1926 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1926 Stanley Cup Finals saw the National Hockey League (NHL) champion Montreal Maroons, in their first Finals appearance, defeat the Western Hockey League (WHL) and defending Stanley Cup champion Victoria Cougars three games to one in the best-of-five game series.[1] This was the last time a non-NHL team would contest for the Cup – the WHL folded following the 1926 Finals leaving the Cup to be contested solely by NHL clubs thereafter.

1926 Stanley Cup Finals
1234 Total
Montreal Maroons (NHL) 3322 3
Victoria Cougars (WHL) 0030 1
Location(s)Montreal: Montreal Forum
Formatbest-of-five
CoachesMontreal: Eddie Gerard
Victoria: Lester Patrick
CaptainsMontreal: Dunc Munro
Victoria: Clem Loughlin
DatesMarch 30 – April 6
Series-winning goalNels Stewart (2:50, second)
Hall of FamersMaroons:
Clint Benedict (1965)
Punch Broadbent (1962)
Reg Noble (1962)
Babe Siebert (1964)
Nels Stewart (1962)
Cougars:
Frank Foyston (1958)
Frank Fredrickson (1958)
Hap Holmes (1972)
Jack Walker (1960)
Coaches:
Leo Dandurand (1963)
Eddie Gerard (1945, player)
Stanley Cup Finals

Paths to the Finals

The Cougars finished the 1925–26 WHL regular season in third place, but eventually upset the Edmonton Eskimos in the WHL championship by a combined score of 5–3 to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Meanwhile, the Maroons finished the NHL regular season in second place. Montreal went on to beat the third seed Pittsburgh Pirates and then defeated the first place Ottawa Senators 2–1 in a two-game total goals series, thus capturing the Prince of Wales Trophy and the right to play Victoria for the Cup.

Bracket
League Semifinals League Championships Stanley Cup Finals
N1 Ottawa Senators 1 0 1
N2 Montreal Maroons 3 3 6 N2 Montreal Maroons 1 1 2
N3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1 3 4 NC Montreal Maroons 3 3 2 2 – 3
WC Victoria Cougars 0 0 2 0 – 1
W1 Edmonton Eskimos 1 2 3
W2 Saskatoon Sheiks 3 0 3 W3 Victoria Cougars 3 2 5
W3 Victoria Cougars 3 1 4

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Game summaries

All of the games in the 1926 Cup Finals were played at the Montreal Forum. Aided by three future Hockey Hall of Famers, the Maroons ended up dominating the series. Goaltender Clint Benedict, who previously helped Ottawa in three Cup championships, recorded three shutouts. Rookie Nels Stewart scored 6 of Montreal's 10 overall goals in the 4 games. Punch Broadbent also recorded a goal for the Maroons. The Cougars' lone win came in game three, 3–2.

Nels Stewart scored both goals in the fourth game to win the series. Stewart had given his stick to a fan after the playoff series against Ottawa. He asked for and retrieved the stick back from the fan prior to the fourth game. He then gave back the stick to the fan after game four.[2]

March 30 Victoria Cougars 0–3 Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period 02:00 – Nels Stewart (1)
05:05 – Punch Broadbent (3)
No scoring Second period No scoring
No scoring Third period 16:10 – Nels Stewart (2)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 1 Victoria Cougars 0–3 Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period 10:10 – pp – Nels Stewart (3)
No scoring Second period 09:40 – Merlyn Phillips (4)
No scoring Third period 15:55 – pp – Dunc Munro (1)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 3 Victoria Cougars 3–2 Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
Harold Halderson (1) – 16:15 First period 03:02 – Babe Siebert (2)
Clem Loughlin (1) – 10:05 Second period No scoring
Frank Fredrickson (1) – 07:50 Third period 16:15 – Nels Stewart (4)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 6 Victoria Cougars 0–2 Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoring First period No scoring
No scoring Second period 02:50 – Nels Stewart (5)
19:10 – Nels Stewart (6)
No scoring Third period No scoring
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
Montreal won series 3–1

Stanley Cup engraving

The 1926 Stanley Cup was presented to Maroons captain Dunc Munro by the trophy's trustee William Foran, following the Maroons 2–0 win over the Cougars in game four.

The following Maroons players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup

1925–26 Montreal Maroons

Players
  Defencemen

Coaching and administrative staff

  • James Strachan (President/Owner)
  • Gordon Cushings (Vice President), Thomas Arnold (Vice President)
  • Bill O'Brien (Trainer), Eddie Gerard (Manager-Coach)
  • Donat Raymond (Director), Arthur Cayford (Secretary-Treasurer)

Stanley Cup engraving
  • Eddie Gerard name was mispelt with F. Gerard (MGR) instead E. Gerard (MGR) on the 2nd version created in 1969. This mistake was repeated in 1992-93 Replica Stanley Cup.
  • Dunc Munro became the third player to win the Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold medal. Munro won the Olympic Gold medal with the Toronto Granites in 1924.
  • After the series win a new ring was added directly underneath the original bowl of the Cup with the words "Won/By Montreal 'Maroons' 1925–26". In addition players and Non-players names were added to the trophy.
  • †-Left off the Stanley Cup for not playing in the playoffs

See also

References
  • "1925–26 Stanley Cup Winner: Montreal Maroons". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2006.
  • Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. pp. 12, 58. ISBN 1-55168-261-3.
  • Dan Diamond, ed. (1992). The Official National Hockey League Stanley Cup Centennial Book. Firefly Books. pp. 67–68. ISBN 1-895565-15-4.
  • "All-Time NHL Results".
  • Zweig, Eric (2012). Stanley Cup: 120 years of hockey supremacy. Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-77085-104-7.
Notes
  1. "Schedule | Mar 30, 1926 ET". NHL.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  2. "Maroons Captured Stanley Cup From Victoria Cougars". Montreal Gazette. April 7, 1926. p. 18.
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