1926 Stanley Cup Finals

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1926 Stanley Cup Finals
1234Total
Montreal Maroons (NHL)33223
Victoria Cougars (WHL)00301
Location(s) Montreal: Montreal Forum
Formatbest-of-five
CoachesMontreal: Eddie Gerard
Victoria: Lester Patrick
Captains Montreal: Dunc Munro
Victoria: Clem Loughlin
DatesMarch 30 – April 6, 1926
Series-winning goal Nels Stewart (2:50, second)
Hall of Famers Maroons:
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)
  1925 Stanley Cup Finals 1927  

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.

Contents

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
N2Montreal Maroons33 6N2Montreal Maroons1 12
N3 Pittsburgh Pirates 1 3 4 NCMontreal Maroons332 23
WC Victoria Cougars 0 0 30 1
W1 Edmonton Eskimos 1 2 3
W2 Saskatoon Sheiks 3 0 3 W3Victoria Cougars32 5
W3Victoria Cougars3 14

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 30Victoria Cougars0–3Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoringFirst period02:00 – Nels Stewart (1)
05:05 – Punch Broadbent (3)
No scoringSecond periodNo scoring
No scoringThird period16:10 – Nels Stewart (2)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 1Victoria Cougars0–3Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoringFirst period10:10 – ppNels Stewart (3)
No scoringSecond period09:40 – Merlyn Phillips (4)
No scoringThird period15:55 – ppDunc Munro (1)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 3Victoria Cougars3–2Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
Haldor Halderson (1) – 16:15First period03:02 – Babe Siebert (2)
Clem Loughlin (1) – 10:05Second periodNo scoring
Frank Fredrickson (1) – 07:50Third period16:15 – Nels Stewart (4)
Hap Holmes Goalie stats Clint Benedict
April 6Victoria Cougars0–2Montreal Maroons Montreal Forum Recap  
No scoringFirst periodNo scoring
No scoringSecond period02:50 – Nels Stewart (5)
19:10 – Nels Stewart (6)
No scoringThird periodNo 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

   Centres
   Wingers
   Defencemen
   Goaltenders

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

See also

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References

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.
Preceded by Montreal Maroons
Stanley Cup Champions

1926
Succeeded by