary 9, 19245–3Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)7–10–0
18WFebruary 13, 19243–2@ Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)8–10–0
19WFebruary 16, 19242–1Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)9–10–0
20WFebruary 21, 19243–0Ottawa Senators (1923–24)10–10–0
21LFebruary 23, 19240–1@ Ottawa Senators (1923–24)10–11–0
22WFebruary 27, 19246–1Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)11–11–0
23WMarch 1, 19244–1@ Toronto St. Patricks (1923–24)12–11–0
24WMarch 5, 19246–3Hamilton Tigers (1923–24)13–11–0

Playoffs

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Senators 5–2 in a two-game total-goals series. Out west, the PCHA second place Vancouver Maroons defeated the first place team (Seattle Metropolitans) also. Meanwhile, in the Western Canada Hockey League, the Calgary Tigers won the regular season and the playoffs. The Canadiens owner, Leo Dandurand, wanted Calgary and Vancouver to face off against each other and then have the Canadiens play the winner for the Stanley Cup. Frank Patrick, the president of the PCHA, refused to go along with that idea.

NHL Championship

All dates 1924

Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators

Date Team Score Team Score Notes
March 8Montreal Canadiens1Ottawa Senators0
March 11Montreal Canadiens4Ottawa Senators2

Montreal wins two game total goal series 5 goals to 2 to win the Prince of Wales Trophy.

Semi-finals

Since Leo Dandurand's request to have Vancouver and Calgary face off first was denied, the first round match-up was the Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Maroons. This didn't dissuade Montreal at all as the Canadiens swept the best of three series two games to none.

Vancouver Maroons vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
March 18Vancouver Maroons2Montreal Canadiens3
March 20Vancouver Maroons1Montreal Canadiens2

Montreal wins best-of-three two games to none

Finals

After sweeping Vancouver, Montreal's next opponent was the Calgary Tigers. Montreal swept them too in a best of three series. Howie Morenz was the star, scoring a hat trick in the first game, then another goal in the next game, which was transferred to Ottawa because of the slushy ice at Mount Royal Arena. Morenz was levelled by Cully Wilson of Calgary and suffered a chipped collarbone, but it was all in vain as Montreal won. The Canadiens swept all three teams they faced during the playoffs en route to their first Stanley Cup since their 1916 Cup win as a member of the NHA.

Calgary Tigers vs. Montreal Canadiens

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
March 22Calgary Tigers1Montreal Canadiens6
March 25Calgary Tigers0Montreal Canadiens3in Ottawa

Montreal wins best-of-three two games to none for the Stanley Cup

Awards

Source:

  • Mouton, Claude (1987). The Montreal Canadiens. Key Porter Books. p. 155.

References

  • Coleman, Charles L. (1966). The Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol. 1 1893–1926 inc. National Hockey League. pp. 441–464.
  1. Standings: NHL Public Relations Department (2008). Dave McCarthy; et al. (eds.). THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Official Guide & Record Book/2009. National Hockey League. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-894801-14-0.

See also

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