Before I even write about the game, an aside to show the odd narrative differences between Vics supporters and Blueshirt supporters in the press:
"When the red-shirted Victoria challengers skated on the ice the applause could easily have been drowned out by half a dozen ball fans from Lansdowne Parke stepping on an assortment of peanut shells.” (E)
"The Victorias were given a rousing and demonstrative welcome when they came on the ice fully ten minutes before the home team and indulged in an easy work-out to limber up.” (W)
Like, are you serious? Anyway. The score suggests a comfortable Blueshirt victory, but the reports illustrate a different story. In the West, it's claimed that the Vics outplay Toronto. In the East, Toronto is just a better team. But one thing is for certain - Hap Holmes saved the day for the home squad. Skinner Poulin and Bobby Genge are generally considered the best players for the visitors, and it's remarked that the Vics defense is better than their Toronto counterparts in old Jack Marshall and George McNamara. Scotty Davidson is reported to have come down with 'the grippe', or the flu as we now call it, and his play reflected it - little mention is made of him. And where's Harry?
As for the quality of hockey, the reports are that the spectators will not look back upon the game with rosy memories:
“The finest cure for insomnia on the market – watching the world's hockey series.” (E)
“The players in the world's hockey series will get a few hundred dollars apiece. If Saturday night was any criterion they should get six months.” (E)
“The Torontos are credited with having conditioned on strong liquor. And a casual observer on Saturday night would figure two or three of the Victoria team train exclusively on laudanum.” (E)
Finally, poor old Winnipeg is so lost in the sauce with amateur hockey that they get their signals crossed, and incorrectly report that the Stanley Cup final is being played in a two game, total goals series like the Allan Cup:
“In the opening contest Saturday night Toronto disposed of the westerners by a count of five to two and will enter the final game with a three-goal advantage. Total goals will decide the issue, but Victoria is far from being out of the battle.” (W)
Tommy Dunderdale
Dunderdale seems to have had a solid game. His stickhandling is noted quite often, and he did score one of the goals, though his skating was not noted as being a strength like I'd expected.
“Victoria proved to have three pretty fair hockey players in Genge, Dunderdale and Poulin, but Genge was the only man who can lay claim to any great speed. Lester Patrick is not the Lester Patrick of Wanderer days...” (E)
“Both Dunderdale and Poulin are elegant stick-handlers, and they could easily worm their way through three or four of the Torontos, but they hadn't the speed to get away and, once they really got going, Walker, Foyston and Davidson backchecked the westerners off the face of the hockey map.” (E)
“Genge and Poulin also showed up well, while Dunderdale scored one of Victoria's two goals, and was always a source of danger to the Toronto's defense.” (W)
“Dunderdale stick-handling the puck from behind the Toronto nets in front for a score, but was called back for kicking the puck.” (E)
“Walker handed the Victoria team their first score when he attempted to carry the puck out in front of his nets.
Dunderdale is just about as good an exponent of the 'poke' check as the Toronto man and he used it to advantage, grabbing the puck and catching one bottom corner for a score.” (E)
^ Didn't expect that! It may only be one mention of Dunderdale's defensive work, but still better than nothing.
“Both teams made many replacements during the period and, with Wilson on for Davidson and Ulrich, the deaf mute replacing Dunderdale, Jack Marshall shot from well out and scored the third goal.” (E)
^ Yes, Jack Ulrich, a Victoria sub, really was deaf. sr edler has an interesting article on that
here.
“Dunderdale tripped Foyston and drew a penalty and, while he was off and Smaill in his place, Toronto carried the play to Victoria.” (E)
“Another combination rush gave McNamara a shot and it was 5 to 1 with the Blueshirts still sweeping down on Lindsay, while Dunderdale and Poulin worked desperately to hold them out.” (E)
“In the last couple of minutes the Blueshirts merely loafed and appeared satisfied to let the defence do the rushing and checking. Dunderdale and Poulin, always trying, finally landed another goal just before the final whistle sounded, Poulin taking a pass from a scrimmage at the corner right in on Marchand for the final goal.”(E)
^ See the Hap Holmes section for explanation on the appearance of a rogue 'Marchand' in nets.
“As spectacular stick handlers at centre ice, Dunderdale and Poulin carried off the honors, but in scoring their work was not as effective as that of the men on the opposing line.” (E)
“
Kerr, Dunderdale and Poulin are not the equals of Foyston, Walker and Davidson in speed, back-checking or shooting ability, and even their vaunted combination play didn't show up.” (E)
Frank Foyston
Foyston didn't have a very noteworthy game, it seems. He is the player of this group who's probably the furthest from his prime (either him or Holmes), despite having a pretty solid season for the Blueshirts statistically, so my expectations weren't too high of him anyway.
“Genge rushed straight for the nets when he got possession and both McNamara and Marshall usually tried to carry right through but Davidson, Foyston, Kerr and Poulin did all kinds of ineffective circling round and stickhandling.” (E)
“The Torontos played a three man defence and appeared unwilling to open up and take chances,
allowing Walker and Foyston to do all the work.”
