1919–20 Ottawa Senators season

National Hockey League team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1919–20 Ottawa Senators season was the club's 35th season of play and third season in the NHL. It was a very successful season, as they set an NHL record for wins (19), points (38), and won both halves of the season, therefore the Sens automatically were awarded the NHL championship and the right to play in the Stanley Cup Final. The Senators defeated Seattle to win their eighth Stanley Cup title.

1919–20 record9–3–0 (1st half)
10–2–0 (2nd half)
Home record12–1–0
Road record7–4–0
Goals for121
Quick facts Ottawa Senators, Home record ...
1919–20 Ottawa Senators
Stanley Cup champions
1919–20 record9–3–0 (1st half)
10–2–0 (2nd half)
Home record12–1–0
Road record7–4–0
Goals for121
Goals against64
Team information
General managerTommy Gorman
CoachPete Green
CaptainEddie Gerard
ArenaThe Arena
Team leaders
GoalsFrank Nighbor (26)
AssistsFrank Nighbor (7)
PointsFrank Nighbor (33)
Penalty minutesSprague Cleghorn (62)
WinsClint Benedict (19)
Goals against averageClint Benedict (2.66)
← 1918–19
1920–21 â†’
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Regular season

Team picture as published in 1921 Ice Hockey Guide

The Quebec Bulldogs team was relaunched and added to the league and the schedule changed from 18 games to 24. Also, the Toronto Arenas would get new ownership and be renamed the Toronto St. Pats.

Frank Nighbor led the Sens offensively with 26 goals, good for 3rd in the NHL, and his 33 points ranked him 4th. Clint Benedict set an NHL record with 5 shutouts, and he led the league in both wins (19) and GAA (2.66).

December

Ottawa finished December with a 2–0–0 record, earning four points. The Senators were in first place in the NHL, as second place Toronto also had four points, however, they had played more games by the end of December.

January

  • January 1 – The Senators opened the 1920's on the road in Quebec City for their first ever game against the Quebec Bulldogs at Quebec Arena. Jack Darragh, Frank Nighbor and Cy Denneny each scored a goal as the Senators extended their winning streak to three games as they beat the Bulldogs 3–2.[3]
  • January 3 - Ottawa made their first visit to Mutual Street Arena in Toronto for a meeting against the Toronto St. Patricks. Jack Darragh and Frank Nighbor each scored a goal and an assist, however, the Senators saw their three game winning streak snapped with a 4–3 loss to Toronto.[4]
  • January 7 - The Senators returned home for a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. Punch Broadbent scored three goals and an assist, all in the first period, as Ottawa held on for a 4–3 win over Montreal.[5]
  • January 10 - The Quebec Bulldogs made their first ever visit to Ottawa. After a scoreless first period, the Senators scored three in the second period, followed by four in the third in a 7–1 win over Quebec. Jack Darragh scored three goals in the win.[6]
  • January 14 - The Senators were on the road to Quebec City for the second game of a home-and-home series against the Quebec Bulldogs. Sprague Cleghorn and Frank Nighbor each scored for the Senators, while Clint Benedict was very solid in a 2–1 victory.[7]
  • January 17 - Ottawa continued their road trip with a game against the Montreal Canadiens. Punch Broadbent scored both of the Senators goals, however, Amos Arbour scored the winning goal for the Canadiens late in the third period as the Senators lost the game 3–2.[8]
  • January 21 - The Senators returned home for a matchup against the Quebec Bulldogs. Both Sprague Cleghorn and Frank Nighbor scored three goals and an assist, while Punch Broadbent and Jack Darragh each scored twice, as the Senators demolished the Bulldogs 12–1.[9]
  • January 24 - Ottawa was back on the road with a game in Toronto against their provincial rivals, the Toronto St. Patricks. Sprague Cleghorn led the Senators offensively with a goal and an assist, however, Cully Wilson scored twice for the St. Patricks as the Senators lost the game 5–3.[10]
  • January 28 - The Senators returned home for the second game of a home-and-home series against the Toronto St. Patricks. Ottawa was led by Punch Broadbent, who scored two goals and two assists, while Clint Benedict stopped every shot he faced, as the Senators shutout Toronto 7–0.[11]
  • January 31 - The Montreal Canadiens came into Ottawa for the final game of the first half of the season. Both clubs had identical 8–3–0 records and the winning team would earn a berth in the NHL championship. Punch Broadbent scored three goals, Frank Nighbor scored two goals and four assists, and Jack Darragh scored twice and earned three assists as the Senators humiliated the Canadiens by a score of 11–3 and clinch first place in the first half of the season.[12]

February

The Senators finished February with a 7–1–0 record, earning 14 points, and sitting in first place in the second half standings.

