1937 Memorial Cup


The 1937 Memorial Cup final was the 19th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Copper Cliff Redmen of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada competed against the Abbott Cup champions Winnipeg Monarchs of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in Western Canada. This was the first Memorial Cup series to feature a best-of-five format. The games were held at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Winnipeg won their second Memorial Cup, defeating Copper Cliff three games to one.

Path to the final

The Winnipeg Monarchs defeated the Saskatoon Wesleys 5-2, 5-6, and 6-1 in a best-of-three series. The Copper Cliff Redmen defeated the Ottawa Rideaus in a two-game series to advance to the Memorial Cup Final in Toronto.

Copper Cliff vs. Winnipeg

For Winnipeg, it was their third appearance in the final in five years. The Monarchs lost the 1932 final to the Sudbury Wolves and defeated the Sudbury Wolves in the 1935 final. The referees would be future National Hockey League president Clarence Campbell and former NHL player Babe Dye.
In game one, the Redmen were down 3-0 with three minutes to play, but scored three to send the game to overtime. The Redmen won the game after ten minutes of overtime on a goal by Red Hamill while the Redmen were short-handed.
Described as "80 minutes of gruelling hockey", the second game saw the Monarchs prevail 6-5 over the Redmen to even the series. The Redmen took a two-goal lead into the second period, but owing to a string of penalties, the Monarchs scored three to take the lead. The Redmen scored to tie the game entering the third period. The Redmen scored and tried to hang on, but the Monarchs pressed the play and tied the score to send it to overtime. The first overtime of ten minutes passed without a goal, and the Redmen scored in the first minute of the second overtime. The Monarch then scored two to win the game.
In the third game, the Monarchs defeated the Redmen 2-1 to take a two games to one lead in the series. Winnipeg scored first in the first period, and the Redmen scored in the second to tie the score. The Monarchs then struck back to take the lead on a goal by Alfie Pike. The Monarchs then held off the Redmen the rest of the way.
In the fourth game, Winnipeg came out and dominated the Redmen and won the game 7-0 to take the series. Johnny McCready scored four goals for the Monarchs, which held the edge in speed over the heavier Redmen. 12,000 attended the game.
DateScoreNotes
1April 10Copper Cliff4-3Winnipeg10' OT
2April 12Winnipeg6-5Copper Cliff20' OT
3April 14Winnipeg2-1Copper Cliff
4April 17Winnipeg7-0Copper Cliff

Winning roster

, Ami Clement, Ted Dent, Zenon Ferley, Jack Fox, Dick Kowcinak, Pete Langelle, Lucien Martel, Johnny McCready, A. Peletier, Alf Pike, Paul Rheault, Denny Robinson, Remi Vandaele. Coach: Harry Neil
Source: Toronto Daily Star