January 1922 – One man becomes a machine – First Line Rover

Main article – Punch Broadbent’s score streak

On December 24, 1921, the Canadians were in Ottawa to face the Senators. The game was hard hitting, the Sens ended up taking the game 10-0. Ottawa’s sixth goal was scored by Punch Broadbent seven minutes into the third period. It’s remarkable, because he has scored in every game since then.

This was Ottawa’s third game of the season. They have played 13 games so far, and Punch has scored in all but the second game. That’s exactly 11, for those counting at home. There’s a word for that. That…uh…*checks notes*…ah here we go, really good.

Punch hasn’t scored that much since 1914-15, when he scored 24 goals in 20 games for the NHA Senators. After that season, he went off to serve in the army, and returned in the 1918-19 season, and has been trying to regain that form ever since. It seems that the mission has been accomplished.

Will he ever stop scoring? I mean you have to, eventually. Even Phantom Joe Malone went a game or two without hitting once in a blue moon. When will that happen? Who knows. It may take some time to surpass that record, however.

Game of the Month

1/21 – Tigers 7, Senators 6 (OT) – Anytime you see a Senators Tigers game, you can expect an explosion. The Senators are the best team in the league, and the Tigers were, well, not that. So when the score became 4-1 Ottawa late in the first half, no one batted an eyelash.

What interested Tigers coach Percy Thompson did next. He pulled goalkeeper Harry Lockhart and replaced Harry Mummery, a defender. A bold move, to say the least.

So when Joe Matte scored the first brace of the second half to bring the Tigers within one, the momentum shifted in Hamilton’s favor. Joe Malone scored his second of the game later to tie the score.

Frank Boucher scored to put the Sens back in front, only to be denied by Goldie Prodger minutes later. Midway through the third, Punch Broadbent hit his third of the game to give Ottawa a 6-5 lead. In the dying seconds of the game, Joe Malone shocked everyone by scoring a goal and sending the game into overtime. Mickey Roach scored for the Tigers at 8:33 into overtime, giving the Tigers the upset win.

Who are they?

Last month, we briefly talked about Sprague Cleghorn, the veteran defensive end, being traded to his brother Odie’s team. It’s a good story, but it’s not the first time these two have played together.

Sprague, one year older than Odie, began his career at a local outfit in his hometown of Montreal. He then spent the following season with the New York Wanderers of the American Amateur Hockey League. It was in 1909-10 that Odie joined Sprague as a teammate. The brothers played each season with the Renfrew Creamery Kings of the NHA, then 1911-17 with the Montreal Wanderers.

Each of these two stayed with the Wanderers during their NHL days, but neither played a game due to injury. When the Wanderers stadium burned down and the team folded, the two split up, Sprague went to Ottawa, and Odie went to Montreal. They played there until this season, when a trade brought them both together.

Odie is the front man, and quite a good one at that. He was a prolific scorer for most of his career, but had an off year in 1920-21. Sprague is a low-scoring defenseman as well, but he is best known for his physical play. Fans of his team will use words like “hard to play against” and “physical”, while others will use words like “violent”, or “hitting”. It’s all a matter of perspective.

Power Levels

1. Ottawa Senators (10-3-0, +30 Goal Differential)
   If not for that OT loss to the Tigers and Billy Stuart’s late goal against Toronto, the Sens would have a 12-1-0 record. Lock them in the playground already.
2. Toronto St. Patricks (7-6-0, -5 GD)
   What we didn’t mention was just a week after this big win for Toronto, the Senators kicked their teeth in St. Pats, 7-2. You win some, you lose some. Or if you play Ottawa, you win one, you lose a lot.
3. Montreal Canadiens (5-8-0, -15 GD)
   They scored 10 against Hamilton on the 14th, with eight of those goals coming from the Cleghorns (four each). That would be a better story if the rest of the team was ready.
4. Hamilton Tigers (4-9-0, -10 GD)
   That thrilling win against the Senators might be the highlight of the Tigers’ season, as they just can’t seem to string together any wins.