Hockey History

There were lots of happy faces in the Tiger dressing room after the team swept the Royals in three games. Hamilton would next head to Regina for the start of the Allan Cup final. Photo courtesy of the Spectator.

Tigers and the 1946 Allan Cup – round seven
The Tigers maul Montreal in three, get set to head West

The Hamilton Tigers were off to Montreal to determine who would represent the eastern part of Canada for the 1946 Allan Cup, and the team made good in the first game, even after some weary traveling.

“A scrappy band of pucksters in yellow and black livery, tired after more than 700 miles of travel in the first three days of the week, took contest number one in the battle for Eastern Canada amateur puck honors at Montreal Forum last night, defeating the highly-rated Montreal Royals, the champions of the Quebec League, by a score of 4 to 3,” summarized a report by the Spectator’s Tommy Moore in that first week of April 1946.

Hamilton scored three times in the opening frame, with markers from Brady, Shillington, and Robertson, but the Royals came back in the second with a pair of uncontested goals. Montreal led off with a goal to start the third period, and the Tigers had to watch their three-goal lead disappear into a tie.

But “Swat” Mason got by Montreal goalie Frankie McNeil at the 15:55 mark of the third to win the game for the Tigers in front of more than 13,000 fans.

The Tigers were rated as the underdogs in the series, which was to be a best of five:
“Victory for Tigers was not predicted even by their closest friends who had seen Royals polish off the best in their own loop, but the Reddingites, wearing the ragged stockings with which they started the season, frowned on reputation to provide what many consider the biggest upset of the play-offs for the Allan Cup.”

The Tigers’ play was editorialized in the Spec, adding that the next game in Toronto would be a real treat for the fans:

“No team is going to outgame the Bengals,” wrote Sports Editor Ivan Miller. “By the same token, a team only reasonably superior will have only an even chance, for Tigers have a habit of making the best of teams look ordinary at times.

“Hamiltonians, planning to descend upon Maple Leaf Gardens tomorrow night in thousands, and on the arena here on Monday night the same way, have two great treats in store.”

With over 14,000 at the Gardens for the second contest, the Tigers once again proved their worth, winning against Montreal 5-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Hamilton scored twice in the first, courtesy of Brady and Mason. In the second, Mason scored his second of the game. Montreal scored its only marker with a goal early in the third, and Shillington scored twice in the final period to give the Tigers a resounding victory.
It was estimated that more that 5,000 in the Gardens witnessed their home team take the win. Tiger goalie Art Childs was once again singled out for his great performance:
“Art Childs, the hottest goaler in amateur hockey to-day, was again at his best. The speed, precision and general dynamics of the Royals’ concerted rushes placed Childs strictly against the wall time after time.”

But the momentum was definitely in the Tigers’ favor.

“Lashing out with tremendous latent power, the Bengals mauled the highly-rated Quebec Senior League champions with a 5 to 1 reverse, going two games up in best-of-five Eastern Canada finals that can end with another Tigers victory here tonight.”

And the Barton Barn was filled to capacity April 8 for an 8:15 face-off and the anticipation of a Hamilton sweep.

The fans were not disappointed.

In a nail-biter, no scoring took place until the third period of the game when Montreal put one past Childs before a minute had elapsed in the final period. But Shillington tied up the game at the 5:05 mark. The play was fast and furious for the next ten minutes, but Robertson took a pass from teammate Miocinovich to send the Royals back to Montreal.
The report of this final game was peppered with accolades:

“Completing the most amazing upset in the history of modern hockey, the giant-killing Bengals ran out their string before 5,000 howling fans in the jam-packed arena. In the first Allan Cup play-off game that Hamilton has ever had, George Redding’s Bengals removed all doubts regarding the better team in a series that has stirred greater interest than any within memory.”

Next: The Bengals head west to Regina to meet the Calgary Stampeders for the Allan Cup

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