The inaugural 1904 Federal Amateur Hockey League (FAHL) season lasted from January 6 until February 24. Four teams played a six game schedule.

The FAHL had been formed on December 5, 1903. Three of the four teams had been rejected for membership by the Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL), while the fourth – the Montreal Wanderers – was a new team composed of disillusioned players from two Montreal-based CAHL teams.

Regular season

In their first season as a franchise, the Wanderers would dominate the regular season, going undefeated. Due to an unusual twist, the Wanderers would have to share the league championship with the Ottawa Hockey Club (HC) of the CAHL (see below).

Highlights

Jack Marshall of Wanderers would score six goals against the Capitals on January 20.

Final standing

Team Games Played Wins Losses Ties Goals For Goals Against
Montreal Wanderers
6
6
0
0
38
18
Montreal Le National
6
3
3
0
27
27
Cornwall HC
6
2
4
0
20
27
Ottawa Capitals
6
1
5
0
28
41

Results

Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Jan. 6Cornwall3Le National5
13Le National5Capitals8
15Wanderers5Cornwall1
20Capitals6Wanderers10
27Cornwall5Capitals4
27Le National2Wanderers4
Feb. 3Capitals3Cornwall7
3Wanderers7Le National3
10Capitals4Le National10
18 (†)Cornwall3Wanderers8
20Wanderers4Capitals3
24Le National2Cornwall1

† Wanderers lock down League Championship.

Goaltending averages

Name Club GP GA SO Avg.
Nicholson, Billy Wanderers61803.0
Grenier Capitals1404.0
Hunter, Jack Cornwall62704.5
Henri Menard Le National62704.5
Moffatt Capitals21206.0
Cope, Alex Capitals21507.5
Hurdman Capitals110010.0

Leading scorers

Name Club GP G
Jack Marshall Wanderers411
Edgar Dey Capitals611
Ken Mallen Wanderers &
Cornwall
610
Alphonse Prevost Le National69
Percy Sims Capitals59
Jack Laviolette Nationals68
"Pokey" Leahy Wanderers57
Jimmy Gardner Wanderers65
Ed Decarie Le National65
Fred Strike Wanderers24

League championship and Stanley Cup challenge

Just days after the FAHL regular season was finished, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Hockey Club (HC) left the CAHL and joined the FAHL. The Wanderers, FAHL regular season champions, immediately played Ottawa HC for the combined Stanley Cup/FAHL championship.

Wanderers vs. Ottawa

A two-game series between the Montreal Wanderers from FAHL and Ottawa Hockey Club from CAHL was arranged, for the Stanley Cup. The teams played the first game in Montreal to a tie of 5–5. Montreal refused to play overtime, demanding that the game be considered a no-contest and proposed that the series start over as a best two-of-three series. The Cup trustees demanded that the series continued as scheduled and the Wanderers abandoned the challenge.[1]

Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Location
March 2, 1904Ended in a 5–5 tieMontreal Arena
Ottawa wins series; Montreal is disqualified for refusing to play second game in Ottawa.

According to the Gazette, the game saw "the dirtiest game ever seen between two senior teams at the Arena." Thirty-six penalties were called. Leahy was injured and replaced by Mallan. James Strachan, president of the Wanderers was quoted as saying that the Wanderers would not go to Ottawa and play with Dr. Kearns as referee. Ottawa took a 2–0 lead, before the Wanderers scored five in a row. The Ottawas came back with three, the final goal by Frank McGee.[2]

March 2, 1904
Ottawa (5) Montreal (5)
Player G Pos Player G
HuttonGNicholson
J. McGeePStrachan
A. SmithCPBellingham
H. Westwick2RLeahy,
Mallan
1
1
F. McGee1CMarshall1
W. Gilmour1RWGardner1
S. Gilmour1LWBlatchford1
Referee - Dr. Kearns
Umpires - Stevens, Baskerville

Source: Montreal Gazette[2]

The Wanderers demanded a replay of the game to be held in Montreal, which Ottawa refused. The series was cancelled, with Ottawa retained the Stanley Cup. championship. Ottawa then joined FAHL in the offseason..[3]

Exhibition

After the season, the Wanderers travelled to Michigan to play the Portage Lakes Hockey Club pro club. The Wanderers lost to Portage Lakes 8-4 and 9-2 in a series dubbed the "World Championship" locally. The Wanderers next travelled to Pittsburgh to play the Pittsburgh Victorias.[4] Pittsburgh won 4-2,[5] and 6-4.[6]

See also

References

  1. Kitchen, pg. 140
  2. 1 2 "Game Was A Draw". Montreal Gazette. March 3, 1904. p. 2.
  3. "Ottawa Says No; Others Won't Go". Montreal Gazette. March 5, 1904. p. 2.
  4. "Old Rivals". Pittsburg Press. March 25, 1904. p. 22.
  5. "Victorias Take First Game from Wanderers". Pittsburg Press. March 26, 1904. p. 8.
  6. "Vics Capture Second Game". Pittsburg Press. March 27, 1904. p. 18.
  • Coleman, Charles L. (1966). The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1, 1893-1926 inc. NHL.
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