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Torontos to Sue Wanderers for Failure to Play Here To-night/ Finish with three teams/League will try to collect Wanderers bond- Litchtenhein declares his players free agents
Wanderers' defection and the declaration by the management of the club to the effect that the players of the team have been given their outright release has tossed the N.H.L. topsy-turvy again. Life in the pro. league is just one darn thing after another, especially in Toronto where endless troubles beset the game.
The N.H.L. will try to finish the season with three teams in an awkward arrangement even under favorable conditions. Of course, the remaining clubs will try to enforce collection of the $3,000 bond given by Wanderers to finish the season. More trouble looms large. Remember the "bond" given by the 228th Battalion to finish the season last winter.
As usual Toronto gets the short end of the stick. The N.H.L. has awarded Goalkeeper Harry Holmes to Toronto, and Hyland and McDonald to Canadiens. The league will probably not recognize the declaration by Wanderers that the players of that team are free agents. In any event Holmes is unlikely to play with the Blue Shirts as he has been arranging his affairs with a view to accepting a position in Boston.
The announcement is also made that Nighbor, who belongs to Ottawa, will play with the Torontos. This is taken to mean that Nighbor will play in home games only as he is a member of the Royal Flying Corps here and will undoubtedly find difficulty in getting away for trips to Ottawa and Montreal. Ottawa, too, will probably have something to say about the disposal of this player. Only yesterday thay offered him to the Toronto club for Corbett Denenny and $250 cash.
The Toronto club will institute an action for damages against the Wanderers for non fulfillment of their schedule date here to-night. The date will be taken by the Beaches-De la Salle O.H.A. junior game which was originally scheduled for this afternoon.
Although Wanderers resignation was not accepted by the league, President Lichtenhein announced in Montreal yesterday that the action of the club was final, and that steps to wind up its affairs would be taken immediately.
The rearrangement of the schedule will be made at once, and it is probable that Canadiens will play here against Torontos on Wednesday evening next. The directors of the Montreal Arena Company announce that no effort will be made to rebuild the burnt amusement palace until after the war.
Manager Charles Querrie of the Toronto professionals made the announcement Saturday night that he had received word from the owners of the Toronto franchise in the National Hockey League that he was to have full and complete control of the activities of the team and that he was not to tolerate any outside interference. It was because of this outside interference that Querrie tendered his resignation and now that the cause has been removed he will retain the position as leader of the Blue Shirts.
On learning that his authority was supreme Manager Querrie at once made some moves that had been delayed because of interference of parties who had no business to interfere. He released Coughlin and Brooks, and signed Harry Holmes, Pacific Coast League goalkeeper. Holmes will play against the Canadiens at the Arena Wednesday night. With another forward the calibre of Noble, the Blue Shirts will be hard to beat.
Manager Querrie has almost given up all hope of landing Frank Nighbor, the speedy forward now with the Royal Flying Corps. The Ottawa magnates have set a price upon his services, but as much as he has but little chance of securing permission from the R.F.C. it would be unwise to contract for his services. If he should get permission to play it is doubtful if he would be allowed to go to Ottawa in any event.
Defeat At Montreal To Stand - Canadiens Here On Wednesday
Montreal, Jan. 7. - The new schedule of the N.H.L. necessitated by the default of Wanderers when the arena burned down calls for three games a week. The first half of the season will end on February 4 and the second half on March 6. All games with the Wanderers up to January 2 will be acknowledged in the standing of the teams, but the defaulted game with Canadiens last Wednesday and that with Toronto on Saturday will go to Canadiens and Toronto respectively.
The schedule calls for the Canadiens to play in Toronto on Wednesday night and Ottawa will come to Montreal next Saturday.
Objections to New Schedule and Wanderer Award Are Already Overridden
Montreal, Jan. 8 - The objection of the Toronto N.H.L. club to the award of defaulted Wanderer games and to the new N.H.L. schedule are likely to receive but scant consideration, according to local opinions to-day. It was pointed out that the league has decided that there can be no appeal against a ruling by the President, and President Calder has made the ruling in the matter of the defaulted games. President Calder to-day made the following statement:
"Toronto lost a game here to Wanderers on the merits of the play, and there is no reason why they should have this mark against them removed. Ottawa defeated Wanderers on two occaisions on the merits of play and it would be unfair to Ottawa to take away these games, the only games which the club had won. Canadiens also defeated the Wanderers on the merits of the play and are entitled to this victory as well as to the game awarded them by a default."
