1940–41 Chicago Black Hawks season



The 1940–41 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 15th season in the NHL. The Black Hawks finished in 5th place and lost in the Semi-finals to the Detroit Red Wings 2 games to 0.

Regular Season
For the first time in their history, Chicago added a second jersey for use when playing teams wearing dark jerseys. The second jersey was white, with black numbers on both the front and back, much like the Boston Bruins added in the 1935-36 season. Red shoulder yolks, thin stripes on the arms and a small Indian head on the left arm completed the jersey. With some slights changes, the Black Hawks would use these second jerseys until 1950-51 when their white jerseys adopted the logo on the front.

Max Bentley joined his brother Doug on the team and with Bill Thoms formed the "Pony Line" one of the NHL's most dominate lines of the 1940's.

The Black Hawks had a rough regular season in 1940–41, slipping to a 16–25–7 record, good for 39 points and 5th place in the NHL, and a 2nd straight playoff berth. The Hawks would score 112 goals, the 2nd fewest in the 7 team league, and they would allow 139 goals, which was the 3rd most.

Bill Thoms led the club in scoring with 32 points, while George Allen would get a team high 14 goals, and Doug Bentley would lead the club with 20 assists. Team captain Earl Siebert anchored the blueline, earning 20 points and a Second Team All-Star berth. Fellow defenceman Joe Cooper had a club high 66 penalty minutes.

In goal, Paul Goodman started the season, however, after a 7–10–4 start and a 2.50 GAA, he was replaced by Sam LoPresti. LoPresti would go on to record a 9–15–3 record and a GAA of 3.02.

NHL history was made on December 1, 1940 in a game between the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks as four sets of brothers played. Mac and Neil Colville, Lynn and Muzz Patrick, Max and Doug Bentley, Bill and Bob Carse all played as Chicago won 4-1. Max Bentley scored his first NHL goal and Doug Bentley picked up an assist, while Bill Carse also scored.

Playoffs
Chicago would play the 6th place team, the Montreal Canadiens in a best of 3 series in the 1st round of the playoffs, and in a close fought series, with all 3 games being decided by a goal, the Black Hawks would defeat the Canadiens and earn a Semi-finals matchup against the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings, who finished 14 points ahead of Chicago, would sweep the Black Hawks in 2 games with Gus Giesebrecht scoring the series winning goal in overtime in Game 2.

Awards and Records

 * Earl Seibert, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star