The 1887 AHAC season was the inaugural season of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. Play was in challenges. The Montreal Crystals defeated the Montreal Victorias to win the final challenge of the season to claim 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* Messrs. J. G. Monk, J. Arnton and J. Muir, Montreal Victorias; Thomas D. Green and Hamilton, Ottawa; C. H. Macnutt, Holden and Wylde, McGill College; E. Sheppard and Wm. Barlow, Montreal AAA; R. Laing and McCaffrey, Crystals met at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal at the instigation of the Victoria Hockey Club of Montreal. The first executive was composed of:
President: Thomas D. Green, Ottawa. First vice-president: Jack Arnton, Victorias. Second vice-president: Robert Laing, Crystals. Secretary-treasurer: E. Stevenson, Victorias. Council: James Stewart, Crystals; J. G. Monk, Victorias; Hanbury A. Budden, McGill; E. Sheppard, M.A.A.A.: Percy Myles, Ottawa.
Regular season 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
Note GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against Team GP W L T GF GA Montreal Victorias 8 6 2 0 27 11 Montreal Crystals† 5 2 3 0 7 12 Montreal HC 2 1 1 0 6 5 Ottawa HC 1 0 1 0 1 5 McGill University 2 0 2 0 1 9
† National Champion
Source: Ultimate Hockey
Results
Date Team Score Team Score Location Challenge play Jan. 6 Victorias 0 Montreal HC 4 Victoria Rink Jan. 7 Crystals 3 McGill 1 Crystal Rink Jan. 14 Crystals 0 Victorias 4 Crystal Rink Jan. 21 Victorias 5 Montreal HC 2 Victoria Rink Jan. 27 Victorias 5 Ottawa HC 1 Victoria Rink Feb. 4 Victorias 3 Crystals 0 Victoria Rink Feb. 12 Victorias 6 McGill 0 Victoria Rink Feb. 24 Victorias 2 Crystals 1 Victoria Rink Mar. 11 Victorias 2 Crystals 3 Victoria Rink Source:
Montreal Crystals final champions of the season.
Source: Montreal Gazette
Player Stats Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored
Name Club GP G Albert Swift Victorias 4 8 Billy Hodgson Montreal HC 4 4 J. Craven Victorias 6 4 Jack Campbell Victorias 7 3 Frank Dowd Crystals 3 2 Sam McQuisten Crystals 3 2 John Findley Montreal HC 4 2 Jack Arnton Victorias 5 2Andy Shearer Victorias 7 2
Goaltender averages Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average Name Club GP GA SO GAA Tom Arnton Victorias 7 7 3 1.0 Tom Paton Montreal HC 1 2 0 2.0 W. Norris Crystals 3 7 0 2.3 George Boon Crystals 2 5 0 2.5 Albert Shanks McGill 1 3 0 3.0 William Hutchinson Montreal HC 1 3 0 3.0 Albert Low Ottawa HC 1 5 0 5.0 C.H. McNutt McGill 1 6 0 6.0
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.
DateTeam ScoreTeam ScoreLocation Exhibitions February 7 Victorias 2 Montreal HC 0 Victoria Rink February 11 Crystals 5 Montreal HC (second) 0 Crystal Rink "Tournament" (second teams) February 17 Crystals 6 Montreal HC 3 Crystal Rink February 23 Victorias 5 McGill 1 Victoria Rink February 25 Victorias 1 Montreal HC 1 Victoria Rink Tournament February 21 Crystals 0 Montreal HC 1 Crystal Rink February 23 Victorias 8 McGill 0 Crystal Rink February 25 Victorias 0 Montreal HC 1 Crystal Rink Montreal HC wins Winter Carnival Tournament.
Source: The Montreal Gazette, The Montreal Daily Herald, Montreal Daily Witness, The Montreal Daily Post
References Bibliography
Notes