1933–34 Chicago Black Hawks season



The 1933–34 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 8th season in the NHL. Tommy Gorman was brought back as head coach and while the team scored an NHL low 88 goals, they also allowed an NHL best 83 goals, and had a 20–17–11 record to finish in 2nd place in the American Division. The Black Hawks defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the 1934 Stanley Cup Finals in four games to win their first Stanley Cup.

Regular Season
Goaltender Charlie Gardiner was named captain of the team for the season. Paul Thompson would score a team leading 20 goals and 36 points, while Doc Romnes earned a club high 21 assists. Johnny Gottselig would have a strong season, recording 16 goals and 30 points, while Lionel Conacher, acquired from the Montreal Maroons before the season began, would bolster the blueline, leading all defensemen with 23 points and had a club high 87 penalty minutes.

In goal, Charlie Gardiner would win his 2nd Vezina Trophy, as he helped the Black Hawks to a league low 83 goals against. Gardiner would win 20 games, post 10 shutouts and set a club record with a 1.63 GAA.

Playoffs
The Hawks would face the Montreal Canadiens in the 1st round of the playoffs in a 2 game total goal series, and after winning the first game at the Montreal Forum by a 3–2 score, the Black Hawks would tie Montreal 1–1 in the 2nd game with Mush March scoring the series winning goal in overtime to win by a 4–3 score. In the 2nd round, Chicago would face the other Montreal team, the Montreal Maroons, in another 2 game total goal series. The Hawks would once again win the opening game, this time by a 3–0 score, and then Chicago would hold off the Maroons in the 2nd game, winning 3–2, to win the series by a 6–2 score, allowing the Hawks to advance to their 2nd Stanley Cup final in 3 years. The Hawks would face the Detroit Red Wings in a best of 5 series, and the Black Hawks would take the first 2 games in Detroit, returning home needing only 1 win to clinch the Stanley Cup. The Wings spoiled the party in Game 3, beating the Black Hawks by a 5–2 victory, but the Black Hawks would come back, with Mush March scoring his second series winning goal in double overtime in Game 4 for the Hawks first Stanley Cup victory.

The Black Hawks Stanley Cup celebration would be cut short, when goaltender Charlie Gardiner would suffer from a brain hemorrhage, and died on June 13, 1934, due to brain surgery complications.

Roster
Clarence Abel, Rosie Couture, Louis Trudel, Lionel Conacher, Paul Thompson, Leroy Goldsworthy, Art Coulter, Roger Jenkins, Don McFadyen, Tom Cook, Doc Romnes, Johnny Gottselig, Mush March, Johnny Sheppard, Charlie Gardiner (captain), Bill Kendall, Tommy Gorman (manager-coach), Eddie Froelich (trainer)

Awards and Records

 * Vezina Trophy: Charlie Gardiner
 * Lionel Conacher, Defense, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Charlie Gardiner, Goalie, NHL First Team All-Star