Lord Stanley's Cup - The Early Years Quiz

Answer: Governor General of Canada

Frederick Arthur Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, KG, GCB, GCVO, PC began a career in British politics in 1865 and served in various positions before being named the Colonial Secretary, in charge of managing the Crown's colonial interests. This included Canada. Soon after, he was appointed as Governor General of Canada, a post in which he served from 1888 until 1893.

While visiting Montréal during the 1889 Winter Carnival, he watched the Montreal Victorias play the Montreal Hockey Club, and became enamoured of the game of hockey. During his time in Canada he promoted the sport and his sons Arthur and Algernon even formed a new team called the Ottawa Rideau Hall Rebels.

Answer: The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada

Established in 1886, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) was the second such organization for the sport in Canada, following one formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1883. The AHAC was originally comprised of five organizations: the Victoria Hockey Club (Montréal), the Ottawa Hockey Club, McGill College (Montréal), the Montréal Amateur Athletic Association (parent group of the Montréal Hockey Club), and the Crystals Hockey Club (Montréal).

Answer: Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup

Lord Stanley intended the trophy to go to Canada's top-ranking amateur hockey club, and the AHAC had the best players and teams at the time. During their existence, the AHAC used two different systems to determine their champions. Most years (1886-7, 1889-92) they followed a challenge format where, week to week a team could challenge 'the best' team for the championship. In 1888 and beginning in 1893, there was a season series, with the team with the best record earning the championship.

After the Stanley Cup was introduced, that 'challenge era' became more formalized in the 'challenge system'. A declared champion would hold the cup until another team within their league would defeat them, or when the champion of another league challenged them for it in a special game or series.

Answer: Montréal Hockey Club

There was actually some controversy surrounding the presentation of the Stanley Cup, as the team that earned it was having some problems with their parent association (the Montréal Amateur Athletic Association). They tried to refuse the cup, and when the MAAA accepted on their behalf, they tried to return it. But, sometime between then and the following season, the team changed their view and when it came time to defend their championship at the end of the 1893-94 season, they were happy to vie for the cup.

Answer: Organized a 'playoff' series

Within the AHAC, there was no playoff format, and the team with the best season record would be considered the champion, but in 1894 there was a four-way tie for the best (5-3) record, and the AHAC had no rules regarding tie-breakers.

So they organized a playoff series, and the Stanley Cup was awarded to the winner. Only three of the four deadlocked teams participated (the Québec HC withdrew). As the 'road team' the Ottawa HC received a bye to the final match, and the first-ever Stanley Cup playoff game was played on March 17th between the Montréal HC and the Montréal Victorias. It was a 3-2 win for the reigning champs, who then went on to defeat the Ottawa HC by a score of 3-1, retaining their title. Following that one instance, largely due to travel costs, the format reverted to a challenge.

Answer: Winnipeg Victorias

It was the Winnipeg Victorias, though, who had dominated the MHL, winning the Anderson Cup for three straight years before deciding to take a tour of the eastern provinces in 1895. While there, they trounced the competition with a 4-1 record, outscoring their opponents 33-12. They also noticed a brand new 'challenge' trophy owned by the team they trounced 5-1. So, they issued a challenge and set the date for the following February 14th, 1896 in Montréal.

The upstart prairie team made good on their challenge, defeating the Montréal Victorias by a score of 2-0, stunning the Québecois crowd. When the Winnipeg team returned home on February 24th, the first Stanley Cup parade occurred down Main Street, with thousands cheering their team!
(yes, the Winnipeg Winnipegs were actually a team)

Answer: Ottawa was routed 15-2

After playing the first game and being thoroughly defeated by their reigning champions, the Ottawa Capitals voluntarily abandoned their challenge, rather than submit themselves to another drubbing in a second game. The Montréal Victorias would go on to win their 1897-88 season with an 8-0 record, holding on to the Stanley Cup by virtue of winning the season... and no one tried to challenge for it this time.

Answer: False

The first game of the series was a Winnipeg win with a 4-3 win. It was during the second game, with the cup on the line for Montréal, that they went into overtime tied 1-1. It didn't take even one full period to decide the game as Dan Bain would make Stanley Cup history as the first to score an overtime goal at the 4-minute mark to seal the victory for the Victorias.

Answer: Frank "One Eyed" McGee

Francis Clarence McGee was one of the most prolific goal-scorers of his era, setting many records over his short career, some of which have stood the test of time. The 14 goals in one Stanley Cup game was not matched by anyone before the NHL was formed in 1917, and it remained untouched through the remainder of the 20th century, at least.

He played for three different Ottawa teams between 1899 and 1906, earning his nickname early in his career when he sustained an eye injury in a game in 1900.

Answer: Victoria Aristocrats

The National Hockey Association would become the National Hockey League just three years later, and they would continue to play a Stanley Cup Championship series against a western champion until the Western Hockey League folded in 1926. The Victoria Aristocrats put up a valiant effort in that inaugural match-up, but they lost the series in three straight games to the Blueshirts, 5-2, 6-5, and 2-1.