1907–08 ECAHA season

1907–08 ECAHA season
League	Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
Sport	ice hockey
Duration	December 29, 1907 – March 7, 1908
Number of teams	6
1907–08
Champion	Montreal Wanderers
Top scorer	Russell Bowie (31 goals)
ECAHA seasons
← 1907 1909 →

The 1907–08 ECAHA season was the third season of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA). lasted from . Teams played a ten-game schedule. The Montreal Wanderers would win the league championship with a record of eight wins, two losses.

League business

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Executive

• Dr. George Cameron, Montreal (President)
• Joe Power, Quebec (1st Vice-President)
• Patrick J. Baskerville, Ottawa (2nd Vice-President)
• W. P. Lunny, Shamrocks (Secretary-Treasurer)

The Nationals applied for a franchise but did not get three-fourths approval.

Mr. Baskerville demanded better protection be given visiting teams at Quebec, as stones had been thrown at the Senators on their last visit.

Rule Changes

• Teams could now openly pay players. Players would have to declare their professional or amateur status. The Victorias would remain strictly amateur.

Hod Stuart Benefit All-Star Game

The first All-Star game in ice hockey was played on January 2, 1908, before 3,500 fans at the Montreal Arena between the Montreal Wanderers and a team of All-Stars players from the teams the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. It was held in memory of Montreal Wanderers player Hod Stuart, who had drowned three months after the Wanderers won the Stanley Cup in 1907. The sale of tickets, from 25 cents to $1, raised $2,000 for Mr. Stuart's widow and two children.

Wanderers (10)	All-Stars (7)
Riley Hern, goal, Art Ross, point, Walter Smaill, cover-point, Frank Glass, rover, Ernie Russell, centre, Cecil Blatchford, right wing, Ernie Johnson, left wing	Percy LeSueur, goal, (Ottawa) Rod Kennedy, point (Victorias) Frank Patrick, cover-point (Victorias) Joe Power, rover (Quebec) Grover Sargent, centre (Montreal) Eddie Hogan, right wing (Quebec) Jack Marshall, left wing (Shamrocks)

Regular season

Russell Bowie of Victorias led the scoring championship with 31 goals. This was the fifth time in ten seasons that Mr. Bowie would lead scorers.

There was a large amount of player turnover. For the Wanderers, Hod Stuart of Wanderers had died in the off-season, Lester Patrick had moved west, and new players would include Art Ross from Brandon, Tom Hooper of Kenora and Ernie Russell formerly of Montreal HC.

For Ottawa, Harry Smith and Hamby Shore moved to Winnipeg. This was Cyclone Taylor's first season for Ottawa and Tom Phillips and Marty Walsh joined the team.

Montreal Shamrocks signed up Didier Pitre and Jack Laviolette from the International League.

Quebec Bulldogs had three Power brothers in the lineup: Joe, Charles aka 'Chubby' and 'Rocket'.

Montreal Victorias signed Frank Patrick of McGill and Billy Gilmour of Ottawa.

On January 28, the Wanderers played Renfrew Creamery Kings of the Federal League in Brockville, Ontario, for a bet of $400, (Wanderers expenses were provided). Wanderers played without three of their players from winning the Stanley Cup (Blatchford, Glass and Smail) and lost 11–5 to Renfrew.

Highlights

Ottawa opened their new Arena, hosting the Wanderers on January 11, 1908, overloading capacity with 7,100 attending. Ottawa defeated the Wanderers 12–2. Ottawa and Wanderers were tied for first going into their rematch on February 29, when the Ottawa manager J. P. Dickson resigned in a dispute over which train to take to Montreal. At the time, two trains were available for the trip, and the two would race, with betting taking place on the winner. In the actual game, the two defence stars Art Ross and Cyclone Taylor would lead end-to-end rushes, and the game would be tied until Taylor was injured, and Bruce Stuart and Walter Smaill would score for the Wanderers to win 4–2.

On January 18, Quebec would defeat Montreal 18–5, with Chubby Power scoring six.

Russell Bowie would score five in a game three times, Marty Walsh would have the biggest game, scoring seven, and six in another. Tom Phillips would score five twice, Herb Jordan would score six and five, and Jack Marshall would score five twice.

Final standing

Team	Games Played	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals For	Goals Against
Montreal Wanderers	10	8	2	0	63	52
Ottawa Hockey Club	10	7	3	0	86	51
Quebec Hockey Club	10	5	5	0	81	74
Montreal Shamrocks	10	5	5	0	53	49
Montreal Victorias	10	4	6	0	73	78
Montreal Hockey Club	10	1	9	0	53	105

Stanley Cup challenges

Wanderers played in three challenges, during the season against Ottawa Victorias and after the season, against Winnipeg and Toronto. All games were played at the Montreal Arena.

Wanderers vs. Ottawa

During the season, Wanderers would play a challenge against the Ottawa Victorias of the Federal Amateur Hockey League. On January 9–13, the Wanderers would win 9–3, 13–1 (22–4). Eddie Roberts broke his collarbone in the first game and was replaced by Gerard. Only 500 attended the second game.

January 9

Victorias	3	at	Wanderers	9
	G	Pos		G
Billy Hague		G	William "Riley" Hern
Charles Ross		P	Art Ross	2
Melford Milne		CP	Tom Hooper
Ed Roberts	1	RO	Frank "Pud" Glass	3
Alf Young		C	Ernie Russell	4
Robert Harrison	1	RW	Walter Smaill
Jack Fraser	1	LW	Ernie "Moose" Johnson
Referees – James Power & D. Brown

January 13

Victorias	1	at	Wanderers	13
	G	Pos		G
Billy Hague		G	William "Riley" Hern
Charles Ross		P	Art Ross	1
Jack Ryan		CP	Tom Hooper
Eddie Gerard		RO	Frank "Pud" Glass	1
Harry Manson	1	C	Ernie Russell	6
Robert Harrison		RW	Cecil Blachford	1
Jack Fraser		LW	Ernie "Moose" Johnson	4
Referees – James Power & D. Brown

Wanderers vs. Winnipeg

Wanderers defeated Winnipeg Maple Leafs in a two-game series 11–5, 9–3 (20–8) March 10–12.

