Turk Broda in the Stanley Cup Finals. This one is a doozy since he ultimately played in 9 Cup Finals.
1938 Finals
Coach: Dick Irvin
Chicago beats Toronto 3-1. Chicago is noted for goaltending troubles, as AHLer Alfie Moore is in net for them for the series after Mike Marakas got hurt. Moore is praised much more highly this game than Broda.
Leafs 0 Blackhawks 1
The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 6, 1938
Broda had no chance on the short drive, but the goalkeeper looked bad on Thompson's shot, from 45 feet out. Broda kicked at it and missed.
Broda make a brilliant sliding save.
Leafs dominate 5-1. Moore is deemed ineligible to play because "Hawks had Goodman available. Goodman... played for the Wichita club of the American Association"
Leafs 1 Blackhawks 1
The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 8, 1938
Broda was even better to stop Thompson who got a pass from Romnes six feet in front of the net.
Broda outsmarted Thompson who coasted in all alone and fired from seven feet.
Chicago wins 2-1. Blackhawks goalie Mike Karakas returns. Karakas is highly praised
Leafs 1 Blackhawks 2.
The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 11, 1938
The Hawks ganging attack was so futile while they had the two-man advantage that Broda had only one shot to handle.
Hawks ganging plays were gaining more power and they kept Broda hopping while Leafs were short.
Hawks drove deep into Leaf territory, with Shill, Palangio, and Tudel forcing Broda to make three hard stops.
Chicago wins 4-1. Broda's bad goal is the talk.
Leafs 1 Blackhawks 3
The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 13, 1938
The two successive errors by Broda and Parsons, both comparative youngsters to National League play, proved Toronto's undoing.
Turk Broda, Leaf goalie had little to say about Shill's shot that carried halfway down the rink and through Broda's legs for a goal.
"I should have never come out on it," he said. "I was going down which it hopped through"
All the athletes had a good word for the Hawls' play tonight, praising their checking and particularly the work of goalie Karakas.
Overall, not a great series for Broda. He's blamed for the definitive game loss. Once Chicago gets started Karakas back, he's the clear better goalie.
1939 Finals
Coach: Dick Irvin
Boston defeats Toronto 2-1
Shots: Boston 15 Toronto 17
Bruins 1 Leafs 0
Brimsek highly praised. Broda not.
Toronto beats Boston 3-2 in OT.
Bruins 1 Leafs 1
Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 10, 1939
Broda Shines. Goalie "Turk" Broda co-starred with Romnes in the win that sent he team back to Toronto ice all even for the third and fourth contests. After coming from behind to tie the count at two-all, the Bruins bore down on Broda's net repeatedly.
The Vancouver Sun - April 10, 1939
Goalie Turk Broda threw back the charging Bruins at the net time after time, particularly in the extra minutes.
Boston beats Toronto 3-1
Bruins 2 Leafs 1
Neither goalie is given relevant comments
Boston wins 2-0
Bruins 3 Leafs 1
No relevant comment about Broda
Boston wins 3 -1
Bruins 4 Leafs 1
No relevant comment about Broda.
Not really sure what to take from this series. Brimsek and Shore get lots of praised. Broda is barely mentioned throughout the whole series, largely left as a note when he was scored on.
1940 Finals
Coach: Dick Irvin
Rangers win 2-1 in OT
Leafs 0 Rangers 1
No relevant comment about Broda.
Rangers dominate Leafs 6-2
Leafs 0 Rangers 2
The Calgary Herald - April 4, 1940
Rangers had Goaler Turk Broda jumping and falling like a scared rabbit most of the second and third periods.
Leafs wins 2-1
Leafs 1 Rangers 2
No relevant comment about Broda.
Broda gets the shutout in a 3-0 victory
Leafs 2 Rangers 2
The Leader-Post - April 10, 1940
Turk Broda, the Brandon boy played the major role in Toronto's victory over the highly-rated Rangers... the red-hot goalie registered his first shutout in eight playoff games.
There were lapses in the Toronto defensive system, but then the Rangers couldn't organize a successful thrust or Goalie Turk Broda was too red-hot.
The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix - April 10, 1940
Coach Dick Irvin , a cautious fellow when he's handing out compliments Tuesday patted "Turk" Broda on the shoulder and told him he played his best game of his career in a Toronto uniform.
"Gosh, I don't know how I did it, but it seems I picked a good time," said the broadly-grinning "Turk" as his mated swarmed about him. "I've been trying for a shutout since December 4 and I was beginning to think I wasn't going to get another this season."
