1918–19 Ottawa Senators season

The club's ownership and arena arrangements changed in the off-season. Prior to the season, Ted Dey, as arena owner, held out the use of The Arena in negotiations with the Ottawa Hockey Club, of which he was one-third partner. Martin Rosenthal and Tommy Gorman, his hockey club partners, tried to use the Aberdeen Pavilion again. Meanwhile, Dey signed an agreement with Percy Quinn, who held an option on the Quebec city hockey club to rent The Arena for a new 'Canadian Hockey Association' league. This however was a ruse. However, his ruse worked to his advantage in negotiating with the Ottawa HC. When it became clear that the Aberdeen would not be converted back to hockey, Rosenthal gave up his share of the hockey club. As part of an agreement reached out, Dey and Gorman now became equal partners in the new 'Ottawa Arena Club' which operated the Ottawa hockey club in the NHL. The Ottawas were now bound to the Arena for the next five years as well. Rosenthal was provided $500 as compensation for his share.^[1]

Dey was sued by Percy Quinn for his actions and trial took place in December 1918 and January 1919 in Toronto. Quinn lost his legal case as the option on the Arena was not enough of a contract to prove legal fraud on Dey's part, who continued to offer a place in the Arena to Quinn. By this time, Quinn's proposed league had failed as the players had signed with Dey and Gorman and elsewhere with the NHL.^[2]

Senators player Hamby Shore died of pneumonia before the season began on October 14, 1918. He was a victim of the influenza epidemic that spread across North America from 1918 to 1919. Shore was 32 years old.

After a 5–5–0 record in the first half of the season, the Senators played to a 7–1–0 record in the second half.

Cy Denneny and Frank Nighbor led the team with 18 goals and 22 points each, while Clint Benedict won a league-best 12 games, along with his NHL leading 2.91 GAA.

After the season, the club travelled to Vancouver to play a best-of-three against the Millionaires, winning the exhibition series three games to two.

Montreal Canadiens 4, Ottawa Senators 1

Ottawa faced the Montreal Canadiens, winners of the first half of the NHL season, in a best-of-seven series, deciding who would represent the NHL at the 1919 Stanley Cup Final.

• Game 1 –The series opened on the road in Montreal on February 22 at the Jubilee Arena. The Canadiens took an early 1–0 lead on a goal by Didier Pitre 2:25 into the game. The Senators stormed back with a goal by Cy Denneny at the 3:35 mark of the first period, the first ever playoff goal by the Senators since joining the NHL, to tie the game. Harry Cameron then gave Ottawa a 2–1 lead 90 seconds later, as that was the score after the first period. The Canadiens scored three consecutive goals to begin the second period, taking a 4–2 lead, however, Jack Darragh scored with only seven seconds left in the period, cutting the deficit to 4–3. Newsy Lalonde opened the scoring for Montreal in the third period, his second goal of the game, giving the Canadiens a 5–3 lead, however, Darragh scored his second goal midway through the period, cutting the Canadiens lead to 5–4. This was as close as Ottawa could get, as Montreal scored three goals in a 40-second span later in the period, leading them to a victory of 8–4 and a 1–0 series lead.
• Game 2 –The series shifted to Ottawa for game two on February 27. After a scoreless first period, the Senators struck first as Harry Cameron scored his second goal of the series 4:00 into the second period, giving Ottawa a 1–0 lead. The Canadiens Joe Malone then scored two goals in a five minute span, as Montreal took a 2–1 lead. Georges Boucher scored with 1:00 remaining in the period for the Senators, tying the game at 2–2 after two periods. In the third period, the Canadiens Odie Cleghorn scored three consecutive goals in the first ten minutes, giving Montreal a 5–2 lead. Cy Denneny scored late in the period, making the final score 5–3 for Montreal as the Canadiens took a 2–0 series lead.
• Game 3 –The third game was played in Montreal on March 1. The Canadiens Newsy Lalonde scored twice in the first period, giving the team a 2–0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Lalonde scored his third goal of the game to open the second period, followed by a goal by Didier Pitre, extending the Canadiens lead to 4–0. Punch Broadbent finally got Ottawa on the board with a goal 45 seconds later, followed by a second Ottawa goal by Eddie Gerard 4:30 later, as Ottawa cut the Canadiens lead to 4–2. Lalonde then scored his fourth goal of the game late in the second period, as Montreal took a 5–2 lead after two periods. In the third period, Broadbent scored for the Senators, however, Lalonde scored his fifth goal of the game late in the period, giving Montreal a 6–3 win and a 3–0 series lead.
• Game 4 –The Senators were in a must-win situation for the fourth game played in Ottawa on March 3. The Senators opened the scoring on a goal by Eddie Gerard 9:00 into the first period, however, the Canadiens struck twice before the end of the period, taking 2–1 lead after the first. Ottawa's Cy Denneny tied the game 7:00 into the second period, followed by goals by Harry Cameron and Sprague Cleghorn, as the Senators took a 4–2 lead. The Canadiens struck back with a late second period goal by Newsy Lalonde, his second goal of the game and tenth of the series, as Ottawa held on to a slim 4–3 lead after the second period. In the third period, the Senators saw goals scored by Eddie Gerard and Georges Boucher, as Clint Benedict shutdown the Canadiens offense, as Ottawa won the game 6–3 and cut the Canadiens series lead to 3–1.
• Game 5 –The fifth game of the series was another must-win for Ottawa, as it was played in Montreal on March 6. The Canadiens Newsy Lalonde scored his series leading eleventh goal in the first period, giving Montreal a 1–0 lead after the first period. Ottawa's Harry Cameron tied the game with a goal 2:10 into the second period, however, the Canadiens regained the lead midway through the period of a goal by Joe Malone, making it 2–1 Montreal after two periods. In the third period, the Canadiens Bert Corbeau scored 1:40 into the period, extending Montreal's lead to 3–1. Ottawa's Sprague Cleghorn cut the Canadiens lead to 3–2 with a goal at the 5:10 mark of the period, however, the Senators could not come back, as Montreal's Odie Cleghorn scored midway through the period, and goaltender Georges Vezina shut the door on the Senators, as Montreal won the game 4–2 and took the series 4 games to 1.

The Senators were involved in the following transactions during the 1918–19 season. ^[42]

• 1918–19 NHL season