1918-1919
The NHL, already a small league, got even smaller as the Montreal Wanderers folded at the end of the season. In real life, the Wanderers only played four games before their arena burned down and they were forced to fold mid-season. Now there are only three teams in the NHL.
Meanwhile, in the PCHA, the Portland Rosebuds closed up shop at the end of the season. Taking their place are the Victoria Aristocrats.
During the offseason, Wanderers star Harry Hyland was picked up by the Canadiens. Over in the PCHA, reigning league MVP Tommy Dunderdale was signed by the expansion Aristocrats.
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
This season, the schedule length has been shortened to just 18 games.
On December 23rd, the Habs suffer their first loss in team history as the Arenas beat them in Toronto 3-2.
Newsy Lalonde, Joe Malone, and the rest of the Canadiens once again prove that they are the dominant team, as once again the leading scorer list is filled with Habs.
Code:
GP W L OT PTS
Montreal Canadiens 18 15 3 0 30
Ottawa Senators 18 7 11 0 14
Toronto Arenas 18 5 11 2 12
SCORING LEADERS TEAM GP G A PTS
Newsy Lalonde MTL 18 12 23 35
Joe Malone MTL 18 14 14 28
Dick Irvin MTL 18 12 15 27
Eddie Oatman MTL 18 7 17 24
Reg Noble TOR 18 5 18 23
This year, the top two teams in the league will face off in a best-of-seven series for the O'Brien cup.
Surprisingly, the Senators managed to win a couple games, both on their home ice, but it wasn't enough as the Habs once again dominated them in six games to hoist the O'Brien trophy and head to the Stanley cup final.
PACIFIC COAST HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
This year the PCHA increased the season length to 20 games.
The Victoria Aristocrats turned out to be a non-factor all season long. They only managed a single win. To make matters worse, their signing of Tommy Dunderdale didn't help them any as he scored only a pair of goals and notched a pair of assists all season. It may just as well have been a two-team league, the way they were playing.
Nonetheless, the Millionaires were still dominant as they went totally undefeated with a goal difference of 80!
Code:
GP W L OT PTS
Vancouver Millionaires 20 20 0 0 40
Seattle Metropolitans 20 9 9 2 20
Victoria Aristocrats 20 1 19 0 2
SCORING LEADERS TEAM GP G A PTS
Mickey MacKay VAN 20 25 26 51
Cyclone Taylor VAN 20 14 28 42
Barney Stanley VAN 20 14 16 40
Frank Foyston SEA 20 9 17 26
Jim Riley SEA 20 11 13 24
In the total goal championship series, the Millionaires edged out Seattle by a goal total of 4-3 in two games to win their second straight PCHA championship and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
STANLEY CUP FINAL
In real-life, the Stanley Cup Final was canceled due to the Spanish flu outbreak. Indeed in the replay, some players are affected but none are from either the Canadiens or the Millionaires so the Finals go on as planned.
If hockey fans were hoping for a competitive series, they would be disappointed as Montreal swept Vancouver in four games to hoist the Cup for the second straight year. Many are no doubt thinking that NHL just might be the dominant league after all.
NHL AWARD WINNERS:
HART TROPHY: Newsy Lalonde Montreal (18 GP 12-23-35)
VEZINA TROPHY: Georges Vezina Montreal (11-2-0 2.81)
NORRIS TROPHY: Billy Coutu Montreal (14 GP 1-18-19)
ART ROSS TROPHY: Newsy Lalonde Montreal (18 GP 12-23-35)
CALDER TROPHY: Harry Meeking Toronto (18 GP 3-7-10)
POSTSEASON ALL-STARS:
Code:
POS FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM
G Georges Vezina Montreal Tom Murray Montreal
D Billy Coutu Montreal Dave Ritchie Montreal
D Bert Corbeau Montreal Sprague Cleghorn Ottawa
C Newsy Lalonde Montreal Reg Noble Toronto
LW Joe Malone Montreal Cy Denneny Ottawa
RW Punch Broadbent Ottawa Odie Cleghorn Montreal
PCHA AWARD WINNERS:
MVP AWARD: Mickey MacKay Vancouver (20 GP 25-26-51)
GOALIE AWARD: Hugh Lehman Vancouver (19-0-0 1.66)
DEFENSEMAN AWARD: Cyclone Taylor Vancouver (20 GP 14-28-42)
POINTS AWARD: Mickey MacKay Vancouver (20 GP 25-26-51)
ROOKIE AWARD: Stanley Skinner Vancouver (20 GP 9-11-20)
POSTSEASON ALL-STARS:
Code:
POS FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM
G Hugh Lehman Vancouver Hec Fowler Seattle
D Cyclone Taylor Vancouver Lloyd Cook Vancouver
D Si Griffis Vancouver Moose Johnson Vancouver
C Mickey MacKay Vancouver Frank Foyston Seattle
LW Jim Riley Seattle Gordon Roberts Victoria
RW Barney Stanley Vancouver Stanley Skinner Vancouver