Rossland Winter Carnival

There were ice hockey tournaments played at the Rossland Winter Carnival in Rossland, British Columbia, between 1898 and 1917. The winning team was crowned champions of British Columbia. Starting in 1907, there were two senior tournaments played, with the Giant Powder Shield being awarded to the BC champion and the International Cup going to the winner of the Open Challenge Series. The Open tournament became known as the International Championship Series in 1913. In 1917, the BC Championship was replaced by the Rossland Carnival Championship Series.

A junior tournament was introduced to the Carnival in 1899, with an age limit of 18 (later 21) and under. In the first year, teams from Rossland, Sandon, and Nelson entered. A women's tournament was added in 1900, with Rossland beating Nelson 4-0 in the lone game of the event. An intermediate event for players aged between 16 and 21 was first held in 1903.

Champions

Senior/BC Championship

• 1898: Rossland
• 1899: Rossland Victorias
• 1900: Rossland Victorias
• 1901: Nelson
• 1902: Nelson
• 1903: Nelson
• 1904: Vernon
• 1905: Nelson
• 1906: Rossland
• 1907: Rossland
• 1908: Rossland
• 1909: Nelson
• 1910: Nelson
• 1911: Phoenix
• 1912: Greenwood
• 1913: Fernie
• 1914: Rossland
• 1915: Trail
• 1916: Rossland
• 1917: Rossland

Nelson won Silver Cup three times in a row, thus permanently, in 1903. The Giant Powder Cup was then put up for competition. It was won permanently by Rossland after three straight wins in 1908. The Giant Powder Shield was then put up for competition in 1909.

Open/International Championship

• 1907: Nelson
• 1908: Rossland
• 1909: Nelson
• 1910: Greenwood
• 1911: Phoenix
• 1912: Greenwood
• 1913: Rossland
• 1914: Trail
• 1915: Trail
• 1916: Rossland
• 1917: Rossland

Junior Championship

Teams played for the Ross Thompson Cup.

• 1899: Sandon
• 1900: Sandon
• 1901: Sandon
• 1902: Rossland
• 1903: unknown
• 1904: Rossland
• 1905: Rossland
• 1906: Rossland
• 1907: Rossland
• 1908: Rossland
• 1909: Nelson

Juvenile Championship

• 1905: Rossland
• 1907: Nelson
• 1908: Rossland and Trail tied (not indicated as championship game)

Intermediate Championship

• 1906: Rossland
• 1907: Rossland
• 1908: Phoenix
• 1909: Rossland
• 1910: Rossland
• 1911: Missoula (MT) or Nelson - Nelson beat Rossland and Missoula beat Nelson, but the Missoula game was not officially recognized

Ladies Championship

• 1900: Rossland Ladies
• 1906: Rossland Ladies (unofficial)
• 1911: Rossland Ladies (unofficial)

Results

1898

• Rossland - Nelson 6:1
• Sandon - Nelson 2:0
• Rossland - Sandon 11:1

Rossland won.

1899

Senior Championship

• Rossland - Revelstoke 7:2
• Rossland Victorias - Nelson 4:2
• Rossland Victorias - Rossland 2:0

Rossland Victorias won.

Junior Championship

Ross Thompson, a politician, donated the Ross Thompson Trophy for the Winter Carnival's new junior tournament.

• Sandon Juniors - Rossland Juniors 4:2
• Sandon Juniors - Nelson Juniors 6:0

Sandon won the junior championship.

1900

Senior Championship

• Boundary - Rossland 6:6 - Boundary declared winners as Rossland refused to play OT
• Revelstoke - Vernon 8:0
• Rossland Victorias - Nelson 7:1
• Rossland Victorias - Nelson Lacrosse 4:3
• Boundary - Revelstoke 5:1
• Rossland Victorias - Boundary 2:1 - final

Rossland Victorias won.

Junior Championship

Spokane, Washington, began playing ice hockey in 1900, and the Spokane High School Hockey Club applied to participate in the Winter Carnival, but they were not allowed to compete, owing to a smallpox quarantine.

• Rossland IXL's - Nelson Juniors 7:3
• Sandon Juniors beat Rossland IXL's
• Sandon Juniors beat Spokane Juniors

Sandon Juniors won.

Ladies Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 4:0

1901

Senior Championship

• Rossland - Revelstoke 6:1
• Nelson - Phoenix 4:1
• Nelson - Rossland 8:1

Nelson won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland Juniors - Nelson Juniors 6:5
• Sandon Juniors - Rossland Juniors 8:2 - final

Sandon won the right to keep the cup permanently, as they'd won it three consecutive years.

