APRIL 15, 1947
BEES WIN ANOTHER CHALLENGE CUP
The Challenge Cup is looking like it may well apply for permanent residence at Denny Arena in Boston as the Bees once more prevailed as North American Hockey Confederation champions. Boston eliminated the Chicago Packers in 6 games in the best-of-seven final to win their second consecutive cup and 5th in the past seven years. Only twice in the past eleven years has the Challenge Cup final not included the Boston Bees and their 7 cup wins all-time is tops in the NAHC, one more than the Toronto Dukes have won.
The Chicago Packers remain the only active NAHC franchise never to hoist the cup. The Packers, who's only previous trip to the finals was in 1931, made a strong run against the Bees despite nursing a number of key injuries, but fell just short.
The clubs had split the first four games of the series inlcuding the Packers dramatic 5-4 win on home ice in game four thanks to Moose Vezina's goal in double overtime. The crucial fifth game was staged at Boston's Denny Arena and was tied at one through two periods before the Bees broke it open with three unswered markers in the third period including a pair from Joe Morey, who would end up with 8 goals in 9 playoff goes, tying him for the lead in that department with teammate Wilbur Chandler.
The series would end two nights later in Chicago as the Bees claimed the cup with a 4-3 victory. Chicago had taken a 2-0 first period lead on goals from Pete Moreau and Rocky Messer but Morey got one back for Boston late in the stanza. Tommy Hart scored early in the second period to tie the game and then assisted on Benton Watson's go-ahead goal to put the visitors up 3-2. Watson would add another goal just over 7 minutes into the third period but a little over 4 minutes later Matt Jewitt got that one back for Chicago but that was a close as the Packers would get and Boston, behind 35 saves from netminder Pierre Melancon, would hang on for a cup-clinching 4-3 victory.
CHALLENGE CUP FINALS GAME SCORES
Game 1 Boston 2 Chicago 1
Game 2 Chicago 2 Boston 0
Game 3 Boston 10 Chicago 2
Game 4 Chicago 5 Boston 4 (2 OT)
Game 5 Boston 4 Chicago 1
Game 6 Boston 4 Chicago 3
ROOKIE HELPS BEES CLAIM CUP
By Finn LeBec, Boston Globe
Rookie David Scarpone was called up to make his NAHC debut in Game 5 after Fred Yeadon was day-to-day with a sore knee and was not available for Game 5. He scored the first goal in Game 5 and stuck in the lineup to chip in an assist in Game 6. Wilbur Chandler was also banged up and out for Game 5 and he missed Game 6 as well.
Game 5 finally saw Boston shoot the lights out, as the Bees put 42 shots on Norm Hanson and came away with a 4-1 win to break the 2-2 deadlock in the series. Joe Morey had two more goals to give him seven in eight playoff games.
In Game 6, it was two big second-period goals to tie the game at 2-2 and go ahead for good. Tommy Hart figured in both goals, his scored the goal to knot the game, his fifth of the playoffs, and earned the secondary assist, his 10th helper. Depth forward Benton Walston scored the game winner in the second and cashed in an insurance marker the Bees would need in a 4-3 triumph.
The Bees capture the first Challenge Cup of the Human GM Era, their second straight Cup, and fifth in the seven-year "Modern Era".
This was a special one-day advancement in the rest of the Figment world as we prepare for tomorrow's opening day in the baseball portion of the Figment online world. A full preview and plenty of predictions on the '47 diamond season can be found
here.
Hockey coverage will now slow up as we continue the one week advancement every day (Monday thru Friday) as the Figment baseball season takes center stage but there will still be plenty of off-season coverage from hockey over the next few weeks.
By the way if you want on the waiting list for the hockey or baseball leagues - or the soon to be starting basketball online league (football is still about 3 sim years away due to lack of a suitable game engine that allows two-way players) send me a message and I will pass your contact info on to our commissioner.