1887 AHAC season


The 1887 AHAC season was the inaugural season of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. Play was in challenges. The Montreal Crystals won the final challenge of the season to win the Canadian championship and the first league championship.

League business

The AHAC was organized on December 8, 1886, when the representatives of various hockey clubs met at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal at the instigation of the Victoria Hockey Club of Montreal. The first executive was composed of:
A.E. Swift from the Quebec HC played four games for the Victorias, being possibly the first hockey player to play for a city other than their home.
The season's final match, held in the Victoria Rink on March 11 ended 3–2 for Montreal Crystals over the Montreal Victorias. The Vics had won the previous two meetings between the clubs. The Crystals changed their lineup, replacing F. Dowd, R. Laing and J. McGoldrick. The Crystals took the early lead on two goals by S. McQuisten. The Vics appeared to score a goal, but it was ruled to be too high and did not count. In the second half, D. Brown, one of the replacements, scored the third for Crystals before two goals by T. Arnton made it close.

Overall record

† National Champion
Source: Ultimate Hockey

Schedule and results

Source:
Montreal Crystals final champions of the season.
Source: Montreal Gazette

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP=Games played, G=Goals
NameClubGPG
Albert SwiftVictorias48
Billy HodgsonMontreal44
J. CravenVictorias64
Jack CampbellVictorias73
Frank DowdCrystals32
Sam McQuistenCrystals32
John FindleyMontreal42
Jack ArntonVictorias52
Andy ShearerVictorias72

Goaltender averages

Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average
NameClubGPGASOGAA
T.S. ArntonVictorias7731.0
T.L. PatonMontreal1202.0
W. NorrisCrystals3702.3
G. BoonCrystals2502.5
A. ShanksMcGill1303.0
W. HutchinsonMontreal1303.0
A. LoweOttawa1505.0
C.H. McNuttMcGill1606.0

Winter Carnival Tournament

In February, the Montreal teams of the AHAC participated in the Montreal Winter Carnival ice hockey tournament. The tournament, which was scheduled to play outdoors on an ice rink at the Ice Palace, was disrupted by two days of storms, and was not completed until February 25. During this time, no AHAC challenges were played.
Montreal HC wins Winter Carnival Tournament.
Source: The Montreal Gazette, The Montreal Daily Herald, Montreal Daily Witness, The Montreal Daily Post