1902

Spokane, Washington, had a junior team, and sent a request to the Rossland Carnival committee, which was denied as the calendar was full. A senior team from Lethbridge, Alberta, and junior squads from Sandon, Slocan City, and Nelson were also turned down.

Senior Championship

• Rossland Victorias - Trail 9:3
• Nelson - Rossland Victorias 7:1
• Sandon - Phoenix 8:4
• Nelson - Sandon 5:2 - final

Nelson won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland Junior Victorias - Nelson Juniors 11:1

Rossland won the Thompson Cup.

1903

Senior Championship

• Rossland Victorias - Rossland 9:5
• Nelson - Grand Forks 5:4
• Rossland Victorias - Slocan City 4:3
• Nelson - Sandon 4:3
• Nelson - Rossland Victorias 3:1
• Pincher Creek (AB) - Nelson 9:3 - final

Pincher Creek was Carnival champions, while Nelson won the BC title.

1904

Senior Championship

• Vernon - Fernie 7:4
• Rossland - Nelson 2:1
• Rossland - Revelstoke 10:4
• Vernon - Rossland 2:1

Vernon won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland Juniors - Trail Juniors 3:0

Rossland won.

1905

Senior Championship

• Nelson - Vernon 6:1
• Fernie - Rossland 5:3
• Nelson - Fernie 7:4

Nelson won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland Juniors - Trail Juniors 6:3

Juvenile Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 4:1

Ladies Championship

• Rossland Reds - Rossland Blues 4:0

1906

Senior Championship

• Nelson - Greenwood 7:1
• Rossland - Fernie 9:2
• Rossland - Nelson 2:2 - Rossland players feigned injuries throughout OT, leading to game being called off

The Rossland Carnival Committee declared Rossland champions by forfeit.

Intermediate Championship

• Rossland - Phoenix 6:0
• Nelson - Trail 3:1
• Rossland - Nelson 5:4

Rossland won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland Juniors - Nelson Juniors 3:1

Ladies Championship

Was unofficial, only a challenge match.

• Rossland Ladies - Nelson Ladies 2:0

1907

British Columbia Championship Series

• Nelson - Revelstoke 11:4
• Rossland - Phoenix 9:1
• Rossland - Nelson 3:2

Rossland won.

Open Challenge Series

• Spokane (WA) - Revelstoke 4:2
• Rossland - Spokane (WA) 6:3
• Nelson - Rossland 4:2

Nelson won.

Intermediate Championship

• Rossland - Phoenix 3:0
• Rossland - Trail 3:2

Rossland won.

Juvenile Championship

• Nelson - Rossland 1:0

Junior Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 3:0

Ladies Championship

It was planned for the Rossland Ladies and the Phoenix Ladies to play at the Carnival, but no record of the game exists.

1908

British Columbia Championship Series

• Rossland - Nelson 1:0 - Nelson demanded a judge of play as well as a referee, and refused to play without one.

Rossland won by forfeit.

Open Challenge Series

• Spokane (WA) - Coleman (AB) 6:5
• Rossland - Nelson 4:3
• Rossland - Spokane (WA) 7:5

Rossland won.

Intermediate Championship

• Phoenix - Trail 10:8
• Phoenix - Rossland 6:5

Phoenix won.

Junior Championship

• Rossland - Trail 8:1

Juvenile Championship

• Rossland - Trail 1:1

1909

British Columbia Championship Series

• Nelson - Rossland 10:1
• Nelson - Moyie 15:0

Nelson won.

Open Challenge Series

Pincher Creek dropped out as there were questions whether several of their players were professionals. Spokane tried to put a team together, but were unsuccessful.

• Rossland - Moyie 2:1
• Nelson - Rossland 5:3

Intermediate Championship

• Rossland - Trail 8:2
• Rossland - Nelson 4:0

Rossland won.

Junior Championship

• Nelson - Rossland 4:4 - teams played 35 mins of OT but no one scored, so another game was played the next day
• Nelson - Rossland 3:2

1910

British Columbia Championship Series

• Phoenix - Rossland 9:5
• Nelson - Moyie 9:7
• Phoenix - Greenwood 5:4
• Nelson - Phoenix 6:1

Nelson won.

Open Challenge Series

Spokane again tried to assemble a team, but were unsuccessful.

• Moyie - Rossland 7:6
• Nelson - Phoenix 9:5
• Greenwood - Moyie 4:1
• Greenwood - Nelson 7:6

Greenwood won.