"I have received no official protest against either the schedule arrangements or the ruling on the Wanderer games from the Toronto club, but there will be no change in either."
If the Toronto wishes were acceded to in the matter of the Wanderer games it would mean that Toronto would be tied with Canadiens for the league leadership each with three wins and a loss.
Take Close Game by 6 to 4 - Holmes a Star In Goal
The Toronto professionals battled their way to a tieing position with the Canadiens in the N.H.L. race when they defeated the Flying Frenchmen by a score of 6 to 4 in a game that was fiercely contested from start to finish at the Arena last night. The victory of the Blue Shirts is directly attributable to the excellent work of Harry Holmes, ex-Pacific Coast League goaler who played a spectacular game. If it had not been for the cool, cleaver work of Holmes in goal it is more than likely that the Canadiens would have further increased their lead in the N.H.L. standing.
A Fast Opening Period
The first fifteen minutes of play was perhaps the fastest period of the entire game. Each team realized the advantage that would be gained by scoring the first tally and battled furiously for the initial goal. Alf Skinner, the Toronto forward, put his team in front when he scored from the side. The period ended with Toronto leading 1-0. The second period saw Toronto with a score of 3 against Canadiens 1, while in the closing period each team notched three goals. Toronto had the better of the first and last periods while Canadiens had a slight advantage in the second period. The Blue Shirts won because of their effective back-checking and the work of Holmes in goal. Besides providing a little more effective defensive game, the local team furnished a more aggressive offensive. The Blue Shirts forwards not only held Lalonde, Pitre and Malone in check, but frequently broke away for combined rushes, outskating the speedy easterners and outguessing the Frenchmen's cleaver defence pair, Corbeau and Hall.
Couture a Trouble-maker
The crowd that filled the Arena were given plenty of thrills as several miniature battles were waged by the opposing players. Couture and Cameron came together on several occaisions, while Skinner and Hall also mixed matters frequently. Couture was the most consistent offender. His mission appeared to be to get into trouble with Querrie's stars and not only take himself off the ice but deprive Toronto of an effective player. In this he succeded, inasmuch as he had Cameron and Noble both sitting in the penalty box as the result of trouble for which he was directly responsible.
Play Lagged in Second
Toronto seemed to be content with lead of two goals in the second period, and their play lagged considerably. The offesive consisted mainly of one-man rushes, with three and four players loafing back on the defence. The folly of this method was soon apparent, however, when the Canadiens combined nicely and skated three-quarters of the rink on several occasions before being checked by the Blue Shirts. In this period Holmes was called upon to make some sensational stops and he delivered in fine style. On one occasion he had set himself for a shot on the extreme southern corner of the goal, but when the puck was deflected off Cameron's skate, whirled like a dancing master and poking out his foot caught the disc on his shoe preventing what appeared to be a sure goal. He was easily the master of the wizard Vezina, Canadiens' net guardian, and was called upon to stop more shots than the latter.
A Close, Hard-checking Game
Noble and Cameron were closely watched by the Frenchmen, and Skinner and Harry Meeking provided the bulk of the work. Mummery, the defence man, played a surprisingly good game. The Blue Shirts watched Corbeau, Malone and Lalonde closely and prevented many a dangerous rush by effective back-checking. The teams:
Toronto (6) - Goal, Holmes; defence, Cameron and Mummery; centre, Skinner; wings, Randall and Noble. Substitutes - Meeking and Denenny.
Canadiens (4) - Goal, Vezina; defence, Hall and Corbeau; centre, Lalonde; wings, Pitre and Malone. Substitutes - Berlanquette, Couture and Laviolette.
Referee - L.E. Marsh. Judge of play - "Steve" Vair.
Substitute Team Beats Ottawa With Ease by Score of 9-4/Lalonde-Denneny Fight/Players From Defunct Wanderers Figure On Both Teams/Darragh Still Missing
Montreal, Jan. 12. - In a reversal of form from their previous contest in Montreal the Ottawa hockey team suffered a serious defeat from the Canadiens Saturday night, the score being 9-4 in favour of the Frenchmen, even though the visitors were srtengthened by having the services of Ritchie.
It was something of a runaway for the Canadiens, who, after the first period, seemed to have matters in hand so completely that they played substitutes a good part of the time and got away with it. In checking and speed the Canadiens had Ottawa faded from the start, and the latter were on the defensive most of the game. The first goal was scored only after a serious contest with Ottawa, and toward the end of the first period, but after that it was easy going for the home team.
