1898 AHAC season

1898 AHAC season
League Amateur Hockey Association of Canada
Sport ice hockey
Duration January 4, 1898 – March 5, 1898
Number of teams 5
1898
Champion Montreal Victorias
Top scorer Cam Davidson (14 goals)

The 1898 Amateur Hockey Association of Canada season was the twelfth and final season of the league. Each team played 8 games, and Montreal Victorias were again first with an 8–0 record, to retain the Stanley Cup. This was their fourth-straight league championship. The league would dissolve prior to the next season.

League business

Executive

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The Ottawa Capitals applied to join the league, but were turned down because they had not won an intermediate-level championship.

Season

Highlights

The game of February 12, 1898 between Ottawa and the Victorias was notable because Fred Chittick, the regular goal-keeper of Ottawa staged a one-man strike because he had not received his share of complimentary tickets. Ottawa played A. Cope instead and lost 9–5. The fans in attendance heckled the defence pair of Harvey Pulford and Weldy Young, and in response Mr. Young went into the crowd to attack a spectator.

Final Standing

Team Games Played Wins Losses Ties Goals For Goals Against
Montreal Victorias
8
8
0
0
53
33
Montreal
8
5
3
0
34
21
Montreal Shamrocks
8
3
5
0
25
36
Quebec
8
2
6
0
29
35
Ottawa
8
2
6
0
28
44

Exhibition tours

Shamrocks tour New York

From February 14 through 19th, the Shamrocks toured New York city, playing teams of the Amateur Hockey League. They played the New York Hockey Club twice and the Brooklyn Skating Club once. The Shamrocks split the two with New York 2–1 and 0–1[1] at the Lexington Avenue Ice Palace. The series was considered close however in the second game play turned rough and several Montreal players were ejected; Brown (Montreal) and Russell(New york). B.Phillips of Montreal would score the only goal and assists were rewarded to De casnova and Russell.[1] The Shamrocks also defeated Brooklyn 4–3 at the Clermont Avenue Rink.[1] [2]

Victorias tour New York

The first game was dubbed by the American media as establishing the amateur international championship, between the top American team, The New York Athletic club and the top Canadian team the Montreal Victorias.[3] After the season, the Victorias visited New York, first playing the New York Athletic Club at the St. Nicholas Rink, winning 6–1 on March 4. The game was in attendance of 3000 people. The game was noted as the Victorias were able to 'disarm' their oppoenents illustrating stealing the puck from the opposeing players through stickhandling. Montreal scorers were (2 goals each) Macdougall, Davidson, Drinkwater to Fenwicks single goal [4]

On March 5, the Victorias defeated the St. Nicholas Skating Club 8–0.[2]

Playoffs

There were no playoffs as the Victorias won first place exclusively.

Stanley Cup challenges

Victorias vs. Ottawa

Prior to the season, Victorias would play Ottawa Capitals of the CCHA in a single-elimination game on December 27, 1897, winning 15–2. It was originally scheduled as the first best-of-three challenge, but the series ended after the first game because the Victorias clearly was the superior team with a 15–2 victory and the Ottawa team withdrew its challenge.

Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Location
December 27, 1897Montreal Victorias15–2Ottawa Capitals Victoria Rink
Ottawa (2) at Montreal (15)
Wilmot G Gordon Lewis
Lafleur P Hartland MacDougall
Eddie Murphy CP Mike Grant, Capt
Pat Murphy F Robert MacDougall
O'Connor F Graham Drinkwater
McGuire F Shirley Davidson
Baldwin F Cam Davidson

Referee – J. A. Findlay
Umpires – M. J. Polan, A. McKerrow

Source: Ottawa Journal[5] No challenges were played after the season.

Schedule and results

Month Day Visitor Score Home Score
Jan. 4 Victorias 6 Shamrocks 4
8 Montreal 2 Quebec 5
8 Ottawa 1 Shamrocks 2
11 Victorias 4 Montreal 3
15 Ottawa 4 Quebec 3
15 Montreal 10 Shamrocks 2
19 Shamrocks 5 Victorias 7
22 Quebec 1 Montreal 3
29 Montreal 4 Ottawa 3
29 Quebec 4 Victorias 5
Feb. 5 Shamrocks 5 Quebec 6
5 Ottawa 6 Victorias 12
9 Shamrocks 0 Montreal 4
12 Victorias 9 Ottawa 5
12 Quebec 1 Shamrocks 4
19 Ottawa 2 Montreal 6
19 (†) Victorias 6 Quebec 4
26 Quebec 5 Ottawa 6
26 Montreal 2 Victorias 4
Mar. 5 Shamrocks 3 Ottawa 1

† Birthday of the Champion.

Player statistics

Goalkeeper averages

Name Club GP GA SO Avg.
Tobin, A Shamrocks 2 2 1.0
Collins, Herb Montreal 8 21 1 2.6
Lewis, Gordon Victorias 3 9 3.0
Stocking, Frank Quebec 7 29 4.1
Richardson, Frank Victorias 5 24 4.8
Chittick, Fred Ottawa 4 21 5.3
Semple, Hugh Shamrocks 6 34 5.7
Cope, A. Ottawa 4 23 5.8
O'Meara, Mark Quebec 1 6 6.0

Scoring leaders

Name Club GP G
Davidson, Cam Victorias 7 14
McKerrow, Clare Montreal 8 13
McDougall, Robert Victorias 8 12
Brown, Desse Montreal 8 11
Drinkwater, Graham Victorias 8 10
Gillespie, James Shamrocks 8 10
Hutchison, H. Ottawa 8 8
Howard, R. Quebec 7 7
White, Frank Ottawa 6 7
Horsfall, Bert Quebec 8 6

Source: Coleman(1966), pp. 41–43

Montreal Victorias 1898 Stanley Cup champions

Roster

  Defencemen
  Goaltenders
  • Frank Richardson (Playing-Coach)
  • Gordon Lewis


  Coaching and administrative staff
  • W. Jack (Hon. President)&, Fred Meredith (Hon. President), F. H. Wilson (Hon. Vice President)&
  • P. M. Desterneck (President)&, W. Grant (Vice President)&, J.S. Bishop (Secretary/Treasurer)&

&- first names are unknown

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 New York Times Feb 18 1898
  2. 2.0 2.1 W.B. Curtis (April 1898). Outings Monthly Review of Amateur Sports and Pastimes. Ice Hockey.
  3. New York Times March 3rd 1898
  4. New York Times Mar 5th edition 1898
  5. "Victorias Had An Easy Thing". Ottawa Journal. December 28, 1897. p. 6.
Preceded by
Montreal Victorias
1897
Montreal Victorias
Stanley Cup Champions

1898
Succeeded by
Montreal Victorias
Feb. 1899
Preceded by
1897
AHAC seasons
1898
Succeeded by
1899 (CAHL)