March 10

Maple Leafs	5	at	Wanderers	11
	G	Pos		G
Jack Winchester		G	William "Riley" Hern
J. A. Forrester		P	Art Ross	1
Barney Holden (Capt.)		CP	Walter Smaill	2
Hamilton Hamby Shore		F	Frank "Pud" Glass	1
Lorne Campbell		F	Bruce Stuart	2
Harry Kennedy	4	F	Cecil Blachford Capt.	3
Fred Lake	1	F	Ernie "Moose" Johnson	2
Referees – James Power & Kirby

March 12

Maple Leafs	3	at	Wanderers	9
	G	Pos		G
Jack Winchester		G	William "Riley" Hern
J.A. Forrester		P	Art Ross
Barney Holden Capt.		CP	Walter Smaill	1
Hamilton Hamby Shore	2	F	Frank "Pud" Glass
Lorne Campbell		F	Bruce Stuart	4
Harry Kennedy		F	Cecil Blachford Capt.
Fred Lake	1	F	Ernie "Moose" Johnson	4
Referees – Kirby & Henry

Wanderers vs. Toronto

They would then play Toronto Professionals of the Ontario Professional Hockey League and defeat them 6–4 on March 14 on two late goals by Ernie Johnson and Bruce Stuart.

March 14

Toronto	4	at	Wanderers	6
	G	Pos		G
Chuck Tyner		G	William "Riley" Hern
Con Corbeau		P	Art Ross
Rowley Young	1	CP	Walter Smaill
Bert Morrison		F	Frank "Pud" Glass	2
Edouard Newsy Lalonde	2	F	Ernie Russell	1
Bruce Ridpath* Capt.	1	F	Cecil Blachford Capt.	1
Wally Mercer		F	Ernie "Moose" Johnson	1
Jack Marks		sub	Bruce Start	1
Referees – Frank Patrick & Russell Bowie

• Bruce Ridpath was Playing-Manager-Coach-Captain of 1908 Toronto Professionals who were sometimes nicknamed the Toronto Maple Leafs

Schedule and results

1907

Month	Day	Visitor	Score	Home	Score
Dec.	29	Shamrocks	10	Montreal	4

1908

Month	Day	Visitor	Score	Home	Score
Jan.	4	Ottawa	1	Quebec	8
	4	Victorias	8	Shamrocks	6
	8	Wanderers	7	Montreal	3
	11	Wanderers	2	Ottawa	12
	11	Quebec	6	Victorias	12
	15	Victorias	5	Wanderers	7
	18	Ottawa	3	Shamrocks	4 (2' overtime)
	18	Montreal	5	Quebec	18
	22	Shamrocks	1	Wanderers	3
	25	Victorias	9	Ottawa	14
	25	Quebec	8	Wanderers	13
	29	Victorias	13	Montreal	7
Feb.	1	Ottawa	14	Montreal	7
	5	Wanderers	5	Victorias	6 (10' overtime)
	8	Quebec	5	Ottawa	11
	8	Montreal	3	Shamrocks	9
	12	Victorias	4	Shamrocks	7
	13	Shamrocks	3	Quebec	7
	15	Ottawa	10	Victorias	4
	15	Wanderers	8	Quebec	6
	19	Montreal	5	Wanderers	8
	22	Shamrocks	2	Ottawa	5
	22	Quebec	8	Montreal	6
	26	Montreal	7	Victorias	4
	29	Ottawa	2	Wanderers	4
	29	Victorias	8	Quebec	9 (3' overtime)
Mar.	4	Wanderers	6	Shamrocks	4
	7	Ottawa	14	Montreal	6
	7	Quebec	6	Shamrocks	7

Player statistics

Goaltending averages

Name	Club	GP	GA	SO	Avg.
Billy Nicholson	Shamrocks	10	49		4.9
Percy LeSueur	Ottawa	10	51		5.1
Riley Hern	Wanderers	10	52		5.2
Nathan Frye	Victorias	1	7		7.0
Paddy Moran	Quebec	10	74		7.4
Robinson	Victorias	9	71		7.9
Chuck Tyner	Montreal	1	9		9.0
Dave Finnie	Montreal	5	48		9.6
Archie Lockerby	Montreal	4	48		12.0

Leading scorers

Name	Club	GP	G
Bowie, Russell	Victorias	10	31
Walsh, Marty	Ottawa	9	28
Phillips, Tom	Ottawa	10	26
Power, Charles	Quebec	10	23
Jordan, Herb	Quebec	8	22
Russell, Ernie	Wanderers	9	21
Marshall, Jack	Shamrocks	9	19
Eveleigh, Joe	Montreal	8	16
Power, Joe	Quebec	10	13
Smith, Alf	Ottawa	9	13

References

Bibliography

• Coleman, Charles L. (1966). The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1, 1893–1926 inc.. NHL. 
• Podnieks, Andrew (2004). in Hockey Hall of Fame: Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-55168-261-3. 

Preceded by Montreal Wanderers March 1907	Montreal Wanderers Stanley Cup Champions 1908	Succeeded by Ottawa HC 1909
Preceded by 1907 ECAHA season	ECAHA seasons 1907–08	Succeeded by 1909 ECHA season