Players from the defunct Wanderers figured on both sides. W. Bell was a sub. for the Canadiens and Dave Ritchie was a regular on the Ottawa team, and this permitted of Gerard going on the line and playing centre in place of Boucher. Again Darragh was an absteen from the Ottawa team, and Hyland, formerly of the Wanderers, who was expected to take his place, was not on hand. The attendance completely filled the rink.
A fight between Lalonde and Denneny occurred in the game, and Lalonde was blamed as the starter of the trouble. He was checked by Denneny in a scrimmage near the Ottawa nets, and was prevented from getting a shot. He retailiated by clinching with Denneny, and the pair engaged in fisticuffs. They were separated and then Lalonde poked Denneny in the mouth with his stick, the upshot being that they began to mix it up with each other, and both players were given a match penalty.
The Teams:
Canadiens - Goal, Vezina; Defence, Hall and Corbeau; centre, Lalonde; wings, Pitre
and Malone; substitutes, Bell, Berlanquette, Laviolette and Couture.
Ottawa - Goal, Benedict; defence, Shore and Ritchie; centre, Gerard; wings, Denneny and Crawford; substitutes, Boucher, Lowery and Bruce.
Referee, Tom Melville, Judge of Play, Jack Marshall.
Blue Shirts Short of "Subs" and Ottawa Drops a Player
Ottawa. Jan. 14. - Toronto went down to defeat to-night before Ottawa by a score of 9 to 6 in a match which was spectacular at times, but did not compare in brilliancy with the contest staged here two weeks ago between the same teams. The Senators were a much stronger aggregation than when last the teams met in the Capitol, while the Blue Shirts lacked much of the aggresiveness that marked their play on that occasion.
Toronto were largely to blame for the slowing up of the contest, as the forwards persisted in playing offside and not coming back with the puck when they lost possesion. The match was marked by numerous penalties and on two occasions the Toronto supply of subs was exhausted and Ottawa were forced to drop a man to even up while the crowd was treated to a fast exhibition of five-man hockey. While the penalties were many there were few serious offences, the only untoward incident occuring when Randall cross checked Hyland in the final period and the latter punched him in the face. Both men were sent to the penalty bench.
Hyland and Ritchie played splendid games for the visitors, and Hyland's shooting adds much to the strength of the Senators. Gerard played wonderful hockey, while he was on the ice, and Denneny was almost the equal of his brother on the opposing team. Denneny, Mummery and Holmes bore the brunt of the fray for the visitors. The line-up:
Ottawa - Goal, Benedict; point, Ritchie; cover point, Shore; centre, Gerard; right wing, Darragh; left wing, Denneny; substitutes, Hyland, Boucher, Crawford, Lowery.
Toronto - Goal, Holmes; point, Cameron; cover point, Mummery; centre, Denneny; right wing, Randall; left wing, Noble; substitutes, Skinner, Meeking, Hebert, Coughlin.
Referee, Harvey Pulford; Judge of Play, Charlie McKinley; umpires, Alf. Living and Ernie Butterworth.
Handicapped by Lack of Star Men, Senators Beaten 5 to 4
Although Ottawa were without the services of Gerard, Hyland and Merrill in their second game with Torontos this week they forced the Blue Shirts to extend themselves to the limit to win by a score of 5 to 4 at the Arena last night. Frank Nighbor of the Royal Flying Corps, who was to have played with Ottawa, was unable to participate owing to the fact that he was inoculated Tuesday and had not fully recovered from the effects of the inoculation. Toronto counted three in the opening period to Ottawa's one while both teams tallied once in the second period. In the final session the Senators added two more, holding Toronto to one goal.
Senators Miss Many Chances
Ottawa had several chances to score in the second period, but looseness in front of the net was fatal to their chances. Mummery and Randall furnished a strong defence for the Blue Shirts and forced the Ottawa forwards to shoot fron far out. On the occasions that they did penetrate the Toronto defence, they were skated into a corner or forced to pass the puck. Toronto checked back well, but the combination play that was a feature of their game with Canadiens here was missing.
Benedict's Novel Method
Benedict, in goal for Ottawa, saved his team at least five scores. He dropped to the ice on nearly every shot and with his whole body made an effective barricade. The shots that beat him were from the side, while Noble took one down behind the net, brought it around the corner of the goal and slipped it inside the goal post by inches only. Benedict protested to the referee on the goal judges' decision but was overruled.