"But the boys gave me great protection and I was mighty lucky at that. I thought I was a goner in the last period when Bryan Hextall hit the post."
Rangers win 2-1 in OT. Leafs are noted for playing a "wild" game
Shots: Leafs 49 Rangers 33
Leafs 2 Rangers 3
No relevant comments about Broda
Rangers win 3-2 in OT.
Leafs 2 Rangers 4
The Montreal Gazette - April 15, 1940
Broda robbed him of almost certain goals in both the first and second periods.
Broda, who had played sensational hockey throughout, didn't have a chance.
Broda isn't give much in the way of praise in games 1-4, but is the standout Leafs player in games 5 and 6.
1942 Finals
Coach: Hap Day
Red Wings win 3-2
Leafs 0 Red Wings 1
No relevant comments about Broda
Red Wings win 4-2
Shots: Leafs 43 Red Wings 35
Leafs 0 Red Wings 2
No relevant comments about Broda
Red Wings win 5-2
Shots: Leafs 30 Red Wings 40
Leafs 0 Red Wings 3
The Leader-Post - April 10, 1942
Winging a 50-footer past Broda that closed the scoring.
The Calgary Herald - April 10, 1942
Recognized as a standout in his profession, Broda will get another chance at the goal-crazy Detroiters.
"They're too hot," continued Broda. "They can't seem to do anything wrong."
Leafs rebound 4-3
Leafs 1 Red Wings 3
The Windsor Daily Star - April 13, 1942
Undoubtedly a contributing factor in the success of the Leafs was a drastic bit of pre-game masterminding by Coach Hap Day.
The final score does not do justice to the Leafs of last night.
But Broda was unbeatable until his team was again at full strength.
Leafs dominate 9-3. No Broda comments, but the Red Wings were completely outclassed
Leafs 2 Red Wings 3
Leafs tie series after winning 3-0
Leafs 3 Red Wings 3
The Montreal Gazette - April 17, 1942
13,153 Detroit fans see Red Wings stopped by Goaler Turk Broda
Goalie Walter (Turk) Broda meanwhile kept the weary Detroiters in check by the first shutout of the series.
Leafs win 3-1
Leafs 4 Red Wings 3
The Ottawa Citizen - April 20, 1942
Turk Broda, whose final goaltending helped carry Toronto Leafs to pro hockey heights.
There was no stopping the Leafs the rest of the way and they outshot the Wings 16-7 in the final 20 minutes.
Probably Broda's best series so far. Wild comeback
1945 Finals
Coach: Hap Day
Broda did not play because he was in active service.
1947 Finals
Coach: Hap Day
Leafs get thrashed 6-0
Shots: Habs 45 Leafs 20
Leafs 0 Habs 1
The Montreal Gazette - April 9, 1947
Doughty Turk Broda was in no way to blame for the Leafs' defeat. His defence gave him little or no help and his team mates couldn't get a single goal for him. Bill Durnan had a comparatively easy time of it, though he was his usual competent self whenever he was tested.
Even when shorthanded they had the Leafs playing defensive hockey.
Nick Metz and Syl Apps were the only Leafs who did anything for their side apart from Broda.
Toronto blanks Montreal 4-0. Rocket Richard is ejected from the game for hick-sticking Bill Ezinicki.
Leafs 1 Habs 1
The Montreal Gazette - April 11, 1947
Turk Broda had a good night in the Toronto nets and was one of the game's stars.
Durnan had 24 stops and Broda 22, but with the Canadiens being forced to play shorthanded for at least 18 minutes of the 60 they could not get an attack really organized.
Turk Broda was hot and they couldn't get the rubber past him.
Toronto wins 4-2
Leafs 2 Habs 1
The Windsor Daily - April 14, 1947
Both Broda and Durnan performed sensationally in goal, although the latter did not look any too good on that first Leafian market by Mortsen. Defensively, too much praise can not be heaped on the work of the Toronto rearguards.
Toronto wins 2-1 in OT. Apps receives high praise. Durnan receives high praise.
Leafs 3 Habs 1
The Montreal Gazette - April 16, 1947
Both of which received some great goal tending from Turk Broda and Bill Durnan. The Leafs had 35 shots on goal to 30 for the Canadiens.
Bill Durnan was called upon to make a couple tough stops.
Montreal wins 3-1
Leafs 3 Habs 2
No relevant comments about either goalie.
