Early Canadian Seasons (1875-1886)

This is a list of early ice hockey games played in Canada between 1875 and 1886. The Montreal Winter Carnival organized the first ice hockey tournament in the country (and the world) in 1883.

Most of the games were played in Quebec, which was undoubtedly the cradle of Canadian hockey in this era. The Ottawa Hockey Club was the first team to be formed outside of Quebec in 1883. They made their competitive debut at the 1884 Montreal Winter Carnival. The first documented game in Nova Scotia took place in Halifax on March 27, 1883. The Halifax Wanderers played an inter-club game (Red vs Blue) in 1884. Also see 1885 Maritimes season and 1886 Maritimes season for activities in the region those years. There were games between the first and second teams of the Ottawa Hockey Club in 1885, and Queen's University and the Royal Military College faced each other in 1886.

1875

• March 3, 1875: Victoria SC (Creighton) - Victoria SC (Torrance) 2:1
• March 16: Victoria SC - Montreal FC 5:2

1876

• February 5: Montreal HC - Victoria SC 1:1
• February 24: Blues - Reds 3:2
• March 29: Montreal FC - McGill 6:0

1877

• January 31: McGill - Montreal Victorias 2:1
• February 1: Montreal Victorias - Montreal HC 3:1
• February 15: McGill - Montreal HC 2:1
• February 19: Montreal HC - McGill 1:0
• February 26: Metropolitan Club - St. James' Club 3:0
• March 1: McGill - Montreal Victorias 2:1
• March 19: Montreal HC - McGill 1:0

1878

• January 26: McGill - Montreal Victorias 2:0
• January 26: McGill - Montreal Victorias 1:0
• February 5: McGill - Montreal AAA 2:0
• March 26: McGill - Montreal AAA - not played as nobody showed up

1879

• January 15: Bachelors - Benedicts 5:2
• February 25: Bachelors - Benedicts 4:1
• February 28: McGill - Britannia Club 6:0
• March 6: Montreal Victorias - McGill 2:0

The first game in Quebec City was slated for February 8, 1879.

"QUEBEC SKATING CLUB – A hockey match will be played at the rink this evening between two rival teams. The game will begin about a quarter to nine and last half an hour. The ball to be used will be of soft india rubber. A good game may be expected. The skaters will have the ice before the game begins. There will be plenty of seats."

-Quebec Daily Evening Mercury, 1879-02-08

• March 13: Montreal Victorias Picked Team - Britannia Club 5:4
• December 23: Bachelors beat Benedicts

1880

• January 20: St. George's Hockey Club - Montreal Victorias 5:2
• February 7: Quebec HC - Waverley Snow Shoe Club
• February 13: Montreal Victorias - Quebec HC - not played due to a dispute over the rules
• February 21: Lorne HC beat Crescent HC (Quebec City)
• March 13: Quebec HC - Lorne HC

1881

• January 22: Quebec HC - Montreal Victorias 2:0
• February 6: Montreal Victorias - Quebec HC 4:1
• February 19: Victoria SC (Gardner) - Victoria SC (Boyd) 1:1
• February 23: McGill Science - McGill Arts 4:1
• February 26: Quebec HC - Lorne HC 4:3

1882

• January 20: McGill - Quebec HC 0:0
• January 21: Victoria HC - Quebec HC 0:0
• January 28: Quebec HC beat Quebec HC II
• February 16: Quebec HC - Victoria HC 2:0

1883

The Ottawa Hockey Club had its first contest on the Royal Rink on March 5, 1883. There was good play made on both sides.

Competitions

• 1883 Montreal Winter Carnival

1884

Competitions

• 1884 Montreal Winter Carnival

Other games

• January 14: McGill - Montreal Victorias 1:0
• January 16: McGill - Montreal Crystals 2:0
• January 17: Montreal Snowshoe Club - St. George Snowshoe Club 1:0
• January 23: McGill - Montreal Victorias 2:0
• January 26: Quebec Hockey Club - Montreal
• January 28: Montreal Victorias - Montreal Crystals 7:2
• February 2: McGill beat Victoria College
• February 4: Montreal Victorias White Bands - Montreal Victorias St. Georges Cross 3:3
• February 20: No. 4 Company 8th Royal Rifles tied Quebec Hockey Club
• March 3: Montreal Victorias - Montreal Crystals 2:0
• March 5: No. 4 Company 8th Royal Rifles - Quebec Hockey Club 2:1
• March 7: Montreal Victorias II - McGill University II 2:1
• March 11: Montreal Crystals - Montreal Crystals II 4:2
• March 14: Montreal Crystals - McGill 1:0
• March 18: Montreal Crystals II - Montreal Victorias II 3:1
• March 19: Montreal Crystals - Montreal Victorias 1:1
• March ?: Montreal Crystals - Montreal Wanderers 1:0

1885

Competitions

• 1885 Montreal Winter Carnival

Other games

• January 6: No. 4 Company 8th Royal Rifles - Quebec Hockey Club 7:0
• January 16: Montreal Victorias - Montreal Crystals 3:1
• January 20: Montreal AAA - McGill 2:1
• January 26: Mixed Team #2 - Mixed Team #1 2:1
• January 27: Ottawa HC - Montreal Victorias 2:1
• January 30: McGill - Montreal FC 2:0
• February 6: Montreal AAA - Montreal Victorias 1:0
• February 11: Ottawa Hockey Club I beat Ottawa Hockey Club II
• February 18: Ottawa Hockey Club I - Ottawa Hockey Club II
• February 27: Ottawa Hockey Club I - Ottawa Hockey Club II
• March 6: Montreal Crystals - Montreal Victorias 1:0 OT
• March 11: St. James Hockey Club - Metropolitan Hockey Club 1:0
• March 14: Windsor Hotel Hockey Club - Wolesley Hockey Club 1:0
• March 16: Montreal Crystals - Montreal Victorias 1:0

1886

Competitions

• 1886 Dominion Championship

Other games

• January 25: Montreal Victorias - McGill 8:0
• February 10: St. James Hockey Club - Metropolitan Hockey Club 4:0
• February 11: Montreal Victorias II - Park Avenue Hockey Club 3:1
• February 26: Park Avenue Hockey Club beat Montreal Victorias II
• March 9: Montreal AAA II - Montreal Victorias II 4:2
• March 10: Queen's University - Royal Military College Cadets 1:0
• March 15: Montreal Crystals - Montreal AAA 5:0
• March 17: Park Avenue Hockey Club - Montreal Victorias II 2:1
• March 20: Quebec HC - Montreal Victorias 4:1
• March 24: Montreal Victorias - Montreal Crystals 4:1
• March 25: Thistles Hockey Club - Hawthornes Hockey Club 2:1 OT
• April 5: Montreal Crystals II - Hawthornes Hockey Club 5:0
• April 6: Hawthornes Hockey Club - Thistles Hockey Club 3:1

Sources

• Early Canada Games