The 1901 Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) season was the third season of the senior ice hockey league. Teams played an eight-game schedule. The Ottawa Hockey Club was the league champion with a record of seven wins, no losses and a draw. The Montreal Shamrocks lost a Stanley Cup challenge during the season, so Ottawa did not inherit the Stanley Cup. The Club declined to challenge Winnipeg after the season.
League business
Executive George R. James, Montreal (President) D. Watson, Quebec (1st vice-president) J. W. Smith, Ottawa ( 2nd vice-president) J. Stafford Bishop, Victorias (Secretary-Treasurer) C. Hart (Councillor)
The league adopted travelling expenses of $85 between Ottawa-Montreal, $100 between Montreal-Quebec and $125 between Ottawa-Quebec for the visiting teams to receive from the home team.
The league banned member teams from playing exhibition matches outside the league without league permission.
Regular season
Highlights
The Ottawa club would win the season, undefeated, with players Sixsmith, Westwick and Pulford starring.
Final standing
Note GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against Team GP W L T GF GA Ottawa Hockey Club 8 7 0 1 33 20 Montreal Victorias 8 4 3 1 45 32 Montreal Shamrocks 8 4 4 0 30 25 Montreal Hockey Club 8 3 5 0 28 37 Quebec Hockey Club 8 1 7 0 21 43
Although Ottawa won the league championship, the Shamrocks had lost their challenge to Winnipeg and Ottawa would not be awarded the Cup. At first, Ottawa was intending to challenge Winnipeg for the Cup, but on February 27, 1901, announced that they would not do so that winter. According to Coleman(1966), Ottawa did not issue a challenge due to the "lateness of the season." The Ottawa Journal as reported in The Globe suggested that the Ottawa club was wise in their decision, as they were in "racked condition in which they are, as a result of the immensely hard exertions put forth by them in all their games this season". The Ottawa Hockey Club did not challenge the following season, either.
Results
Month Day Visitor Score Home Score Jan. 5 Quebec HC 4 Ottawa HC 5 5 Montreal HC 2 Victorias 3 12 Ottawa HC 4 Shamrocks 2 16 Shamrocks 3 Montreal HC 2 19 Victorias 2 Ottawa HC 2 (OT 10') 19 Quebec HC 4 Shamrocks 10 21 Montreal HC 7 Quebec HC 3 23 Victorias 4 Shamrocks 3 26 Ottawa HC 9 Montreal HC 4 Feb. 2 Victorias 5 Quebec HC 6 2 Montreal HC 3 Ottawa HC 5 9 Shamrocks 2 Quebec HC 1 9 Ottawa HC 5 Victorias 4 16 Quebec HC 0 Montreal HC 4 16 (†) Shamrocks 1 Ottawa HC 2 (OT 30') 20 Victorias 13 Montreal HC 3 23 Ottawa HC 1 Quebec HC 0 (OT 20') 23 Montreal HC 3 Shamrocks 1 27 Shamrocks 8 Victorias 5 Mar. 2 Quebec HC 3 Victorias 9
† Ottawa clinches league championship.
Player Stats
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored Name Club GP GRussell Bowie Victorias 7 24 Lorne Campbell Montreal HC 7 10 Arthur Farrell Shamrocks 8 10 Harold Henry Ottawa HC 8 8 Blair Russel Victorias 8 8 Arthur Sixsmith Ottawa HC 7 7 Harry Trihey Shamrocks 7 7 Charlie Liffiton Montreal HC 8 6 Harry Westwick Ottawa HC 7 6 Edward Stuart Victorias 5 6 Jack Smith Ottawa HC 4 6
Goaltending averages Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average Name Club GP GA SO GAA Fred Chittick Ottawa HC 1 0 1 0.0 Archie Lockerby Victorias 1 2 2.0 John Bouse Hutton Ottawa HC 7 20 2.9 James H. McKenna Shamrocks 8 25 3.1 Mark O'Meara Quebec HC 1 4 4.0 Fred Munro Victorias 7 30 4.3 Billy Nicholson Montreal HC 8 37 4.6 Frank Stocking Quebec HC 7 38 5.4
Exhibition games On January 12, the Montreal Victorias played an exhibition against the New York Hockey Club, in New York, losing 2–1.
Stanley Cup challenges
Shamrocks vs. Winnipeg
In January 1901, the Winnipeg Victorias of the MHA again challenged the Montreal Shamrocks for the Cup. This time, Winnipeg prevailed, sweeping the best-of-three series with scores of 4–3 and 2–1. Game two was the first overtime game in Cup history with Dan Bain scoring at the four-minute mark of the extra period.
Date Winning Team Score Losing Team Location January 29, 1901 Winnipeg Victorias 4–3 Montreal ShamrocksMontreal Arena January 31, 1901 Winnipeg Victorias 2–1 (OT 4') Montreal ShamrocksWinnipeg wins best-of-three series 2 games to 0
Winnipeg 4 Shamrocks 3+ January 29, 1901 Art Brown G James H. McKenna Rod Flett P Mike Grant Magnus Flett CP Frank Wall 1 Tony Gingras 1 F Harry Trihey Dan Bain 1 F Jack P. Brannen 1 Charles Johnston F Fred Scanlan Burke Wood 2 F Arthur Farrell 1 Fred Chadham sub Referee – H. BairdUmpires – A. McKerrow, Dickie Boon
Winnipeg 2 Shamrocks 1+ January 31, 1901 Art Brown G James H. McKenna Rod Flett P Mike Grant Magnus Flett CP Frank Wall Tony Gingras F Harry Trihey 1 Dan Bain 2 F Jack P. Brannen Charles Johnston F Fred Scanlan Burke Wood F Arthur Farrell Fred Chadham sub Referee – H. BairdUmpires – A. McKerrow, Dickie Boon
See also 1900–01 MHA season List of Stanley Cup champions
References Bibliography
Notes