Top 5 Players of the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals

Originally published on Aug. 18, 2019

By Zane Miller

On Saturday, March 29th, 1919, the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League and the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association played the final game of the incomplete sixth Stanley Cup Finals, with the series tied at two wins and one tie. The series was held at the Seattle Ice Arena in Seattle, Washington. No winner was determined.

The series was called off early due to a global Spanish flu epidemic, killing around 50,000 people in Canada and 500,000 in the United States. The leagues decided to end early in order to help stop the spread of the disease.

These are the top five players that I felt most stood out during the series, based on the games that were already played.

5. #4 Jack Walker (Metropolitans)- F

Walker scored a pair of goals for the Metropolitans in the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Canadiens in game five, as the Canadiens evened up the series.

4. #1 Georges Vezina (Canadiens)- G

Vezina was partial player of the game in game four, allowing no goals along with opposing goaltender Hap Holmes to make it a 0-0 tie after double overtime, the first tie result in a Stanley Cup Final game.

3. #1 Hap Holmes (Metropolitans)- G

Holmes was partial player of the game in game four as well, earning a shutout for the 0-0 tie to preserve the Metropolitans’ lead in the series.

2. #4 Newsy Lalonde (Canadiens)- F

Lalonde picked up player of the game honors in games two and five, as game two saw Lalonde score four goals, still tying for the most goals scored in a Stanley Cup Final game as the Canadiens went on to win 4-2. Game five saw him get two goals as the Canadiens won it 4-3 in overtime.

1. #6 Frank Foyston (Metropolitans)- F

Foyston got player of the game in games one and three, as game one saw Foyston grab a hat trick with three goals scored as the Metropolitans won it 7-0, while game three saw him do one better with four goals scored along with an assist, as the Metropolitans won 7-2.

Players of the Game Breakdown:

 

Link to stats database: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/mtl-vs-smt/1919/03/19/1918030211/recap/stats#game=1918030211,game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=stats