1904–05 FAHL season


The 1904–05 Federal Amateur Hockey League season lasted from December 31, 1904, until March 3. Teams played an eight-game schedule.

League business

The Ottawa Hockey Club, who officially joined the FAHL prior to the end of the last season, played its first full season in the league. Montreal Le National left the league and joined the rival Canadian Amateur Hockey League. Ottawa had negotiated with the CAHL to return, along with the Wanderers joining, but this was turned down. The Ottawa Capitals also left the FAHL.

Regular season

The newly transferred Ottawa Hockey Club won the league championship – and retained the Stanley Cup – with a record of seven wins and one loss.

Highlights

Ottawa's Frank McGee scored five goals against the Montagnards on February 4.

Final standings

TeamGames PlayedWinsLossesTiesGoals ForGoals Against
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
7
1
0
60
19
Montreal Wanderers
8
6
2
0
44
27
Brockville
8
4
4
0
34
30
Cornwall HC
8
3
5
0
18
37
Montreal Montagnards
8
0
8
0
19
62

Results

† Ottawa HC lock down League Championship, retain Stanley Cup.

Goaltending averages

Scoring leaders

Stanley Cup challenges

Ottawa vs. Dawson City

In January 1905, the Dawson City Nuggets travelled 4,000 miles from the Yukon to Ottawa for a best-of-three Cup challenge series. The Nuggets actually left Dawson City on December 19, 1904, and travelled on a month-long journey by dog sled, ship, and train. The team was no match for the Silver Seven. Ottawa defeated them in the first game, 9–2. Numerous Stanley Cup records were then set in game two, including Frank McGee's 14 goals, which included eight consecutive goals scored in less than nine minutes, and a 23–2 rout, the largest margin of victory for any challenge game or Stanley Cup Final game to date.
Several players playing for Dawson were from the Ottawa area. Jim Johnstone was from Ottawa. Norman Watt was from Aylmer, Quebec. Randy McLennan had played in a Stanley Cup challenge for Queen's University of Kingston, Ontario. Another player has Stanley Cup challenge experience: Lorne Hanna, "formerly of the Yukon", had played for Brandon Wheat Cities in their 1904 challenge of Ottawa.
Sources:
Sources:
After the series, Ottawa held a banquet for Dawson City at the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Association clubhouse. After the banquet the Stanley Cup was drop kicked into the frozen Rideau Canal. It was retrieved the next day.

Ottawa Hockey Club Silver Sevens vs. Rat Portage Thistles

In March 1905, the Rat Portage Thistles issued another challenge to the Senators. McGee did not play in the first game and the Thistles crushed Ottawa, 9–3. However, he returned to lead the Senators to 4–2 and 5–4 victories in games two and three, respectively. McGee returned in game two, with his good forearm wrapped in a cast, and only a light bandage on his broken wrist, to decoy the Thistles. Alf Smith scored three goals in game two on slow ice, which the Thistles claimed was salted to slow down the Thistles. There was hard ice in game three, and the lead exchanged hands several times. The Thistles led 2–1 at halftime and 3–2 midway through the second half. Ottawa took a 4–3 lead, before Tommy Phillips scored his third of the game to tie the score. However, McGee came through with the winning score late in the game to win it for Ottawa.

Referred reading

*