Leafs win 2-1
Leafs 4 Habs 2
The Calgary Herald - April 21, 1947
Veteran Goalie Turk Broda, the fabulous fat man from Brandon, Manitoba, gave one of the most sensational performances of his eight National Hockey League seasons.
Broda's goaltending skill was matched by the display of cool Bill Durnan of the Canadiens.
Overall, a good series from Broda. I will note the defensive prowess of the Leafs shines and Durnan gets as much or more praise as Broda.
1948 Finals
Coach: Hap Day
Leafs win 3-5. Leaf defenseman Gus Mortsen leaves with a broken leg.
Leafs 1 Red Wings 0
No relevant comments about Broda.
Leafs win 4-2
Leafs 2 Red Wings 0
No relevant comments. I'll note games 2 and 3 were played on Saturday/Sunday so both games are in the Monday newspaper and they all highlight the game 3 shutout.
Leafs win 2-0
Leafs 3 Red Wings 0
The Calgary Herald - April 12, 1948
Broda in the Toronto nets turned in one of the finest games of his career to earn the shutout.
The Leader-Post - April 12, 1948
Turk Broda turned away 26 Red Wings shots to score his first shutout of the playoffs.
Leafs win 7-2
Leafs 4 Red Wings 0
The Leader-Post - April 15, 1948
Lumley, who stopped only 14 Toronto shots all night.
Broda kicked out a total of 26 shots in another brilliant performance in the Leaf cage.
This is for sure Broda's best Cup finals yet. The Leafs thoroughly outplay the Red Wings, but he still gets praise.
1949 Finals
Coach: Hap Day
Leafs win 3-2 in OT
Leafs 1 Red Wings 0
No relevant comments about Broda
Leafs win 3-1. AHL callup Sid Smith calls huge praise for the Leafs
Leafs 2 Red Wings 0
No relevant comments about Broda
Leafs win 3-1
Shots: Leafs 37 Red Wings 24
Leafs 3 Red Wings 0
The Leader-Post - April 14, 1949
The Red Shirts were much the best club in the first period, but in the final 20 minute, although they were two goals down, they directed only four shots at Turk Broda, Toronto's steady goaltender.
Leafs win 3-1
Leafs 4 Red Wings 0
The Calgary Herald - April 18, 1949
They outshot the Wings 31-15 and in the third period - when the Wings need to score to retain a chance of victory - they directed only four shots at Goalie Turk Broda.
What can I say, Broda didn't need to be great here. The Leafs shutdown the Red Wings offensive, removing the Red Wings ability to get shots on net most of the series. Broda is barely mentioned across the four game thrashing.
1951 Finals
Coach: Joe Primeau
Toronto wins 3-2 in OT
Leafs 1 Habs 0
The Montreal Gazette - April 12, 1951
They outshot the Canadiens 39 to 22 and controlled the play.
Elmer Lach and the Rocket had good chances early in the overtime, but Broda was too good for them.
Montreal wins 3-2 in OT
Leafs 1 Habs 1
The Ottawa Citizen - April 16, 1951
The shots-on-goal figures reflected Montreal's early drive and Toronto's comeback attempt. The Canadiens had a 10-6 edge int he first period, but the Leafs lead 12-5 in the second and 15-6 in the third with the overtime even at three apiece. The totals were: Montreal 24 Toronto 36.
Leafs win 2-1 in OT
Leafs 2 Habs 1
Al Rollins in net instead of Turk Broda
Leafs win 3-2 in OT
Leafs 3 Habs 1
Al Rollins in net instead of Turk Broda
Leafs win 3-2 in OT
Leafs 4 Habs 1
The Calgary Herald - April 23, 1951
The crowd shouted for veteran Turk Broda, the greatest playoff goalie of them all, who played two games against the Canadiens and all but one period of the six-game semi-final against Boston Bruins.
I don't think 1951 means much. Broda is six years older than any other goalie in the league and was in a backup role. When he played, he was barely tested.
Overall, I was expecting more from a guy who won 5 Cups and went to the finals 4 more times. Lots of easy performances, lots of praise for the Toronto defensive system. Hap Day probably gets more praise than any individual player. Broda certainly had great games and was steady throughout, basically not having a bad game. For a guy with a playoff monster reputation, it certainly doesn't come across that way in the newspaper game reports. That Toronto wins game after game and Broda is barely mentioned is odd after doing these for other goalies.
Durnan jumped out in the 1947 finals.