1939 Stanley Cup Finals

NHL President Frank Calder presents the Stanley Cup to Art Ross, April 16, 1939.

The 1939 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was Boston's first appearance in the Final since 1930. Toronto had appeared in the 1938 Final. Boston would win the series 4–1 to win their second Stanley Cup. It was the first best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series.

Paths to the Final[edit | edit source]

Boston defeated New York Rangers in a best-of-seven 4–3 to advance to the Final. The Maple Leafs had to play two best-of three series; winning 2–0 against New York Americans, and 2–1 against the Detroit Red Wings.

The Series[edit | edit source]

The Bruins went into the series the favorites, sporting new uniforms with gold added to the shoulders, pants and socks.

Bruins first goal, Game 1 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals. Note the gold in the shoulder yolks, introduced for the Finals.

Game 1 in Boston was a tight-checking affair with Woody Dumart opening the scoring at the 16:04 mark of the first period with the first playoff goal of his career. The Leafs tied it up in the third with the first of the playoffs for Red Horner but less than three minutes later, Bobby Bauer won it for the Bruins.

Game 2 in Boston saw the Leafs built a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Gordie Drillon and Syl Apps. Roy Conacher and Semi-Final hero Mel Hill tied it up in the second. After a scoreless third period, Toronto had to kill off a penalty by Rudolph Kampman after which Doc Romnes scored the OT winner to knot the series 1-1.

Bruins Gord Pettinger attacks the Leafs net, Game 4 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals, April 13, 1939.

Game 3 in Toronto was scoreless in the second period when Eddie Shore checked Leafs star Busher Jackson, dislocating his shoulder. Jackson missed the remainder of the series. Disheartened, the Leafs gave up goals by Bauer, Conacher and defenseman Jack Crawford (first playoff goal of his career). A last minute goal by the Leafs Gus Marker wasn't enough as the Bruins won 3-1.

Game 4 in Toronto saw the Bruins go ahead 1-0 early in the game on a power play goal by Conacher, assisted by Hill. The Bruins Frank Brimsek shut the door and earned his first playoff shutout as the Bruins won 2-0 after Conacher added his second of the game, assisted by Hill and Bill Cowley.

Roy Conacher scores the 1939 Cup winner, April 16, 1939.

Game 5 in Boston saw Hill score his 6th of the playoffs at 11:40 of the first period while Gord Drillon was in the penalty box. Toronto countered with a power play marker of their own when Kampman scored at 18:40 on a point shot, that deflected off Dit Clapper's skate, with Hill in the box. With the score tied 1-1 late in the second period, Conacher broke in on a breakaway and fired the puck over Broda's left shoulder, his 6th goal of the playoffs. This put the Bruins up 2-1, which would prove to be the winner. The Leafs frantically tried to tie it up in the third and had a perfect opportunity when Eddie Shore took a penalty with 2 minutes to go. However, the Leafs Nick Metz, who'd been called up as Busher Jackson's replacement, took a penalty and the teams skated four on four. With 37 seconds left, Flash Hollett widened Boston's lead to 3-1. The Bruins took the series and the Cup 4 games to 1. Frank Brimsek held Toronto to just six goals in five games. Bill Cowley led the playoffs in scoring with 11 assists and 14 points.

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record
1	April 6	Toronto Maple Leafs	1–2	Boston Bruins	1–0
2	April 9	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–2	Boston Bruins	1–1
3	April 11	Boston Bruins	3–1	Toronto Maple Leafs	2–1
4	April 13	Boston Bruins	2–0	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–1
5	April 16	Toronto Maple Leafs	1–3	Boston Bruins	4–1

Boston Bruins 1939 Stanley Cup Champions[edit | edit source]

Roster

Centers

Wingers

Defensemen

Goaltenders

1 Frank Brimsek

Non-players

Weston Adams Sr. (President)
Art Ross (Vice President/Manager-Coach)
Ralph Burkard (Treasurer)
Win Green (Trainer) Missing from the Stanley Cup, but qualified to be on it.

Stanley Cup Engraving

From 1930 to 1939, except for the 1933 New York Rangers, 1934 Chicago Black Hawks and 1935 Montreal Maroons every team included their playoff games scores on the Stanley Cup. In 1939, the Boston Bruins were the last team to do this. When the Cup was redone during 1957–58 season all playoff game scores were left off the new ring for the Cup winners from 1928 to 1940.
Three players were included on the Stanley Cup, but did not qualify Pat McReavy (6 games played), Terry Readron (4 games played), Jack Shewchuk (3 games played). None of the three players played in the playoffs.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

The Bruins introduced new jerseys for the Finals, adding gold to the shoulders yolks, stripes to the pants and a new stripe pattern to the socks that they'd use for three decades.