5 6* 5 1 Champion Toronto Blueshirts | 6* 2 Format best-of-five Start date March 14, 1914 | |
Location(s) Toronto (Arena Gardens) Coaches Toronto: Dick Carroll
Victoria: Lester Patrick (mgr.) Similar 1917 Stanley Cup Finals, 1920 Stanley Cup Finals, 1918 Stanley Cup Finals, 1929 Stanley Cup Finals, 1927 Stanley Cup Finals | ||
The 1914 Stanley Cup Finals was a series between the Victoria Aristocrats, champions of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), and the Toronto Hockey Club, champions of the National Hockey Association (NHA). The Torontos defeated the Aristocrats in three games to win the best-of-five series. It was the first officially sanctioned series for the Stanley Cup between the two leagues, starting the "World's Series" era where the NHL champion played off against a PCHA or Western league champion annually for the Stanley Cup. It was also the final series of the "challenge" era, where inter-league series for the Stanley Cup were sanctioned by the Stanley Cup trustees. An anticipated follow-on challenge series between Toronto and Sydney, champions of the Maritime League did not take place as Sydney abandoned their challenge for the Cup.
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Paths to the Final
Nearing the end of the season, the NHA made arrangements for the NHA champion to receive a challenge from the Sydney Millionaires, Maritime champions, ordered by the Stanley Cup trustees. As arranged by the NHA, the series would have taken place on March 9 through 11. After that, the winner would face off in a series with the PCHA champions in Toronto. The tie in the NHA standings meant that the March 9–11 dates were spent on the Toronto – Montreal series, while the Toronto-Victoria series went ahead as scheduled, and the challenge of Sydney was not played.
After dispatching the Canadiens, the Blue Shirts faced off against the Victoria Aristocrats of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. A controversy erupted when a letter arrived from the Stanley Cup trustees on March 17, stating that the trustees would not let the Stanley Cup travel west, as they did not consider Victoria a proper challenger because they had not formally notified the trustees. However, on March 18, Trustee William Foran stated that it was a misunderstanding. PCHA president Frank Patrick had not filed a challenge, because he had expected Emmett Quinn of the NHA to make all of the arrangements in his role as hockey commissioner, whereas the trustees thought they were being deliberately ignored. In any case, all arrangements had been ironed out and the series was accepted.
Several days later, Foran wrote to Quinn that the trustees are "perfectly satisfied to allow the representatives of the three pro leagues (NHA, PCHA and Maritime) to make all arrangements each season as to the series of matches to be played for the Cup."
The series
The first game, the first Stanley Cup game in Toronto, was played under NHA rules. Toronto won 5–2 as the "Coast Champions Did Not Show Expected Form" according to the Toronto Globe. Victoria had too much individual play and not enough "team play and combination work."
Scotty Davidson, Toronto's captain, sat out the second game due to the flu. The second game was seven-man hockey, played under PCHA rules, which also meant dividing up the ice into three zones, with the centre zone open to "off-side" passing. Toronto led 3–2 after the first period. Lester Patrick scored twice and Tommy Dunderdale scored in the second to give Victoria a 5–3 lead after two periods. Frank Foyston scored twice in the third to tie the score, sending it to overtime. McGiffin scored the winning goal after 18 minutes of overtime.
Davidson returned for the third game as a substitute for Cully Wilson. The Victoria forwards back-checked well and reduced the shooting opportunities of Toronto. The game had a lot of rough play, and "the man with the puck was generally sent sprawling before he had a chance to shoot," according to The Globe. The Victoria forwards played a good game bringing many shots against Toronto's Harry Holmes in net. Victoria's Patrick injured his wrist in the second period and could not shoot after that. Davidson and Bobby Genge started a fight at 15 minutes of the third period, clearing the benches. Foyston scored for Toronto in the second period, and Cameron scored in the third to score the winning goal. Victoria's Dubby Kerr scored with seven minutes to go, but Victoria was not able to get an equalizer.
All games played at Arena Gardens.
Total attendance for the series was 14,260, out of 22,500 capacity at the Arena. At the time, professional hockey was less of a draw than Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) senior hockey. Two games between local OHA senior teams had drawn over 14,000. The Torontos players and staff received $297 each as their share of the gate receipts.
Game summaries
Toronto: Holmes, Claude Wilson goal; McNamara, point; Marshall, coverpoint; Foyston, centre; Davidson, right wing; Walker, left wing; Corbeau, McGiffin, Wilson spares.
Victorias: Lindsay, goal; Genge, point; Patrick, coverpoint; Dunderdale, centre; Poulin, right wing; Kerr, left wing; Rowe, Smaill spares.
Officials: R. Bowie, referee, J. Brennan, judge of play.
Att: 5,100
Toronto: Holmes, goal; Cameron, point; Marshall, coverpoint; Walker, rover; Foyston, centre; McGiffin, right wing; Wilson, left wing; McNamara, spare.
Victorias: Lindsay, goal; Genge, point; Patrick, coverpoint; Poulin, rover; Dunderdale, centre; Kerr, right wing; Smaill, left wing; Rowe, spare.
Officials: R. Bowie, referee, T. Phillips, judge of play.
Attendance, 4,600. (est.)
Toronto: Holmes, goal; McNamara, point; Marshall, coverpoint; Foyston, centre; Davidson, right wing; Walker, left wing; Corbeau, McGiffin, Wilson spares.
Victorias: Lindsay, goal; Genge, point; Patrick, coverpoint; Dunderdale, centre; Poulin, right wing; Kerr, left wing; Rowe, Smaill spares.
Officials: R. Bowie, referee, J. Brennan, judge of play.
Att: 4,835
Roster
† missing from team picture ‡ also played rover in the Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup engraving
"1914 Toronto H.C." is engraved on the 1947 ring connecting the upper trophy to the barrel