Ottawa Short of "Subs."
"Rusty" Crawford, who started as a substitute for Ottawa, was unfortunate. He collided with Mummery in front of the penalty box and sustained an injury to his knee. A few minutes later he returned to the ice and when checked by Corbett Denneny both men struck the ice heavily and Crawford had to again retire. A few moments later Cyril Denneny was penalized and as Ottawa had no other substitute the Blue Shirts had to drop a man. The game was close and although play lagged at times, there was enough speed and cleaver hockey to keep the spectators interested until the final gong. The teams:-
Toronto (5) Goal, Holmes; defence, Randall and Mummery; centre, Corbett Denneny; wings, Skinner and Noble. Substitutes, Cameron and Meeking.
Ottawa (4) Goal, Benedict; defence, Ritchie and Shore; centre, Boucher; wings, Lowery and Cyril Denneny. Substitue, Crawford.
Referre, Lou E. Marsh; judge of play, "Steve" Vair.
Beat Train-weary Torontos at Montreal by Score of 5 to 1
Montreal, Jan. 20. - The Canadiens won an easy victory over Toronto here Saturday night by 5 to 1. The visitors, who evidently were tired after their journey from Toronto, having been on the train from 11 o'clock Friday night until near 6 o'clock Saturday evening, were outplayed at every stage of the game. The visiting team were weak in checking, and the forwards of the home team had more or less a free hand at times.
The Canadiens were leading by five goals at the end of the second period, Toronto's single goal, which was obtained in the third period, was secured by Mummery, a defence player, formerly of Quebec, who made the goal from a scrimmage in front of the net.
Pitre carried off the honors for the Frenchmen. He scored three of the five goals, and Malone and Lalonde got the other two. Lalonde hurt his right ankle shortly after the second period statred, and had to retire for the remainder of the game. The game was free from roughness. Pitre was taken out in the final period, and Bell went on in his place.
With Saturday night's win the Canadiens are regarded as having practically clinched the championship of the first half of the season's schedule, and will play-off the winner of the second half should either Toronto or Ottawa get the lead later. The teams:
Canadiens - Goal, Vezina; defence, Hall and Corbeau; centre, Lalonde; wings, Pitre and Malone. Substitutes - Laviolette, Bell, Berlinquette, Couture.
Toronto - Goal, Holmes; defence, Randall and Mummery; centre, Denneny; wings, Skinner and Noble. Substitutes - Meeking, Cameron, Hebert.
Referee - Jack Marshall. Judge of play - Tom Melville.
Penalties - Hall, two minors; Mummery, two minors; Bell, one minor; Randall, two minors; Berlinquette, one minor; Laviolette, one minor.
Ottawa, With Gerard Out of Game, Beaten by Score of 5 to 3
Ottawa. Jan. 21 - In one of the most brilliant exhibitions that has been seen at the local Arena this winter the chapion Canadiens flushed through their victory over the Torontos Saturday, defeated Ottawa 5 to 3 to-night and practically clinched the honors for the first half of the schedule in the championship race of the National League. Canadiens outplayed Ottawa for the greater part of the time, and their victory proved a clear-cut one.
Contrary to expectations, to-night's struggle proved a clean one. There were only a few penalties, and not one major foul was committed throughout the sixty minutes of play, though both teams checked hard. Canadiens were obliged to come to the capital without the services of their captain, Newsy Lalonde, who was spiked in the match against Torontos Saturday. Though Canadiens suffered the loss of their leader, they played just as brilliantly as though he had been in the thick of it. Couture, who replaced Lalonde, showed himself a capable substitute, as did Laviolette and Berlinquette. On the other hand, Pitre, Malone, Hall, Corbeau and other veterans of the chapion team arose to the occaision in the absence of Lalonde and played prettier hockey than they have shown all season.
Ottawa was also crippled, being without the services of Eddie Gerard, who has a sprained cord in his left knee. Ottawa missed Gerard more than Canadiens did Lalonde. Rusty Crawford played, but he, too, was handicapped by his injured leg. The teams: -
Canadiens - Vezina, Hall, Corbeau, Malone, Pitre and Couture.
Subs - Berlinquette, Laviolette.
Ottawa - Benedict, Shore, Ritchie, Hyland, Darragh and Denenny.
Subs - Boucher, Crawford and Gerard.
Referee - Harvey Pulford.
Judge of play - Charlie McKinley.
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