Intermediate Championship

• Rossland - Trail 10:0
• Rossland - Kaslo 7:6

Rossland won.

1911

British Columbia Championship Series

• Rossland - Nelson 1:0 - Nelson did not appear; declared forfeit loss
• Phoenix - Greenwood 5:4
• Phoenix - Rossland 8:2

Phoenix won.

Open Challenge Series

• Phoenix - Missoula (MT) 13:5
• Rossland - Greenwood 5:4
• Phoenix - Rossland 8:6

Phoenix won.

Intermediate Championship

• Nelson - Rossland 2:1
• Missoula (MT) - Nelson 12:4 - championship game?

Ladies Championship (unofficial)

• Rossland Ladies - Grand Forks Ladies 3:1

1912

British Columbia Championship Series

• Cranbrook - Rossland 5:2
• Greenwood - Phoenix 4:3
• Greenwood - Cranbrook 2:1

Greenwood won.

Open Challenge Series

• Phoenix - Rossland 10:5
• Greenwood - Cranbrook 5:3
• Greenwood - Phoenix 4:2

Greenwood won.

Intermediate Championship

• Nelson - Rossland 9:3
• Grand Forks - Trail 1:0
• Nelson - Grand Forks 7:2

Ladies Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 8:0

1913

British Columbia Championship Series

• Fernie - Rossland 8:2
• Nelson - Trail 6:3
• Fernie - Nelson 6:3

Fernie won.

International Championship Series

• Rossland - Trail 5:3
• Fernie - Nelson 5:3
• Rossland - Fernie 3:2

Rossland won.

Intermediate Championship Series

• Rossland - Nelson 7:6

Junior Championship Series

• Rossland - Trail 14:4
• Rossland - Nelson Cubs 5:3

Ladies Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 2:1

1914

British Columbia Championship Series

• Nelson - Fernie 9:7
• Rossland - Trail 4:3
• Rossland - Nelson 5:4 OT - final
• Trail - Fernie 13:7 - 3rd place

Rossland won.

International Championship Series

• Trail - Fernie 14:6
• Rossland - Nelson 6:4
• Trail - Rossland 9:2 - final
• Nelson - Fernie 10:2 - 3rd place

Trail won.

Intermediate Championship Series

• Rossland - Nelson Rovers 8:1
• Kaslo - Trail 7:5
• Rossland - Kaslo 5:1 - final

Junior Championship Series

• Rossland - Trail 14:5
• Rossland - Nelson 4:2 - final

Ladies Championship

• Rossland Ladies - Nelson Ladies 4:0

1915

British Columbia Championship Series

• Rossland - Nelson 7:1
• Trail - Grand Forks 6:0
• Trail - Rossland 5:2

Trail won.

International Championship Series

• Trail - Rossland 3:1
• Grand Forks - Nelson 4:3
• Trail - Grand Forks 6:0 - final

Intermediate Championship Series

• Rossland Intermediates - Nelson Tigers 5:4
• Kaslo - Greenwood 9:6 OT
• Rossland Intermediates - Kaslo 4:3 OT - final

Ladies Championship

• Rossland Ladies - Nelson Ladies 5:3 OT

1916

British Columbia Championship Series

• Nelson - Grand Forks 9:4
• Trail - Phoenix 5:4
• Rossland - Trail 3:1
• Rossland - Nelson 4:1

Rossland won.

International Championship Series

• Butte (MT) - Grand Forks 5:4
• Phoenix - Anaconda (MT) 8:1
• Rossland - Trail 3:0
• Rossland - Phoenix 4:2
• Nelson - Butte (MT) 10:3
• Rossland - Nelson 3:2

Rossland won.

Ladies Championship

• Rossland - Nelson 2:0

1917

Rossland Carnival Championship Series

• Anaconda (MT) - Spokane (WA) 5:0
• Rossland - Anaconda (MT) 3:1
• Rossland - Phoenix 6:2
• Rossland - Trail 2:1
• Rossland - Anaconda (MT) 4:2 (or 4:3)

Rossland won.

International Championship Series

• Phoenix - Spokane (WA) 7:0 (or 7:2)
• Anaconda (MT) - Trail 5:0 (or 7:0)
• Phoenix - Anaconda (MT)
• Rossland - Phoenix 7:3

Rossland won.

Intermediate Championship

• Trail Intermediates - Rossland Intermediates 9:1

Sources

• Mid-Winter Mardi Gras: Rossland's Original Winter Carnival - Ronald A. Shearer (2010)