March

  • March 3 – Ottawa returned home for the second game of a home-and-home series against the Toronto St. Patricks. Cy Denneny and Eddie Gerard each scored two goals and Frank Nighbor scored a goal and two assists as the Senators extended their winning streak to seven games with a 7–4 victory.[21]
  • March 6 - The Senators visited the Montreal Canadiens for the final time of the season. Frank Nighbor scored three goals, including the overtime winner, as Ottawa defeated Montreal 4–3 to extend their winning streak to eight games.[22]
  • March 8 - Ottawa was back at home for a game against the Quebec Bulldogs. The Bulldogs held a 5–4 lead in the third period, however, the Senators scored seven goals in the final 11:30 of the game to defeat Quebec 11–6. Eddie Gerard had three goals and two assists, Frank Nighbor scored three goals and an assist, while Cy Denneny also scored three goals to lead the Senators. With the win, the club extended their winning streak to nine games and clinched first place for the second half of the season.[23]
  • March 10 - The Senators travelled to Quebec for their final game of the regular season against the Quebec Bulldogs. As the Senators had clinched first place, they rested some players in the season finale. The Bulldogs took advantage and snapped the Senators nine game winning streak with a 10–4 victory. Quebec's Joe Malone scored six goals.[24]

Overall, Ottawa had a record of 3–1–0 in March. The Senators won the second half of the NHL season as they posted a league best 10–2–0 record, earning 20 points.

Final standings

More information GP, W ...
First half
GP W L T Pts GF GA
Ottawa Senators12930185923
Montreal Canadiens12840166251
Toronto St. Patricks12570105262
Quebec Athletics12210044481
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More information GP, W ...
Second half
GP W L T Pts GF GA
Ottawa Senators121020206241
Toronto St. Patricks12750146744
Montreal Canadiens12570106762
Quebec Athletics12210044796
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[25] Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Record vs. opponents

More information NHL Records, Team ...
1919–20 NHL Records [26]
Team MTL OTT QUE TOR
Montreal —1–77–15–3
Ottawa 7–1—7–15–3
Quebec 1–71–7—2–6
Toronto 3–53–56–2—
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Playoffs

Ottawa won both halves of the schedule, and no NHL playoffs were played.

Stanley Cup Final

Ottawa Senators 3, Seattle Metropolitans 2

The Senators faced the Seattle Metropolitans for the Stanley Cup, with all games scheduled to be played in Ottawa. However an unseasonably warm spring in the Ottawa area led to some problems with the ice at Dey's Arena, and the final two games were moved to Toronto's Arena Gardens, which had artificial ice equipment.

  • Game 1 - The series opened on March 22 in Ottawa. The Metropolitans Frank Foyston scored the lone goal of the first period, giving Seattle a 1–0 lead over the Senators. Foyston scored his second goal of the game 5:46 into the second period, as Seattle went up 2–0. Frank Nighbor finally got Ottawa on the scoreboard with a goal 14:15 into the second period, cutting the Metropolitans lead to 2–1. In the third period, Nighbor scored his second goal of the game 10:00 into the period, tying the game 2–2. The Senators Jack Darragh scored with 4:00 remaining in the game, as Ottawa held on to a 3–2 win and a 1–0 series lead.
  • Game 2 - The second game was played in Ottawa on March 24. The Senators Jack Darragh scored the only goal of the first period, as Ottawa took a 1–0 into the first intermission. Neither team scored in the second period, as this was a very tightly defensive game. In the third period, Eddie Gerard scored 6:00 into the period, giving Ottawa a 2–0 lead. Frank Nighbor scored a late goal, as the Senators shutout the Metropolitans 3–0 and took a commanding 2–0 series lead.
  • Game 3 - The third game was played on March 27 in Ottawa, as the Senators could close out the series and win the Stanley Cup with a victory. The Senators Georges Boucher got Ottawa on the board first with a goal 5:00 into the game. The Metropolitans Frank Foyston replied with his third goal of the series three minutes later, tying the game 1–1 after the first period. In the second period, Foyston scored once again, as Seattle took a 2–1 lead into the third period. The Metropolitans Roy Rickey scored the only goal of the third period, as the Senators couldn't beat Hap Holmes. Seattle won the game 3–1 and cut the Senators series lead to 2–1.
  • Game 4 - The fourth game was moved to Arena Gardens in Toronto due to ice problems in Ottawa on March 30. The Metropolitans used this to their advantage, as they took a 2–0 lead after the first period. Frank Nighbor brought the Senators to within a goal as he scored 2:00 into the second period, however, the Metropolitans responded with a goal six minutes later, taking a 3–1 lead in the game. Ottawa once again brought the game to within a goal by the end of the period, as Nighbor scored his second of the game, making it 3–2 Seattle after two periods. In the third period, the Metropolitans scored two goals, including the sixth of the series by Frank Foyston, as they won the game 5–2 and tied the series up at 2–2.
  • Game 5 - The fifth and deciding game was played in Toronto on April 1. The Metropolitans Bobby Rowe gave Seattle an early 1–0 lead with a goal 10:00 into the first period, however, the Senators Georges Boucher tied the game four minutes later, making it 1–1 after the first period. The teams skated to a scoreless second period, as the game remained tied heading into the third period. Ottawa's Jack Darragh broke the tie with a goal 5:00 into the period, giving Ottawa a 2–1 lead. At the 10:00 mark of the period, the Senators took a 3–1 lead after a goal by Eddie Gerard. Darragh then scored two goals within a minute, giving the Senators a 5–1 lead. Frank Nighbor closed out the scoring with a goal 30 seconds after Darragh's second goal, as Ottawa crushed the Metropolitans 6–1 to clinch the Stanley Cup for the first time since the club joined the NHL.

