Top scorer Joe Malone Number of games 20 | Start date 1912 Champion Quebec Bulldogs Number of teams 6 | |
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Duration December 25, 1912 – March 5, 1913 | ||
The 1912–13 NHA season was the fourth season of the National Hockey Association (NHA). Six teams played 20 games each. The Quebec Bulldogs won the league championship to retain the Stanley Cup. They played and defeated the Sydney Millionaires in a challenge after the regular season.
Contents
League business
The Arena Gardens was completed in Toronto and the two dormant NHA franchises started play as the Toronto Hockey Club ('Torontos' or 'Blue Shirts') and the Toronto Tecumsehs ('Indians'). The Arena Gardens hosted a pre-season exhibition match between the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Wanderers, at which a brawl broke out and Sprague Cleghorn would be charged with assault.
Major rule changes
For this season the NHA teams played again with six skaters, abandoning the position of rover. It was agreed that from February onwards, the teams would play with seven. However, after several games at the start of February played with the rover, the decision was made to abandon the rover position permanently.
The Stanley Cup trustees decided prior to this season that all future Stanley Cup challenges would take place after the end of the regular season.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Sydney vs. Quebec
Joe Malone made a try for Frank McGee's record, but fell short at 9 goals. He was not in the lineup for the second game.
Quebec wins series 20–5
Post-season exhibition series
After the season a series was arranged between Ottawa and Montreal Wanderers and Quebec to play in New York. Ottawa and Montreal played first, with the winner to play-off against Quebec. After the Wanderers defeated Ottawa 10–8 (3–2, 7–6), the Wanderers won the two-game series against Quebec 12–10 (9–5, 3–5).
Quebec travelled to Victoria, British Columbia to play an exhibition series with the Victoria Aristocrats. The Aristocrats had requested a challenge series with Quebec, but would not travel to Quebec City, and the Bulldogs would not agree to defend the Cup on any other ice than their home rink. The Aristocrats would win the best-of-three series.
Schedule and results
‡ Played with rover (7 man hockey)