“McNamara started a three-man rush, he carrying the puck into the corner, drawing out the Victoria defence. He passed out to Foyston, who missed an open net as Lindsay had come out to meet him.”
Jack Walker
Walker played what could be described as 'Jack Walker game'. Noted for his active stick, he also nets what would end up being the winning goal.
“Jack Walker was doing the major portion of the work for the Torontos, his 'poke' check breaking up the rushes by Poulin and Dunderdale. Kerr did little but loaf during the opening period and, if he got in a shot on the nets, it passed unnoticed.” (E)
“Lindsay failed to stop a long shot from Walker and it was 3 to 1.” (E)
“Patrick relieved, but was checked by Walker who tried one of his long shots and scored from almost centre ice. This was the undoing of Victoria, as Torontos outplayed them from then until the call of time.” (E)
^ Interesting that it says 'one of his' long shots, like the implication is that Walker is known for trying long shots.
“... Marshall got away for a rush after taking a pass from Walker. The two went down together, and in watching Walker at centre Marshall was overlooked, which afforded him an opportunity to score, which again placed Torontos in the lead.” (E)
Hap Holmes
Undoubtedly the star of the game. Happy was everywhere in the game summaries. And, as well as Holmes played, Bert Lindsay appears to have played as poorly.
“In the Toronto nets Holmes, unaffected by any stage fright, [unintelligible] turned aside a dozen shots aimed at him by Poulin, Genge or Dunderdale.” (E)
“... Holmes turned away two or three dangerous mix-ups from his nets before the period ended.” (E)
“The Victorias came down time and time again and simply bombarded the Toronto nets, but could not beat Holmes.” (W)
“Holmes, the Toronto goalkeeper, was
forced to put up the game of his life in stopping the spectacular rushes.” (W)
“Genge was showing to advantage, but Holmes was doing wonderful work.” (W)
“Satisfied that the game was won Marchand was sent in by Manager Marshall to replace Holmes, and
the Toronto goaler was given an ovation when he skated off the ice.” (E)
^ This quote is later contradicted by The Gazette, who stated it was Claude Wilson who replaced Holmes at the end of the game with the result in hand, rather than who I presume to be Raymond Marchand. Marchand was also named in an above quote, which came from the same paper as this quote. Wilson is probably the correct goaler, but I included this because of the mention of an ovation, which I believe is likely true.
“In the nets Lindsay was the weak spot of the western outfit, he allowing two long shots to pass him, while at the other end
Holmes played almost a flawless game.” (W)
^ Long shots... a real problem for those net-tenders on the Coast!
“According to telegrams that have been received from the Victoria players, the Pacific coast champions are just as confident as ever that they can return with the Stanley cup. The players state in their wires that the Torontos were lucky to hold the Victoria team down to two goals,
Holmes being the great factor in the win of the Toronto club.” (W)
“Next to McNamara, Harry Holmes, in goal for the locals, was the shining star. Holmes had more work to do than Lindsay, but he did it well, while, on the other hand, Lindsay let several easy ones get by him.” (E)
“The wonderful work of Holmes in the Toronto nets broke the hearts of the Victoria players in the third period, the former Parkdale boy blocking seemingly impossible shots.” (W)
“Five to two for Toronto hardly reflects the credit due the Victoria team for their work in the opening game of the world's series Saturday. With a bit more luck the score might easily have been reversed. The visitors in the first and second periods shaded the NHA champions and but for the marvellous work of Holmes,
who gave one of the best exhibitions of goal keeping ever witnessed on the local team, the westerners would have piled up a substantial lead in the three periods.” (W)
Harry Cameron
And then... there's our favourite problem child, Harry Cameron. His absence in the lineup above is conspicuous, to say the least. I'll let the papers explain what happened - in frustratingly vague language.
“It was freely rumored that
Cameron wasn't in shape to play hockey early in the day and that his absence from the line-up was due to this fact.” (E)
“McNamara replaced Cameron on the local defence, and although not as speedy a player as regular rushed just as well and used good judgment when close in on the visitors' goal.” (E)
“The ginger and snap of former games here this season was sadly lacking, although at that the Toronto defence bodied better than they have all season, but this was accounted for by the fact that McNamara replaced Cameron.” (E)
“Cameron was kept on the bench throughout the match,
he being disciplined by the club for an alleged misdemeanor on Friday. McNamara took his place at coverpoint, and proved himself a useful man, scoring two of the five goals through individual rushes.” (E)
"Playing under NHA rules the Vics were practically outclassed by the Toronto NHA title holders, despite the fact that the defenders of the 'mug' were without the services of Cameron, who was replaced by Geo. McNamara. Cameron was in uniform, but though Marshall used every spare available in the contest,
for obvious reasons he did not deem it necessary to call upon his brilliant but erratic defence man.” (E)
And, of course, I was unable to find any further details. What on earth was Harry's deal? 'Obvious reasons'? Were the reporters unaware that amateur hockey historians 110 years later would not find these reasons to be obvious? Ugh.