Schedule and results

Regular season

More information Game, Date ...
1919–20 regular season[27]
First half: 9–3–0 (home: 6–0–0; road: 3–3–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceArenaRecordPtsRecap
1December 23Toronto0–3OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena1–0–02[28]
2December 27Ottawa2–0MontrealBenedictN/AMount Royal Arena2–0–04[29]
3January 1Ottawa3–2QuebecBenedictN/AQuebec Arena3–0–06[30]
4January 3Ottawa3–4TorontoBenedictN/AArena Gardens3–1–06[31]
5January 7Montreal2–3OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena4–1–08[32]
6January 10Quebec1–7OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena5–1–010[33]
7January 14Ottawa2–1QuebecBenedictN/AQuebec Arena6–1–012[34]
8January 17Ottawa2–3MontrealBenedictN/AMount Royal Arena6–2–012[35]
9January 21Quebec1–12OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena7–2–014[36]
10January 24Ottawa3–5TorontoBenedictN/AArena Gardens7–3–014[37]
11January 28Toronto0–7OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena8–3–016[38]
12January 31Montreal3–11OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena9–3–018[39]
Second half: 10–2–0 (home: 5–1–0; road: 5–1–0)
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceArenaRecordPtsRecap
1February 4Ottawa5–0QuebecBenedictN/AQuebec Arena1–0–02[40]
2February 7Toronto4–3OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena1–1–02[41]
3February 11Montreal3–4OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena2–1–04[42]
4February 14Ottawa3–2MontrealOTBenedictN/AMount Royal Arena3–1–06[43]
5February 18Quebec3–9OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena4–1–08[44]
6February 21Ottawa5–3TorontoBenedictN/AArena Gardens5–1–010[45]
7February 25Montreal3–6OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena6–1–012[46]
8February 28Ottawa1–0TorontoBenedictN/AArena Gardens7–1–014[47]
9March 4Toronto4–7OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena8–1–016[48]
10March 6Ottawa4–3MontrealOTBenedictN/AMount Royal Arena9–1–018[49]
11March 8Quebec6–11OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena10–1–020[50]
12March 10Ottawa4–10QuebecBenedictN/AQuebec Arena10–2–020[51]

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

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Playoffs

More information 1920 Stanley Cup playoffs, Game ...
1920 Stanley Cup playoffs[27]
Stanley Cup Final vs. Seattle Metropolitans – Senators win 3–2
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceArenaSeries
1March 22Seattle2–3OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena1–0
2March 24Seattle0–3OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena2–0
3March 27Seattle3–1OttawaBenedictN/AThe Arena2–1
4March 30Ottawa2–5SeattleBenedictN/AArena Gardens2–2
5April 1Ottawa6–1SeattleBenedictN/AArena Gardens3–2

Legend:   Win   Loss   Tie

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Player statistics

Scoring leaders

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Frank Nighbor232673318
Jack Darragh222252722
Punch Broadbent201942339
Sprague Cleghorn211652162
Cy Denneny221621821
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Goaltending

PlayerGPMinIWLTGASOGAA
Jack Darragh12000000.00
Clint Benedict24144319506452.66
Note:
Pos = Position;GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
Pos = Position;GP = Games played; Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved;SV% = Save percentage;

Awards and records

Transactions

The Senators were involved in the following transactions during the 1919–20 season. [52]

Trades

November 25, 1919 To Ottawa Senators
Rusty Crawford
To Quebec Bulldogs
Tommy Smith

Free agents

November 29, 1919 Did not play in 1918–19
Horace Merrill
December 19, 1919 From Ottawa Munitions (OCHL)
Jack Mackell

See also

References

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